Final: Zags rout Broncos in Santa Clara behind Timme's 32 points

GU's offense continues to roll in a 115-83 dismantling of SCU

A mere 36 hours in between games, including travel time, the No. 2 Gonzaga Bulldogs (14-2, 3-0 WCC) made the most of their quick turnaround with a 115-83 win over the Santa Clara Broncos (11-6, 1-1 WCC) on Saturday. Drew Timme led the way with 32 points on 14-for-18 shooting in the first true road game of the season.

From the opening tip, the Zags dominated as they jumped out to a double-digit lead after six minutes of play. Andrew Nembhard, who was coming off his first double-double as a Zag, continued to be aggressive in the pick-and-roll game with Timme, as the duo tore up the Broncos interior defense. On the other end, SCU’s potent offense could not find consistency with their top two scorers struggling to get it going.

Here’s three takeaways and observations from the Bulldogs’ victory:

DE JA VU

Against a conference rival, the Zags offense clicked on all cylinders to put up over 100 points in efficient fashion while Timme effortlessly put up 30 points in the blowout victory.

Sound familiar?

Despite little rest and traveling to a hostile environment, Mark Few’s squad essentially picked up right where it left off on Thursday. Whether it’s against a stifling defense in BYU or fast-paced team like SCU, the Bulldogs seize control of the pace and force their opponents to play a brand of basketball they aren’t accustomed to playing.

The consistency at which the Zags score has been off the charts. Three straight 100-point performances had never been achieved in program history before, all while shooting above 55% from the floor in each game. Shooting from the outside had been a concern earlier on in the season, but with three straight games of 10 or more 3-pointers, it’s clear the Zags can score in more ways than one.

IMPROVED DEFENSE

While the offense has stolen headlines as of late (and rightfully so), Coach Few had been waiting for his team to put together a complete performance on the defensive end. Allowing 80 points in back-to-back games can be a byproduct of high-possession games, however, lapses and inconsistencies on rotations and communication have been the only blemishes against GU this season. Against one of the WCC’s top offenses, Saturday’s matchup looked like it would be a major test for the Zags.

That narrative didn’t hold true for long.

The WCC’s top 3-point shooting team was held in check throughout the first half, as GU’s guards took away any and all air space for the Broncos. Off-ball screens for PJ Pipes and Jalen Williams were ineffective with Nembhard and Bolton trailing the play. If forced to switch, Holmgren and Timme held their own out on the perimeter while the rest of GU’s defense collapsed to cutoff driving lanes.

The strategy was effective, as the Bulldogs held the Broncos to 41% shooting in the first half, including 4-for-13 from the outside. Williams, the conference’s leading scorer, could not find a rhythm while going 4-for-12 from the field in the period.

SCU would still finish with 83 points but shot just 39.7% from the floor as they tried to keep pace with the Zags.

WHO’S NEXT?

With next week’s game against Pacific called off, the Zags have 12 days off before their back in action against Loyola Marymount on Jan. 27. But don’t expect Coach Few to just sit around until then.

Year after year, Few and his staff set out to challenge the team with a brutal nonconference slate in November and December. This season was no exception, as the Zags faced five top-25 teams in the nation, four of which happened at neutral sites. Clearly that type of competition can’t be found in the WCC, even though the conference has continued to improve over the years.

With so much free time and a plethora of connections, the opportunity exists for Coach Few to add another game to the Zags schedule before week’s end. Kentucky has been rumored as a potential foe, as Calipari and Few have maintained a close relationship over their careers.

If not the Wildcats or another nonconference team, it would be wise to reschedule one of the other three games that were postponed earlier in the month. Until then, it’s a waiting game for the Zags.