Gonzaga Handles Loyola Marymount, 73-53

The Zags overcome another rough shooting night in a much needed win over the Lions

If you only saw the final score of last night’s game, you might think it was business as usual for the Zags, cruising to a comfortable double-digit win over another overmatched WCC opponent. You’d probably assume it was just another 20-point blowout, the kind Zag fans have come to expect over the past 20+ Februaries. But the final score doesn’t quite capture just how confounding last night’s matchup really was.

After a soul-crushing single-possession loss to rival St. Mary’s earlier this week, it wasn’t clear how the Zags would respond. We’ve seen them come off tough losses revitalized and charged up, but we’ve also seen them double down on playing terribly (as we did in their losses to OSU and Santa Clara). Last night, they played really really good basketball but for a very limited amount of time. It was enough to put away the Lions, but 10 good minutes of basketball was cold comfort to fans hoping for a cathartic foot-on-the-neck smackdown to get the taste of defeat out of their mouths.

After a sluggish opening 30 minutes, the Zags rallied to decisively put away the Lions in the second half. They out-rebounded LMU 43-30 and—for a stretch—played some of their best team defense of the season. Ryan Nembhard once again played out of his mind last night and took another big step forward in his quest to put together the best single season a GU point guard has ever played. It remains to be seen, though, if this team can put all the pieces together against a high quality opponent before the postseason.

First Half

The Zags came out looking like a team fully committed to playing solid defense, a welcome sight after the St. Mary’s loss. This was especially promising with Khalif Battle once again in the starting lineup over defensive specialist Emmanuel Innocnti. Few continues to play with lineups and rotations, and last night’s game offered plenty of new looks for the Zags.

Dusty Stromer was out with the stomach flu (It’s a shame Stromer missed Dusty Stromer Bobblehead Night at the Kennel) and Ismaila Diagne was out with a concussion. There’s no timetable for Stromer/Diagne’s return, but there’s also no indication we should expect to be without them against Pacific.

Defensively, Gonzaga’s guards were much more aggressive last night, jumping passing lanes and clogging the paint on switches, closing out on ball handlers as soon as they gave up their dribble. The wings also did a much better job collapsing on LMU’s bigs without fouling. Meanwhile, LMU’s shooters struggled to find clean looks over Gonzaga’s increased perimeter pressure. The opening 5 minutes showcased some of the best team defense the Zags have played all season, and they were able to do so without Innocenti, an extremely encouraging sign.

Offensively, the Zags also seemed to be humming to open the game. Ryan Nembhard dished out 2 assists in the first 2 minutes, and the Zags converted easily on their first 3 possessions. Fans, uncertain how the team would respond to the St. Mary’s loss, breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Then, everything just stopped.

After a hot start, the Zags couldn’t buy a bucket, and fortunately, neither could LMU. Nembhard wouldn’t add another assist to his statline until the second half (granted, it’s hard to rack up assists when the ball isn’t going in the basket) and Nolan Hickman remained a complete offensive non-factor. The Zags reverted to their poor perimeter shooting, finishing the half 1-11 from outside, despite multiple wide-open looks that barely drew iron. Heading into halftime, the Zags had shot just 10-30 from the field, with Hickman, Battle, and Ike combining for 5-17. After allowing LMU to go on a 10-0 run to close the half, Gonzaga held a narrow 26-24 lead.

Second Half

The Zags’ shooting struggles continued (they finished 2-18 from outside, one of their poorest shooting performances of the season), but Khalif Battle took it upon himself to get to the free-throw line instead. He shot 15-16 from the charity stripe (a new record for the Kennel) and, although he struggled from the field (4-13), his aggressiveness was a welcome change from his quiet performance against St. Mary’s. Battle finished with a team high 24 points, and although he’s been streaky lately, last night proved once again that the Zags are best when he’s looking for his shot. It wasn’t clear during the broadcast what he said or did to earn a technical foul in the first half, so anyone with insight is welcome to offer it in the comments section.

Graham Ike, once again plagued by foul trouble, spent more time on the bench than usual, especially in the second half. Though he led the team in rebounds (10), his 8 points on 3-8 shooting marked his lowest point total since the UConn game. Fortunately, Braden Huff stepped up, dominating LMU’s bigs in the post with 14 points on 6-10 shooting and 8 rebounds (5 offensive).

But it was Ryan Nembhard who truly came to life in the second half. He played all 40 minutes for the Zags and finished with 15 points, 9 assists (7 in the second half), and just 1 turnover. Nembhard was the engine of the offense down the stretch, getting the ball exactly where it needed to be and on time. His vision, speed, and efficiency helped the Zags go on a huge run late, building a comfortable lead in crunch time. He was That Guy for the Zags last night and appears to be playing his best basketball of the season.

Despite the improved defensive pressure, the Zags couldn’t find an answer for LMU’s Caleb Stone-Carrawell, who finished with a team-high 20 points on 7-17 shooting. It was another huge game for an opposing wing with length and a shooter’s touch—a defensive lapse that’s become a recurring issue for this year’s squad. Jevon Porter also scored 15 points and grabbed 7 rebounds, but the Zags managed to hold the rest of LMU’s players to under 10 points.

By the final buzzer, the Zags came away 73-53 despite another remarkably poor outside shooting performance.

Final Thoughts

It was a strange game. The Zags are still searching for their identity and the consistency needed to put together 40 full minutes of good basketball, which can be frustrating at this late point in the season. Fortunately, there’s a gauntlet of in-conference competition coming down the pike, and the Zags will have plenty of opportunities to seek revenge on the Gales, go toe-to-toe with the San Francisco Dons, and iron out some lingering kinks against some high quality opponents before the end of the regular season.