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Graham Ike takes over as Gonzaga labors through win over Arizona State

Mark Few and the Zags are 4-0 after picking up a road win on Friday in Tempe
Andy Patton|
Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15).
Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15). | Photo by Myk Crawford

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Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs got pushed for a full 40 minutes on Friday night in Tempe, but ultimately kept Arizona State at bay and secured a 77-65 victory.

Gonzaga was led by 20 points and nine rebounds from Graham Ike, who took over late in this game after Braden Huff (11 points, 4-5) fouled out with five minutes remaining.

The Zags were uncharacteristically sloppy with the basketball, turning it over 14 times and getting outscored in points off turnovers.

Gonzaga also struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 6-21 from three and lowering their already concerning 29.4% rate from the three-point line.

Still, a true road win over a Big 12 team is never a bad thing, and Gonzaga still led this game for nearly 29 full minutes.

Gonzaga also doesn't have much time to dwell on this one, as Southern Utah comes to the Kennel on Monday night at 6:00 PM PT.

Below is a look at three key takeaways from Gonzaga's fourth win of the season:

1. Graham Ike is inevitable

This was the first time Gonzaga was truly tested late in the second half, putting coach Few in a position to figure out who his go-to guys are in crunch time. It was never in doubt that Ike would be among them, and he put this team on his back late in both the first and second halves of this game.

The big man ultimately finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and two assists. He was an outstanding 12-15 from the free throw line, which included taking technical free throws for the Zags in the second half.

Foul trouble plagued both Huff and Ike, but when Huff went out for good with a little over five minutes to play, Ike shouldered the load - the exact kind of performance you would expect from an All-American candidate.

2. Tyon Grant-Foster is a lightning rod off the bench

Gonzaga got off to a slow start in Tempe, and the catalyst for the team's big run late in the first half was Grant-Foster. After his first off night of the season Tuesday against Creighton, the 6'7 wing bounced back immediately - finishing the first half with eight points, eight rebounds, and two assists in 13 minutes played.

Grant-Foster's impact was instantly felt on the glass. Gonzaga was outrebounded by Arizona State in the first eight minutes, 7 to 5. Grant-Foster entered after that, and not only did Gonzaga's defense hold the Sun Devils scoreless for nearly five minutes, but his eight boards helped Gonzaga out-rebound ASU 18-9 for the rest of the half, ultimately leading by 12 into the break.

And then, when Gonzaga started sluggish in the second half, Grant-Foster came in and immediately got a big blocked shot, and scored easily at the rim on an inbounds play to push the lead to 12.

Ultimately, the wing posted 14 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, and while it wasn't his most efficient night, the veteran made big plays when his team needed him to.

3. No more battles with Moe Odum

Moe Odum is at his third different school in the final year of his excellent college career, yet he's been a consistent thorn in Gonzaga's side. Two years at Pacific and one outstanding year at Pepperdine led the guard to Arizona State, and on Friday night, he reminded Gonzaga why they weren't thrilled to see him on the schedule again this year.

Odum had 12 points and seven assists on Friday night, repeatedly hitting dagger three-point shots in transition and using his elite floor vision to break down Gonzaga's defense. Coach Few tossed Innocenti and Warley at the 5'10 guard, and while he did have five turnovers, he was once again a big issue for this team - and will give plenty of Big 12 teams fits this season.

Gonzaga will square off against the Thunderbirds of Southern Utah on Monday at 6:00 PM.

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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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