No. 15 Gonzaga Beats Purdue 78-72 in Hall of Fame Series Opener

Davis Fogle scored 22 points as No. 15 Gonzaga opened its college basketball season with a 78-72 victory over Purdue on Monday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The matchup took place as part of the Hall of Fame Series, marking a significant milestone for the Bulldogs.

Prior to Monday's game, Purdue had won all five previous meetings against Gonzaga, including three consecutive victories from 2022 to 2024. With legendary former coach Gene Keady watching from the stands, the Boilermakers sought to continue their historical dominance over the program.

Gonzaga led for nearly 35 minutes of the contest, building a balanced offensive attack. Xaivian Lee, a fifth-year transfer making his debut for the Bulldogs, contributed 18 points. Izan Almansa added 11 points, and Braden Huff finished with 10 points in the victory.

Daniel Jacobsen led Purdue with 22 points while battling foul trouble throughout the night. C.J. Cox chipped in 11 points, and Antione West Jr. added 10 points for the Boilermakers, who played a starting lineup without any players from the state of Indiana for the first time since February 1982.

The game featured heavy trips to the free-throw line, where Gonzaga converted 26 of 34 attempts compared to Purdue's 15 of 21. The Bulldogs extended their impressive season-opener win streak to 23 games with the performance.

Purdue faced challenges maintaining its momentum when Jacobsen was forced to the bench with foul trouble. However, after falling behind 67-56 with 5:50 remaining, the Boilermakers orchestrated a 10-1 run to trim the deficit to just two points before Gonzaga managed to hold on.

Looking ahead, Gonzaga will return home to host New Mexico State on Saturday. Meanwhile, Purdue will look to rebound when it hosts Valparaiso on Friday.