Difference makers: Drew Timme torches Alabama for 29 points in Gonzaga’s 100-90 victory

DREW TIMME

The senior forward showed off his collection of inside moves as well as his midrange jumpers and floaters. Timme scored on spin moves, against double teams and finished with either hand. He finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Timme has 16 career double-doubles. He’s averaging a career-best 8.1 rebounds this season (his previous high was 7.0 as a sophomore).

The only thing that kept him from a 30-point game was a pair of missed free throws with 1:33 left.

BRANDON MILLER

The smooth, 6-foot-9 freshman lived up to the hype as a projected lottery pick. Miller had a flurry of points in the second half to keep Alabama within striking distance. He connected on 12 of 22 shots, including 6 of 11 3-pointers, 6 of 6 at the free-throw line and scored 36 points. For a stretch in the second half, it didn’t matter if Miller was tightly guarded or not as he put up points in a hurry.

TURNING POINT

The Crimson Tide, led by Miller, pulled within 68-65 with 13 minutes remaining. Nolan Hickman and Timme hit field goals to push GU’s lead to seven. After another Miller basket, Gonzaga rattled off seven straight points to build a 79-67 lead. Anton Watson chased down a defensive rebound and raced down court for a dunk. Malachi Smith scored the next five points as the Zags had restored a double-digit lead.