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Gonzaga's Graham Ike ascends in KenPom Player of the Year standings

Ike is averaging 18 points through Gonzaga's first four games
Andy Patton|
Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15).
Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15). | Photo by Myk Crawford

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Gonzaga Bulldogs

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs left the desert with a hard-fought, and at times quite ugly, 77-65 win over the Arizona State Sun Devils on Friday.

When the going got tough, the Zags turned to veteran leader and 2,000-point scorer Graham Ike, and - as he has done so many times over the past few years - Ike delivered.

The 6'9 big man scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds - coming just short of his fourth consecutive double-double to open up the season. He shot 4-7 from the field and an excellent 12-15 from the free throw line, with a pair of assists and steals to boot.

Gonzaga was in a funk early against the Sun Devils before Ike took over, scoring 11 points in the final seven minutes of the first half - culminating with an emphatic dunk over two ASU defenders in the closing seconds.

Ike was even better in the second half, drawing seven fouls and calmly drilling his free throws while playing well defensively against 7'1 freshman Massamba Diop and former San Diego big man Santiago Trouet.

Ike's outstanding start to the season has not gone unnoticed, as the preseason All-American is now fourth in the Player of the Year standings at KenPom - coming in just behind Duke freshman forward Cam Boozer, Purdue senior guard Braden Smith, and Mississippi State senior guard Josh Hubbard.

Ike is also the only player in college basketball to win four game MVP awards at KenPom, having secured the honor in all four of Gonzaga's wins so far this season.

The big man is averaging 18 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists through Gonzaga's four games, while shooting 61.1% on twos and 44.5% from three. He topped 2,000 career points in Gonzaga's win over Creighton on Tuesday, becoming just the second Zag in the Mark Few era - alongside Drew Timme - to reach that milestone.

Ike's start to the season is made all the more impressive by the quality of competition Gonzaga has played so far. Oklahoma, Creighton, and Arizona State are all top 90 teams in adjusted defensive efficiency at KenPom, and all boast legit size in the frontcourt.

The Zags will play their fourth game in 11 days on Monday against the Thunderbirds of Southern Utah, before a much-needed week off to prepare for three games in Las Vegas at the Player's Era Festival, starting Monday, Nov. 24, against the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide.

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Andy Patton
ANDY PATTON

Andy Patton is a diehard Gonzaga fan and alumnus who has covered the Bulldogs extensively since 2021. He hosts the Locked On Zags podcast and co-hosts the Locked On College Basketball podcast, bringing years of experience covering Gonzaga, the West Coast and college basketball nationally. Andy also covers the Arizona Wildcats for Arizona Wildcats On SI, where his longtime familiarity with former Gonzaga assistant and current Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd provides a natural connection between two of college basketball’s premier programs. Andy has worked in sports media since 2017, with experience covering nearly every major sport. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for USA TODAY from 2017–21, where he also spent time covering the USC Trojans and Oregon Ducks, and previously served as lead writer for College Sports Wire. He has also covered the NBA, NHL and MLB for various TEGNA outlets, including KREM in Spokane, 12News in Phoenix and KING 5 in Seattle. A 2013 Gonzaga graduate, Andy now lives in Spokane, Washington, with his wife, daughter and dog.

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