Graham Ike returns from injury to lead No. 6 Zags past Gaels | Recap and highlights
If tradition holds, Saturday’s game between No. 6 Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s will be the first of three meetings between the longtime West Coast Conference rivals this season.
Give round one to the Zags, who were solid and shaky in the first half but ultimately strong enough in the second to prevail 73-65 over the rival Gaels at McCarthey Athletic Center.
Keyed by Graham Ike, who was excellent playing in his first game for Gonzaga since Jan. 15, the Zags picked up a victory in the first of two guaranteed matchups between the WCC foes this season and established a two-game lead on Saint Mary’s in the league standings.
After missing the last three games with right ankle soreness, Ike returned to the court and gave Gonzaga an immediate jolt, hitting a short baseline jumper on the Zags’ very first possession. The senior forward connected on GU’s first 3-pointer and was responsible for a number of other momentum-changing plays during a 30-point, four-rebound effort. Ike finished 11 of 20 from the field, 3 of 5 from the 3-point line and 5 of 5 from the free throw line.
The Zags needed every last bit in a game where they led by double figures in the first half, went to the break trailing by two possessions but reestablished their lead with big shots and key defensive stands in the second half.
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Emmanuel Innocenti guided Gonzaga back early in the second half, scoring 10 straight points to knot the game up at 46-46. The junior who took a recruiting visit to Saint Mary’s two years ago after entering the transfer portal scored a fast-break layup to make it a three-point game before Saint Mary’s guard Dillan Shaw responded with a 3-pointer at the other end.
Innocenti and the Gaels continued to trade baskets. After the forward knocked down the Zags’ second 3-pointer of the game – a shot that came after seven straight GU misses – Harry Wessels scored at the other end, once again extending the lead to two possessions. Innocenti followed with a putback layup and then tied the game with his second straight 3-pointer.
Ike and a number of other Zags took it over from there. The senior forward dropped Wessels to the ground on a pump-fake and hammered home a dunk to make it a six-point game. Less than two minutes later, Ike elevated for his second 3-pointer, then followed with his third with less than 90 seconds remaining to give Gonzaga a 10-point cushion.
Innocenti and senior wing Jalen Warley were the two other Zags to finish in double digits, each scoring 10 points. Warley and Tyon Grant-Foster paced GU in the rebounding column, grabbing seven apiece.
The Gaels were led by sophomore point guard Joshua Dent, who had 16 points and six assists. Paulius Murauskas (15) and Shaw (13) also finished in double figures for a Saint Mary’s team that made just 18 of 53 (34%) shots from the field.
Gonzaga broke the game open early, taking a 10-point lead with less than nine minutes remaining in the first half, but a series of unforced errors allowed Saint Mary’s to claw back. The Zags committed nine turnovers during a nine-minute stretch and the Gaels pulled to within one point before taking their first lead on Dent’s 3-pointer.
The half culminated with another sequence of mental mistakes from Gonzaga and a 12-2 run for Saint Mary’s. Mario Saint-Supery committed the team’s ninth and turnover with five seconds remaining and Davis Fogle fouled Liam Campbell near halfcourt with one-tenth of a second on the game clock. That sent the freshman to the line for two final free throws, sending the Gaels to the locker room with a four-point cushion.
Saturday marked the end of a three-game homestand for Gonzaga (22-1, 10-0), which travels outside the state of Washington next week for the first time since Dec. 30. The Zags resume WCC play on Wednesday at Portland (10-14, 3-8) before visiting Oregon State (12-12, 5-6) on Saturday in Corvallis.
First quarter
15:30 - GU 11, SMC 7: After missing three games with an ankle injury, Graham Ike makes his presence felt early with five points.
10:12 - GU 21, SMC 13: Gonzaga has shared the ball early, recording seven assists.
Ike is up to seven points. Jalen Warley and Adam Miller have four points each.
7:44 - GU 23, SMC 15: Paulius Murauskas makes a layup and will head to the line for a chance at a 3-point play.
Murauskas has been the lone bright spot on offense for the Gaels, scoring seven points early. The Gaels are shooting 28% as a team.
6:01 - GU 23, SMC 22: The Gaels have used a 9-0 run to cut Gonzaga’s lead to one point.
3:01 - GU 28, SMC 24: Ike has a team-high 12 points in his return from injury.
Saint Mary’s foward Murauskas also has 12.
Halftime
Despite shooting 36% in the first half, Saint Mary’s has crawled back to take a 38-34 lead at halftime.
Gonzaga struggled to take care of the ball as the half progressed. The Zags ended the half with nine turnovers.
Ike has a game-high 14 points in his return from injury. Murauskas leads Saint Mary’s with 13 points.
Second half
15:57 - SMC 46, GU 41: The Gaels hold a narrow lead and have narrowed the shooting gap. Saint Mary’s has made five 3-pointers to Gonzaga’s two makes, so far.
13:41 - GU 46, SMC 46: Emmanuel Innocenti hits a 3-pointer to tie the game.
11:30 - GU 51, SMC 48: Gonzaga’s 3-point shooters have woken up with three makes already after two total in the first half.
Ike and Innocenti are into double figures with 16 and 10 points, respectively.
8:00 - GU 60, SMC 56: Gonzaga has inched ahead behind offensive rebounding and renewed 3-point shooting.
3:52 - GU 66, SMC 59: Ike has a game-high 25 points, 10 more than the next closest scorer.
The Zags have been able to match the Gaels’ 3-point shooting and haven’t committed a turnover in the second half.
0:35 - GU 71, SMC 63: Gonzaga is closing in on a way against its rival.
Ike hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to push GU’s lead to 10 points.
Starting 5s
Gonzaga: Braeden Smith, Adam Miller, Emmanuel Innocenti, Jalen Warley, Graham Ike.
Saint Mary’s: Joshua Dent, Dillan Shaw, Mikey Lewis, Paulius Murauskas, Harry Wessels.
Pregame
Gonzaga will have a chance to take a crucial step toward a West Coast Conference regular-season championship.
The sixth-ranked Zags (21-1, 9-0) welcome rival Saint Mary’s (19-3, 8-1) for the first of two meetings. Saint Mary’s has won each of the last two games played in Spokane and four of the last six games in general.
The Gaels won the WCC title last season before Gonzaga rebounded to win the WCC Tournament.
Saint Mary’s has trotted out many antagonists during both teams’ history in the WCC. Forward Paulius Murauskas will be at the top of the Zags’ scouting report entering Saturday’s game.
Standout forward Graham Ike is anticipated to return after missing three games with a right ankle injury. Ike was averaging 18.8 points and 8.8 rebounds before his three-game absence.
Game preview
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