Recap: No. 1 Gonzaga overcomes first-half scare against USF Dons
A little adversity can bring out a team’s willingness to fight and battle. The No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs (15-2, 4-0 WCC) experienced just that in their 78-62 win over the San Francisco Dons (15-4, 2-2 WCC) Thursday night in Spokane. Powered by Chet Holmgren’s 22 points, nine rebounds and four blocks, GU overcame a slow start to finish strong against one of the premier teams in the WCC.
With the win, the Zags strengthened their case as a No. 1 seed in the big dance this March. After taking care of three top-25 teams in the nonconference slate and BYU at home, GU’s win over a talented Dons squad is a boost to the resume. Heading into the matchup, USF was ranked 35th in the NET and KenPom, two metrics the selection committee views highly come selection Sunday.
Here’s three takeaways from the ballgame:
SLOPPY, PHYSICAL OUT OF THE GATE
Through conference play, the Zags have excelled at setting the tone from the opening tip. Easy baskets around the rim and fast breaks usually lead to a double-digit lead within the first five minutes. A few 3-pointers and highlight dunks later, and it’ll be a 20-point game at half.
But on Thursday, it was the Dons who delivered the first punch.
While being known as a run-and-gun offense, USF won the battle in the trenches early on. On offense, the pick-and-roll continued to create favorable matches for Patrick Tape and Yauhen Massalski inside. The frontcourt duo abused smaller defenders quickly, as the Dons jumped out to an 8-2 lead in three minutes.
Matched up against Drew Timme, Massalski held his own against the nation’s most efficient offensive player. The transfer from USD used all of his 6-foot-9 frame to force Timme into difficult hook shots, resulting in a 0-for-5 start for the junior including an emphatic block near the end of the first half.
With the Zags offense stalled out of the gate, the Dons held a double-digit advantage in front of a silent McCarthy Athletic Center. Jamaree Bouyea knocked down a 3-pointer with Nembhard draped all over him to make it a 15-4 ballgame.
GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY
GU survived the initial blow, now it was time to deliver the counter. Facing true adversity for the first time in a while, Mark Few’s squad climbed back into the ballgame slowly but surely. A rare Anton Watson 3-pointer and contact layup from Nembhard cut the deficit to six, before Bolton finished through Bouyea for another and-one. With energy in the building for the first time, GU continued to ramp up the intensity on defense.
“I think even the last part of the first half and the second half defense was good,” Few said. “I thought it was the key to the game.”
A corner 3-pointer from Holmgren gave GU its first lead of the night. From there, the two programs traded blows until halftime.
Despite a 17-2 run, the Zags could not muster enough momentum to pull away from the pesky Dons. A thunderous dunk from Tape over Timme gave USF life, followed by timely jump shots from Bouyea and sharpshooter Julian Rishwain to keep the game close.
As tensions rose, so did the physicality. The final 10 minutes of the first half were dominated by free-throws, with the two teams combining for eight fouls in that span. Every rebound and loose ball became a dog fight on the floor.
A six-point GU lead would be cut in half after a Bouyea 3-pointer, making it a 36-33 game at halftime. The Bulldogs and Dons combined to shoot 42% from the floor and 21 personal fouls.
CHET POWERS 2ND HALF RUN
It’s been Timme time for the last week, but on Thursday, Holmgren put on the backpack to carry the Zags offense. An impressive and efficient first half from the 7-footer would have to carry over for the final 20 minutes with his frontcourt mate held in check.
Unfortunately for the Dons, that’s exactly what happened.
Holmgren kicked off the second half by finishing off an alley-oop pass from Timme for a two-hand flush, sparking an eruption from the bench and student section. A midrange jumper in the Dons zone defense gave GU its first double-digit lead of the night. With momentum favoring the Zags, Holmgren made it a 15-point game after an and-one layup.
“[USF] was switching between man and zone defense a lot,” Holmgren said. “They weren’t stepping up in the high post… we had to make aggressive plays.”
A late push from Timme and smothering defense down the stretch put the contest out of reach. Nolan Hickman and Rasir Bolton swarmed Bouyea and Shabazz on the perimeter, while Holmgren turned away shots in the paint. Nembhard’s 3-pointer to push the lead to 16 with just under four minutes left sealed the victory.
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs face LMU next Thursday at 6 pm. GU has won the last 24 games against the Lions, including 31 straight at home.
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