Gonzaga looked a lot like their old selves on Saturday. But with a huge matchup against UCLA on the horizon they’ll need to take yet another big step forward
The Gonzaga Bulldogs wrapped up their pre-Christmas schedule with an 86-65 victory over Bucknell on Saturday night in the Kennel, a game that marked a step forward in many areas but also highlighted some nagging inconsistencies. It was a night of return-to-form performances from some veterans, and some other moments that might make Zags fans bite their nails heading into a marquee matchup against UCLA.
First, the Good News:
Graham Ike was an absolute force, putting up 25 points and 10 rebounds in just 20 minutes. The big man looked every bit like the powerhouse the Zags know him to be. This was Ike at his offensive best, using his size to make space in the paint and finishing with finesse. His jump shot looks much improved, even if his struggles to score through contact and pass out of double-teams persist.
Ben Gregg continued his much-needed resurgence with 15 points off the bench, drilling 3 wide-open triples and providing Gonzaga a vital spark in key, momentum-grabbing moments. Ryan Nembhard also did exactly what he’s come to be known for doing: keping everything moving in the right direction. He contributed 9 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals. Yet, his 4 turnovers (following 5 against Nicholls State) serve as a reminder that this team’s ball security needs work—especially with UCLA’s tenacious defense breathing down the Bulldogs’ collective necks.
Nolan Hickman deserves a nod, too. After some lackluster outings in recent weeks, he turned it up in the second half, finishing with 14 points on 50% shooting from deep. His leadership, focus, and persistence helped Gonzaga shake off a sluggish first half, and after a couple of uncharacteristically rough games, his shooting touch looks to finally be returning.
Opening Woes
The first half felt like Gonzaga had set things on cruise control, just a few mph under the speed limit. The energy to open the game was a bit flat once again, and Bucknell’s half-court defense proved to be much more active than perhaps the Zags were prepared for. Hopefully these slow starts don’t become a trend. Four of Gonzaga’s primary outside shooters—Stromer, Nembhard, Ajayi, and Battle—combined to shoot 2-9 from beyond the arc in the first half, perhaps a credit to Bucknell’s defense or just the generalized exhaustion many guys looked to be playing through.
Ajayi had a rough night all around, going scoreless on 0-4 shooting from deep and not even attempting a shot inside the perimeter. Meanwhile, Bucknell’s Noah Williamson and Joe Basco kept the Bison afloat, combining for 30 of Bucknell’s 65 points. It was pretty much those two alone who kept the Bison from falling out of contention completely. If not for Gonzaga’s offensive dominance inside and second half defensive adjustments, this game could have been much closer than the score indicated.
Second-Half Turnaround
The Bulldogs came out revitalized in the second half and began really taking the game to the Bison, turning a 10-point lead into a 20-point cushion quickly, thanks to some quick scoring from Khalif Battle and an amped-up half-court defense on the other side of the ball.
Bucknell, to their credit, kept chucking from deep to stay relevant, but Gonzaga’s depth and versatility eventually wore them down.
Perimeter scoring from the bulk of Gonzaga’s backcourt remains a concern. Although Hickman found his touch in the second half, by the end of regulation, Stromer, Nembhard, Ajayi, and Battle had combined to go 3-15 from deep. Nembhard hit just 1 three-pointer against Bucknell and has made multiple threes in only 3 games this season—and never more than 2 in any game. That kind of production will be problematic against defenses like UCLA’s, which will be all too happy to sag off Gonzaga’s guards and clog the lanes.
Nembhard has also had a few uncharacteristically poor outings in terms of ball control, notching 4 turnovers against Bucknell. This is right on the heels of a 5-turnover performance against Nicholls State. While the Bison failed to convert much on those free possessions, the UCLA Bruins’ aggressive perimeter defense could turn those mistakes into easy points the other way.
Khalif Battle also offered fans a few chest-clutching moments of terror following a pair of hard falls on plays at the basket. Battle likes to draw contact and he likes to play above the rim, and while his toughness isn’t in question, it’s fair to wonder how many hits like that he can take before it starts affecting his availability.
Looking Ahead
Against Bucknell, Gonzaga looked like a squad that’s been grinding through an absolute gauntlet in December and could use a breather to celebrate the holidays. Fortunately, that’s exactly what they are. If the Zags want to make a statement before the end of nonconference play, they’ll need to make the most of their time off and continue improving and cleaning things in time for UCLA.
That means fewer turnovers, sharper shooting from outside, and a whole lot more urgency from the opening tip. UCLA’s whole game plan is built around using its defense to punish any lapses in judgement from the opposing offense, and their transition game will feast on sloppy ball-handling and lazy perimeter passing. However, Gonzaga also forced 19 turnovers against Bucknell, and their own defensive resurgence in the half-court could provide the Bruins a lot to handle themselves.
Final Thoughts
Saturday’s win wasn’t Gonzaga’s prettiest, but it once again showed flashes of what this team can be when firing on all cylinders. With Ike asserting himself in the post, Gregg continuing to step into a bigger role, Nembhard dishing out easy buckets left and right, and Hickman regaining his shooting touch, the pieces that Gonzaga built its season around last year are all falling back into place. But for now, the focus shifts to UCLA—perhaps the final chance before March for the Zags to prove that they’re more than just potential and promise.