Recap and highlights: Kentucky rallies past Gonzaga in OT 90-89 at Battle in Seattle
SEATTLE – Gonzaga got it half right. And that wasn’t nearly enough.
The seventh-ranked Zags played one of their finest halves of the season, led by 16 and seemed to be in complete command. They weren’t. No. 4 Kentucky ate up most of that deficit by midway through the second half and a tight, intense contest most expected from the opening tip was finally on.
The Wildcats stayed on GU’s heels until finally pulling even with just under one minute left in regulation. Both teams had good looks on their last possession but couldn’t convert.
Kentucky built an eight-point lead in overtime and hung on for a 90-89 stunning comeback victory Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena.
In the process, Kentucky ended Gonzaga’s streak of 175 consecutive wins when leading by double figures at halftime.
The Zags (7-2) remain winless at Climate Pledge Arena, dropping to 0-3 after falling to UConn last season and Alabama in Dec. 2021. GU’s Battle in Seattle record slipped to 9-6 and the Zags have dropped their last four against top-five opponents. Both GU losses this season have been in overtime. The Zags fell to West Virginia 86-78 in OT at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
The Zags couldn’t have asked for a better opening 20 minutes.
Ryan Nembhard flawlessly directed the offense again, Graham Ike dominated in the lane and the Zags had the upper hand in nearly every statistical category.
The Zags hung 50 points on the Wildcats in the first half with contributions coming from all nine players that saw time. It looked a lot like Gonzaga’s 89-85 win over the Wildcats at Rupp Arena with Nembhard and Ike on the same wavelength in ball-screen actions, and Ike added a 3-pointer a pump fake and driving layup for good measure.
Ike had 18 points at the break and Nembhard was nearing a double-double with eight points and seven assists. Khalif Battle ended a streak of 12 straight 3-point misses with a trey in the first 45 seconds. His flying one-hand slam on the break brought the loudest ovation.
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It added up to a 50-34 advantage – Kentucky’s largest deficit since trailing the Zags by 16 at the Spokane Arena in Nov. 2022.
Kentucky, playing without starting point guard Lamont Butler, responded by controlling the first 10 minutes of the second half.
The Wildcats erased most of the 16-point deficit with a 16-2 burst, capped by Koby Brea’s 3-pointer that trimmed Gonzaga’s lead to 58-55.
Gonzaga had little luck defensively stopping the Wildcats. Meanwhile, UK bottled up Nembhard and Ike for most of the closing half and overtime.
Senior forward Ben Gregg stepped up with seven consecutive points to push GU’s lead back to seven. Dusty Stromer’s steal led to a Nembhard transition layup and Kerr Kriisa, who started in place of Butler, was injured on the play and didn’t return.
The Wildcats pulled within 69-67 but Ike converted a three-point play – he had his first field goal of the second half on the previous play – with 4:55 remaining to bump Gonzaga’s lead to five.
Kentucky wouldn’t go away. The Wildcats were within one when Ike fed Gregg on a baseline cut for a dunk.
Kentucky pulled even at 79 on Andrew Carr’s field goal with 58.1 left. Ike misfired on a short bank shot and Brea missed a jumper on Kentucky’s last possession.
Kentucky opened overtime with dunks by Otega Oweh and Amari Williams. The Zags missed their first five shots and trailed by eight before Nembhard and Nolan Hickman drained 3-pointers – after GU had gone 0 of 9 from deep in the second half and 0 of 3 in the first few minutes of the extra session – to bring GU within 86-85.
Andrew Carr converted a putback basket – the Zags owned the glass in the first half, but Kentucky turned the tables the rest of the game – and Jaxson Robinson hit a floater, but Hickman answered with a long 3 to cut Kentucky’s lead to 90-89 with 4.7 seconds left.
Carr, who finished with a team-high 19 points, missed a pair of free throws, but the Wildcats knocked the ball away from Stromer and GU didn’t get a shot up before the buzzer sounded.
Ike finished with 28 points. Nembhard had 13 points and 10 assists and Gregg contributed 14 points off the bench.
First half
19:40 – GU 2, UK 0: Ike wins the tip and knocks down a jumper. We’re underway in Seattle.
15:44 – GU 11, UK 8: Lightning fast pace of play as Nembhard is fouled at the first media timeout.
Teams have combined for 18 shot attempts so far, Nembhard and Ike have four points apiece for the Zags. Robinson and Kriisa with 3-pointers for the Wildcats.
11:35 – GU 21, UK 12: Stellar few minutes for the Zags, especially Nembhard, who is up to six points and three assists at the U12 media timeout.
Bulldogs shooting 53% from the field, while the Wildcats are shooting 29%, making 1 of their last 9 field goals.
8:58 – GU 30, UK 18: Battle goes coast-to-coast for a dunk in traffic and Kentucky calls a timeout with the Zags on a 6-0 run.
Highlight play for Battle. Zags also taking advantage on the offensive glass, five in the game.
7:42 – GU 30, UK 21: Wildcats get a couple of long rebounds until Almonora finally hits a 3-pointer to cut the Zags lead. Gregg’s shot is blocked on the other end at the U8 media timeout.
