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Gonzaga (8-2)
#12 in KenPom
#12 in KenPom
This year’s stat highlights:
17th in Offensive efficiency
- 16th in offensive rebounding rate
- 40th in offensive tempo
- 63rd w/ a 54.2 2P%
- 102nd w/ a 35.2 3P%; just 32.2% of FGAs from 3 (297th)
- 180th in turnover ratio
- 205th in A/FGM (48.8%)
- 312th in FT rate; 72.1 FT% (150th)
19th in Defensive efficiency
- 51st in opp. 3P% (29.3%)
- 52nd in defensive rebounding rate
- 63rd in opp. 2P% (45.6%)
- 70th in opp. A/FGM (44.8%)
- 117th in FTA/FGM prevention; 352nd in opp. FT% (78.1%)
- 191st in opp. 3PA/FGM prevention (37.5%)
- 263rd in defensive turnover rate.
Results from key games (first three games neutral)
- L 63-73 to Purdue (KP 2)
- W 69-61 over UCLA (KP 41)
- W 89-76 over USC (KP 34)
- L 78-73 to Washington (KP 53)
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP:
Ryan Nembhard 6’0 175 junior (transfer from Creighton)
- 12.4p, 3.7r, 5.8a, 3.1 TO, 46.8 2P%, 21.4 3P%, ¼ FGAs from 3, 2.7 FTA, 83.3 FT%, 0.9s, 34.9 mpg
Nolan Hickman 6’2 183 junior
- 13.4p, 2.0r, 2.4a, 1.9 TO, 53.3 2P%, 37.2 3P%, ⅖ FGAs from 3, 1.1 FTA, 90.0 FT%, 1.2s, 0.6b, 34.3 mpg
Dusty Stormer 6’6 192 freshman
- 6.3p, 4.3r, 1.3a, 1.1 TO, 29.4 2P%, 33.3 3P%, ⅔ FGAs from 3, 1.4 FTA, 84.6 FT%, 0.7s, 29.6 mpg
Anton Watson 6’8 228 fifth-year
- 14.6p, 8.7r, 2.3a, 1.4 TO, 62.3 2P%, 41.2 3P%, ⅕ FGAs from 3, 2.8 FTA, 56.0 FT%, 1.6s, 0.6b, 29.3 mpg
Graham Ike 6’9 240 junior (transfer from Wyoming
- 14.3p, 7.9r, 1.3a, 1.7 TO, 59.3 2P%, 40.0 3P%, 10% FGAs from 3, 3.0 FTA, 77.8 FT%, 1.1s, 0.4b, 22.1 mpg
KEY BENCH PIECES (16ish mpg)
Braden Huff 6’10 242 redshirt freshman
- 11.1p, 4.3r, 0.3a, 0.7 TO, 70.5 2P%, 47.6 3P%, ⅓ FGAs from 3, 1.8 FTA, 50.0 FT%, 0.4b, 14.4 mpg
Ben Gregg 6’10 230 senior
- 6.7p, 4.9r, 1.0s, 65.0 2P%, 42.1 2P%, ½ FGAs from 3, 1.6 FTAs, 71.4 FT%, 15.9 mpg
Even though It has only been eight months since UConn’s shellacking of Gonzaga in the Elite Eight, this season’s version of Gonzaga is quick a bit different: Drew Timme’s and Rasir Bolton’s graduation spearhead the Bulldogs’ shift from an elite offensive, but weak defensive squad to a more balanced effort.
The Few signatures still remain: a quick pace on offense that relies more on interior play, aggressive rebounding on both ends and a defense that focuses more on disrupting the shot than gunning for turnovers.
The design of this year’s roster has flipped too: last year, four guards got regular play while the center and power forward position was shared between three players. This year, Ryan Nembhard and Nolan Hickman get all the minutes they could get in the backcourt while Few’s rotations feature four, sometimes five 6’8+ forwards.
The backcourt duo is calm, creative and productive in on- and off-ball situations, capable of scoring from all three levels.
