No. 6 Gonzaga brings back all of its key players looking for elusive national title

Gonzaga (27-8, 14-2 WCC)

National championship or bust? That seems to be the tenor from the sixth-ranked Bulldogs, who bring back nearly all the key pieces from last season’s team that got hot late in the season and made another run to the Sweet 16. The Bulldogs have supplemented that roster with some key additions and will face a brutally tough schedule prior to the start of conference play in their push to win the powerhouse’s first national title.

Players to watch

Ryan Nembhard (senior, G, 6-0, 12.6 ppg). Nembhard was the engine that drove the Bulldogs last season and set a school record for assists in a season. He averaged nearly 14 points per game in conference play, but shouldn’t be asked to score as much this season.

Graham Ike (senior, C, 6-11, 16.5 ppg). Ike proved he could again be a dominant force on the inside after injuries sidetracked his career at Wyoming. In his first season with the Zags, Ike was second in the WCC in scoring and topped 20 points in nine of the final 12 games of the season.

Khalif Battle (senior, G, 6-5, 14.8 ppg). The Bulldogs missed having a player last season who could go get their own basket in a key moment. That’s what Battle can bring as a transfer from Arkansas. He’s a true scorer on the wing who averaged 21.4 points during his junior season at Temple.

Departures and arrivals

Battle highlights the arrivals, but the Zags grabbed two other key additions with 6-foot-7 wing Michael Ajayi from Pepperdine and guard Braeden Smith from Colgate. The additional depth on the perimeter is important after Steele Venters was lost to a season-ending injury during preseason workouts. Along with Venters, the only other significant loss for the Zags was do-everything forward Anton Watson, who 14.5 points and 7.1 rebounds last season.

Top games

Once again, the Zags will play one of the most loaded schedules in the country beginning with the season opener at home on Nov. 4 against No. 8 Baylor. The non-conference slate features the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament and neutral-site matchups with Kentucky (in Seattle), UConn (in New York) and UCLA (in Inglewood, California). The WCC schedule includes the renewal of Gonzaga’s rivalry with nearby Washington State as the two schools haven’t played since 2015.

Facts and figures

Along with Nembhard and Ike, the Bulldogs also return G Nolan Hickman and F Ben Gregg from last season’s starting lineup. Hickman averaged 14.0 points and Gregg added 9.0 points per game. … Gonzaga coach Mark Few was an assistant for the USA team that won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. … Backup F Braden Huff averaged 70% from the floor on 2-point shots last season.

©2024 Cox Media Group