Toreros’ Tenacious Road Game Falls Short Against No. 18 Gonzaga

SPOKANE, Wash. – The Toreros exhibited an effective offensive performance but were outmatched by the nation’s fifth most effective offense at No. 18 Gonzaga on Wednesday evening, losing with a final score of 80-93.
 
San Diego matched the hosts in field goals with 28, tying their seasonal best with 80 points and making 11 three-pointers, while five players reached double digits in scoring. Unfortunately for USD, foul troubles and rebounding struggles proved costly. The Bulldogs dominated the boards with a 48-31 advantage, including 23-13 on the offensive glass, and scored 27 points from the free throw line.
 
However, the visiting Toreros became the first non-top 64 NET team to match the Bulldogs in scoring for a half (46-46 in the second half), limiting overall turnovers to nine, forcing the Zags into 11 mistakes with seven steals, and becoming the first team this season to equal or outpace Gonzaga in field goals and still not emerge victorious. San Diego’s league play record now stands at 1-3, with an overall record of 4-13.
 
Junior Kjay Bradley Jr. was the top scorer for San Diego, contributing 21 points off the bench, marking his sixth game of the season with 20 or more points. Three other Toreros added over 13 points; graduate guard Kody Clouet, senior forward Bendji Pierre, and sophomore forward Santiago Trouet, the latter also achieving a game-high four blocks along with seven rebounds.
 
Gonzaga’s Ben Gregg, who commenced the game shooting 17% from three-point range this season, impressively went 3-3 on the night, finishing as the leading scorer with 23 points. Zags forward Graham Ike grabbed 19 boards but the All-American honorable mention was compelled to make 13 of his 15 points at the charity stripe. With a career shooting percentage of 55% and 58.3% from the field this season, he was limited to one or fewer field goals for only the fourth time in his career, the first occurrence against a non-P5 team. Ryan Nembhard, the nation’s assists leader, recorded 11 for the home team.
 
How it Unfolded

• Head Coach Steve Lavin fielded four forwards to initiate the game against a formidable Gonzaga squad, including former Bulldog of four years Colby Brooks, who made his inaugural career start in his old venue
• Freshman forward Kean Webb also made his first career start, stepping in for Steven Jamerson II, who was sidelined due to illness
• Both teams struggled initially with a 1-6 shooting start, with the Toreros down 3-4 at the first media timeout
• Pierre netted 10 of USD’s next 12 points with two three-pointers, giving the Toreros their first lead at 15-14 before the under-12 timeout
• Gonzaga countered with a 7-0 run, propelled by free throws
• Bradley Jr. drained two long-range shots as Clouet added his first of three from beyond the arc, narrowing the gap to three points
• The Zags managed to take their first double-digit lead just before halftime, capitalizing on their own three-point shooting and converting free throws
• At halftime, the Toreros trailed 34-47 with seven made three-pointers
• San Diego returned to action in the second period, using points from the foul line and forcing Bulldog turnovers to reduce the deficit to single digits
• The USD defense stifled the nation’s fifth most efficient offense for nearly four scoreless minutes, yet they failed to convert on the opposite end as shots continued to misfire
• Similar to the first half, Gonzaga accumulated eight of their first 17 points in the second half from the free throw line
• Gonzaga surged ahead to a game-high 22-point lead as foul issues plagued Webb, Pierre, freshman guard Tony Duckett, and others
• Nevertheless, the Toreros finished strongly, closing out the game on a 9-0 run as Trouet, Clouet, and Brooks made relentless contributions

 
Looking Ahead
Following a six-day stretch in the Pacific Northwest, the Toreros return home to the sunshine of America’s Finest City for the second time in 2025, where they will host league-leading 13-3, 4-0 Saint Mary’s Gaels Saturday evening. The tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Jenny Craig Pavilion, and the game will be aired on ESPN+.
 
Postgame Remarks
 
USD Head Coach Steve Lavin

Initial statement…
I felt our vigor in the second half improved a bit. We played them evenly at 46 apiece in the second half. In the first half, there were parts where we faltered defensively; not having Steven Jamerson II to stabilize us on both ends was a significant factor. He’s out with a virus that’s been spreading through our squad, affecting several players this week. I’m pleased with Kean Webb for being ready for this opportunity and making the most of it. Graham Ike only managed one field goal.

He did manage to get to the free throw line, as did the entire Gonzaga squad. We matched them in made field goals with 28 each. We hit one more three-pointer than the Zags, but their trips to the foul line continue to be an area of concern that we are addressing,especially when you’re traveling and face a razor-thin margin for mistakes, and you’re unlikely to receive a favorable call. Therefore, we must enhance our effort in moving our feet, using our hands appropriately, and refraining from utilizing our hands to guard the ball, as that results in foul difficulties. A significant concern is moving our feet, obtaining the high hand… being assertive, yet intentional… playing with the correct intensity, but we also need to adopt a wise approach defensively or your [rival] teams will reach the charity stripe, as Gonzaga did this evening.
 
There were several positives, [against] an excellent team, a highly potent offense, and I’m pleased that our players kept fighting late in the game, finishing with a 9-0 run to decrease the deficit. Hopefully, that momentum will carry over into our matchup against Saint Mary’s on Saturday.
 
On RS-Sr. F Colby Brooks and Fr. F Kean Webb excelling in their initial career starts during an overall solid offensive night for the squad…
They performed well. It was encouraging to see Kody Clouet sink long-distance shots, which boosted his confidence. He has experienced other matches where the ball went through the net, but he appears to be discovering a better flow. Bendji [Pierre] hit several crucial shots for us. We’ve endured a lot of foul issues, which is why Gonzaga had numerous free throws, and we were challenged in reaching the foul line ourselves. When we finally reached the bonus in the second half, we failed to capitalize on that. At times we settled for shots that weren’t ideal. We need to drive the ball, penetrate the paint, wisely utilize the dribble, and be prepared to kick it out while also attempting to reach the rim to earn free throws. Kjay [Bradley Jr.] was exceptional, battling through an illness, displaying resilience. He is managing his turnovers well, showing ball security and scoring in various ways, particularly from mid-range… displaying considerable maturity. I’m proud of Kjay, proud of Kean, and Santi also had some solid periods; additionally, as we mentioned, Bendji and Kody made some shots from distance.
 
We simply must enhance our defense. There are periods when we lack aggression and do not exhibit the intention needed on the defensive side of the court. We cannot let missed shots affect our energy and toughness. That must be a more consistent element. I understand we’re a young team; with 14 underclassmen, we’ve been the youngest team in program history for two consecutive years. We currently have eight injured players, including Steven; we had nine players on the ‘injured reserve list’ and several others active but not fully fit. We can’t use this as an excuse; we need to improve; life keeps moving forward. The Gaels are arriving for a visit, another strong team and an excellent opportunity for us, a true challenge on Saturday at home.