Three takeaways: Braeden Smith registers 15 points, eight assists in return to Gonzaga’s starting lineup

Three takeaways at the buzzer from Gonzaga’s 96-56 rout Sunday over Pepperdine at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, California.

Smith back in starting lineup

Braeden Smith, who scored a team-high 21 points and handed out seven assists in Gonzaga’s win over Oregon last Sunday, returned to the starting lineup in place of freshman Mario Saint-Supery.

It marked Gonzaga’s sixth different starting five in 14 games.

Smith and fellow starters Steele Venters and Emmanuel Innocenti combined for all nine points as Gonzaga sprinted in front 9-0 without a point from top two scorers Braden Huff and Graham Ike.

Smith scored the first bucket, then assisted on Venters’ dunk and 3-pointer and Innocenti’s layup. The junior point guard had seven points, six rebounds and five assists in the opening half as Gonzaga built a 44-26 lead.

Smith opened the second half with a pair of 3-pointers. He came out for good with 14:56 remaining with 15 points, eight assists and five rebounds (one first-half board apparently taken away on the official stats).

He played just 18 minutes so he and his teammates should be well-rested for Tuesday’s game at San Diego. Only three Zags played at least 20 minutes. Huff had a team-high 27, Ike 23 and Tyon Grant-Foster 20.

Grant-Foster returns to form

Grant-Foster, coming off seven straight games shooting below 50% from the field, regained his shooting touch against the Waves.

Grant-Foster had an impressive seven-minute stretch in the first half. The 6-7 wing connected on a dunk and a pair of 3-pointers when dared to shoot by defenders. He hit 1 of 2 free throws after being fouled on a drive to the rim.

Grant-Foster’s impact on the defensive end was just as important. He had a trio of blocks, including a high-flying rejection of Aaron Clark’s shot attempt in the lane, and a steal.

Grant-Foster didn’t cool off in the second half. He finished with 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting to go with four blocks.

He leads the Zags with 17 blocks this season. Reserve center Ismaila Diagne is next with 10 swats in just 84 minutes. Ike and Huff each have eight blocks.

Winning streaks and milestones

Gonzaga has had an occasional close call at Firestone Fieldhouse, but the seventh-ranked Zags never trailed Sunday on their way to their 50th consecutive win over the Waves.

That’s the longest active streak and second longest in Division I history behind UCLA’s 52 in a row over Cal from 1961-85.

Pepperdine’s last win over GU was on Jan. 18, 2002, 88-79, in Malibu.

Gonzaga also pocketed its 30th consecutive win in West Coast Conference openers, 27 of those in Mark Few’s coaching tenure.

Ike finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season and 38th of his five-year career. The 6-9 forward collected his 1,000th career rebound during the first half.