GU notebook : Out of character

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Gonzaga Bulldogs weren’t themselves Thursday night – at least at the offensive end of the floor.

The Bulldogs shot a season-low 33.9 percent and scored only 57 points, their second-lowest output of the season, in a 70-57 setback to Indiana in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Arco Arena. Duke held GU to 54 points in a December contest.

“We just couldn’t get things to click,” senior forward Sean Mallon said. “We kind of got away from some of the things we’ve been doing in the past – moving the ball really well and screening for each other. We just never had any rhythm.”

GU missed a handful of open shots from close range and saw others from long distance rattle in and out. There were air balls, unforced turnovers and only a couple of fastbreak buckets.

“We missed easy layins, including myself,” said forward David Pendergraft, whose 12 points shared team-high honors with Derek Raivio. “Nothing was going for us. It was one of those days.”

Indiana concentrated on containing the Bulldogs’ guards. Raivio, Matt Bouldin and Jeremy Pargo combined for just 27 points, roughly 13 below their average.

“We had to defend Raivio, Bouldin and Pargo,” Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson said. “I thought our guards were really good. We really worked hard on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday on just defending Gonzaga. They’re not an easy team to guard with those three perimeter guys and the way they pick and pop outside. I just thought our defense was tremendous.”

Seniority

Without another practice to attend, Mallon and Raivio, Gonzaga’s two seniors, aren’t sure what they’ll do with themselves next week.

“Coach (Mark) Few talked to us at the end,” said Mallon, a fifth-year senior who had 11 points and six rebounds. “It kind of sank in a little bit, but come Monday when we don’t have practice, that’s going to be tough.”

Raivio scored 12 points, had four assists, two steals and two rebounds in his finale.

“I haven’t really thought about it,” Raivio said. “I wish I was still playing right now because I know we can play better than that, but that’s the way sports are. That’s probably when I’ll think about it the most – when we don’t have practice in a couple of days.”

Wilmont early, White late

Guard Roderick Wilmont and forward D.J. White supplied more than half (38 points) of Indiana’s offense. Wilmont struck early, finishing with 16 first-half points, including four 3-pointers. White scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half.

White made 5 of 7 shots in the second half. He dished the ball to Wilmont for the clinching 3-pointer that boosted Indiana’s lead to 66-55 with 2:05 left.

Notes

Sampson evened his record against Gonzaga at 1-1. GU beat the Sampson-coached Washington State Cougars in 1988 in the only previous meeting. The Hoosiers also avenged a 90-80 loss to Gonzaga in the second round of last year’s NCAA tournament. … Indiana made 15 of 16 free throws. Wilmont, who was 6 of 11 on 3-pointers, missed his only free throw attempt. … Pendergraft was the only Bulldog to shoot at least 50 percent. He made 5 of 10 attempts.