Mark Few gives injury update on Graham Ike before Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s

Bulldogs receive positive update regarding their star frontcourt player

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike. | Photo by Myk Crawford

Gonzaga is on track to get its most important player back for its biggest West Coast Conference game of the season.

Graham Ike is expected to be available for Saturday's colossal showdown with Saint Mary's, Bulldogs head coach Mark Few expressed Thursday during a media availability session. The Zags' All-America candidate missed the previous three games due to ankle soreness and hadn't played since Jan. 15 against Washington State.

"He looks good to me," Few said. "He's practiced the last couple of days, so, he's back to moving around."

Few added that he "for sure" expects Ike to play against Saint Mary's (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. PT, ESPN), as Gonzaga (21-1, 9-0 WCC) looks to maintain its grasp of the No. 1 spot in the league standings.

Getting one of the country's best post players back just in time for a physical matchup against an arch rival is welcomed news for a Gonzaga team that's been adjusting on the fly ever since it learned that Ike's partner-in-crime, Braden Huff, sustained a severe knee injury prior to the Jan. 15 game at Washington State. Huff was ruled out for 4-8 weeks, delivering a big blow to the Zags as they approached the thick of their league schedule.

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Braden Huff. | Photo by Erik Smith

Without its dynamic frontcourt tandem leading the charge, Gonzaga rolled out smaller lineups against Seattle U, Pepperdine and San Francisco. The Zags came out on top all three times, despite not looking as crisp as they're accustomed to appearing on the offensive end of the floor.

"A lot of these reps have been in the game, kind of learning on the fly," said forward Jalen Warley of Gonzaga's small-ball strategies following last week's win over San Francisco. "I feel like we've just embraced it and are getting better at it each and every day."

The Zags probably won't scrap that version of themselves because of Huff's absence, though Ike's return to the fold means they won't have to completely transition into a new identity midway through the regular season. Moreover, they won't have to contend with the WCC's best rebounding team by margin without their leading rebounder in the fold.

Ike, who sustained the injury during the final minutes of Gonzaga's 86-65 win over Washington State, wore a boot around his right ankle during pregame warmups for the Seattle U and Pepperdine games. The absence of the boot prior to the San Francisco game provided optimism that the 6-foot-9 forward would be back in time for Saturday's battle with the Gaels (19-3, 8-1 WCC).

"Credit to him; he's kind of come with the same leadership and spirit, whether he was playing or not playing, just letting us know what he sees on the floor," Warley said Thursday of Ike's demeanor over the past few days. "Obviously, he's been in our corner the whole time, but being on the floor is a little bit different. I think he's just as excited as we are to have him back."

As of Thursday, Ike was second in the WCC in points (18.1) and rebounds (8.8) per game. He was also recording career-highs in assists (2.7 per game) and minutes (28.4). His 11 double-doubles in 18 games led the WCC and ranked No. 9 nationally.

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