ZAGS 360: Week 6 – Another Power 5 win for the Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Gonzaga Bulldogs faced another Power 5 team this weekend and came out victorious. Bulldogs fans breathe a sigh of relief as the Bulldogs pull out the win over the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Well, I don’t know about all fans, but I sure breathed a sigh of relief. I heard all about the Texas Tech Red Raiders’ defense and I must admit, after Duke and Alabama, I was just a little concerned. Turns out, I did not need to worry at all.
Gonzaga Bulldogs 69 vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders 55
The Raiders’ defense was smothering in the paint just as promised and held the Gonzaga Bulldogs to 69 points, their second-lowest winning score this season. The first was 64 points in the win against Tarleton.
Texas Tech’s defense was so good that it held Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren to 12 points! They may have held Holmgren to five points but there was no way to stop his 11 rebounds and two blocks.
What the Raiders couldn’t guard against was a hot Andrew Nembhard and Rasir Bolton. What Gonzaga couldn’t do in the paint, they did from the three-point line. Both Nembhard and Bolton shot 50 percent from beyond the arc.
That wasn’t all. Anton Watson and Nolan Hickman contributed to the game. The only two from the bench to do so.
Low score or not, both teams worked hard. If the Raiders had their leading scorer, Terrence Shannon, Jr., this might have been a different outcome for the Zags.
Gonzaga’s win over No. 25 Texas Tech today means Mark Few’s program has won 73% of its games vs. ranked opponents since March of 2016. Gonzaga is 24-9 in that span, with a 12-3 mark in its last 15 games against AP Top 25 foes.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) December 18, 2021
How they scored
Andrew Nembhard led his teammates with 16 points, four of eight from three, four rebounds, three steals, and one block. He also led his team with six assists.
Rasir Bolton had 15 points, five of ten from beyond the arc, one rebound, and two assists.
Timme and Strawther were very quiet in this game. Strawther with nine points and five rebounds, Timme with seven points, four rebounds, and three assists.
Adonis Arms and Kevin McCullar both had 14 for Texas Tech. More than likely, the Raiders will fall out of the AP Top 25 after this loss.
https://youtu.be/SCh3-xy14go
What’s next
On Monday night, the Zags take on the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at the Kennel. The 4-7 Lumberjacks have lost their last two games.
See you next Monday for the rundown on Week 7. From all of us at PNWS we wish you the happiest of Holidays. Stay safe and healthy this holiday weekend.