25’-26’ WCC Game #5: @ Gonzaga

Game Preview/Recap
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Tip-off: Thursday, 8:30pm at the McCarthy Athletic Center (The Kennel)

TV: ESPN 2

Line:

Rankings: Broncos (62 - NET /40- Torvik); Gonzaga (4/7)

Gonzaga entered West Coast Conference play the same way it has for much of the past decade: loaded with talent, layered with size, and confident it can outlast anyone over 40 minutes. What’s been interesting through the first three league games is not that the Zags are unbeaten, but how they’ve gotten there. Two games went down to the wire, one turned into a demolition, and together they offer a revealing snapshot of Gonzaga’s identity, strengths, and vulnerabilities.

At its core, this Gonzaga team is built around power and patience. The Bulldogs are comfortable playing inside-out, leaning heavily on Graham Ike as the focal point. Ike has been dominant early in conference play, producing efficiently whether the game is flowing or bogged down. Against Seattle, when Gonzaga’s vaunted offense sputtered and the Zags trailed by double digits, Ike was the stabilizer. Against LMU, when Gonzaga found its rhythm, he was the tone-setter. His ability to score on the block, finish through contact, and clean the glass gives Gonzaga a reliable floor no matter how well they’re shooting.

The trend through three games is clear: Gonzaga does not panic. Seattle slowed the game, took away early transition chances, and forced Gonzaga into one of its least efficient offensive performances of the season. The Zags still found a way, methodically closing the gap late and leaning on physicality and experience in overtime. That same patience turned ruthless against Loyola Marymount. After a sluggish opening stretch, Gonzaga ripped off a 29-5 run to end the first half, then opened the second with a barrage of threes that blew the game open. When Gonzaga senses a team breaking, it doesn’t let up.

Stylistically, this is not a Gonzaga team that relies on constant pace. They can run, but they’re equally comfortable grinding you down. Defensively, they’ve shown the ability to string together long scoreless stretches by contesting everything and dominating the paint. LMU’s eight-minute scoring drought wasn’t an accident; it was Gonzaga’s size swallowing driving lanes and forcing low-percentage shots. When the Zags lock in defensively, runs come quickly.

The key contributors go beyond Ike. Braden Huff has emerged as a high-level scoring option who can punish switches and stretch the floor. Tyon Grant-Foster has been Gonzaga’s late-game weapon, attacking downhill when possessions matter most. His overtime takeover against Seattle was a reminder that Gonzaga has multiple players capable of deciding games. Guards like Jalen Warley and Mario Saint-Supery give the Zags flexibility, ball pressure, and just enough perimeter shooting to keep defenses honest.

If there is a blueprint to challenge Gonzaga, Seattle showed parts of it. You have to disrupt their rhythm early, limit transition chances, and make the game uncomfortable. Gonzaga’s offense can stall when jump shots aren’t falling, especially if opponents can keep Ike from getting deep catches without sending help. Forcing Gonzaga to play from behind shrinks their margin and tests their shot-making. But that window is narrow. Miss shots, turn the ball over, or let Gonzaga string together stops, and the game can flip in minutes.

The biggest takeaway for the rest of the WCC is that Gonzaga’s ceiling remains as high as anyone’s. The early close calls aren’t signs of weakness so much as proof of depth and resilience. Last year, Gonzaga’s first three conference games came down to the wire before a blowout win over LMU. This year is following a familiar script. The Bulldogs are still finding their sharpest offensive gear, but their identity is already clear: physical, patient, deep, and unforgiving when opponents blink.

For Santa Clara, the challenge isn’t just beating Gonzaga. It’s surviving the stretches where Gonzaga inevitably makes its run; and having enough left to respond when it does.

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I agree, Seattle provided a blueprint. Unfortunately for the Redhawks, they don’t have a deep bench. It was clear down the stretch at the end of the 2nd half, and in OT, that they were gassed. Thankfully, SCU has a much deeper bench. We’ll see how Sendek game plans, I’m not feeling confident that he’ll adapt based on what worked for Seattle.

The elephant in the room (or should I say at the free throw line): the Broncos need to stop with the stupid fouls, especially in the first 10 minutes of the game. Coaches need to make it clear that you cannot win a game in the first half, so taking risky swipes at the ball accomplishes little - perhaps it results in a turnover, but statistically speaking, it more often results in a foul. Bukky and Darlan need to understand that if you play good fundamental defense and the opponent still scores, that’s OK. Individual possessions mean little in basketball until the last 4 minutes or so of the game, so why take an inordinate risk early on? It’s a simple risk/reward analysis: our best defenders sitting on the bench over several possessions because of foul trouble is far more damaging over the course of a game than the benefit of a forced turnover caused by a risky swipe or reach.

