Gonzaga rewind: Ben Gregg continues to thrive in expanded role, helps Gonzaga thump San Diego

In a season when they’ve been few and far between, Gonzaga isn’t taking routine West Coast Conference wins for granted.

Unlike a handful of WCC games that have come down to the wire, forcing Gonzaga to play laser-focused basketball inside the final minutes, the 12th-ranked Bulldogs experimented with a different strategy in Thursday’s 97-72 rout of San Diego.

Gonzaga played some of its best ball inside the opening 10 minutes, particularly on defense, to build a substantial lead it never relinquished. Most of Gonzaga’s starters, accustomed to playing deep into WCC games this season, were on the bench midway through the second half.

Anton Watson rested for the final 15 minutes, Drew Timme checked out with more than 10 minutes left and Rasir Bolton exited less than a minute later.

The Zags and their followers are gearing up for a packed Saturday, with ESPN’s “College GameDay” in town to preview the WCC regular-season finale against No. 15 Saint Mary’s.

We’ll shift our attention there soon, but first let’s take a quick look back at Thursday’s drama-free win over San Diego.

Gregg gives a spark

Ben Gregg matched his career high with 18 points, set a career high with seven made field goals and finished one rebound shy of matching his best output of the season, grabbing seven boards against the Toreros.

Gregg played 18 minutes in one of the most impactful games of his sophomore season. It’s a testament to the development and growth of the reserve forward – who had a “DNP” earlier this season – that there’s now more than one game from which to choose.

“He was great, he was great,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “He flew around, made plays. We played him at a couple different positions and (he) did a good job even switching at times onto their quick guards. (He) was aggressive looking for his shot and didn’t dwell on the ones he missed and had a good night.”

Gregg was part of Gonzaga’s two most productive units in the first half against San Diego. The Bulldogs had strung together a few straight defensive stops when Gregg checked in at the 15:12 mark.

He blocked one shot and pulled down a defensive rebound while helping the Zags extend USD’s scoreless drought for 3 more minutes.

Gregg’s next shift came with 4:22 remaining in the half. The Portland native made a variety of plays on both ends of the floor, scoring 11 points and grabbing two rebounds to help the Zags finish the half on a 17-7 run.

Gregg was averaging 5.4 minutes per game as Gonzaga’s second big man off the bench, behind Efton Reid, when the season started. The Clackamas (Oregon) High product has overtaken Reid in the rotation and is averaging 12.8 minutes off the bench in WCC play.

“I would actually say just kind of his confidence and his belief,” Few said, when asked where he’s seen the most growth from Gregg. “I think he kind of beats himself up a lot, especially when things don’t go well or whatever. We’ve just been always trying to instill in him, he’s fine.

“When he brings energy and just hustle and all that, that’s exactly what this team needs. It needs that fire, kind of that lift when he comes off the bench. I think by and large he’s done a really good job of bringing that every time he comes in.”

Rebound hogs

San Diego’s zone defense was successful in limiting Gonzaga’s outside shooting – the Bulldogs finished just 7 of 26 – but it also created opportunities for Timme and the Zags to clean up many of their misses.

Gonzaga finished with 18 offensive rebounds, one off its season high (Northern Illinois), and had 24 second-chance points.

Timme had a career-best eight offensive rebounds and had 13 total . Of his game-high 22 points, 13 came on a layup or free throws following an offensive board.

“They played so much zone we knew a big part of that is just really, really concentrating and discipline yourself to go every single time a shot went up,” Few said. “And a lot of times, with a good man-to-man defense, your guy’s right there to box you out, but in zone nobody really has a block out responsibility. So we did a good job of sticking with the plan and going and finding the ball.”

Gonzaga’s rebounding margin of plus-19 was the team’s highest against a Division I opponent this season, trailing the plus-26 the Bulldogs posted against NAIA Eastern Oregon.

“A lot of hitting in practice, a lot of rebounding drills in practice,” Gregg said. “They’ve been on the bigs and a couple of guards, too, to crash the offensive boards. When we go we can get them, like we showed tonight.”

Injury update

Reid missed a second consecutive game , wearing a heated back brace while sitting on the bench .

The sophomore center landed on his back late in GU’s game at Loyola Marymount Feb. 16 and it’s unclear if Reid, averaging 4.2 minutes off the bench in nine WCC games, will be available for the Zags against Saint Mary’s.

The LSU transfer played 3 minutes in Gonzaga’s 78-70 overtime loss to the Gaels on Feb. 4.

Gonzaga had another injury scare late in the first half against San Diego. Malachi Smith, often the first guard off Few’s bench, landed awkwardly on his ankle after making a floater. Smith had a slight limp as he followed head athletic trainer Travis Knight into the home locker room.

The Chattanooga transfer returned to the game, giving the Zags 14 minutes in the second half.

Junior guard Dominick Harris, who missed the trip to Southern California due to illness, was back in the mix for Gonzaga and played 5 minutes in the second half.