Gonzaga rebounds at Maui Invitational, beats Syracuse

Bulldogs controlled the paint over the Orange to win consolation matchup at the Maui Invitational

After a second-half collapse against No. 2 Purdue on Monday, the No. 11 Gonzaga Bulldogs were locked in for 40 minutes against the Syracuse Orange in the consolation matchup of the 2023 Maui Invitational.

The Zags (3-1) never trailed in the 76-57 win over the Orange, who fought back in the second half behind the efforts of sophomore guard Judah Mintz. An acrobatic reverse layup from the Wooden Award contender made it a two-possession game with just under nine minutes left in regulation, but that would be the closest Syracuse would come to catching Gonzaga. Nolan Hickman and Ben Gregg knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers, sparking a 19-5 scoring run to seal the deal.

With the victory, Gonzaga will play the winner of UCLA/Chaminade on Wednesday at 9 p.m. PST.

Here are three takeaways from Tuesday's game. 

GETTING BACK TO GONZAGA BASKETBALL

Photo by Steven Erler, USA TODAY Sports

No doubt, Zach Edey's presence controlled Gonzaga's offensive approach against the Boilermakers. A lot of possessions ended with an outside shot, a recipe that didn't bode well in the 10-point loss, as the Bulldogs shot 6-of-32 from beyond the arc and misfired on all of their 13 attempts from deep in the second half.

A quick turnaround to face Syracuse on Tuesday saw a change in the gameplan, even with the Orange having their own 7-footer in Naheem McLeod down low. The 7-foot-4 Florida State transfer averaged 3.0 blocks through four outings, though that didn't stop the Bulldogs from scoring 44 points in the paint and grabbing 17 offensive rebounds.

Graham Ike put the pressure on McLeod early, drawing two quick fouls that forced Orange coach Red Autry to sit his starting center five minutes into the game. The Bulldogs took advantage without much size to deal with down low, as 30 of their 39 first-half points came in the painted area. That matched their scoring production in the paint against Purdue, which made up for the lack of outside shooting in the first half against the Orange.

With so much depth and talent in the frontcourt, scoring down low should be Gonzaga's staple on offense much like in seasons past. Syracuse managed to trim the lead once the Bulldogs stopped going at the rim with the same consistency. The Orange scored 26 of their 36 paint points in the second half and made it a six-point game at one point before Gonzaga found a rhythm from the outside.

GONZAGA'S FRONTCOURT FLEXES

Photo by Steven Erler, USA TODAY Sports

The Bulldogs' dominance on the boards started with their frontcourt tandem of Anton Watson and Ike, who each finished with a double-double against the Orange.

After attempting to be a stretch-forward against Edey, Ike looked more comfortable playing with his back to the basket. The 6-foot-9 Wyoming transfer finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass, and snatched four steals defensively. The Zags managed to hold their lead during his five-minute absence in the second half, a good sign for Few moving forward, but his return helped spark the huge scoring run that put Syracuse away for good.

Watson got back to his efficient self after he shot 4-for-10 from the field against Purdue. The Spokane native started 5-for-5 in the first half on Tuesday, including a few thunderous dunks against the Orange's 2-3 zone defense, as he finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds. 

Watson won't be relied upon as a scorer like Ike for the duration of the season, but the Zags are much better when he's assertive. Since the start of last season, Gonzaga is 22-1 when he has 10 or more points.

HICKMAN SHINES AS A SCORER

.@Nolanhickman2 that spin move was tuff. 🔁😤😈 pic.twitter.com/iMKy29rSp0

— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) November 21, 2023

Putting Nolan Hickman off the ball next to Ryan Nembhard has sparked a period of growth for the junior guard as a scorer, and after a rough outing against Purdue, he shook off the performance in a big way on Tuesday.

Hickman, who shot 5-for-14 from the floor and had four turnovers in the loss to the Boilermakers, showcased more control and poise against the Orange's talented backcourt duo. Finishing with a team-high 19 points, he went back and forth in the second half with Mintz, who paced all scorers with 22 points. After the Syracuse guard connected on a reverse layup that made it a six-point ballgame, Hickman responded with a 3-pointer on a loose ball scramble to silence the Orange crowd.

Hickman's second triple of the half came after he already knocked down a timely 3-pointer in front of Gonzaga's bench earlier in the half that countered a layup from Mintz the possession prior.

Hickman played the role of the assertive scorer next to the pass-first Nembhard, who had just two points until his second field goal at the 6:04 mark in the second half. The Creighton transfer still managed 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds, but it was his backcourt mate who delivered on multiple occasions to give the Bulldogs life on offense.

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