Gonzaga handles business against Long Beach State, 84-41

The Beach did everything they could, but the Gonzaga Bulldogs ultimately made a meal out of Long Beach State

Gonzaga’s matchup against Long Beach State wasn’t their finest display of basketball artistry, but it didn’t need to be. Despite stretches of uninspired, sluggish play, the Bulldogs cruised to an 84-41 victory over the newly Dan Monson-less Beach at the Kennel. The game once again highlighted Gonzaga’s newfound versatility and depth, while also hinting at areas for growth.

First Half: Surges and Struggles

From the opening tip, it was clear that Long Beach State was outmatched—a goat in the velociraptor paddock, à la Jurassic Park. They gave it their best effort, but sometimes all you can do is bleat and hope for a miracle.

The Zags built a commanding 23-6 lead midway through the first half, thanks to a 14-0 run orchestrated by Ryan Nembhard’s wizardry. Not only is Nembhard able to distribute, he’s stepped up as a scoring threat this year and has clearly made it a priority to be a more reliable shooter from outside. He’s shooting over 40% from outside and taking better shots than he was last year, also.

The Bulldogs opened things on a tear, but inconsistency and lack of focus soon crept in. With five minutes remaining in the half, Gonzaga completely lost track of the gas pedal, allowing Long Beach State to go on a 15-5 run. The Zags’ lead shrank to 40-24 and they headed to the locker room a little dejected but mostly determined to bounce back.

At halftime, Nembhard had already racked up 6 assists, while Braden Huff led all Zags in scoring with 8 points off the bench (he would once again finish in double figures with 12).

Second Half: Bulldogs Lock In… Kind Of

The second half told a slightly different story. Gonzaga’s defense tightened up, holding Long Beach State to just 17 points over the final 20 minutes. Multiple scoring bursts, including a Khalif Battle-led 14-0 run late in the game, showcased the Bulldogs’ ability to dominate when they focused on attacking the rim and drawing fouls.

Battle struggled from deep, going 1-6, but finished with 15 points and shot a perfect 4-4 from the free-throw line. Graham Ike also scored 15 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and knocked down a silky smooth perimeter jumper. Once again, Ike started slowly but caught fire in the second half. I have to believe that eventually, the Zags will figure out how to ignite Ike earlier in games. For now, it’s great fun to watch him play through these struggles and recapture the form that made him incredible last season.

The basic fact is that Ike plays better when he’s angry—and nothing makes Ike angrier than playing poorly. It’s either a catch-22 or a chicken/egg conundrum. Either way, Ike is on a steeply upward trajectory after a rough start to this season.

With 10 minutes remaining in regulation it was time for the bench to get some action. With all starters on the bench, Ismaila Diagne put up another 5 point performance (and snagged 3 steals) and Joaquim ArauzMoore hit a big 3 to revitalize an understandably low-energy crowd. Having not seen Cade Orness or Graydon Lemke in these late-game situations suggests that one or both are perhaps redshirting this season alongside future PG Braeden Smith.

Standout Performances

Ryan Nembhard: Gonzaga’s point guard is on a mission to prove he’s First Team All-American material. Through 5 games, he’s averaging 12.8 points and 10 assists while shooting 42% from three. Against Long Beach State, Nembhard finished with 10 points and 7 assists in 28 minutes. His uncanny ability to deliver the ball precisely where it needs to be—whether in the basket or to an open teammate—cements his status as a man in complete control of the offense. If he spent less time on the bench during blowouts, his stats would be even more eye-popping.

Dusty Stromer: Slowly but surely, Stromer is becoming the ultimate sixth man. He’s shooting 50% from three this season and has grabbed six rebounds in three of the team’s first 5 games. Against Long Beach State, Stromer scored 7 points and made critical hustle plays, showing off a Joel Ayayi-esque ability to fly in from nowhere and grab loose balls. He’s already Gonzaga’s best perimeter one-on-one defender and his confidence on offense is growing. In his postgame comments Coach Few was very direct in his praise of Dusty, a player who would be starting at 99% of other college basketball programs.

Ajayi Will Bounce Back

Michael Ajayi will win games for Gonzaga this year—there’s no doubt about that. He’s too athletic and skilled to stay in a slump much longer. By season’s end, Ajayi will have given fans plenty of reasons to spend their hard earned cash on a Michael Ajayi Gonzaga jersey. It will happen. That said, he was just plain bad against Long Beach State.

In 20 minutes of play, Ajayi managed just 2 points on 1-6 shooting, went 0-4 from three, and missed both of his attempted free throws. He grabbed only 3 rebounds—far below his season average of 6.8—and finished the game with more fouls than points.

Off nights happen, but Ajayi also faltered on defense. He missed backside rotations on ball screens and lost track of his man on more than one occasion, leading to some quick layups and wide open looks from outside for Long Beach State.

Still, there’s no reason to worry. The way out of a slump is to keep shooting, and Ajayi clearly has the green light to fire away. Fans know what kind of defender and rebounder he can be. Once he finds his rhythm, he’ll remind everyone why he led the WCC in scoring and ranked second in rebounding last season. It’s only a matter of time before he gets back on track.

An Aside: ESPN Can’t Keep Getting Away With This

ESPN+ is already overpriced and unreliable. Its streams are glitchy, its scheduling is inaccurate, and its user interface somehow manages to be both overly complex and frustratingly bare. But blacking out games for paying subscribers? That’s unacceptable.

Whether you’re in Spokane or Indonesia, if you’re paying for ESPN+, you should be able to watch the game. Period.

In Conclusion

Even when Gonzaga isn’t at their best, this year’s team is still dominant in a way we haven’t seen from a Gonzaga team since 2021. This win showcased the Bulldogs’ depth and versatility, even amid lapses in effort and communication. Sloppy at times? Sure. But there’s far more to be excited about with this team than concerned.