Last year’s starting point guard, Noah Hickman, has moved to the off-ball role this year with Creighton point guard Ryan Nembhard joining the Zags. Hickman is a rare guard who focuses more on his mid-range game than work around the rim. The star of the first-half in Gonzaga’s loss to Washington, Hickman was hitting perimeter shots and showcasing his mid-range creativity with a variety of floaters and bank shots. One of Gonzaga’s weakest defenders last season, Hickman is more comfortable guarding teams’ off-ball guard.
Of course, we are super familiar with Ryan Nembhard. An incredibly creative and poised two-way point guard, Nembhard is capable of running an offense from a variety of speeds. After shooting 40% from three in Big East play last season, this seems more of an aberration. Despite his lack of size, Nembhard is an at-worst average defender and is classified more of a pass-first point guard.
After a knee injury forced Eastern Washington transfer Steele Venters to sit out this year (15.3 ppg, 37.1 3P%), freshman Dusty Stormer has stepped up and started all but one game for Gonzaga. With the lowest usage rate in the starting lineup, Stormer is spending his freshman year mostly as the team’s most perimeter-centric spacer, but just nine games into his college career his creativity and impressive toughness, despite his slim frame. Not a bad defender, either. A smart kid and once he builds strength, he’ll become a dangerous all-around two-way player, just this year is not the year.
Between these three, the backcourt minutes are basically set. When Nembhard is out, Hickman plays the point and if/when Nembhard or Hickman are out, Stormer is the 2 with either Watson or Yeo playing the 3.
One could argue that this is Mark Few’s deepest frontcourt (maybe ever?) but at least since 2020 when Petrusev, Timme, Tillie and Kispert were on the squad.
Last year, Timme and Watson played as many minutes as they could get while Ben Gregg backed up both positions. This year, Watson reprises his power forward role and Gregg is back as the backup at both positions, but the addition of Wyoming transfer Graham Ike, redshirt Braden Huff now in the fold and Korean forward Jun Seok Yeo provide the Zags with one of the best frontcourts in the nation.
Watson is probably Gonzaga’s best all-around player. He’s Gonzaga’s best defender, most efficient offensive player and arguably their best rebounder. Few college players are as well-rounded as Watson - personally, I don’t find any holes in his game. The Watson vs. Karaban battle will be amazing (Karaban scored 12 points in 22 minutes last time they played).
Graham Ike is a strong and shifty lefty big who is an excellent rebounder whose best low-post attribute is how he can mask his intentions and sneak off a shot quickly before the defender can realize his intentions. He’s also an active defender but he’ll get about ~25 minutes against us due to him being foul prone: Ike was charged for four fouls in all but one of their five highest profile games to date. He’s taken 8 three point attempts, but is by far Gonzaga’s least perimeter focused big.
Ben Gregg is another high-efficiency forward who can do a little bit of everything. Gregg is Gonzaga’s best turnover generator and most efficient offensive player. He rarely handles the ball and doesn’t have plays drawn up for him, but he does most of his scoring from threes and offensive rebound putbacks.
Like Watson and Gregg, redshirt freshman Braden Huff is a dangerous inside/outside weapon who is an excellent rebounder. What makes Huff standout is his emotional intensity, which hints towards his long-term leadership potential.
Other bench pieces: sophomore forward Jun Seok Yeo (6’8 215) and freshman guard Luka Krajnovic (6’5 185) have played more against lower competition and do not expect to play against UConn unless there is foul trouble. I haven’t watched Krajnovic play, but Yeo is a smart and skilled power forward who is versatile on both sides of the floor. He’d play more at a lot of other top-end schools, but he’s the fifth best forward on Gonzaga’s talented frontcourt. Against Washington, Yeo played his most minutes against a quality opponent, mostly at the small forward position while other forwards/bigs.
Similar to North Carolina, Gonzaga’s offense sparks from transition off defensive rebounds, so UConn’s elite offensive rebounding (7th in the nation) needs to be a big equalizer. Against Washington, Gonzaga’s dribble penetration defense was an issue, so Mark Few switched to a zone defense late in the first half, which helped spark a short comeback, but Washington shot well enough from three (35%) in their four-out offense to make it hard for Few to settle on one defense.
That being said, the penetration potential of Newton, Castle and Diarra combined with the perimeter threat of Karaban, Spencer, Ball and Newton will keep Gonzaga’s defense honest.
Another exciting game late-night non-conference game!
