Pac-12 Basketball is officially back in college basketball, with seven of the nine teams in the league tipping off Monday night to open the 2026-27 season. Six of the seven won their games, including a key clash in Las Vegas for the Hall of Fame Series double-header.
Here’s a look at the three biggest takeaways from what occurred in the Pac-12.
1. Gonzaga’s backcourt allows them to hold on to beat Purdue
The big game of the night in the Pac-12 was between Gonzaga and Purdue, a 40-minute competitive battle. The Bulldogs held on for the 78-72 win, likely a Quad 1 victory for them for their resume. It was a great debut for Xaivian Lee, going for 18 points and three assists, including a trio of made three-pointers. Davis Fogle had 22 while Izan Almansa chipped in with 11 points off the bench. It wasn’t a perfect game by Gonzaga but still a good win nonetheless.
2. Washington State gets handled in loss to Davidson
The worst result in the Pac-12 easily was Wazzu, falling 76-61 at home against Davidson after a slow start. Jamari Phillips (11) was the only starter in double figures, with the Cougars shooting 35% from the field and just 5/24 from deep. While the Wildcats could end up being a good A-10 program, it’s still a rough result for Washington State as it tries to get back towards being competitive as a program.
3. Utah State, Oregon State coast to wins over Big Sky programs
Two teams with strong preseason campaigns were the Beavers and Aggies. That continued on Monday, with Utah State winning 94-58 over Idaho State, led by 26 points from Kingston Tosi. Oregon State dominated Weber State 102-61, thanks to 23 points from Daniel Freitag. These were two inferior opponents from the Big Sky but for two teams with top-50 potential and could fight for an at-large bid, it’s still impressive outings from these Pac-12 contenders.
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