WELP. Hope this would be a different tone following last week’s disappointing outcome versus Kentucky, but here we are. Gonzaga lost what honestly felt like a very winnable game, 77-71, to UConn, and in the process, missing yet another potential marquee win for the resume.
Here are a few kneejerk reactions:
Lady Luck is the cruelest of mistresses
In the first half, Liam McNeely had a prayer of a bounce off the rim for a three, Hassan Diarra hit what could only be described as an absolute horseshit shot as the shot clock expired (on a scramble in which he got screened by his own teammate), and UConn was a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line.
In the second half, Graham Ike missed a point blanker from one foot away, Ben Gregg missed a wide open layup from two feet away, Braden Huff missed every one of his little post floaters he normally hits, and the most painful one of all, down the stretch Ryan Nembhard missed a wide open layup at the rim.
Now, sometimes, the shots just do not fall for whatever reason. Luck is part of a basketball game. It isn’t the biggest part necessarily, but in close games, it can play an oversized role. For Gonzaga, it seems like it has played a Godzilla-sized role in the losses to both UK and UConn.
It doesn’t make the losses any easier to swallow, and it is also why Gonzaga will probably be a very highly-ranked KenPom team tomorrow morning.
Graham Ike was absolutely useless
We got a weird thing happening right now in which Graham Ike, who was one of the best players in the offense last season, can’t seem to figure out or even come close to replicating that efficiency. He played only 12 minutes, and those 12 minutes looked beyond painful. in the loss to West Virginia, it was the same thing.
We’ve seen first-hand the damage Ike can inflict. He dropped 28 points on Kentucky and 22 on San Diego State. He finished with three points tonight against a team featuring post players that on paper he should’ve thrashed like no other.
It seems weird to say it but at this moment, right now, the offense is better off with Braden Huff or Ben Gregg in it. Honestly, if Gonzaga is going to reach its fullest potential, that problem has to change.
Shout out to the defense
Listen, we can’t be all negatives in what amounts to a close loss against a good team in a somewhat unfriendly environment. Gonzaga’s defense against the much vaunted UConn offense was rather admirable. The Huskies got off to a torching start of course, but for the rest of the game, the Zags made basically every shot difficult.
The Huskies missed a lot of good looks from long range, but they also had QUITE a few they worked really hard to get.
If Khalif Battle was on the 2017 team that squad wins the championship
Hyperbolic? Sure. But Battle, once again, showcased a level of offensive production and ability to create we haven’t really seen at GU before. Sort of like Julian Strawther on steroids. It can get out of hand sometimes. and that means you have to take the bad lumps with the good. For the most part against UConn, it was the good.
Battle finished with 21 points, going 4-of-6 from long-range, and unfortunately ending his streak of 35 consecutive free throws.
Just a half decent game from one more player and Gonzaga is undefeated
The what ifs to end all what ifs because the only fact that matters is that Gonzaga has three losses. But similar to the first point, if Nolan Hickman and Graham Ike combine for more than three points, Gonzaga probably wins this game.
Against Kentucky, if Hickman, Michael Ajayi, and Huff appear, Gonzaga wins that game.
Against West Virginia, if Ike shows up, Gonzaga wins that game.
In each of those games, those players didn’t. That is what is going to make it hard to quit this team but also absolutely infuriating. The potential is salivating.
Aidan Mahaney at UConn has been so hilarious
I never quite understood two things: 1) Why Mahaney did this in the first place; and 2) Why the national media thought this would lead to a three-peat.
Mahaney is a good basketball player who excelled in a system. His skillset, however, an undersized guard who can’t really defend too well and sort of relies upon circus shots, would make that level of impact at UConn. Maybe he still, but right now, he isn’t. And since Mahaney went to Saint Mary’s, well, [expletive deleted] him.
In six games against competition ranked higher than No. 300 by KenPom, he has scored a total of 15 points. Tonight, his ass got torched by Ryan Nembhard and then he followed it up by getting a 10-second halfcourt violation because he walked too lazily up the court.
Should’ve stayed at Saint Mary’s.