Canada’s Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga likely secure March Madness berth

It hasn’t been the greatest of men’s basketball seasons for Gonzaga, but everything could change over the course of the next few weeks.

With Canadian point guard Ryan Nembhard running the show, Gonzaga (25-8) pulled out a key 85-76 win over San Francisco on Monday in a West Coast Conference semifinal in Las Vegas.

Most bracket experts figured a Gonzaga win would all but nail down a 26th consecutive March Madness appearance for the Spokane, Wash. school.

Saint Mary’s (28-4), the top team in the WCC, will face Gonzaga in the conference final on Tuesday, with the winner likely getting a seeding boost on Selection Sunday this weekend.

Gonzaga’s tournament streak is the second-longest active run, one behind Michigan State. Gonzaga also has made it to at least the Sweet 16 nine years in a row, which ties a record set by North Carolina and Duke.

Nembhard, from Aurora, Ont., drives the offence for Gonzaga. The NCAA’s assist leader this season, Nembhard had eight assists and eight points on Monday.

The fourth-year point guard is the younger brother of Andrew Nembhard of the Indiana Pacers.