Led by fifth-year head coach Dan Fitzgerald, the Bulldogs were 18–9 (.667) overall in the regular season (9–5 in WCAC, 2nd), and played their home games on campus at the newly renamed Charlotte Y. Martin Centre (formerly Kennedy Pavilion) in Spokane, Washington.
[1][2] After four years away from the bench, athletic director Fitzgerald had resumed his former role as head coach the previous season.
[3][4] The conference tournament made its debut this year; the Zags were upset at home by seventh-seeded Pepperdine in the quarterfinals to finish at 18–10 (.643).
[2] Their first tournament wins came five years later in 1992 when they advanced to the final,[5] but fell by three to the top-seeded Waves.
[6] Gonzaga's previous postseason appearance was a decade earlier, in the four-team tournament of the Big Sky Conference.