Color Scheme

Subscribe now
Gonzaga Basketball

Difference makers: Ben Gregg delivers career-high 22 points in Gonzaga’s 101-74 win over San Diego

By Theo Lawson theol@spokesman.com(509) 459-5584

Ben Gregg

Gregg’s previous career high came during a Feb. 23 game against San Diego at McCarthey Athletic Center last season, so it figures he’d surpass that mark in another home game against the Toreros. Gregg was productive on both ends of the floor in Gonzaga’s second West Coast Conference victory, but the junior forward came alive in his 86th career game for the Bulldogs, registering a career-high 22 points in a career-best 25 minutes off the bench. Gregg finished 8 of 15 from the field – the junior’s 15 field-goal attempts were also a career high – made 2 of 6 from the 3-point line and finished 4 of 4 from the line. The Oregon native registered a career-high four steals – all coming in the in the first half – and hauled down seven rebounds.

Graham Ike

The transfer forward could be in line for WCC Player of the Week honors after another big offensive outing. After scoring 22 points against Jackson State and 20 against both San Diego State and Pepperdine, Ike was just shy of another 20-point game against the Toreros, finished with 19 on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 3 of 5 from the free-throw line. The former Wyoming forward added eight rebounds and matched his season high with two blocked shots. After rattling off eight consecutive points during a first-half stretch against Pepperdine, Ike scored 11 straight late in the first half on Saturday to help the Zags mount a 55-35 halftime lead. Ike didn’t reenter the game after subbing out with 10 minutes, 49 seconds remaining in the second half.

Turning point

Was it a turning point or turnover point? Turnover-prone San Diego coughed up the ball five times during a 3:15 stretch midway through the first half, allowing Gonzaga to transform a three-point lead into an 11-point advantage with 11:26 remaining in the half. During that stretch, the Zags scored eight points off Toreros turnovers, opening with a sequence from Gregg that saw him intercept a pass and take it the other way for an open-floor dunk. The Toreros matched their season-high with 19 turnovers – 13 of those coming through the opening 20 minutes.