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Really great writeup, Kourtside. Thank you.

Agree with buckets. The propensity to foul is a huge weakness against Gonzaga, especially where those fouls are by a big man away from the hoop. The Zags are fairly middling shooting free throws, but if you give them enough, it will make a difference. And not having Bukky or Graves on the court for long stretches is really going to hurt. Asking Ensminger and Mahi to guard Ike and Huff for long stretches is really not setting the Broncos up for success.

A strategy that has helped before was trying to neutralize Ike by getting him to foul–except that last year Diagne torched SCU off the bench. But this SCU team is really bad at drawing fouls, save for Hammond.

The defensive effort for this team overall is better than in years past. But there are still a couple of crucial building blocks missing.

One major positive: this team knows they can win in Spokane. The intimidation factor of the Kennel should be much reduced for this squad.

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It is me or was the consensus of the board last year that the Broncos weren’t fouling enough. I recall frustration over “touch-less defense.”

Agree that there are tons of stupid fouls, I think we are getting what we asked for.

I found Kourtside’s statement “…unforgiving when opponents blink” to be the most compelling and accurate about the Zags over the years. Their mental toughness and killer instinct is something to be admired.

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Your recollection is accurate. But last year we really only had one “bruiser” in Cam who was forced in a way to foul because he had to play the 5 against several larger centers. The rest of the team was not really being physical.

This year we have much better natural talented defenders in Bukky, Graves, and Darlan. They have been racking up fouls at an impressive (and probably record-setting) pace. And the fouls aren’t QUALITY fouls. When your 7’1” 5 flashes 36 feet from the basket and swipes at the ball in the hands of a 6’2” guard, invariably committing a foul, what is really being accomplished?

Body-on-body fouls are not the same as reach and swipe fouls.

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The real challenge is we aren’t deep enough at the roles that are most critical to Gonzaga’s success; the post.

The Bronco’s success hinges on the ability to get productive physical minutes from the post. We need to clog the paint maybe front the posts as well. Make Gonzaga beat us from the 3pt line, an area that is not a strength for them.

Because they aren’t perimeter oriented parts of me is optimistic that there won’t be as many blow-by opportunities where the Bronco’s are out of position, late to rotations, and fouling as a result.

The Broncos are going to require shooting free throws at a high clip much like they did last game.

If ever there was a time for a soft matchup zone that enables a team concept and removes the post responsibility solely from Bukky and Graves. Ensminger, and Darlan become pretty critical in the defensive game plan here.

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Yep. I think the defense is better this season in meaningful ways, especially effort. That shows up mostly in the amount of TOs that the Broncos force. I don’t think it’s totally moving the goalposts to say that last year, the Broncos weren’t tough enough on defense and this year they foul too much. It’s a question of what fouls, when, and where.

Bukky, Graves, and Darlan each have five fouls to give. They need to give those in the key. If Bukky fouls out making hard contact on front-court players, so be it. Bukky sitting for 15 minutes because he picked up two fouls poking at the ball on a screen hedge is maddening. Not least of which because it doesn’t work. By my observation, the occasional steals generated by swiping at the ball handler are coming mostly from Hammond and Knapper who have fast hands and are, frankly, much closer to the ball as it’s being dribbled than Bukky whose 7’1" frame has to bend way over to take a swipe.

Sash is also a big contributor in the dumb fouls department, usually from swiping in the press. He also needs to reign it in somewhat because it’s not just the front court guys who put SCU’s opponents into the bonus with 14 minutes left in the half.

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Weave-

You can play aggressive and physical without fouling excessively. Simply look at SMC who has been consistently elite defensively the past several years yet doesn’t foul excessively. SMC is ~top 50 in the country defensively, 32nd in defensive eFG%, 21st in defensive rebounding rate and yet still Top 10 in the county for opponents FT rate.

Our problem is that Bukky, Darlan, Graves and often Sash are undisciplined with some bad defensive habits (slapping, reaching, etc,) and gamble for steals on some terribly low probability of success situations.

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Will be in attendance Thursday. As a Spokanite, I attend about 75% of the Bronco v GU games…..naturally I was out of town last year and missed the epic win.

