How Gonzaga’s defense stepped up to deliver comeback victory over Seattle U

Gonzaga did a ton of work at both ends of the floor to finally pull even with Seattle U with 20.8 seconds left in regulation.

But the job wasn’t finished.

The Redhawks, who led by 12 with 8:38 left after Brayden Maldonado’s 3-pointer, turned to the crafty senior guard again on their final possession.

Gonzaga’s Tyon Grant-Foster swatted Maldonado’s 3-point attempt out of bounds with 2.2 seconds left. Jalen Warley then contested another Maldonado 3 that was off target as time ran out.

“It was really the scouting report,” said Grant-Foster, who blocked a career-high five shots. “I know he’s a 3-point shooter so I know he was going to try to get the 3 off. I was just waiting and anticipating.”

The Zags’ defense, three days after yielding 93 points to San Diego, wasn’t perfect against the Redhawks, but it kept GU within striking distance until the offense found its stride midway through the second half and in overtime.

“Our defense, especially in the second half, I mean they hit some tough ones, but it was really good,” junior forward Braden Huff said following GU’s 80-72 victory.

Seattle’s offensive rebounding – nine in the first half, leading to an 8-1 edge in second-chance points – was one of the reasons the Zags trailed for the majority of the contest.

GU turned that stat around in the final 25 minutes, limiting the Redhawks to just three second-chance points.

“We were making them miss, but we have to finish possessions,” Grant-Foster said. “If we don’t finish possessions and they get the board, then what did we just play great defense like that for?”

Seattle shot 37.1% from the field in the first half, 37.9% in the second and just 25% in the extra session. San Diego, which scored 31 points in the last 7 minutes, made 52.4%, the highest percentage allowed by the Zags this season other than Michigan’s 60%.

Maldonado, who averages a team-leading 15.7 points, finished with 17, but he made just 6 of 16 shots against a rotation of defenders that included Braeden Smith, Mario Saint-Supery and Emmanuel Innocenti.

“He’s a great little player, great feel, great moxie,” Zags coach Mark Few said. “I thought we did a nice job on him really, even though he hit a couple there at the end.”

Seattle sophomore forward Will Heimbrodt, second in scoring at 13.5 points, added 10 points, but connected on just 4 of 19 shot attempts, including 1 of 6 3-pointers. He had four turnovers.

Warley had five steals, Smith three, Huff two and Grant-Foster one. Gonzaga racked up 11 steals, its sixth game in double figures.

Grant-Foster hiked his season block total to 22. No other Zag has more than 10.

“He’s just got a real gift for blocking shots out there on the perimeter,” Few said. “It’s crazy, I’ve never had a guy like that. You don’t see many perimeter blocked shots. He does it a lot.”