SPOKANE — Top-ranked Gonzaga’s quest to go undefeated this season ended under a barrage of baskets by BYU’s Eric Mika on Saturday night.
Mika had 29 points and 11 rebounds, and BYU upset Gonzaga 79-71. It was the Cougars’ first victory ever over a No. 1 team, after four losses, and spoiled the Bulldogs’ perfect record in their last regular season game.
The sophomore center made 10 of 14 shots from the floor and 9 of 13 free throws. His biggest basket put BYU ahead 73-71 with a minute left in the game.
Gonzaga lost the ball on its next two possessions, and then Corbin Kaufusi had a putback and Mika hit two free throws to put the game out of reach.
Gonzaga ended a string of 15 consecutive games where it didn’t trail in the second half.
“They haven’t had anyone have a lead on them in the second half for quite a while,” BYU coach Dave Rose said. “I thought that would be a really big emotional thing for us, and an emotional thing for them to have to respond.
“You beat the No. 1 team on the road the last weekend of the season, it’s good for a lot of reasons,” Rose added.
The Cougars rallied from an early 16-point deficit, and Mika said the team never wavered in its belief it could win.
“I think all of us did and that was a big thing,” Mika said. “I don’t think a lot of teams, especially in our conference, believe 100 percent that they’re going to come in and do that.”
Nigel Williams-Goss scored 19 points for Gonzaga (29-1, 17-1 West Coast), which was seeking to become the first team since Kentucky in 2014-15 to finish the regular season without a loss.
