3 keys for Gonzaga to win rivalry showdown vs. Saint Mary’s

Graham Ike's return is significant against a strong rebounding Saint Mary's team

Gonzaga Bulldogs Davis Fogle (4) and Tyon Grant-Foster (7). | Photo by Myk Crawford

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs survived three straight games without their two leading scorers, Braden Huff and Graham Ike, relying heavily on a small-ball lineup featuring senior wings Tyon Grant-Foster and Jalen Warley.

That unit made life miserable for Seattle U, Pepperdine, and San Francisco, but against a gargantuan Saint Mary's squad - featuring a pair of 7+ foot centers as well as 6'9 forward Paulius Murauskas - it is critical the Zags can put more size on the floor.

Fortunately, Gonzaga will have significant reinforcements in the form of Graham Ike, who is expected to return to the squad after a three-game absence due to lingering ankle soreness. Ike leads Gonzaga at 18.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, while shooting nearly 60% on two pointers and 30% from the perimeter.

While the Zags relied heavily on both Ike and Huff to beat the Gaels in the WCC Tournament last March, they will have to find a way to do so with just Ike on Saturday. That likely means more small-ball lineups for Gonzaga, and while that will present a challenge on the glass, it could also force Randy Bennett and SMC to change tactics if the Zags are able to outrun the Gaels with a guard-heavy lineup.

Below is a look at three keys for the Zags to pick up a crucial victory on Saturday in Spokane and remain undefeated in conference play:

1. Stay disciplined on the perimeter

Gonzaga has been strong defensively against the three-point shot, but they had arguably their worst performance of the season guarding the perimeter on Saturday against San Francisco. The Dons shot 14-28 from three, and nearly knocked down a 15th, which would have given them a shocking victory over the Zags in Spokane.

Coach Few was critical of Gonzaga's defense in the second half of that game, noting a few plays where guys left their man to help on dribble drives, resulting in open looks for the Dons.

"They were hunting 3s and we just, time and time again, over-helped," Few said. "And then we were casual on one close out and, with a 10-point lead all of a sudden it's down to four or five."

That cannot happen against the Gaels, a team that is shooting a whopping 37.6% from three on the year, good for 27th in the country according to KenPom. SMC is attempting just over 20 threes per game and makes 7.6 on average.

Saint Mary's head coach Randy Bennett. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

The Gaels aren't a high-volume three-point shooting team - similar to Gonzaga, but in this case, it's more about their overall slow pace, which limits possessions. Gonzaga's defense will be tested against a Saint Mary's team that moves the ball methodically on offense, often using 25-27 seconds of the shot clock before getting up a shot. If Gonzaga doesn't stay disciplined on those possessions, it can result in an open look from three, which could bury the Zags if it happens too consistently on Saturday.

2. Keep Saint Mary’s off the free-throw line

There are lots of reasons Ike's presence in this game is important for Gonzaga, and most of them are on the offensive end of the floor. However, Ike suiting up will help Gonzaga defensively as well, if nothing else, because it gives the team more size up front to match 7'3 Andrew McKeever, 7'1 Harry Wessels, and 6'9 Paulius Murauskas.

It also gives Gonzaga more fouls to utilize, which could become a major factor in this game. The Gaels are the best free-throw shooting team in the country, hitting their shots from the charity stripe a whopping 81% of the time.

They take about 22.5 free throws per game and make just over 18 of them, with Murauskas in particular a difficult matchup in this regard. The 6'9 forward gets to the line a whopping 7.1 times per game and is shooting an extraordinary 84.1% on the year.

St. Mary's Gaels forward Paulius Murauskas (23). | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Ike's presence means fewer minutes for sophomore center Ismaila Diagne, who is a solid rim protector but also has a habit of getting himself in foul trouble. He'll be important depth in this game in case Ike is limited by the ankle - or if he himself gets in foul trouble.

It's not just Murauskas, either, as SMC's guards are solid at getting downhill and excellent at finishing possessions at the line. Joshua Dent averages 3.5 FTA/G and makes them a league-leading 93.6% of the time, while sophomore Mikey Lewis shoots 90.6% on nearly three attempts per game.

Ultimately, the Zags will have to play good defense while avoiding too many fouls in order to avoid their first loss in conference play.

3. Grant-Foster must anchor the secondary scoring

Gonzaga's offense will almost certainly go back to feeding the ball down low while Ike is on the floor, but he can't do everything by himself. Enter Tyon Grant-Foster, who has been a critical scoring option for the Zags all season long.

Ike will command a ton of gravity from SMC defensively, and without Huff to ease that pressure, the Zags will need someone else to look to score when Ike gets rid of the basketball. Grant-Foster is averaging 11.5 points on 50% shooting this year and crucially brings experience and physicality on the wing. The Gaels play tough, hard-nosed defense, which could create challenges for younger players like Davis Fogle and Mario Saint-Supery.

Gonzaga Bulldogs assistant coach Brian Michaelson (left) and forward Tyon Grant-Foster (right). | Photo by Erik Smith

Grant-Foster has seen this before, however, dropping 22 points with seven rebounds, two steals, and two blocks against SMC in the 2024 NCAA Tournament - leading No. 12 seed Grand Canyon to an upset win.

TGF will be a big part of the offense while Ike is on the floor, and he should be the team's go-to offensive weapon when Ike is on the bench. If he can get to his spots and get to the free-throw line, he'll make a significant impact in this game and could easily lead this team in scoring on Saturday.

Gonzaga and Saint Mary's will tip off at 7:30 PM PT on Jan. 31, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.