Fogle/Lee Spark Zags to Win in Vegas Over Purdue 78 to 72

Fogle/Lee Spark Zags to Win in Vegas Over Purdue 78 to 72

written by: Steven Stremming, Excel H Sports/United States Basketball Writers Association

Gonzaga opened the 2026-27 season by posting their first win over the Boilermakers ever, Purdue had won the previous five attempts.

Gonzaga was led by Davis Fogle who scored 22 points for the Excel H Sports #18 ranked Zags.

Fogle was six of eighteen shots from the field, nine of ten from the line while Lee was four of seven from the field, three of four shots behind the three point line and a solid seven of nine from the free throw line.

Fogle is just a sophomore was a first half force and a second half steading hand as the Boilers made a late ten to one run to close the gap.

Xaivian Lee, a Florida transfer was another steadying force as he dominated the early part of the second half and ended up with 18 points while Izan Almansa, who previously played for Rial Madrid added eleven points and Braden Huff added ten in the victory. Almansa was four of six from the floor and a perfect three of three from the line.

Daniel Jacobsen led the Boilers with 22 points while battling foul issues while hitting nine of eleven shots from the floor and four of five from the line while pulling in seven rebounds.

Jacobsen was helped out by C J Cox, a junior from Massachusetts and Antoine West, Jr. who finished the contest with ten points. Cox was four of eleven from the floor and only one of five from behind the arc while canning both of his free throw attempts. West was three of five from the floor, four of six from the line but did not connect on a three in two attempts.

Princeton transfer Caden Pierce added six points while Omer Mayer led the team with five assists.

Gonzaga were good on 26 of 34 attempts from the charity stripe while Purdue cashed in on 15 of their 21 attempts.

In the game, Purdue started the game without a single Hoosier in the starting lineup. This is the first time in 43 years.

Luke Ertel, the 2025 Indiana Mr. Basketball was one of three from the floor and missed his only free throw attempt in his first game on the college scene.

Gonzaga opened up a lead with Jacobsen was forced to the bench with his foul troubles. The Zags expanded a four-to-five-point lead to eleven at times before the return of Jacobsen.

Gonzaga now heads to New Mexico State while Purdue travels back to Indiana to challenge Valparaiso.

Post game notes provided by Purdue Athletics

• Purdue dropped its season opener to No. 15-ranked Gonzaga, 78-72, in the TNT Sports Hall of Fame Opening Night tipoff in Las Vegas.
• The loss was Purdue’s first in a season opener since the 2012-13 season, ending a streak of 13 straight victories in a season opener.
• Gonzaga defeated Purdue for the first time in six meetings all-time, Purdue is now 5-1 all-time against the Bulldogs.
• Purdue fell to 1-5 all-time in season openers against nationally-ranked teams.
• Purdue didn’t start a player from the state of Indiana for the first time since the 1981-82 season.
• Purdue lost for just the second time in the month of November since the 2021-22 season. The Boilermakers are still a nation’s-best 36-2 (.947) in the month since the 2021-22 season.
• Purdue is now 51-5 (.911) in non-conference play since the start of the 2021-22 season, still a nation’s-best record.
• Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Purdue is now 80-12 when having 10 or more turnovers. Purdue had 10 turnovers against the Bulldogs.
• Gonzaga’s 34 free throw attempts were the most for an opponent against Purdue since Rutgers had 36 on Jan. 28, 2020.
• Purdue held Gonzaga to 32.0 percent field goal shooting in the second half (8-of-25), but the Bulldogs went 25-of-30 from the free throw line in the final 20 minutes.
• Daniel Jacobsen led Purdue with 22 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot, shooting 9-of-11 from the field. He’s the first Purdue player since Isaac Haas against McNeese (Nov. 11, 2016) to shoot at least 80.0 percent from the field on at least 10 field goal attempts and score 20 points.
• Jacobsen’s 22 points marked his second career 20-point game.
• C.J. Cox scored 11 points for his 27th career double-figure scoring game (20-7 record).
• Antione West Jr., tallied 10 points and three assists in his first career game.
• Purdue’s newcomers tallied 21 points in the contest.