Numerous Gonzaga University men’s and women’s basketball players received recognition for their performances on the court this season.
Drew Timme was named one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy awarded to the nation’s top men’s basketball player ahead of the NCAA Tournament.
Timme and Julian Strawther were also named to the West Region All-Tournament team following an 82-54 loss to UConn in the Elite Eight. Timme averaged 24.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game across four NCAA Tournament games, erupting for 36 points and 13 rebounds to lead GU to a 13-point comeback victory against UCLA in the Sweet 16.
In his final season, Timme became the program’s leading tournament scorer, scoring 301 points across three tournament appearances. He surpassed Adam Morrison’s 149 career tournament points. Ahead of the tournament, Timme was named to the Associated Press All-American second team, his third consensus All-American selection.
Strawther averaged 16.2 points and 7.2 rebounds in the tournament, hitting a 3-pointer from the logo to put GU ahead of UCLA with seven seconds remaining in the Sweet 16. Playing in front of his hometown Las Vegas, Strawther reclaimed the lead for GU after an Amari Bailey 3 from the left wing found the bottom of the net with 12 seconds remaining.
On the women’s side, Kaylynne Truong was named AP All-American honorable mention after averaging 15.8 points, five assists and 1.5 steals per game during her senior season. Truong made 94 3-pointers to break the program record set in 2001-02 and her assist average ranks 32nd in the nation. Truong is the seventh Zag to take home All-America honors, joining Jenn Wirth and Jill Townsend (2021) as the most recent honorees. No Zag has ever received honors higher than honorable mention by the AP.
Truong and Yvonne Ejim were named region finalists for the 2023 Women Basketball Coaches Association NCAA D-I All-America team. Along with Utah and Stanford, GU is the only team in the region to have multiple players selected as finalists. Ejim averaged 16.8 points per game and pulled down 8.4 rebounds per game to lead the Zags.
Along with Strawther and Timme, UConn’s Adama Sanogo and Jordan Hawkins and UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez Jr, were named to the West Region All-Tournament team. Hawkins averaged 17.3 points and shot 51.3% from deep in four games, scoring 20 against GU in the Elite Eight. Sanogo averaged 20 points and 9.8 rebounds per game on 65.4% shooting from the floor.