Buzzer breakdown: Gonzaga lets 3-pointers fly in 86-65 win over Bucknell

Here are three observations from No. 13 Gonzaga’s 86-65 win over Bucknell on Saturday at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
Ike on target
Graham Ike, who has been prone to slow starts, was on from start to finish. The 6-foot-10 senior scored Gonzaga’s first nine points, showing off his versatility in the process. He hit a 3-pointer, a 10-footer, a putback and a layup.
Ike had a dozen points in 10 first-half minutes and kept on producing in the second half. The big man played 10 second-half minutes and added 13 points to reach 25, his second-highest output of the season (28 vs. Kentucky).
Ike made 6 of 7 shots from the field in the closing half, including a pretty turnaround jumper over Pip Ajayi. Ike finished 11 of 15 from the field and also grabbed 10 rebounds.
3-point give and take
The visitors from Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, showed little interest in covering the 3-point line, mainly when GU’s four bigs were stationed behind it. In the first half alone, Gonzaga put up 18 3-point attempts, making just five.
Eleven of those first-half 3s came from frontcourt players Ike (1 of 2), Ben Gregg (2 of 6), Michael Ajayi (0 of 2) and Braden Huff (0 of 1). After Gregg hit a wing 3 in front of Bucknell’s bench, he turned to the sideline for a friendly exchange.
Gonzaga heated up in the second half and finished 12 of 35 on 3s – a season high in attempts, eclipsing 31 vs. Baylor in the season opener. Nolan Hickman hit 4 of 8 and Gregg made 3 of 7.
Statistical oddities
Bucknell committed 14 turnovers in the opening half, but it took awhile for the Zags to capitalize. At one point, Gonzaga had five turnovers and the Bison 12, but GU’s edge in points of turnovers was just 12-9. That margin grew to 17-9 by halftime.
One stat decidedly in GU’s favor was production via offensive rebounds. The Zags turned a 5-3 edge in the first half into a 9-0 advantage in second-chance points. Another offensive board and bucket early in the second half made it 11-0.
The Zags finished with 12 turnovers to Bucknell’s 19. Gonzaga won the offensive glass 10-6.