Graham Ike leads Gonzaga to exhibition win over Lewis-Clark State

Points in the paint and unselfish basketball could define the 2023-24 Bulldogs squad

The Gonzaga Bulldogs tipped off the 2023-24 college basketball season with a 96-58 win over the Lewis-Clark State Warriors in an exhibition game Friday at the McCarthey Athletic Center. 

Plenty of newcomers left a strong first impression to usher in a new era of Zags basketball. Graham Ike led the way with 24 points on 11-for-13 shooting from the floor. Braden Huff finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, and Ryan Nembhard filled up the stat sheet with five points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.

Here are three takeaways from Gonzaga's exhibition win.

GRAHAM IKE LEADS DOMINANT FRONTCOURT

Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

It had been over a year since Ike played a college basketball game, yet after missing the 2022-23 season with a foot injury, the 6-foot-9 bruiser was more than ready to get back to the hardwood.

"I got a little overzealous and I was just itching to get back," Ike said.

Safe to say the Wyoming transfer satisfied that itch in front of a packed house against the Warriors, as he finished with a game-high 24 points on 11-for-13 shooting from the floor to go along with seven rebounds. He flushed a two-hand dunk right out of the gate, setting the stage for what would be a dominant night from him and Gonzaga's frontcourt.

"He can be a really, really efficient player down there," Mark Few said of Ike. "He did a nice job defensively for the most part too. And, and he's a really, really hard worker, a diligent guy. He cares a lot and so guys just want good things to happen for him."

Now it will be a matter of conditioning for Ike, who played 19 minutes on Friday after logging a similar amount in Monday's scrimmage against Baylor. 

Along with Ike, redshirt freshman Braden Huff made a strong first impression in his Gonzaga debut after a year away from the game. The 6-foot-11 stretch forward dropped 21 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked three shots. He shot 8-for-11 from the field, with all three misses coming from behind the arc.

With Ike and Huff leading the way, Gonzaga's plethora of bigs combined to score 63 points. It was total domination in the paint against the Warriors, whose tallest player was Anthony Peoples at 6-foot-9. But regardless of size advantage, Friday could foreshadow Gonzaga's recipe for success.

"I think the great thing about our bigs is we push each other in practice and we got a great, great room with Ben and Tom, obviously Graham," Huff said. "So I think just the fact that we're able to push each other so hard and practice and go against great competition there. It allows us to be effective."

RYAN NEMBHARD PACES SELFLESS BASKETBALL

Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Many expect the Bulldogs to be more balanced in their offensive attack than in seasons past, and Creighton transfer Ryan Nembhard appears to be the perfect floor general for that game plan.

Nembhard got everyone involved, from perfect pick-and-roll execution to no-look dimes in transition. He had nine assists in the first half before finishing with 10 in just 23 minutes of action, as well as seven rebounds and five points. An all-around effort despite not shooting the ball well (2-for-8 from the field) led to the highest plus/minus ratio of anyone on the floor (+29).

"He just makes the game so easy," Ike said of Nembhard. "[He] just makes the game so easy not only for me, but for the whole team as does everybody else on his team."

Nembhard's selflessness was contagious. Luka Krajnovic, a first-year guard from Croatia, had no trouble sharing the rock to the tune of seven assists without any turnovers. Some questioned why he apparently wasn't present for the Zags' scrimmage against Baylor, and though Lewis-Clark State isn't the same caliber, there's no denying Krajnovic's aggressiveness and decision-making.

Gonzaga dished out 25 assists, which would've been tied for the second-most last season. Again it's an NAIA opponent, but selfless basketball could be the identity of this season's backcourt room.

"I think everyone feeds off each other really well. Everyone's super unselfish and doesn't really care about individual status or anything like that," Huff said. "I think everyone's bought in and everyone really understands the game of basketball and it's pretty effortless to most guys on this team."

SETTING THE STAGE FOR SEASON OPENER VS. YALE

Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

The real games begin next Friday when Gonzaga hosts Yale in the official 2023-24 season opener.

"It's not an ideal opener for us," Few said. "But, you know, we'll just deal with the cards that have been dealt and it's going to be a good challenge for us. They'll be smart, they'll be tough [and] they're super, super well coached."

Yale boasts a ton of experience, with nearly 3/4 of its scoring output returning from a team that finished 21-9 last season and led the Ivy League in offensive and defensive efficiency. Head coach James Jones brings back All-Ivy League members Matt Knowling (13.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Bez Mbeng (10.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg) but lost his two big men down low, EJ Jarvis and Isaiah Kelly, who combined to average 41.3 minutes per game.

For the Zags, it's about cleaning up the mistakes. Few noted that improvements were made from the Baylor scrimmage, notably turnovers and rebounding according to Ike. Both aspects will be critical against an older squad looking to make a statement against the 11th-ranked team in the country.

Photos: Gonzaga men's basketball opens 2023 season with exhibition win over Lewis-Clark State