Passing grades for Gonzaga’s ‘D’ over last five games

STOCKTON, Calif. – Bigger tests await, but Gonzaga’s defense has strung together several A’s on the report card since giving up 97 points in overtime and 103 points in regulation in consecutive West Coast Conference losses to Oregon State and Santa Clara.

Saturday’s 78-61 victory over Pacific was the latest example as the Tigers needed a late scoring binge to crack 60 points and nudge their shooting percentage to 40%.

Pacific’s field-goal accuracy was a high-water mark for Gonzaga’s last five opponents, edging out Oregon State’s and Saint Mary’s 38.2% shooting. The Tigers’ 61 points fell right in line with Portland’s 62, Oregon State’s 60, Saint Mary’s 62 and Loyola Marymount’s 53.

Those five foes rank fourth (OSU), sixth (SMC), eighth (Portland), ninth (LMU) and 10th (Pacific) in scoring offense in the 11-team WCC. For that reason, Gonzaga coach Mark Few is pleased with what he’s seen, but hesitant to proclaim the defensive turnaround complete with two showdowns ahead against San Francisco, including the first Thursday at the McCarthey Athletic Center, Washington State, Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara.

The Zags are first in scoring offense (87.6 points), while the Dons (75.6) are fifth, the Cougars third (78.6) and the Broncos second (80.4).

Few specifically has witnessed improvement in GU’s ability to “guard your yard” – one-on-one defense and limiting dribble penetration.

“I thought it was better (vs. Pacific),” Few said. “This team really challenges you in that respect, but these next two guards (San Francisco’s Malik Thomas and Marcus Williams) are going to really challenge us. It’s been better, but there’s still room for improvement.”

Pacific wings Elijah Fisher and Elias Ralph, who typically combine for 32 points, finished with just 19. Point guard Lamar Washington, who dropped 40 points on Washington State in a Tigers win in Pullman, managed only four first-half points as Gonzaga built a 35-20 lead. He heated up to finish with 22 points, but the outcome was essentially decided.

“We put (Nolan Hickman) on Washington to start and he did a good job leveling him off,” Few said. “He’s a tough guard.

“Ralph had some (points) there at the end on us. They’re tough, they’ve got a lot of freedom to bounce it at you and they’re good at creating their own shots. They lean into you, make body contact and shoot those fadeaways.”

Gonzaga has emphasized defense in practice since the mid-January meltdowns against Oregon State and Santa Clara. The message seems to have reached the players.

“I think all of us are just trying to be more connected on that side of the ball, a little more attentive to the scouts, personnel for certain guys,” point guard Ryan Nembhard said. “We know that’s what’s going to win us these games going down the stretch. If we’re good defensively, our offense will come and we’ll be able to put numbers up, but it all starts with defense.”

“We talk about not being offensively sensitive,” Few said. “Our defense has to travel.”

Few acknowledged that GU has been spending an “inordinate amount of time on (defense) so now we probably need to spend a little time on our offense. It’s been a little jerky for us, but we’re still posting good numbers.”

On both sides of the ball, which is something the coaching staff couldn’t say three weeks ago.