Gonzaga can't slow down Santa Clara in 2nd straight loss: 3 takeaways

The Bulldogs couldn't slow down the Broncos down the stretch of a second straight loss in WCC play

Santa Clara senior Adama Bal. / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

The Gonzaga Bulldogs (14-6, 5-2 WCC) dropped a rare game at the McCarthey Athletic Center in a 103-99 loss to the Santa Clara Broncos (13-7, 5-2 WCC) Saturday night.

The Zags trailed by as many as a dozen points in the second half before a late 12-2 scoring run made it a 95-92 game with 1:39 left on the clock. Tyeree Bryan stepped up late, though, with a 3-pointer in the corner to extend his team's lead to six with just over 30 seconds to play. Santa Clara never relinquished the lead from there, pulling off the program's first win in Spokane since 2007.

The Zags dropped their second straight league game for the first time in over a decade. It's also the first time since the 2010-11 campaign that Gonzaga suffered back-to-back losses twice.

Here's three takeaways from the game.

DEFENSIVE WOES CONTINUE

Gonzaga Bulldogs Michael Ajayi (1) and Dusty Stromer (4). / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Whether it was attacking the paint in the first half or generating open looks from deep in the second half, the Broncos faced little resistance from the Bulldogs until the final minutes of the second half when the latter was desperate for a late-game run. Santa Clara went 36-of-67 (53.7%) from the field and 18-of-38 (47.4%) from 3-point range, including 12-of-17 from downtown after halftime.

"We were just on ice skates basically," Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said of his team's defense. "I shuffled through every defense we had. A couple would work for a possession or two, and again, I think [the Broncos'] last game, they shot [4-of-26] from 3 against Loyola [Marymount] or something, and they didn't shoot that way tonight. I mean, 18 [3-pointers]; I've never seen that on one of our teams."

Likewise, Few hasn't seen many teams shoot 50% or better from the field against his Bulldogs over a three-game stretch — until now. Gonzaga, which once ranked near the top 20 in the country in defensive efficiency, now ranks outside the top 60 in that category after allowing over 91 points per game to Washington State, Oregon State and Santa Clara.

Lack of toughness, execution, missing assignments and late rotations. Consider all the above as reasons why Gonzaga has struggled on the defensive end of the floor over the past week.

"That's a shame that we had them playing really good basketball there early, and we just didn't finish off a couple of games," Few said. "And they were playing with anybody in the country. And listen, Santa Clara is a nice team. Got big wings, and that continues to bother us, big wings. But obviously they got a nice big in [Christoph] Tilly and the wings, if they keep shooting it like that, they're a tough out."

HICKMAN'S HOT STREAK

Gonzaga Bulldogs senior Nolan Hickman. / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Despite Gonzaga's struggles defensively, Nolan Hickman's aggressiveness and resiliency have been positive takeaways as of late. The senior guard has scored 54 points combined over the last three games and is knocking down 53.8% of his 3-point attempts in that stretch.

"I think one thing I'd give him credit for that maybe hasn't been able to do in the past, is to kind of power through adversity," Few said of Hickman. "Whether he misses a couple of shots or something, he would usually hang his head. I think he's being much better at competing in that way, and I think we need some of these other guys to do the same."

BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD

Gonzaga head coach Mark Few. / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Safe to say Gonzaga will spend the majority of the next six days back at the drawing board, most likely to address the miscues and lapses on the defensive end of the floor.

"Coach made a good point just starting at ground zero again," Nolan Hickman said. "I feel like we don't lose two games in a row, so, there's some change that needs to happen for sure. So starting at ground zero and going back to our foundation drills; figuring out the simple things and the defense coverages and all around man, just starting at ground zero, building that foundation back up and try to find our momentum."

The Bulldogs are back in action next Saturday, when they take on Portland at the Chiles Center. The Pilots (6-14, 1-6 WCC) lost 92-70 at Washington State on Saturday after beating Pacific, 84-81, in overtime on Thursday. Portland takes on San Diego at home on Thursday.

MORE GONZAGA NEWS & ANALYSIS

• What Gonzaga's Mark Few said after loss vs. Santa Clara

• What Gonzaga's players said after loss vs. Santa Clara

• Santa Clara Broncos 103, Gonzaga Bulldogs 99: Live updates recap, highlights

• Gonzaga honors Domantas Sabonis in jersey ceremony: 'It's a lot of emotions'

• NCAA eases rules on college basketball exhibition games

• How to watch every Gonzaga WCC men's basketball game in 2025

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