Gonzaga Dominates Bucknell with a Convincing 86-65 Victory: Game Highlights from December 21, 2024

SPOKANE, Wash. — — Graham Ike tallied 25 points and 10 rebounds, propelling No. 13 Gonzaga past an early shooting slump to overcome Bucknell 86-65 on Saturday evening.

Ben Gregg contributed 15 points and Nolan Hickman chipped in 14 for the Bulldogs (9-3), who enhanced their home record to 6-0.

Ike was the sole Zag to score during the initial 7 1/2 minutes of the contest. He sustained Gonzaga’s momentum with a series of baskets in the paint and a 3-pointer from the left flank. Gregg’s 3-pointer evened the score at 12-all with 12:31 remaining in the first half.

Following that, the Zags surged ahead to a 38-27 halftime advantage and extended their lead to 20 points with a 9-0 streak to initiate the second half.

Noah Williamson was the top performer for Bucknell (4-8) with 16 points while Josh Bascoe contributed 14.

Key Takeaways

Bucknell: After enduring six consecutive defeats, the Bison have one final nonconference match before commencing Patriot League competition.

Gonzaga: None of Gonzaga’s adversaries have achieved at least 33% shooting from 3-point territory. The Zags restricted Bucknell to 32.3% (10 of 31).

Critical Moment

Bucknell knocked down five 3-pointers, three from Bascoe, in a stretch of just over three minutes in the second half but could only narrow it to 60-47 during that period. Gregg countered with a 3-pointer that sparked a 9-0 run for Gonzaga.

Vital Statistic

Gonzaga amassed 24 points from Bucknell’s 19 turnovers. The Zags concluded the game with 10 steals, four of which were by Ryan Nembhard, who also recorded nine points, nine assists, and six rebounds.

Upcoming Matches

Bucknell: Will play at Syracuse next Saturday.

Gonzaga: Will take on No. 18 UCLA in the West Coast Hoops Showdown next Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

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