Rest follows rout
Matt Bouldin wouldn’t mind getting rid of the cold that’s been hounding him since Gonzaga’s trip to Anchorage. Jeremy Pargo has a couple of important finals early next week so he’ll be in full study mode. Micah Downs wants to get some shuteye and prepare for exams.
The Gonzaga men’s basketball team has been all over the map the last three weeks: Alaska, the East Coast and home earlier this week for an emotional showdown with Washington State. And now, after handling Cal State Northridge 85-59 before a sellout crowd of 6,000 Saturday at the McCarthey Athletic Center, the Bulldogs have a brief break from airplanes and game plans.
“It’s been a long, hard stretch for us,” head coach Mark Few said. “To finish this (stretch) off, I’m really proud of them. They stayed with it.”
The 17th-ranked Bulldogs will concentrate on finals next week and then begin preparations for a Dec. 17 home game against Northern Colorado.
Gonzaga improved to 8-2, the same 10-game record as its previous two seasons. The Bulldogs were efficient on both ends of the floor with all five starters scoring as GU’s lead grew to 12-5 early. It was 45-30 at half and the Zags led by as many as 28 in the second half.
Downs had a game-high 19 points and Bouldin bounced back from a scoreless game against WSU with 18 points and six rebounds. Abdullahi Kuso, who had just four points and five rebounds in the previous three games, chipped in eight points and 11 rebounds, one shy of his career high. David Pendergraft didn’t miss a shot – 2 of 2 field goals, including one 3-pointer, and 4 of 4 free throws – while scoring nine points and grabbing seven rebounds. Austin Daye contributed 10 points.
The Zags had 20 offensive rebounds and pounded Cal State Northridge 50-29 on the boards.
“We haven’t been doing our jobs rebounding,” Kuso said of GU’s post players. “Coach really chewed on us about it and it was a concerted effort on our part, on everybody’s part, and we responded.”
The best part, according to Few, was Gonzaga’s defense. GU held the Matadors to 24 points less than their season average. Cal State Northridge shot 36.7 percent from the field and was a chilly 1 of 6 at the free-throw line in the first half.
“They like to play fast and we like to play fast, and yet we were able to keep them under 60,” Few said.
The Matadors, who averaged a 3-point shot attempt per minute for most of the first half, used a 7-0 run to close within 13 near the end of the half, but Pargo’s steal and layup and Daye’s 16-foot jumper bumped GU’s lead to 15.
The Bulldogs led by 20 after an 8-0 spurt punctuated by Bouldin’s two-handed dunk and Downs’ bucket on a nice post move.
“This was really important for us to focus in just so we could get our confidence back a little bit and get another win under our belts,” said Downs, who had back-to-back dunks off Pargo passes just inside the 5-minute mark. “It’ll be nice to get some sleep, study, get some shots up and fine tune some of the small things.”
Pargo, who had a crowded stat line: nine assists, eight points, six turnovers, five rebounds and four steals, said school work will occupy his attention for several days.
“I’m going to get in my room and study – that’s probably the first time anyone ever heard me say that,” Pargo cracked, “but I’m going to get in my room and study.”
Bouldin will take on his exams and his cold.
“Can you hear me? It’s awful. My parents are here and they’re doing all they can to help,” Bouldin said, between coughing spells. “I’m excited for this break. Hopefully, I can get past this.”