What Gonzaga's players said after loss vs. Santa Clara

Braden Huff and Nolan Hickman broke down the Bulldogs' loss to the Broncos

Gonzaga men's basketball team. / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Gonzaga will spend much of the next six days back at the drawing board, most likely to address the team's lack of intensity on the defensive end of the floor after Saturday night's 103-99 loss to Santa Clara at the McCarthey Athletic Center.

The Bulldogs (14-6, 5-2 WCC) allowed the Broncos (13-7, 5-2 WCC) to knock down 18 3-pointers, 12 of which came in the second half, and shoot 53.7% overall from the field. Tyeree Bryan, who came into the night putting up 9.7 points per game, dropped a season-high 35 points to lead Santa Clara to its first win in Spokane since 2007.

Here's what Nolan Hickman and Braden Huff had to say after the game.

Hickman on Gonzaga's struggles defensively:

Gonzaga seniors Michael Ajayi (left) and Ryan Nembhard (right). / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

"Missing assignments and our energy, our spirit. Yeah, that's pretty much the two: missing assignments and our spirit, our energy. We can't play like that: dead. Got to have some heart. Got to show it."

Huff on Gonzaga's mentality moving forward:

Gonzaga forward Braden Huff. / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

"We know we got to be better [on] defense. We're Gonzaga, we don't lose two in a row in conference or in general. So we know we got to be better defensively. We got to be more physical down low. We got to know our assignments, really buy into the scouting reports and just take pride in that. I think that's the biggest thing. For Santa Clara to come in here and score 103 in regulation, like that just doesn't happen. So we got to take pride in that, and we got to be embarrassed by this and learn from it."

Hickman on what needs to happen for Gonzaga to have another late run like last season:

Gonzaga guard Nolan Hickman. / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

"Coach made a good point just starting at ground zero again. I feel like we don't lose two games in a row, so, there's some change that needs to happen for sure. So starting at ground zero and going back to our foundation drills; figuring out the simple things and the defense coverages and all around man, just starting at ground zero, building that foundation back up and try to find our momentum."

Huff on the importance of providing a spark off the bench:

Gonzaga men's basketball team. / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

"That's important for us. The starters, they're going to do their thing, but we got to be spark plugs off the bench and bring [energy]. I mean we're ready to go so we got to bring a newfound energy and really come locked in, not timid or scared or take time to get used to the physicality of the game. We got to come in ready to go right from right from the jump."

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