SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In a commanding display, Gonzaga secured a 95-76 victory over Santa Clara, spearheaded by Graham Ike who scored an impressive 24 points, hitting 11 of his 13 attempts. Ryan Nembhard’s stellar performance included a double-double, adding substantial weight to Gonzaga’s triumph on Tuesday evening.
Apart from Ike’s standout contribution, Khalif Battle added 21 points, while Nembhard notched up 12 points alongside a career-high 15 assists, significantly facilitating the team’s offensive flow. Nolan Hickman also contributed 11 points for the Bulldogs, who have now emerged victorious in six of their last seven encounters, reflecting their strong form in the WCC with a record of 22-8 overall and 13-4 in conference play.
The Bulldogs demonstrated substantial efficiency by shooting 57.8% from the floor, converting 37 of 64 field-goal attempts, although their accuracy faltered somewhat from beyond the arc with a 27.3% conversion rate, making just 6 of 22 three-point tries.
Santa Clara’s efforts were led by Tyeree Bryan with 18 points, followed by Carlos Stewart Jr. with 14 points. Both Adama-Alpha Ball and reserve player Camaron Tongue contributed 11 points each. Despite their energetic start which saw them build an early 13-3 lead, Santa Clara found themselves trailing 44-42 at the conclusion of the first half, as Gonzaga surged back into control.
The second half saw Gonzaga solidify their lead, initially pulling away with a 6-0 run courtesy of consecutive jumpshots from Nembhard and Hickman, establishing their first double-digit advantage at 61-50. Ben Gregg then secured two free throws with under five minutes remaining, stretching Gonzaga’s lead to 81-61 and effectively sealing the game.
Looking ahead, Gonzaga is set to host San Francisco in their next matchup on Saturday. Concurrently, Santa Clara will visit Pacific as they continue their conference journey.