2:50 – GU 44, UK 32: Ike has taken over at the U4 media timeout, having his best game of the season with 18 points and seven rebounds.
Ike’s two-man game with Nembhard has been nearly unstoppable. Nembhard has six points and seven assists.
0:42 – GU 46, UK 32: Zags call a timeout to try and get a quality shot before halftime. GU on a 6-0 run, UK hasn’t scored in 4:29.
Halftime
Ryan Nembhard knocked down a step-back jumper with three seconds left to punctuate an outstanding half for Gonzaga, which leads Kentucky 50-34 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Nembhard has eight points and seven assists, feeding Graham Ike, who scored 18 points with eight rebounds. Khalif Battle added nine points for the Zags, who shot 54% from the field and had a 25-16 rebound advantage.
Second half
16:43 – GU 56, UK 46: Wildcats on a 7-0 run and the Zags call a timeout.
Just the start to the second half UK needed, facing a Gonzaga team that hasn’t lost in 175 consecutive games with a double digit lead at half. Wildcats driving inside more now, eight paint points this half after having 14 in the first half.
15:32 – GU 56, UK 46: Wildcats now on a 9-0 run and will go to the free throw line on the other side of the U16 media timeout.
Things tightening up for the Zags offense, which hasn’t scored in 2:46.
11:25 – GU 58, UK 55: Brea hits a 3-pointer to extend the Wildcats run to 16-2 and Gregg is fouled on the other end to signal the U12 media timeout.
Gregg will shoot two free throws, he’s the only Zag with a field goal in their last 12 attempts.
8:41 – GU 65, UK 59: Stromer gets a steal and passes to Nembhard who finishes against Kriisa. Kriisa is down injured on the play.
8:00 – GU 65, UK 59: Stromer grabs a rebound and is fouled at the U8 media timeout. He’s headed to the line.
Ike is yet to score since his outstanding first half. He has three fouls and will be crucial as the Zags try and hang on. Nembhard also without an assist this half.
3:48 – GU 74, UK 71: Eight straight Zags points for Ike, who finally shows up in the second half. Wildcats fighting back on seemingly every possession, this one looks like it will go down to the wire.
1:29 – GU 78, UK 77: Gregg and Robinson trade baskets and the Zags call a timeout with possession. UK hasn’t led since 17:52 remaining in the first half, but can go ahead with a stop and a score.
58.1 – GU 79, UK 79: Ike goes 1 of 2 from the line and Carr scores over Gregg to tie it up. Zags with the ball after a timeout.
24.5 – GU 79, UK 79: Ike misses in the paint and there is little difference between the shot and game clock. Cats can take the time down for the last shot.
0:00 – GU 79, UK 79: Big block by Ike and Brea’s shot after a rebound is shot at the buzzer. We’re headed to overtime.
Overtime
4:06 – UK 83, GU 79: Gregg is blocked on a dunk attempt, then the Wildcats throw down back-to-back dunks to take the lead. Zags call a timeout. More overtime struggles like they had in the West Virginia loss.
1:34 – UK 86, GU 85: Zags looked dead, but Stromer and Nembhard hit back-to-back 3-pointers to stay in it. Kentucky calls a timeout with possession.
1:09 – UK 88, GU 85: Zags fail to box out on a miss and Carr puts it back to extend the lead. GU calls timeout.
0:32 – UK 88, GU 86: Ike hits 1 of 2 from the line and the Wildcats call a timeout. Zags have plenty of time for a stop and a basket.
4.7 – UK 90, GU 89: Robinson hits a tough floater and Hickman connects on a 3-pointer on the other end. Zags call their last timeout, need a quick foul and likely a 3.
0.0 – UK 90, GU 89: Stromer loses the handle in transition and the Wildcats stun the Zags with a big second-half comeback. GU loses with a double digit lead at halftime for the first time in 175 games.
We’ll be back with a full recap shortly.
Starting fives
Gonzaga: Ryan Nembhard, Michael Ajayi, Nolan Hickman, Khalif Battle, Graham Ike.
Kentucky: Otega Oweh, Jaxson Robinson, Kerr Kriisa, Andrew Carr, Amari Williams.
Pregame
No. 7 Gonzaga won’t find any reprieve after returning from the Battle 4 Atlantis, with the first of two consecutive high-profile matchups tonight against No. 4 Kentucky.
The Zags (7-1) will tipoff against the Wildcats (7-1) at 7 p.m. from Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2. Next week GU will play two-time defending champion Connecticut at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The Bulldogs bounced back from an overtime loss to West Virginia in the Bahamas with wins over Indiana and Davidson. Tonight’s game is the Zags second top 10 game of the season, the first a rout of Baylor in the season opener.
Kentucky is coming off its first loss, 70-66 to Clemson in the SEC/ACC Challenge on Wednesday. The Wildcats have a top 10 win over Duke on Nov. 9.
First-year UK coach Mark Pope has plenty of experience against GU during his time with Brigham Young.
Series history
Gonzaga holds a 2-1 all-time record against Kentucky, winning in each of the last two seasons. The Wildcats won the first meeting during the 2002 Maui Invitational.
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