Graham Ike ties career-high in No. 6 Zags’ win over Oregon State | Recap and highlights
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Graham Ike guaranteed a better version of Gonzaga three days after the nation’s sixth-ranked team took an upset loss at Portland.
The senior forward took matters into his own hands to make sure that was the case Saturday at Oregon State.
Ike scored 19 points in the first half and matched his career-high with 35 in the game, helping Mark Few’s team pull away from Oregon State and complete an 81-61 victory at Gill Coliseum.
One week after returning from a three-game absence, Ike didn’t come off the floor for 39 minutes and made 13 of 18 shots from the field, 8 of 9 from the free throw line and 1 of 1 from the 3-point line. It was the third time in five games Ike scored at least 30 points for Gonzaga and marked his fifth straight game scoring at least 23. Ike’s previous career high came with Wyoming, during a Dec. 2, 2021, game against Denver.
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Tyon Grant-Foster chipped in with 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench for Gonzaga, playing long stretches of Saturday’s game with starting wing Jalen Warley in foul trouble. Warley still had eight points and freshman Davis Fogle added eight more for the Zags.
Gonzaga’s 3-point shooting issues returned, but the Zags overcame a 3 of 10 performance from behind the arc by finishing with a 46-8 advantage in paint points and just two turnovers, matching the fewest in program history.
The Zags won their sixth game without second-leading scorer Braden Huff, who’s spent the last two weeks back home in the Chicago area going through physical therapy for his injured left knee.
Gonzaga (23-2, 11-1) will encounter another future Pac-12 opponent Tuesday when it hosts Washington State (11-15, 6-7) for an 8 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2) tipoff at McCarthey Athletic Center. The Zags won the first meeting between the Inland Northwest teams, cruising past the Cougars 86-65 on Jan. 15 at Beasley Coliseum.
First half
15:36 - GU 8, OSU 7: Both teams are trading baskets early.
Jalen Warley leads the Zags with four points.
11:07 - OSU 14, GU 10: Offense has been hard to come by as Gonzaga is experiencing a scoring drought of nearly four minutes and Oregon State hasn’t scored in 2:21.
7:56 - GU 22, OSU 20: Gonzaga retakes the lead after a made 3-pointer from Graham Ike.
Ike has a game-high nine points.
3:40 - GU 32, OSU 31: Ike making his presence felt with 15 first-half points.
The Beavers have countered with efficient offense, shooting 69% from the floor.
1:03 - GU 36, OSU 34: The Zags hold a narrow lead as halftime nears.
Ike is up to 17 points. Tyon Grant-Foster has seven points.
Halftime
Graham Ike makes a pair of free throws before time expires in the first half to give Gonzaga a 38-34 lead.
Ike continues to roll on offense with 19 points. Grant Foster and Warley have complemented him with seven and six points, respectively.
Dez White has paced the Beavers with 10 points.
Second half
15:33 - GU 49, OSU 40: Grant-Foster finishes an alley-oop to give the Zags some breathing room at the start of the second half.
11:41 - GU 55, OSU 48: Ike’s 24 points are keeping the Beavers at arm’s length so far.
Gonzaga has only committed one turnover and has scored 11 points off turnovers.
9:04 - GU 61, OSU 51: Davis Fogle finishes a dunk on a give-and-go, capping a 6-0 run.
7:11 - GU 65, OSU 54: Despite making seven more 3-pointers, the Beavers’ offense has become stagnant in the second half.
Oregon State’s field goal percentage has dropped below 50.
3:48 - GU 73, OSU 57: Gonzaga uses an 18-3 run to build a healthy lead as the game enters its final minutes.
Ike is up to a game-high 31 points.
Starting 5s
Gonzaga: Braeden Smith, Adam Miller, Emmanuel Innocenti, Jalen Warley, Graham Ike.
Oregon State: Josiah Lake II, Dez White, Isaiah Sy, Olavi Suutela, Johan Munch.
Pregame
No. 6 Gonzaga will try and return to the win column against Oregon State after absorbing a shocking loss on the road to Portland.
Despite the Beavers’ 6-6 record in the West Coast Conference and 13-2 overall record, the Zags will be on high alert after dropping an overtime thriller at Gill Coliseum last season.
The Beavers lost their five top scorers from last season. Josiah Lake II, one of the team’s few returners, leads OSU in scoring (13.5 ppg) and assists (3.8 apg).
Gonzaga (22-2, 10-1) will once again be without big man Braden Huff.
Game preview
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