SAN DIEGO (AP) — Mark Few liked what he saw unfold at San Diego State's Viejas Arena when his No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs made their first foray outside of Spokane, Washington, this season. A double-digit victory in a packed, loud arena. Toughness from a deep, experienced lineup that once again is driven to win an elusive national championship. And, peeking a few seasons ahead, he saw an SDSU team that he views more as a future Pac-12 partner than rival. Behind big man Graham Ike and guard Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga displayed its size, speed and strength in beating Brian Dutcher's young, hobbled squad 80-67 on Monday night. The Bulldogs returned the favor after SDSU won 84-74 last December at The Kennel in Spokane, which ended their 59-game nonconference winning streak. Both teams reached the Sweet Sixteen last season. Gonzaga is the only team in the nation to reach the Sweet Sixteen the last nine seasons as the Bulldogs extended their streak of NCAA Tournament appearances to 25 straight. Back in Spokane on Wednesday night, the Zags improved to 5-0 by routing Long Beach State 84-41, no doubt firing up expectations in the Lilac City and beyond. In a college sports climate dominated by NIL and the transfer portal, the Zags are stacked. Of the 12 possible players who could return from last year, 10 did, including all four starters. They returned 81% of last season's scoring and 71% of their rebounding. Six of its top seven scorers are back, along with 81.4% of minutes played. “We're tougher,” Few said. “We're physically tougher, we're mentally tougher, at least so far in the season. A lot of the same guys from last year. That's what happens when you stick around a couple of years. “You've got to have both to be able to go on the road in a place like this and dig out wins," Few added. "That's one thing San Diego State is going to bring. They're going to bring physicality, they're going to bring great athleticism, they're going to challenge you in every facet of the game.” Hoops powerhouse Gonzaga announced on Oct. 1 that it will move from the West Coast Conference, where it has dominated for most of the last quarter-century, into a Pac-12 conference being rebuilt around football. Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, Gonzaga will become the eighth member along with holdovers Washington State and Oregon State, and fellow newcomers Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Utah State and Colorado State from the Mountain West. While not as dominant as the Zags, the Aztecs have been one of the West Coast's best programs for several years, first under Steve Fisher and then Dutcher, his longtime assistant who is in his eighth season as head coach. “They're just going to be such a great partner, because they value basketball and they support basketball,” said Few, who's in his 26th season as head coach. “They understand, when you have a national program like we both have, it pays unbelievable dividends to the university, to the community, to the city and the state, like the Northwest and down here. They get that. We're looking for other like-minded places to partner with us.” Few said he would often chat with Fisher about the possibility of the Zags and Aztecs playing in the same conference. Fisher watches Aztecs games with his wife, Angie, from the second row above Steve Fisher Court. “We talked about it forever,” Few said. “I'm happy for Dutch. He's doing a great job." San Diego State reached its first Final Four in 2023, when Lamont Butler's thrilling buzzer-beater against Florida Atlantic lifted the Aztecs into the national championship game, where they lost 76-59 to UConn. SDSU was routed again by UConn, 82-52, in last season's Sweet Sixteen, while Gonzaga lost to Purdue. Gonzaga opened this season with a 101-63 win against then-No. 8 Baylor at the Spokane Arena. It was Gonzaga’s biggest victory margin over a top-10 opponent, over a team it lost to in the 2021 national title game in Indianapolis. Nembhard, who had 19 points and 10 assists against the Aztecs, said the Zags “did a really good job, actually,” of handling the pressure of playing at Viejas Arena. "Every time they went on a little run and the crowd got loud, we did a good job staying composed and trusting our offensive sets.” Nembhard will be gone when the Bulldogs and Aztecs are in the Pac-12 together, but thinks "the rivalry will be great. This is a great program. I played them a couple of times at Creighton, and they always gave us a tough game. They have a great fan base, a great coach over there, and they play really hard. I think it’ll be a great rivalry to come.” ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
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Former Barcelona and Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has signed a one-year contract extension with the Major League Soccer club and will line up under new coach Javier Mascherano next season, the club said. The 37-year-old striker has scored 25 goals in all competitions since joining the club before the start of this season including 20 in Miami's record-breaking regular season campaign. After winning the Supporters' Shield for the best record in the regular season, with a new points tally record, Miami were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round by Atlanta United. Since then Argentina head coach Gerardo Martino has left the club with his compatriot and Suarez's former team-mate at Barca, Mascherano appointed on Tuesday. "I'm very happy, very excited to continue for another year and to be able to enjoy being here with this fan base, which for us is like family. We feel very, very connected with them, and hopefully, next year, we can bring them even more joy," said Suarez. Miami's president of football operations Raul Sanllehi said Suarez had shown he remains an elite level forward but was also a key component in the dressing room. "Luis was not only our leading scorer this season, but also a leader for the group. His impact cannot be understated," he said. Suarez announced in September he was retiring from international duty with the Uruguay national team after scoring 69 goals in 143 games. The forward played in Europe for Ajax, Liverpool and Atletico Madrid and had a season in Brazil with Gremio before joining Miami. sev/mwUCL: Dortmund beat Zagreb to secure top four spot in Champions LeagueThe villa is on a "unique" new design-led residential development which has been brought to the housing market by Savills. Designed by Yiangou Architects and developed by Rectory Homes, The Crescent is a new scheme of 23 four and five bedroom villas set within seven acres of parkland in Thame, Oxfordshire. Guide prices at The Crescent start at £2.25 million for a four bedroom villa. Inspired by the 19th century "country in the city" architectural style, for which the World Heritage cities of Bath and Edinburgh are famous, the development encompasses three central crescent-shaped terraces, complemented by two ‘Parkside’ terraces. The Bath stone buildings are evocative of some of the finest examples of classical architecture, while introducing contemporary design elements and sustainable materials and technologies. Yiangou’s directors, Ross Sharpe and Anthony Lewis, described the scheme as an "amazing opportunity to design a completely contemporary yet contextual piece of urban architecture in the heart of a beautiful, historic Oxfordshire town". The villas are arranged over three storeys, each with a separate multipurpose studio, private courtyard gardens, balconies and terraces. The 12 Crescent Villas offer large footprints of between 3,350 and 3,475 square feet, while the 11 Parkside Villas are between 3,675 and 3,875 square feet. All properties come with a double garage. The interiors encompass features such as double-height atriums and rooflights. Indoor-outdoor living is embedded within the designs, with large windows and private outdoor spaces. The fitted kitchens have features including a central island with breakfast bar and champagne trough, media charging drawer and Quooker hot and filtered water tap. Other notable interior features include joinery within the living room and principal bedroom and a freestanding bath in the principal bathroom. As an independent, family-run business, Rectory Homes has made use of local suppliers across the scheme. Situated within the former grounds of an early 19th century Grade II listed house, The Crescent is set within over seven acres of parkland in the heart of the market town. Simon Vickers, founder and owner of Rectory Homes, said: "I am delighted to be bringing this innovative scheme forward. "I have been building homes in the western Home Counties for some 40 years and we always design each scheme to suit and complement its surroundings. "For me, the combination of this site’s location in the very heart of the town centre, its setting with mature trees around it, the backdrop of The Elms house and the exceptional design that so elegantly takes all these factors into account, is second to none, and I am enormously proud of the outcome. "I am grateful for the concept created by Yiangou and the vision of Officers and Members who acknowledged what this might bring as a landmark scheme to Thame.’ Sign up for a digital subscription now: As a digital subscriber you will get: Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website Advert-light access Reader rewards Full access to our app
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