Mark Few likes what he's seeing from Massamba Diop, but wants more from Gonzaga's big man

Diop showed off an expanding offensive game against New Mexico State, but his performance also highlighted an area where Few believes the Gonzaga center needs to take another step

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Massamba Diop. | PHOTO BY MYK CRAWFORD

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs used a dominant second half to roll into a 41 point win over New Mexico State on Saturday afternoon, with five Zags in double figures including three who scored 20+ points.

Despite the eye-popping margin of victory, Gonzaga was only up by five at halftime and relied heavily on the starting lineup, especially with forward Izan Almansa (calf) sitting out the contest.

A key reason Gonzaga was able to play a seven man rotation for the first 35 minutes was the performance of center Massamba Diop - who finished with four fouls but only had one in the first half, which allowed him to stay on the court and make a big impact on both ends of the floor.

Massamba Diop is becoming more than an inside scoring threat

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Massamba Diop. | MYK CRAWFORD

Diop dropped 12 points with seven rebounds and one steal on Saturday, shooting 4-7 on twos and 1-1 from three, while playing just under 33 minutes.

"He needs to get used to being able to play minutes like that," coach Few said after the game. "They need to cover for each other ... there's still room [to grow], but it was great to get him all those minutes."

Diop got his points in a variety of different ways on Saturday, hitting a three at the top of the key, throwing down a massive dunk out of a pick and roll, and a nice put back after securing an offensive board. His seven rebounds led Gonzaga, and while he didn't have any assists he moved the ball effectively throughout the game as well.

"He's finding different ways to score," Few continued. "He does have a three-point shot that we trust and we like, so we pop him out there. Then he's got to do a little better job of toughening it up in the post and going right over the top of those guys."

The next step Mark Few wants Diop to take

Gonzaga Bulldogs center Massamba Diop. | Photo by Myk Crawford

While it was great to see the big man avoid foul issues in the first half, it's noteworthy that New Mexico State got a lot of clean looks at the rim - shooting 12-20 inside the arc and scoring 42 points as Gonzaga struggled to keep the Aggies out of the paint.

Diop must strike the balance of playing physical, imposing defense as the team's primary rim protector, while avoiding unnecessary fouls that limit his ability to stay on the floor.

"I think we need to just continue to get him more assertive at protecting the rim," Few continued. "He needs to know that if he comes over to make a play on the ball, somebody's going to cover for him and crack down and block his guy out."

Diop will face a tough frontcourt next Saturday against LSU, and may have to give the Zags another 30+ minutes if Almansa's calf injury is still an issue.

The first ever matchup between Gonzaga and LSU will take place Saturday, Nov. 14 at 12:30 PM at the Spokane Arena. The game will be broadcast on USA Network.