Clarifying a few things on the Zag scout: Ike is great and will be a load in the low post and put Bukky and Graves in foul jeopardy. But Huff is their leading scorer and equally difficult to stop in the paint as Ike…..they just do it differently. Ike is more physical and draws a lot of fouls, Huff is more a finesse post with great footwork and counter moves and little stronger at mid range face ups and loves taking a little 8’ push shot off receiving passes on shallow pick/rolls. Neither are stretch 4’s or big perimeter threats….Huff has only made seven 3’s, and is shooting a modest 33%. By comparison, Alan Graves has made more 3’s than either Huff or Ike.
Also, Warley isn’t a perimeter threat at all….he’s taken zero 3’s on the year. He is however excellent at everything else, a versatile 6-7 wing, a slashing scorer, an elite and disruptive defender, good rebounder and even brings the ball up the court often (he played some PG at Florida St.). It surprises me that Few hasn’t inserted him in the starting lineup but appears Few likes the energy he brings subbing him off the bench.

GU has tremendous talent and depth on the wing. It has allowed Few to play the hot hand, if you look at the box scores you’ll see the minutes for their wings vary, sometimes significantly, from game to game. But at the same time most them aren’t complete players. Venters is 3pt shooting specialist, not much of defender or rebounder. As noted, Warley isn’t a 3pt threat, nor is Innocenti (another athletic, elite defender).
Grant-Foster is probably their most complete player on the wing….good slasher/scorer, solid defender and rebounder and leads them in block shots (more the Huff and Ike combined); Grant-Foster’s weakness is he’s a mediocre 3pt shooter and sometimes out of control on drives and forces some low % shots.
Shooting guard Adam Miller is also a solid all around player and their 2nd best 3point threat after Venters. He was starting early in the season but has been coming off the bench.
At point guard….Braeden Smith and Mario Saint-Supery more or less split the minutes. Smith is currently starting, though Saint-Supery started several games in non-con. Both are very good ball handlers and great passers and excel in pic/roll. Smith is smallish but athletic, Saint-Supery bigger but less athletic.

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just recorded a preview show with Andy Patton of Locked on Zags, should be in your feeds tomorrow morning! I’ve got some interesting prognostications about this one….

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I’ll be excited to listen. I really enjoy occasionally listening to Andy Patton. He’s a skilled and sober basketball commentator. Much like you and Zack, he strikes a great balance between his inner fan and calling balls and strikes.

Speaking of which, the last Unofficial WCC pod was excellent. Here it is for those interested:

And not to ice out our own podcast of record, a new episode of the Santa Clara Basketball Podcast was just released:

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Unlike previous threads, I haven’t seen any predictions for tonight’s game.

I certainly won’t be the first to put one out there.

I’m just going to try to enjoy the game and and TRY not to yell at my TV as if the coaches could hear me.

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Bronc, glad you’ll be there. One would think after 17 games those you mentioned above should have “learned” about meaningless fouls. Since Coach’s mantra is “learn and improve”.
It’s gonna take an OSU or Minnesota shooting night to pull this one off in Spokane. I’d love to see Hammond pull a Tyeree and go for 30+.

.

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Im prepared to be a bit disappointed. If we keep it close I’ll be happy. At the very least, show improvement handling a raucous environment versus what happened in New Mexico.

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My sports voodoo for this one is around Knapper who seems to quietly excel playing Gonzaga each year. If everyone else can have an above average game and Knapper turns into super-PG, they may have a shot.

By the way, here’s the podcast with TD and Andy Patton. Good stuff:

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@TD_24 Great job, really enjoyed your analysis.

To me, on the Santa Clara side, I see four keys to the game: (1) the bigs playing smarter defense, and not swiping/reaching 30 ft from the basket; stay up and down, and especially for Bukky, don’t fall for the pump fakes that get you in the air where any defender is susceptible to a foul; (2) keep the turnovers below 10; (3) go back to the Acrisure and earlier heavy motion offense and ditch the flat energy iso unless there is a clear mismatch; and (4) I hate to say it, but the Broncos need to be successful bombers, shooting around 40% or better from 3.

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I’m with you Buckets - minimize the cheap fouls, turnovers and shoot the 3. In addition, avoid lapses in transition defense.

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Hey everyone I got an email to the station asking for the link for tonight’s game. Thought I’d put it here if any of you are interested!

Unfortunately it will not be on normal KSCU tonight because we have nobody to run the board back at SCU. Hoping for a fun one!

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Very cool. Are the recordings preserved somewhere accessible? After the great Bronco games, I’ve been known to revisit them, ideally from a fresh angle. I’d love to watch ESPN and then take in a radio call the next morning if miracles happen.

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on this general page, this should have archived recordings from everything. We’ve had array of crews, so hopefully we assigned good ones :rofl:

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