Gonzaga-Arizona: 3 keys to the Bulldogs’ 84-80 victory over the Wildcats
Dec. 14, 2019 Updated Sat., Dec. 14, 2019 at 10:58 p.m.
Offensive MVP
Corey Kispert was a steady hand throughout. He scored seven points as the Zags made up ground later in the first half and took a one-point lead at the break. He hit a big 3-pointer after Arizona cut Gonzaga’s lead to 54-49 in the second half. The junior wing finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and one assist.
Defensive MVP
Arizona’s Nico Mannion had a miserable night. Ryan Woolridge hounded the standout freshman guard from the opening tip. Mannion couldn’t get anything going, hitting 1 of 10 3-pointers and missing several floaters or shots at the rim when he tried to penetrate. Mannion contributed 10 assists, several during Arizona’s late comeback, but he committed three turnovers and was just 3 of 20 from the field. He scored seven points (eight below his average).
Key moments
The Zags started to take control early in the second half after a 12-0 spurt gave them a 54-45 advantage. They followed that up a few minutes later with a 15-6 run that bumped Gonzaga’s lead to 69-55. Kispert, Killian Tillie and Admon Gilder connected on 3-pointers in the second run.
Gonzaga forward Killian Tillie (33) drives past Arizona forward Ira Lee in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz. (Rick Scuteri / AP)
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