Recap and highlights: Khalif Battle heats up in second half as No. 6 Gonzaga outlasts Arizona State 88-80
Many anticipated that sixth-ranked Gonzaga would get a scare from the first Big 12 team on its regular-season schedule.
After a 38-point blowout of eighth-ranked Baylor in the opener, the real challenge came on Sunday from Arizona State – a team picked to finish eight spots lower than the Bears in the preseason Big 12 coaches poll.
Gonzaga withstood flurry after flurry from Bobby Hurley’s Sun Devils, but came up with the plays it needed down the stretch to emerge with a 88-80 victory in front of a sellout crowd at McCarthey Athletic Center.
Braden Huff was the first sub off Gonzaga’s bench and led Mark Few’s team in scoring with 21 points on 9 of 13 shooting and four rebounds.
Khalif Battle gave Gonzaga’s backcourt a spark with 19 points on 4 of 8 shooting, 3 of 6 from the 3-point line and 8 of 8 from the free throw line. Battle elevated for an acrobatic alley-oop dunk on a high lob from Ryan Nembhard midway through the second half – one of a few momentum-turning plays that helped the Zags overcome a four-point deficit and improve to 2-0 on the season.
Nembhard was responsible for another one of those moments, knocking down an NBA-range 3-pointer to tie the game at 67-67 with 7 minutes, 45 seconds remaining. Nembhard was stellar running Gonzaga’s offense once again, dishing out 11 assists for the second straight game to go along with 13 points.
The senior point guard delivered another alley-oop pass late in the second half – this time to Huff – to give the Zags an 82-76 lead with 39 seconds remaining.
The lead changed seven times in the first half and Amier Ali knocked down a mid-range jumper from the top of the key to tie things at 38-38 entering the halftime break. That came moments after Dusty Stromer buried a 3-pointer off the glass to give the Zags a two-point lead.
Stromer’s long 3 as one of just three triples for a Gonzaga team that missed nine of its long-range attempts during the opening frame. The Bulldogs improved their 3-point percentage in the second half, finishing 8 of 24 from the field.
ASU opened the game on a 7-1 run and withstood two separate 6-0 runs from Gonzaga, which led by as many eight points in the first half.
The Sun Devils were led by Basheer Jihad, who had 22 points, and Alston Maston, who added another 19 poins.
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First half
18:34 – ASU 2, GU 0: Three straight misses to start the game and the Sun Devils grab the first lead on a layup from Quaintance after a turnover from Ike.
14:51 – ASU 8, GU 7: Zags shake off a slow start and get back-to-back baskets from Huff and Hickman at the first media timeout. GU has the ball when play resumes.
GU 3 of 5 from the field, but have three turnovers. ASU is 3 of 9.
11:09 – GU 19, ASU 14: Zags on a 6-0 run and have made 5 of their last 6 shots as the Sun Devils take a timeout.
Huff have been a major spark off the bench and showing great touch around the rim. The redshirt sophomore has eight points on 4-for-4 shooting.
GU yet to hit a 3-pointer, doing all their work inside. ASU is 3-for-9 on 3s.
7:53 – GU 24, ASU 18: Gregg has a 3-pointer blocked at the U8 timeout, but GU retains possession. Sun Devils have three blocks in the half.
Ajayi up to seven points and six rebounds, as he hits the Zags first 3-pointers. GU 1 of 7 on 3s.
3:22 – GU 31, ASU 30: Sun Devils on a 7-0 run and have a chance to retake the lead on the other end of the U4 timeout, after a foul is called on Huff under the basket.
GU on a 2:12 scoring drought, shooting 48% from the field and are 2 of 10 on 3-pointers.
ASU is shooting 44%, but is 5 of 12 on 3s.
Halftime
Dusty Stromer banked a 3-pointer, and Ali Amier answered at the buzzer to tie the score at 38-38 between Gonzaga and Arizona State.
Competitive half, with the Sun Devils’ length giving the Zags trouble on the offensive end. GU is 3 of 12 on 3-pointers, while ASU is 5 of 14.
GU led by Braden Huff’s 10 points off the bench, outscoring ASU 23-8 in bench points.
Freshman Jayden Quaintance giving the Zags problems, he leads the Sun Devils with nine points.
15:36 – GU 48, ASU 47: Battle gets it going with a pair of 3-pointers as the lead changes hands multiple times to start the second half.
Nembhard will shoot two free throws on the other side of the U16 media timeout. Just two free throw attempts for GU so far.
11:24 – GU 56, ASU 55: Zags cling to their lead at the U12 media timeout. Ike is on the bench with three fouls.
Huff will shoot two free throws after the timeout, he has a team-high 10 points, followed by Hickman with nine, who just made his first 3-pointer of the game (1 of 5).
9:20 – ASU 63, GU 59: Sun Devils connect on two straight 3-pointers to take the lead and Few calls timeout. Zags without a field goal in 3:14.
5:52 – GU 69, ASU 69: Zags tie the score twice on a 3-pointer from Nembhard and a jumper from Huff. ASU calls a timeout after a GU rebound and the Zags will have a chance to retake the lead.
Battle threw down a wild alley-oop to get the crowd going again.
2:07 – GU 78, ASU 73: Ajayi misses a dunk and is called for a technical foul for hanging on the rim at the final media timeout.
Battle has provided a huge spark for the Zags in the second half, with all of his 15 points. He’s hit 3 of 6 3-pointers, including one in the corner to give GU a two possession lead.
0:44 – GU 80, ASU 76: Mason makes a layup for the Sun Devils, who take a timeout. Going down to the wire in the Kennel.
0:28 – GU 82, ASU 76: Huff dunks an alley-oop and ASU comes up empty on the other end. Sun Devils foul Nembhard and call a timeout, Zags just need to hit free throws now to win it.
Starting 5
Gonzaga starters: Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, Khalif Battle, Ben Gregg, Graham Ike.
Bulldogs rolling with the same five from Monday’s opener.
ASU starters: Alston Mason, Joson Sanon, Adam Miller, Jihad Basheer, Jayden Quaintance.
Pregame
Gonzaga had one of the most impressive season openers in NCAA history.
After blasting No. 8 Baylor in the most lopsided AP top-10 game to start the season, the No. 6 Zags (1-0) host Arizona State (2-0) at 2 p.m. on ESPN.
The Bulldogs, who returned 75% of its scoring from last season, enjoyed a healthy advantage in bench points in its win at the Spokane Arena.
The Sun Devils have an extra game under their belt, with wins over Idaho State (55-48) and Santa Clara (81-74).
Series history
This is the first meeting between Gonzaga and Arizona State.
Game preview
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