Gonzaga senior point guard Ryan Nembhard matched his career best with 15 assists to break the West Coast Conference single-season assist record and the Zags had a much-needed statement win, 95-76 against the Broncos,

Gonzaga came up with one defensive wrinkle and stumbled on another in its effort to stymie hot-shooting Santa Clara in a 95-76 win on Tuesday at the Leavey Center.

The result gives Gonzaga (22-8, 13-4) a two-game cushion on Santa Clara (19-11, 11-6) in the West Coast Conference standings, now guaranteeing the Zags won’t finish any worse than third place. It was GU’s first Quad 1 win since a mid-November victory over San Diego State at the Viejas Center, snapping a six-game skid in such scenarios.

Gonzaga basketball guard Ryan Nembhard had another 15-assist game against Santa Clara, marking the first time it's happened in 22 years.

They made quite the duo standing next to each other against a wall outside the locker room, 7-foot freshman center Ismaila Diagne and, at a full foot shorter, s