Three takeaways: Davis Fogle gets first start, Gonzaga’s bench comes up big in rout over LMU
Three takeaways at the buzzer from Gonzaga’s 82-47 win over Loyola Marymount on Sunday at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
Fogle gets first start
The Zags shook up their starting lineup again – they’ve had a different first five in each of the last four games – with freshman forward Davis Fogle getting his first start of the season.
Fogle is the 10th different Zag with at least one start. Only Braden Huff has started every game.
Emmanuel Innocenti, who had started the last seven games and 11 of 15, apparently was feeling under the weather. The 6-foot-5 guard checked in with just under four minutes left in the first half and chipped in a steal, floater and solid defense.
Fogle played nearly the first five minutes before subbing out for the remainder of the half. He had a good look from about 10 feet, but his shot came up short.
Adam Miller and Tyon Grant-Foster started the second half in place of Steele Venters and Fogle. Fogle returned for the final five minutes and finished with two points and one assist.
Bench power
The most lopsided stat on the stat sheet: bench points – Gonzaga 53, LMU 18. It was 42-5 at one point later in the second half.
The Zags sputtered offensively out of the gate before receiving a major boost from the bench to turn a 14-4 deficit into a 33-19 halftime advantage.
Reserves accounted for 18 of GU’s first 21 points and 22 of the team’s 33 in the opening half. Mario Saint-Supery contributed eight points and Tyon Grant-Foster and Jalen Warley each added six.
The second half was more of the same. Saint-Supery finished with 13 points and five assists. Warley had 12 points and seven rebounds and Adam Miller scored all 11 of his points in the second half.
3-ball giveth, taketh away
The Zags had mixed results behind the 3-point line, thanks to an improved second-half effort, but they still got the better of the Lions behind the arc.
Both teams were just 1 of 11 from deep in the opening half. Gonzaga’s triple came from Graham Ike, whose defender was in the middle of the key when he connected. Ike missed his other three 3-point attempts.
Miller drilled a pair of 3s and Grant-Foster added another as Gonzaga hiked its lead to 42-21 in the first 1:13 of the second half.
The Zags made 6 of 20 overall, two nights after hitting 4 of 15 (26.7%) against Seattle U. Prior to its two-game home stand, GU’s 3-point percentages in the preceding seven games: 50.0, 55.6, 37.5, 45.5, 43.5, 45.4 and 44.4.
At the other end of the floor, GU held LMU to 6 of 23, two of those makes coming in the final 2:12. Gonzaga was first in the WCC in 3-point defense entering the game at 29.2%.