The Zags let their foot off the gas pedal with a 20 point lead halfway through the second half of the WCC opener, a recurring issue this season.
#19 Gonzaga (10-4, 1-0) opens up West Coast Conference play with 10 NBA scouts in attendance for the matchup at Pepperdine (6-9, 0-2) and in classic fashion, got off to yet another slow start out the gates while continuing to have trouble holding onto rather large leads. Someone needs to light a fire in the bellies of these guys with the likes of Washington State, Oregon State, Saint Mary’s, and USF on the horizon.
The Zags had a 20 point lead dwindle down to just two points halfway through the second half. Closing games out is just something that looks like will have to be dealt with for the entirety of this season due to lack of energy for rather long stretches and a lot of missed bunnies/wide-open three-point attempts. The execution and looks are there, it’s just about getting them to fall.
In his return to Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Gonzaga forward Michael Ajayi (two points on 1-3 FG, four turnovers in 11 minutes) continues to struggle to find any offensive rhythm. Going from the top scoring option for the Waves just a year ago to a role player for the Zags has been a tough transition for the junior wing. Khalif Battle was able to pick most of the slack after being ejected for a flagrant 2 foul against UCLA. He played hungry for redemption and broke down the Pepperdine defense with his 21 points on 7-11 FG/0-2 3PT/7-8 FT.
On defense, the Gonzaga guards out on the perimeter got blown by and had defensive lapses over and over again when trying to stop Pepperdine’s backcourt. The Zags turned the ball over a total of thirteen times (six of those coming off Ryan Nembhard) which is above their season average of 10.4 heading into the game.
Hard to believe that Jaxon Olvera of the Waves is a freshman who just averages 6.4 PPG. No answer was found for stopping the guard who finished with a game-high 27 points on 12 -21 FG/3-8 3PT. He’s going to be sought after quite a bit in the transfer portal.
The WCC had quite a bit transferring going on between league foes during the offseason. Former Pacific Tigers guard Moe Odum and former San Francisco Dons forward Stefan Todorovic took their talents to Malibu. The Waves did end up losing star forward Jevon Porter (brother of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr.) to the Loyola Marymount Lions.
Along with Ryan Nembhard (except for tonight which was one of his worst games in a Gonzaga uniform at nine points on 4-15 FG/0-5 3PT, three assists, six turnovers), Odum is one of the best facilitators you will come across in conference play with his 7.5 APG which was the sixth most in the nation heading into tonight’s matchup. He put on one of his more stronger scoring performances in his career with a career-high 24 points on 9-16 FG/2-5 3PT/4-4 FT to go along with eight assists. Todorovic came into tonight as the scoring leader in the WCC at 19.7 PPG but had one of his more off nights shooting the ball going 5-15 FG/3-10 3PT to finish with 16 points.
The Zags continue to go through some considerable three-point shooting woes of their own (tied for 177th at 33.3 3PT%). Against Pepperdine, a disgusting 2-15 3PT (13.3%) was witnessed. Nolan Hickman has been the only reliable deep threat for coach Mark Few, finishing 2-4 3PT in the win over the Waves which moves his three-point percentage to 44.1%. The problem when he’s out on the floor is that he’s a liability on the defensive end, having trouble staying in front of his assignment.
Gonzaga’s strong inside presence along with their fast pace is the crucial reason why the Zags are predicted to come away as WCC champions for the 21st time since 1999. Their ability to find buckets at the rim is how they were able to pull away this victory. 64 of their 89 total points came from inside the paint against Pepperdine.
After playing just nine minutes against UCLA, Braden Huff is off to a roaring start to conference play off the bench with his 19 points on a near perfect 9-10 FG plus six rebounds and one steal. How he only played 17 minutes against the Waves and is averaging 18.1 MPG up to this point of the season is still a mystery with Few’s rotation. Graham Ike (16 points on 7-10 FG, nine rebounds, one block) did miss two easy dunk attempts but otherwise, he’s been more reliable as a scoring threat over the last two games. Consistency from both is key as conference play continues on.
Can’t take any win for granted in the West Coast Conference, this league is talented from top to bottom. The Zags host arguably the worst team in the league with the Portland Pilots up next on Thursday, January 2nd at 6 PM PT on ESPN+/KHQ.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on Twitter @a_cravalho