Gonzaga Basketball: Przemek Karnowski becomes NCAA's winningest player, Mark Few wins No. 500

Gonzaga Basketball: Przemek Karnowski becomes NCAA’s winningest player, Mark Few wins No. 500

By Connor Hope | Mar 19, 2017

March 18, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs center Przemek Karnowski (24) moves to the basket against Northwestern Wildcats center Dererk Pardon (5) during the second half in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Not only did Gonzaga’s win propel them into the Sweet Sixteen, it was a monumental win in the careers of Przemek Karnowski and Mark Few.

After a big win for the Gonzaga Bulldogs over Northwestern, all anyone could talk about was a missed goaltending call with five minutes left. What has gone unnoticed, however, was how big this win was for senior center Przemek Karnowski and Head Coach Mark Few.

For Karnowski, this win is No. 134,which is officially the most wins for any player in NCAA history. He came into the game tied with Duke great Shane Battier.

Karnowski’s 134 wins came over the course of four full seasons, although four of them came last year before he took a medical redshirt due to a back injury.

As a freshman, Karnowski and the Bulldogs rode center Kelly Olynyk to No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a 32-3 overall record. The following year, the Zags went 29-7 before falling to the No. 1 seeded Arizona Wildcats. As a junior, Karnowski joined Kevin Pangos and Kyle Wiltjer to lead the Bulldogs to an Elite Eight birth and a 35-3 overall record.

Last year, Karnowski was the starting center for Gonzaga’s 4-1 start before he had a season-ending back surgery. It was unclear for most of the offseason whether Karnowski would be able to play again. Hard work and toughness, however, allowed him to return as one of the best big men in college basketball.

This season is Karnowski’s best, as he led his team to a 30-1 regular season record, a WCC Championship, and a Sweet Sixteen birth.

For Mark Few, this win marked his 500^th win as Head Coach. Mark Few has earned all 500 wins with the Bulldogs, and the 612 games to get there are the third fewest of any coach to reach the mark.

Next: Wisconsin shocks Villanova

Few has led the Bulldogs to 18 straight NCAA Appearances, 16 regular-season WCC titles, and 14 WCC Tournament Championships. It has become clear that Few will remain a constant at Gonzaga, and will continue to increase his win total.

While the team prepares for their Sweet Sixteen matchup, the fans can celebrate the accomplishments of their beloved head coach and senior star.