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Gonzaga Basketball

Key matchup: Numbers adding up for Gonzaga’s Julian Strawther, Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis

By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5585

MALIBU, Calif. – Gonzaga wing Julian Strawther and Pepperdine counterpart Maxwell Lewis go way back.

They worked out with the same personal trainer in middle school as youngsters growing up in Las Vegas. They’ve matured into highly productive wings at the college level while catching the eye of NBA front offices.

They didn’t disappoint in the first Gonzaga-Pepperdine meeting, won by the Zags 111-88 in the teams’ West Coast Conference opener Dec. 31. Strawther hit four 3-pointers and scored 22 points. Lewis encountered foul trouble, but made two 3s and finished with 20 points and five assists in 23 minutes.

The two 6-foot-7 forwards are the headline act in Saturday’s rematch.

Strawther comes in with momentum after going 10 of 16 on 3-pointers and averaging 27 points in the Zags’ last two games. He’s bumped his 3-point accuracy to 43.7% and his scoring average to 15.1.

Lewis paces the Waves at 17.6 points per game, but he’s dropped to 15.7 in conference. He’s made 35.7% on 3-pointers but just 24.4% in 13 WCC contests. He was limited to 13 points in the past two games.

Still, he’s a creative offensive scorer at all three levels and he’s produced 10 games with at least 20 points and two with 30.

Lewis is projected as the 20th overall pick with Strawther in the middle of the second round at No. 45, according to the Athletic’s latest NBA mock draft. Bleacher Report has Lewis at No. 21 and Strawther at No. 43.

There are several interesting matchups in this one, including Pepperdine’s backcourt of Mike Mitchell Jr. and Houston Mallette lining up against Nolan Hickman and Rasir Bolton. Another to watch: Waves freshman forward Jevon Porter matching up against Anton Watson.

The 6-11 Porter, younger brother of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., has averaged 18 points in the past four games to boost his conference average to 13.3. Watson has reached double figures in six of the past seven games to elevate his WCC scoring average to 13.2.