Mark Few sees something special developing in Gonzaga's Isiah Harwell

Harwell delivered his best performance yet in a Gonzaga uniform against New Mexico State, but it wasn't just his scoring that caught his coach's attention

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Isiah Harwell. | MYK CRAWFORD

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs dropped 109 points on New Mexico State on Saturday afternoon, securing a 41-point blowout win in the home opener of the 2026-27 season.

Gonzaga bounced back from an uncomfortable five point halftime lead with dominant defense, at one point going on an 18-0 run and holding the Aggies to just six made field goals - and 11 turnovers - in the final 20 minutes.

A trio of Zags finished with 20+ points - including the team's two star returners in Davis Fogle (22) and Braden Huff (20). The third was Isiah Harwell, Gonzaga's 'other' sophomore breakout candidate on the perimeter, who secured five rebounds and a game-high three steals as well, while shooting 8-10 from the field and a scorching 4-6 from three.

Harwell's two-way impact

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Isiah Harwell (1). | Photo by Myk Crawford

Harwell looked impressive for Gonzaga at Kraziness in the Kennel, and had good moments in the exhibition games, but struggled in the season-opener against Purdue - so it was huge to see him bounce back with a strong showing on both ends of the floor.

Few was certainly happy with Harwell's 4-6 shooting from three - part of a 54.2% (13-24) afternoon for Gonzaga as a whole - but even more impressed with Harwell's night on the other end of the floor.

"That's exactly who he is," Few said of Harwell's defense after the game. "He's an effort guy, he's a tough guy, he can make plays like that."

Gonzaga men's basketball coaches. | Photo by Erik Smith

Harwell played strong defense as a freshman last year at Houston, but his offense left plenty to be desired as he finished the year shooting under 30% from the field and just 27.1% from three.

But he's been lights out from the perimeter for Gonzaga, with Few crediting his shot selection and footwork as reasons for his ascension as an outside shooter.

"Expect a lot more of that," Davis Fogle said of Harwell after the game. "He can shoot it, he can score on all three levels, and he's just been an anchor for us on the defensive side too. And doing all the little stuff, rebounding, diving on the floor. The scoring is just a plus, but that's what he does."

Role going forward

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Isiah Harwell. | PHOTO BY MYK CRAWFORD

Harwell is locked in as Gonzaga's starting wing opposite Davis Fogle, and his ability to anchor this team defensively, and also lead them in scoring, will make him among the most valuable players on this roster.

Harwell's tough freshman season is a thing of the past, and the early production from the 6'6 sophomore is a potential major ceiling raiser for Gonzaga.

Next up for the Zags is a trip across the river to the Spokane Arena, where they'll host the LSU Tigers next Saturday, Nov. 14, at 12:30 PM. The game will be broadcast on USA Network.