Difference makers: Reese Waters comes alive for San Diego State in second half of 84-74 win at Gonzaga

Reese Waters

After scoring seven points in the first half, Waters was San Diego State’s most effective offensive player in the second, totaling nine points within the first 7 minutes and 15 in the second half alone. Waters, a junior guard who started his career at USC, came alive from the 3-point line after halftime and finished 8 of 11 from the field, 3 of 5 from behind the arc and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line. Waters, who knocked down a clutch 3 in the second half when Gonzaga had closed the deficit to three points, also had five rebounds, two assists and two steals for the visiting Aztecs.

Graham Ike

The Wyoming transfer had arguably his best performance yet in a Gonzaga uniform while facing off against an old rival from the Mountain West. Coming off a 22-point, 11-rebound double-double against Jackson State before the holiday break, Ike led the Zags in scoring with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field, 10 rebounds and two steals. Ike played a season-high 31 minutes and spent much of the evening scrapping down low with San Diego State star Jaedon LeDee, who scored 20 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field and 9 of 12 from the free-throw line.

Key moment

San Diego State seemed to have an answer for every punch Gonzaga threw, particularly late in the second half when the Bulldogs closed a 15-point deficit to three on a jumper from Ryan Nembhard. That made it 68-65, but the Aztecs answered on the other end with a 3-pointer from Waters that extended the lead back out to six points. Nembhard converted another jumper for the Zags to make it a two-possession game, but the Aztecs responded with another timely 3-pointer – this time from Miles Byrd – to make it 74-67. SDSU led by at least seven the rest of the way.