Gonzaga's Graham Ike earns WCC Player of the Week honors

Ike averaged 21.0 points and shot 66.6% from the field in Bulldogs' wins over San Francisco and Pacific

For the first time this season, Gonzaga Bulldogs starting center Graham Ike has earned West Coast Conference Player of the Week honors.

The 6-foot-9 redshirt junior led Gonzaga (15-5, 6-1 WCC) in scoring in a pair of wins over San Francisco and Pacific last week. Ike scored 22 points, in the 77-72 triumph over the Dons at home, followed by 20 points in the 82-73 win against the Tigers on Saturday. He made 14-of-21 field goal attempts (66.6%) between both games.

The 20-point outbursts were highlighted by two phenomenal second halves from Ike despite foul trouble early on. He had 18 points after playing just four minutes in the first half at Pacific, which followed a 19-point second half against San Francisco.

Ike was the third Gonzaga player to earn WCC Player of the Week honors, as Anton Watson (Nov. 27) and Ryan Nembhard (Dec. 4) earned the award in back-to-back weeks earlier this season. Only San Francisco and Saint Mary's have as many weekly honors, while Loyola Marymount has two.

Gonzaga beats Pacific thanks to Graham Ike and hot 3-point shooting in second half

Also nominated for this week's award were Santa Clara's Adama-Alpha Bal, San Diego's Steven Jamerson, LMU's Keli Leaupepe, Saint Mary's Augustus Marciulionis, San Francisco's Ndewedo Newbury and Pepperdine's Jevon Porter.

Ike's honor comes a week after Braden Huff earned Freshman of the Week honors for the third time this season. San Diego's Kevin Patton Jr. took home that award this week after averaging 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in the Toreros' wins over Portland and Pepperdine last week.

Men's basketball rankings: Gonzaga unranked in latest AP Top 25 poll (1/29/2024)