San Diego at Gonzaga Preview

Gonzaga comes back home to take on the Toreros at the Kennel on Wednesday. Tip-off at 6:00 PM PST. Local coverage by KHQ, national “coverage” by ESPN+.

This week, the #18 Gonzaga Bulldogs return to the Kennel for the first time in over two weeks, hosting the University of San Diego Toreros. After a couple of dominant wins, including a 28-point drubbing of Loyola Marymount, the Zags are looking to keep their momentum going. Meanwhile, San Diego comes off a big loss to Oregon State and a narrow, one-point defeat by Santa Clara just days prior.

It’s hard to imagine this one being a nail-biter (though Pepperdine wasn’t supposed to be close either), but it’s still a chance for the Zags to keep sharpening their defense and find a more predictable offensive rhythm. More than anything, this game is an opportunity to boost the confidence of some of the team’s less consistent but equally capable bucket-getters and maybe even discover some new ways of getting the ball in the basket as well.

Meet the Toreros:

Record: 4-12, KenPom #258

It’s been a tough season for USD. Despite having plenty of talent on their roster, they’ve looked disjointed offensively and sloppy on the other end of the floor. They’ve endured some ugly losses to Arizona State (90-53), San Diego State (74-57), and Oregon State (81-54), but also just came off a one-point nail biter to the 10-6 Santa Clara Broncos, a game in which 4 different Toreros scored in double figures. They’ve shown promise, but also haven’t found a way to put all the pieces together consistently.

Offensively, the Toreros are led by guard Kjay Bradley Jr., though he typically comes off the bench. The 6’1” junior is an off-ball guard averaging 15.4 points per game in about 28 minutes a night. He’s an elite ball handler who prefers to operate in the one-on-one and attack off the dribble or step back from outside when he can’t find a clean lane to the rim. He uses his body well in space and is also highly athletic and intense. He can score in bunches from the interior, but his outside shooting has been inconsistent—he’s 20-70 from deep so far this season.

In the frontcourt, USD leans on 6’10” sophomore Santiago Trouet and 6’10” senior Steven Jamerson II for scoring and rebounding. Trouet, a high profile prospect from Argentina, was limited to just 3 points in the loss to Oregon State, but he’s been solid overall, averaging 9.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He also grabbed a season-high 20 boards against UCSD last month and has a quick release outside jumper when he catches the ball in rhythm.

Jamerson II is a classic (if undersized) center who thrives on offensive rebounding, put-back buckets around the basket, and playing above the rim. He’s had some highlight-reel dunks already this season, and his style of play means Ike and Huff will need to stay disciplined in contesting his shots without fouling.

The Toreros run an up-tempo style with a deep rotation, usually going 9-10 players deep, though head coach Steve Lavin has tightened the rotation lately. Expect plenty of man-to-man defense with frequent double-teams inside and occasional lapses into zone coverage. Ike will get chances to work on quicker shot execution or passing out of double coverage against USD and given his recent dominance, it’s likely USD’s game plan will revolve around collapsing the paint and trying to contain him inside.

Keys to Victory

Make the Most of It – The Zags have been trending up in recent games, but it’s hard to gauge how much they’ve truly improved given the weaker competition like Portland and LMU. The challenge against USD is a familiar one at this point in the Gonzaga season: how can the Bulldogs use this game as a stepping stone for tougher matchups ahead? This is more than just padding the win column; it’s an opportunity to iron out lingering issues and continue improving. Gonzaga needs to keep working on their outside shooting, locking in their rim protection (without fouling), and building confidence in the right guys at the right moments offensively.

Get Dusty and Mike Some Good Looks – This is the perfect chance to get Michael Ajayi and Dusty Stromer even more involved in the offense. Both have been exceptional defenders all season and they’ve shown flashes of scoring brilliance, but their confidence and aggressiveness have fluctuated so far. Neither player has scored double digits in consecutive games yet. Against a struggling USD team, it’s the perfect time to prioritize building up their comfort and confidence—running sets that allow them to finish at the rim or get clean looks from outside. I dream of a box score where Dusty and Mike lead the team in scoring before tournament time.

The Bigger Picture

The Toreros haven’t beaten the Zags since February 2014, when they eked out a 3-point win over a 25th-ranked Gonzaga squad anchored by Kevin Pangos and (a then-beardless) Przemek Karnowski. Since then, the Zags have won 17 straight against USD by an average of victory of 25 points.

If everything goes as expected, Wednesday’s game won’t offer much in the way of a nail-biting finish. So for the Zags, this game is about refining their style of play, maintaining momentum, and continuing to build consistency. The key is to make this win count toward something bigger than just a W, even if it turns into another 40-point blowout like last season. For Gonzaga, staying sharp defensively and continuing to make the right tweaks offensively will be vital as they look ahead to tougher challenges, like WSU and Saint Mary’s.