University of Montana Western makes history, defeats Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball

Top-ranked Bulldogs fall to Grizzlies in upset

Grizzlies make history by breaking Bulldogs' 80-game winning streak

DILLON, Mont. - The University of Montana Western Grizzlies made history on Thursday night, defeating the top-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team 64-59 in a thrilling upset.

The Grizzlies, who play in the NAIA Division I level, snapped the Bulldogs' 80-game winning streak, which was the longest active winning streak in all of college basketball.

Montana Western took an early lead and never trailed in the game. The Grizzlies led by as many as 14 points in the second half, and held on for the victory despite a late rally by the Bulldogs.

Sophomore guard Michael Haverfield led the Grizzlies with 19 points, while senior forward Garrett Long added 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Gonzaga was led by senior guard Drew Timme, who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds. However, the Bulldogs shot just 36.7% from the field and were outrebounded by the Grizzlies 40-30.

"This is an incredible victory for our program," said Montana Western head coach Steve Keller. "Our guys played their hearts out and executed our game plan perfectly."

"We knew that we would have to play a perfect game to beat Gonzaga, and we did that tonight," said Haverfield.

The victory is the biggest in Montana Western history. It is the first time the Grizzlies have ever defeated a Division I team, and it is the first time they have ever defeated a team ranked No. 1 in the nation.

The loss is Gonzaga's first since a 93-79 defeat to Saint Mary's on Feb. 26, 2020.

With the victory, Montana Western improves to 22-8 on the season. The Grizzlies will play their next game on Saturday at home against the University of Providence.

Gonzaga falls to 29-3 on the season. The Bulldogs will play their next game on Saturday at home against the University of San Diego.