Graham Ike, Khalif Battle lead Gonzaga past LMU: 3 takeaways

Bulldogs senior duo combined for 53 points in 28-point beatdown over the Lions

Gonzaga senior Graham Ike. / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Led by two of its seniors, Gonzaga cruised to a third consecutive victory to open West Coast Conference play in a 96-68 triumph over Loyola Marymount on Saturday.

Graham Ike paced all scorers with 27 points while Khalif Battle added a season-high 26 points, as the Bulldogs (12-4, 3-0 WCC) dominated the Lions (9-7, 1-3 WCC) down low in a wire-to-wire win from Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles.

Here are three takeaways from the win.

DOMINATION IN THE PAINT

With Ike at the forefront, Gonzaga’s attack on LMU’s stout interior defense proved to be overwhelming. The Bulldogs outscored the Lions, 56-18, in paint points and won the rebounding battle, 39-32, in a thoroughly dominant performance from a physical standpoint for Mark Few’s squad. 

That despite LMU being the ninth-tallest team in Division-I, based on average roster height, and boasting the fifth-highest block rate in the country entering Saturday.

None of that was a factor in regard to slowing down Ike, though, as Gonzaga’s 6-foot-9 All-WCC forward went 12-for-16 (75%) from the field and ripped down nine boards in just 25 minutes of action. The Lions’ frontcourt struggled to keep Ike from getting to his spots offensively, both in the post-up game and in the pick-and-roll with Ryan Nembhard. The senior guard found Ike early in the first half on two separate occasions.

Nembhard recorded his sixth double-double of the season in a 10-point, 11-assist effort. That ties him with multiple players for the sixth-most double-doubles in the country.

Michael Ajayi also contributed to Gonzaga’s success around the rim. The 6-foot-7 forward had his most productive half of the season offensively, scoring 11 points on 4-for-6 from the field, including a two-hand slam dunk off a steal on the defensive end of the floor. Ajayi finished the night with 15 points, which is more than he scored over his previous five games combined, and went 5-for-8 from the field.

KHALIF BATTLE IS THE DIFFERENCE MAKER 

The sixth-year guard’s ability to jumpstart an offense in an instant was on full display during the first half. Battle helped fuel a pivotal 13-5 scoring run to create even more separation from LMU heading into halftime. During that stretch, he scored seven points, as the Bulldogs went into the break with a 46-28 advantage.

Battle certainly wasn’t finished, though. The New Jersey native scored nine of his team's first 17 points of the second half. He nailed a 3-pointer in transition that made it 65-38 with 14:00 left in regulation, then scored back-to-back layups in transition upon checking back into the game with just over five minutes to play, making it 87-60 in favor of the Zags.

Battle was 10-for-12 from the field, including 4-for-5 from 3-point range, in 26 minutes of action. He also snatched four rebounds and tied his season high with three steals. Gonzaga scored 17 points off 14 turnovers from LMU.

ONTO SAN DIEGO

The Bulldogs have a chance to catch their breath after playing four games across four different gyms in an eight-day span before they have to return to the hardwood Wednesday for a matchup against San Diego (4-12, 1-2 WCC) at the Kennel.

Following the Toreros, Gonzaga embarks on a pivotal stretch through WCC play. The Zags host Washington State on Saturday (6 p.m.), then travel to Corvallis, Oregon, to matchup against Oregon State (Jan. 16) in what could qualify as a Quadrant 1 game for both teams. The Beavers are No. 69 in the NET after beating San Diego, 81-54, on Thursday.

The Bulldogs return to Spokane to face Santa Clara on Jan. 18. That matchup is shaping up to be a Quadrant 2 game — the Broncos are No. 74 in the NET. Home games against opponents that are ranked anywhere from No. 31 to No. 75 in the NET qualify as Quad 2 games.

MORE GONZAGA NEWS & ANALYSIS

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