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Gonzaga Basketball

Quick takes: No. 14 Gonzaga unable to hold lead in final minutes against sixth-ranked Baylor

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Rasir Bolton (45) drives the ball against Baylor Bears forward Flo Thamba (0) during the first half of a college basketball game on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022, at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
By Nicholas K. Geranios For The Spokesman-Review

Some quick observations from the Baylor-Gonzaga game:

FAST START: Baylor scored its first 16 points in the paint and jumped out to a 30-18 lead before Gonzaga closed to within five at the half. All-American Drew Timme was tormented by the Baylor defense and did not score a field goal in the first half, although he did sink two free throws. Timme is averaging 20 points per game. Baylor had a 24-10 edge on points in the paint in the first half. Gonzaga shot just 37% in the first half.

SECOND HALF: Baylor lost its shooting touch in the second half, shooting just 30% in the opening 12 minutes, as Gonzaga took the lead. Timme got his first field goal of the game on a jump hook with just over 6 minutes left, and followed quickly with an alley-oop. Then he went to the bench after his fourth foul.

REFS RULE: Timme fouled out in the closing seconds on a questionable call. The Zags turned the ball over a few seconds later on a questionable call.

STATS: Baylor scored the final eight points, and won despite shooting just 37% for the game and making just 6 of 24 3-pointers. They also lost the rebound battle 47-32. Anton Watson had 13 points and 13 rebounds for Gonzaga, which lost its third game of the young season.