Gonzaga opens up West Coast Conference play with 10 NBA scouts in attendance for the matchup with Pepperdine and in classic fashion, got off to yet another slow start out the gates while continuing to have trouble holding onto rather large leads. The Zags had a 20 point lead dwindle down to just 2 points halfway through the second half. Closing games out is just something that looks like will have to be dealt with for the entirety of this season due to lack of energy for rather long stretches and a lot of missed bunnies/wide-open three-point attempts.
The execution and looks are there, it’s just about getting them to fall. In his return to Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Gonzaga forward Michael Ajayi (two points on 1-3 FG, four turnovers in 11 minutes) continues to struggle to find any offensive rhythm. Going from the top scoring option for the Waves just a year ago to a role player for the Zags has been a tough transition for the junior wing.
Khalif Battle was able to pick most of the slack after being ejected for a flagrant 2 foul against UCLA. He played hungry for redemption and broke down the Pepperdine defense with his 21 points on 7-11 FG/0-2 3PT/7-8 FT. On defense, the Gonzaga guards out on the perimeter got blown by and had defensive lapses over and over again when trying to stop Pepperdine’s backcourt.
The Zags turned the ball over a total of thirteen times (six of those coming off Ryan Nembhard) which is above their season average of 10.4 heading into the game. .
