New Season, Old Rivals: Gonzaga vs Baylor Preview

The Gonzaga Bulldogs begin the 2024-2025 season with a rematch of the 2021 national championship game. Tipoff at 8:30, coverage provided by ESPN2.

It’s here. It’s finally here. The Gonzaga season is officially upon us, and it’s time for some real Zag basketball.

The Bulldogs kick off the 2024-2025 season on November 4 at 8:30 PM with a rematch of the 2021 national championship game against the Baylor Bears. Baylor opens this season ranked No. 8 after their last season ended prematurely via a gut-check loss to Clemson in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Scott Drew wasted no time getting busy in the transfer portal after that and has brought in some skilled veteran leadership this year to complement the high-profile incoming freshman class he’s assembled.

Both the Bears and the Bulldogs like to play extremely fast and fight hard to keep momentum on their side. It’ll be a track meet against Baylor and the Zags will need to come out aggressive and control the tempo early if they want to compete against Baylor’s stacked backcourt. Gonzaga’ will rely heavily on newcomers Michael Ajayi and Khalif Battle to provide the depth and versatility that were missing from last year’s squad and Ryan Nembhard and Graham Ike’s chemistry in the high pick-and-roll will need to be on-point and effective because Baylor does not allow too many easy buckets from outside.

Meet the Bears

Few moments in my time as a Gonzaga fan have been as panic-inducing as the first 10 minutes of the 2021 national championship game against Scott Drew’s Baylor Bears. After a season of dominance by the Jalen Suggs led Gonzaga Bulldogs, it was clear by halftime that the wheels had come off in spectacular fashion. The Zags ended the game in a punch-drunk daze, watching another team cut down the nets, asking themselves, “what just happened?”

Every Gonzaga fan knows just how dangerous Scott Drew’s Baylor teams can be when they’re at their best. Their style is an all-out, pedal-to-the-metal assault, fueled by the physicality, versatility, and the relentless one-on-one defense of their backcourt. Baylor’s game is all about guard play: they can drive hard to the rim or unleash bombs from beyond the arc. This season, Drew might just have his most electrifying guard lineup yet.

With Duke transfer Jeremy Roach and potential future lottery-pick freshman VJ Edgecombe, the Bears’ backcourt boasts an impressive one-two punch of experience and raw talent that will be tough to contain. By season’s end, Roach and Edgecombe could easily be regarded as one of the top backcourt duos in the country—and when they step into Spokane Arena, they’ll be eager to prove it.

Baylor also shored up its frontcourt with Miami transfer power forward Norchad Omier, who averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Hurricanes last year before choosing Baylor over an NBA jump. Watching Omier go head-to-head with Gonzaga’s Ajayi will be a thrill, as both are highly athletic and love to battle hard for rebounds on both ends.

This game will offer our first real glimpse of Gonzaga’s new team and the chemistry they’ve built over the offseason. It promises to be a hard-fought matchup and one that will highlight any adjustments the Zags need to make to maximize this season’s excess of potential. Unlike the exhibition games, however, this one counts.

How to Win…

If Gonzaga wants to secure a win, it has a couple of options…

• Option 1: Let Ryan Nembhard Do It. I don’t know, he’s done it before. Who’s to say Gonzaga’s point guard won’t drop another 30-burger on the Bears?

Option 2 has a few more moving parts. To leave with a W, the Zags will need to focus their energies on a few key aspects of their performance:

1) Defend the Perimeter Without Fouling

This game could come down to how well Gonzaga’s guards contain Baylor’s three-point assault. In addition to Roach and Edgecombe, Baylor will rely on Jaden Nunn, Langston Love, and Jalen Celestine for high-volume, high-percentage shooting from outside. Hickman, Nembhard, Battle, and Stromer will need to defend the perimeter aggressively but avoid foul trouble, especially since they’ll be counted on to score as well. Our guards will need to be poised and patient without being handsy or overly aggressive in stopping penetration from outside. It’ll be interesting to see if Few sticks with the three-guard set he used against Warner Pacific or rotates Hickman, Battle, and Nembhard to keep his backcourt fresh and safe from racking up too many fouls all at once.

2) Limit Second-Chance Points

While Gonzaga’s guards handle Baylor’s shooters, their big men need to dominate the glass. This Baylor team thrives on shooting the deep ball—and they’re good at it. The Zags can’t afford to give them too many clean looks. Ajayi, Gregg, Huff, and Ike will need to keep their matchups in check and quickly find open passing lanes when they grab a defensive rebound. Ajayi, in particular, has a talent for reading shot trajectories, and his rebounding could be a big factor in controlling possessions.

3) Push the Pace and Control the Tempo

Baylor’s half-court defense is no joke. Their guards have quick hands, jump passing lanes, and aren’t shy about trapping ball handlers just past half-court. They’re disruptive if you let them settle. The key will be to deny them that chance. Nembhard’s court vision combined with Battle’s speed and finishing could be huge for the Bulldogs if they push the tempo and keep Baylor from setting up its half-court defense.

4) Draw Fouls to Slow Down Baylor’s Backcourt

Keeping Baylor’s guards off the court is another way to neutralize their threat. Khalif Battle shot more free throws last season than just about any other player in college basketball, and Ryan Nembhard seems to be making a point of getting to the line this year too. If the Zags can get Jeremy Roach and/or Norchad Omier in foul trouble early, it would disrupt Baylor’s rhythm significantly. Expect to see some isolation drives designed to get Roach and Omier off their feet and force fouls around the rim. Roach is Baylor’s veteran playmaker, and Omier accounts for the bulk of their interior presence. Without either of their veterans on the floor, they won’t be the same team.

In Conclusion…

Many Gonzaga fans still remember the stunned look on Corey Kispert’s face early in that national championship game four years ago—a “what is happening!?” expression that still haunts me and many others. Tomorrow’s game offers another small shot at redemption. With a victory, maybe the Zags can finally put a little distance between themselves and that ugly, ugly loss.

Date: Monday, November 4, 2024

Time: 8:30 PM / 11:30 PM ET

TV: ESPN2

Where: Spokane, Washington

Venue: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena