What Mark Few said after Gonzaga-USC basketball exhibition game

Bulldogs lost to the Trojans in charity exhibition scrimmage from Palm Desert, California

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few watches his team from the bench during the second half of their exhibition game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. / Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Though the final score won’t matter in the win-loss column, there was plenty for the Gonzaga men’s basketball team to takeaway from its 96-93 loss to Southern California in their charity exhibition game this past weekend. 

In a game sans foul-outs, the Bulldogs took full advantage of the opportunity to tinker with their lineups and substitution patterns. Eleven players logged at least three minutes for Mark Few and company, while Arkansas grad transfer Khalif Battle notably started over senior guard Nolan Hickman. 

While Mark Few and the coaching staff toyed with swapping out five-man lineups at a time, the Zags adjusted to banging and colliding against a different opponent other than themselves for the first time this season. There were sloppy stretches from both sides early on, as is expected in an exhibition, though Gonzaga and USC eventually settled in for a thrilling and highly competitive finish to close the scrimmage.

“It was a good, intense game,” said Gonzaga head coach Mark Few after the game. “You know in this day of age where a guy takes over a program … those are a bunch of old guys that are tough guys and know how to ball, and that’s kinda all they did.”

Here’s more of what Few had to say after Gonzaga’s exhibition game.

On his mindset behind playing around with different rotations and lineups:

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Nolan Hickman (11) celebrates a basket during the second half of their exhibition game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. / Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“We were shuffling guys in and out of there. Just trying to get certain guys minutes, Nolan was playing good … it’s what you need to do in an exhibition, man. We’ll figure it out. It’ll change throughout this year, we have a bunch of guys who are kinda all … bunched together, in the same [tier], not head-and-shoulders above each other. So there’ll be a bunch of that.”

On trying to slow down USC’s dribble-drive attack:

USC Trojans forward Terrance Williams II (5) fights for a lane to the hoop around Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Khalif Battle (99) during the second half of their exhibition game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. / Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“They were just iso-ing our guards, you know, that’s … toughen up and guard your yard. We tried a bunch of different bodies so, we’ll have to experiment with some stuff there.”

On Gonzaga’s rebounding effort:

USC Trojans guard Chibuzo Agbo (7) grabs a rebound away from Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (13) during the first half of their exhibition game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. / Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“I didn’t see the numbers, I mean [Michael Ajayi] did a nice job but, that’s about it. Our other guys gotta kinda, toughen up down there, would be my call.”

On the physicality of the scrimmage:

USC Trojans forward Rashaun Agee (12) reaches out for a rebound in competition with Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Michael Ajayi (1) during the second half of their exhibition game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. / Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“It’s not about the whistles when the other team is just tackling you, you know what I mean? They probably could have called more fouls. If you just let people tackle you, then you're not gonna ever score if you don't call a foul. So I was fine with all whistles, they were fouls. There probably should’ve been even more whistles, quite frankly. But that's the game, and you just got to make your free throws and try not to foul them.”

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