Gonzaga coach Mark Few pulls out signature handstand after 700th career win

MALIBU, Calif. — Mark Few still remembers most of the details from his first win as Gonzaga’s coach — a narrow 76-71 win over a tough Montana team at the Grizzlies’ home gym in Missoula.

The bus ride home, in particular, stands out.

“I was so scared,” Few said. “Going into the game, I didn’t know if I’d make it through the year let alone thought about what the normal tenure for DI guys, is three years. So was just kind of thinking about that on the bus. God, it would be the greatest thing ever if I could make it three years.”

Few’s outkicked those expectations and then some. The 25th-year Gonzaga coach picked up his 700th career win on Thursday night in the Bulldogs’ 86-61 victory over Pepperdine at Firestone Fieldhouse.

With his hair drenched from a postgame water shower courtesy of Gonzaga’s traveling contingent of players, the 61-year-old Few spoke about the importance of the milestone moment after the Bulldogs cruised past the Waves for their 12th win of the season.

“What a great run and just unbelievable players,” Few said. “Just unbelievable players everybody fell in love with and then just a great staff, man. Just an awesome run of staff and that’s what made this thing so special.”

Few said he wasn’t aware he was approaching the career milestone prior to Gonzaga’s 77-76 loss to Santa Clara Jan. 11 at the Leavey Center, but it was still meaningful to the longtime coach, who pulled out his signature handstand for the first time this season amid postgame locker room celebrations.

“I’m not a numbers guy,” Few said. “This one feels as good as some of the other ones we did, just based on where we were at, what we were facing, the way we had to dig it out and compete. As uncomfortable as it was, I don’t think you’d want it any other way.”

That win No. 700 came on Thursday, with this specific group of Gonzaga players, was significant for a few different reasons.

Few’s oldest son, AJ, a student manager for the Zags, was already celebrating a birthday. The coach’s middle son, Joe, is a walk-on for the Bulldogs and got on the floor for 3 minutes late in the second half with GU already nursing a 20-point lead.

“I thought that was pretty cool to get that done on AJ’s birthday,” Few said. “Obviously, having Joe out there makes it special, too. But again, these kids are all likes sons to me so proud of everybody that was out there.”

Gonzaga senior Anton Watson, a Gonzaga Prep graduate who developed a relationship with Few years before he signed with the Bulldogs while playing high school and AAU basketball with the coach’s son, scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in Thursday’s game.

Watson was also on hand for Few’s 600th win, a 102-90 win over Kansas in Fort Myers, Florida, in the 2020-21 season opener.

“It’s honestly crazy,” Watson said. “That’s a lot of wins and I’ve been here for 100 of them, it’s been five years for me. 700, that’s a crazy amount of wins and I’m super proud of him. That’s a great accomplishment and it shows the person he is.”

Transfer forward Graham Ike, who’s only been around for 12 of the 700 wins, echoed the same sentiments after scoring a game-high 24 points to help his coach secure the career milestone.

“Oh man, that’s amazing,” Ike said. “He’s been doing this for so long, it’s just great to see him win. You guys should’ve seen what the locker room looked like. All the water showers and him doing his little handstand, it was great. Glad to see him like this, excited, glad to get the 700th win. Just got to keep it going.”

GONZAGA (12-5)

Gregg 2-5 1-3 5, Ike 11-17 2-4 24, Watson 7-10 1-2 16, Hickman 7-16 2-3 19, Nembhard 2-3 0-0 5, Stromer 2-6 0-0 6, Huff 4-5 0-0 9, Seok Yeo 1-1 0-0 2, Few 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 36-64 6-12 86.

PEPPERDINE (9-11)

Coulibaly 3-5 1-1 7, Porter 5-13 4-6 16, Ajayi 3-9 0-0 6, Anderson 2-6 1-1 5, Mallette 3-12 0-0 9, Cooper 2-2 3-4 7, Moore 2-3 0-0 5, Pitre 0-2 2-2 2, Stansberry 2-4 0-0 4, Gassama 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-56 11-14 61.

Halftime — 40-40. 3-Point Goals — Gonzaga 8-20 (Hickman 3-10, Stromer 2-4, Nembhard 1-1, Watson 1-1, Huff 1-2, Gregg 0-2), Pepperdine 6-18 (Mallette 3-9, Porter 2-5, Moore 1-2, Pitre 0-1, Stansberry 0-1). Fouled Out — Coulibaly. Rebounds — Gonzaga 38 (Gregg 10), Pepperdine 24 (Porter, Mallette, Cooper 4). Assists — Gonzaga 19 (Nembhard 8), Pepperdine 10 (Anderson 5). Total Fouls — Gonzaga 17, Pepperdine 14. A — 3,128 (3,104).