Arrow-right Camera
Subscribe now
Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga-Oregon: 3 keys to the Bulldogs’ 73-72 victory over the Ducks

Offensive MVP

We could easily go with Corey Kispert for the second straight game but the nod goes to Filip Petrusev, who scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Petrusev provided the bulk of GU’s low-post scoring, despite constant double teams. The 6-foot-11 forward’s lone assist came with 90 seconds left in regulation when he passed out of a double team to Kispert for a 3-pointer that put Gonzaga up 63-59. Petrusev scored the Zags’ first four points in overtime. He finished 7 of 15 from the field and 8 of 9 at the foul line.

Defensive MVP

Ryan Woolridge, playing on a sore knee, spent most of the afternoon chasing Ducks point guard Payton Pritchard around the court. Pritchard scored a team-high 17 points, but he put up 23 shots and made only seven. Pritchard was 3 of 9 from deep. Woolridge contested Pritchard’s mid-range jumper that was off target in the closing seconds of overtime.

Key moment

There’s too many to list, so we’ll go right to overtime. Gonzaga closed with a 7-2 run in the last 3 minutes, pulling even at 70 on Petrusev’s two free throws and again at 72 on Joel Ayayi’s layup after breaking Oregon’s press. Drew Timme made the second of two free throws with 20.6 seconds remaining to account for the winning point.