ZAGS 360: Week 12 – The Bulldogs have two great wins with three pointers all around

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Jan 31, 2022
Gonzaga Bulldogs

The Gonzaga Bulldogs had two great wins this week. Two games this week could mean a return to normalcy for the league. However, one thing is for sure; it was two not-so-normal wins for Gonzaga.

This week the Gonzaga Bulldogs rained down three-pointers all over their last two games. Gonzaga attempted 46 three-pointers, and a whopping 30 were made. There was no one sharp-shooter. At one point, all the Gonzaga players were sharp-shooters. In the game against Loyola, both Will Graves and Ben Greggs hit one from beyond the arc. All in all, this was another exciting week of Zags basketball.

Gonzaga Bulldogs 89 vs. Loyola Marymount Lions 55

Loyola Marymount has been 3-46 against the Bulldogs since the 2000 season. Don’t let the final score fool you. It was precisely the thrashing the score implies. The game started very slowly, which is probably the reason for the low score. Almost eight minutes into the game, it was tied at ten. I thought this could be my first boring Gonzaga game when the downpour started.

The Bulldogs were 12 of 23 from the three-point range. Chet Holmgren was a perfect three of three from outside. As previously stated, Gregg and Graves both had their day in the sun. A 34 point win and the Zags didn’t reach 100.

Leading the way for the Gonzaga Bulldogs was Holmgren, with 21 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks. Next up from Gonzaga’s deep bench was Nolan Hickman. The freshman from Seattle had 11 points and three rebounds. Drew Timme lent eight points, two rebounds, and two blocks. Julian Strawther and Rasir Bolton each had ten points, each with two three-pointers. Strawther had six rebounds, and Bolton had five assists.

Gonzaga Bulldogs 104 vs. Portland Pilots 72

Just in case you didn’t recognize the Zags’ three-point shooting in the Loyola Marymount game, the Bulldogs decided that they would all have at least one three to remind everyone of their dominance. The Gonzaga Bulldogs shot 24 and made 18 from beyond the arc in this game.

Who best to start it off for the Bulldogs, then Andrew Nembhard, who shot two from three to start the game. That was just the beginning for him. Nembhard was the leader in this game with 22 points, including four of eight from outside, two rebounds, and four assists. Even Timme had a three this night, with 16 points, ten rebounds (four offensive), four assists, and two blocks.

Not any of the Bulldogs are afraid to dive into the paint. Hunter Sallis took that dive for three rebounds, coming from out of nowhere, it seemed. Anton Watson, whose field goal percentage of late is 61.8, had 16 points, including a beautiful steal and dunk combination.

Holmgren, who has been Freshman of the Week six times already this season, had 12 points, including four of six from three. Chet also had 11 rebounds, a steal, and a block. Bolton had 11 points, including three of seven from three; Strawther with 14 points, also three of seven from outside, and eight rebounds. Strawther took a cheap shot from behind from one of the Pilots. Unfortunately, for them, it cost them two points.

The game, as the announcers put it, “began to get chippy” as Portland’s aggravation grew. Hard fouls and a lot of mouthing off were going on. The result was two technicals against the Pilots and Watson’s first-ever technical. The quiet enforcer didn’t take to his teammates being pushed around. “I just think they wanted to bring all they have,” Watson said, “It shouldn’t be chippy like that, but sometimes it is.”

What’s next?

Week 13 has two more games for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. On Thursday, 2/3, the Zags take on the San Diego Toreros (13-9, 6-3), who currently have a two-game win streak.

On Saturday, 2/5, Gonzaga meets the BYU Cougars (17-6, 5-3) on their court.

The Bulldogs own a 65 straight win home court record with this week’s wins. They now have 27 straight conference wins, also. The win over Portland was the fourth time in the last six games the Zags scored 100 points.

https://youtu.be/ng7bcMlutdQ

I’ll see you Wednesday when this week’s spotlight will be on Nolan Hickman! Until then, let’s stay safe and healthy, Zags Nation.

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