1995–96 Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team

The 1995–96 Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team represented Gonzaga University in the West Coast Conference (WCC) during the 1995–96 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by fourteenth-year head coach Dan Fitzgerald, the Bulldogs were 19–7 (.731) overall in the regular season (10–4 in WCC, tied for first), and played their home games on campus at the Charlotte Y. Martin Centre in Spokane, Washington.

1995–96 Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball
WCC regular season co-champion
ConferenceWest Coast Conference
Record21–9 (10–4 WCC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaCharlotte Y. Martin Centre
Seasons
1995–96 West Coast Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Santa Clara 10 4   .714 20 9   .690
Gonzaga 10 4   .714 21 9   .700
Loyola Marymount 8 6   .571 18 11   .621
San Francisco 8 6   .571 15 12   .556
Portland 7 7   .500 19 11   .633
San Diego 6 8   .429 14 14   .500
Saint Mary's 5 9   .357 12 15   .444
Pepperdine 2 12   .143 10 18   .357
Conference tournament winner
Rankings from AP poll[1]

In November 1995, athletic director Fitzgerald announced this season would be his penultimate as head coach, with plans to promote longtime assistant Dan Monson in the spring of 1997.[2]

Regular season co-champion, Gonzaga advanced to the final of the WCC tournament at Santa Clara, but fell to fifth seed Portland.[3] Ten days later in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT),[4] the Bulldogs traveled to south to Pullman and lost to Washington State by nineteen points to finish at 21–9 (.700).[5][6]

Postseason results

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Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
WCC tournament
Sat, March 2
12:00 pm, PSN
(2) vs. (7) Saint Mary's
Quarterfinal
W 64–54  20–7
Toso Pavilion 
Santa Clara, California
Sun, March 3
5:00 pm, PSN
(2) vs. (8) Pepperdine
Semifinal
W 76–48  21–7
Toso Pavilion 
Santa Clara, California
Mon, March 4
9:00 pm, ESPN
(2) vs. (5) Portland
Final
L 68–76  21–8
Toso Pavilion (2,350)
Santa Clara, California
National Invitation tournament
Thu, March 14
7:00 pm
at Washington State
First round
L 73–92  21–9
Beasley Coliseum (6,985)
Pullman, Washington
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Pacific time.

References

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  1. ^ sports-reference.com 1995-96 West Coast Conference Season Summary
  2. ^ Boling, Dave (November 8, 1995). "Fitzgerald will pass off to Monson in 1997". Spokesman-Review. p. C1.
  3. ^ "Pilots down Gonzaga, clinch first NCAA berth since 1959". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 5, 1996. p. 2D.
  4. ^ Miedema, Laurence (March 14, 1996). "Cougs try to block GU's path". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). p. 1D.
  5. ^ "WSU rips Gonzaga in opener". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 15, 1996. p. 3B.
  6. ^ Miedema, Laurence (March 15, 1996). "Cougars crush cold GU in NIT opener". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). p. 1C.
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