Recap: Holmgren dominates as Bulldogs pass road test against Dons

Four Zags finished in double figures, led by the freshman's 21 points, 15 points and six blocks

It appeared that all the stars had aligned for the Dons. Against the nation’s best team, while honoring impactful seniors in their final game at The Hilltop, an opportunity to lock in a spot at the big dance for the first time in over two decades was right there for the taking.

That is, until Chet Holmgren and the Zags had other plans.

Powered by the freshman’s 21 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks, the No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs (24-2, 17-0 WCC) spoiled the special night by taking down the San Francisco Dons (22-8, 9-6 WCC), 89-73, Thursday night in the Bay area.

Now winners of 17 in a row, Thursday marked arguably the toughest true road game of the season for the Bulldogs, who hadn’t played a top-25 KenPom team away from home since December. But after getting the job done against a formidable NCAA Tournament team, it’s the eighth Quad 1 win on the year for Mark Few’s squad and third most in the country. With two weeks left until Selection Sunday, the grip on the top overall seed holds even tighter.

As for the Dons, their season isn’t over, but the outlook is unclear following the loss. A deep run in the conference tournament would certainly help boost their resume in the eyes of the committee, especially if that includes wins over BYU and Saint Mary’s. Currently, ESPN’s latest bracketology has USF labeled as a “Last Four Bye” team and the No. 11 seed in the Midwest bracket.

Here's how Gonzaga got by the Dons on the road:

NO ROOM FOR ERROR

A fast-paced, back-and-forth first half only fed the playoff-like atmosphere inside War Memorial Coliseum. With neither side budging early on, fans were treated to one of the most competitive battles the Zags have been a part of against a WCC foe this season.

Gonzaga’s offense got to work early on, especially from deep. Following an Andrew Nembhard triple to start the game, Holmgren knocked down a pull-up 3-pointer from the left wing with a defender’s hand right in his face. A few possessions later, Strawther buried a jumper from the corner off a bullet pass from Nembhard, who finished with six assists.

In the blink of the eye, four of Gonzaga’s starters had knocked down a 3-pointer. Rasir Bolton got on the board after Timme and Strawther hustled after each other’s missed shots, before eventually finding the former Cyclone from the left wing. The first eight possessions resulted in points for the Zags, who built a 20-11 lead through five minutes of action.

But this was the Dons’ senior night, and their backcourt tandem weas not going down without a fight in their last home game.

A few errant turnovers from Gonzaga gave USF life, as Jamaree Bouyea converted on back-to-back layups to cut into the deficit. Later, Khalil Shabazz knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to five before Bouyea made it a one-possession game with a triple of his own. The former All-WCC first teamer then tied things up at 23 with an easy layup off an Anton Watson turnover.

Shabazz’s night would end abruptly after taking an inadvertent elbow to the face from Nembhard with just over four minutes remaining in the ballgame.

After a sloppy stretch on offense, including six turnovers in 10 possessions, Gonzaga pulled it together on the back of Holmgren. While intimidating the Dons from driving in the paint, the 7-footer showed off his exceptional ball-handling skills with a coast-to-coast finish over Josh Kunen. USF failed to stop him in transition again a few plays later, resulting in a two-handed flush from the freshman to give the Zags an eight-point lead late in the first half.

Seven 3-pointers and three players in double figures paved the way for the Zags, who held a 52-42 lead heading into the locker room.

PERFECTLY BALANCED

In the unselfish and detail-orientated offense, it can be anyone’s night on offense. Or in this case, four guys. Timme and Strawther each found success in their hotspots, while the one-two punch of Nembhard and Holmgren was the driving force behind a strong second half to ice the game for good.

Setting the table for the offense is none other than the Bob Cousy candidate himself, who Mark Few has already acclaimed as one of the best playmakers in the country. Alongside two of the most dominant big men in college basketball, Nembhard’s decisiveness and quickness is on full display in the pick-and-roll, where he’s a triple-threat to make a play. His ability to carve into the paint is a biproduct of defenses accounting for him as a threat from deep, where he shoots a respectable 35% heading into the night.

Arguably overshined by his frontcourt teammate, Timme’s near triple-double against the Dons flew under the radar. His court vision has steadily improved throughout his career, evident with a team-high eight assists on Thursday. A consistent 3-point shot eludes the junior, but with defenders giving him space up top, he’s able to see the floor clearly and thread the needle with backdoor passes and timely handoffs to shooters rounding the corner.

Strawther’s 3-and-D playstyle, along with steady shooting from Bolton, rounds out a cohesive starting five that can beat opponents in more ways than one.

LOOKING AHEAD

One down, one more to go. Saturday marks yet another pivotal test for the Zags when they travel to Moraga to play the No. 23 Saint Mary’s Gaels in the final regular season game of the year. The two squared off as members of the AP top-25 in Spokane less than two weeks ago, when Drew Timme buried SMC with 25 points.