Gonzaga shuts down Pepperdine with big second half to secure Mark Few’s 700th career win

MALIBU, Calif. – It was the kind of game-deciding run Gonzaga has made a habit of through the years but hasn’t been as prevalent this season.

The timing couldn’t have been better. The Zags broke away from a halftime tie with a 23-3 spurt to open the second half and coasted to an 86-61 West Coast Conference victory Thursday at Firestone Fieldhouse.

Gonzaga coach Mark Few’s halftime speech was a keeper, and it played a role in his 700th career win.

“We just challenged them,” said Few, who celebrated with a post-game handstand in the locker room – believed to be his first of the season – and with his players dousing him with water. “I thought we played good defense probably for the first 10 minutes of the half, but the second 10 was bad. We didn’t give them a 3-pointer (in the second half). We played with great spirit and we were opportunistic. It was exactly how we envisioned them playing when they’re at their best.”

Of hitting the 700-win milestone, Few said, “It’s crazy. I had no idea the other night (when it was mentioned). It’s nuts.”

Three days after its streak of appearances in the Associated Press poll ended after 143 consecutive weeks, Gonzaga made certain an even longer streak stayed intact. The Zags have won 47 in a row over the Waves dating back to 2002. That’s the third-longest streak over one opponent in Division I history, two behind Syracuse’s 49-game streak over Colgate that ended in 2019.

Gonzaga (12-5, 3-1 WCC) was in control for most of the first half, but the Waves (9-11, 2-3) heated up on offense and had a stretch when they seemingly scored on nearly every trip down the court to pull even at 40 at halftime.

Anton Watson put Gonzaga ahead for good with a 7-footer on the first possession of the second half. The points came fast and furious for GU, not so much for the Waves.

Watson connected on a 3-pointer and Graham Ike chipped in five points. Watson powered down the baseline against Michael Ajayi, the WCC’s leading scorer, for a layup and Gonzaga’s lead grew to 55-42.

“Just play more defense, better defense, play harder and more together and more connected,” Ike said of Few’s halftime message. “And have a little fun.”

It was a toss-up whether the Zags were better at the offensive or defensive end. Pepperdine missed nine of its first 10 shots to open the second half with Watson putting the clamps on Ajayi, Nolan Hickman slowing down Houston Mallette and Ben Gregg, inserted into the starting lineup for Dusty Stromer, doing a solid job on Jevon Porter.

Ryan Nembhard’s first points of the game came on a 3-pointer, and Hickman’s three-point play stretched Gonzaga’s advantage to 63-43 midway through the half.

“We just stayed focused,” Watson said. “They were hitting shots in the first half. We knew had to keep chipping away, play defense and our shots were going to fall. That’s the biggest thing for us, bringing that energy and momentum to every single game.”

The Waves couldn’t match up with Ike, who made 11 of 17 shots and finished with 24 points in 28 minutes. Hickman added three 3-pointers and 19 points. Watson finished with 16 points and eight boards after battling early foul trouble. Gregg contributed 10 rebounds, five points and four assists in 29 minutes.

Porter had 13 of his 16 points in the first half. He was the only Wave to reach double figures. Ayayi, who averages 18.2 points, scored six points, all in the opening half. Mallette, second in the conference at 16.7 points, had nine in the first half, zero in the second.

Gonzaga led through the first 16 minutes and stretched it to 28-19 after a Hickman 3-pointer with 6:35 left, but the Waves quickly made up ground. Mallette nailed a 3-pointer, Ajayi scored on a layup and Porter buried a wing 3-pointer to give Pepperdine its first lead (32-31) with 3:57 remaining.

Mallette hit a transition 3 – his third of the half – before Hickman’s steal and short bank shot in the closing seconds knotted the score at 40 at halftime.

Gonzaga had the better of it inside – 24-14 in paint points – but the Waves were more efficient on the perimeter, hitting 6 of 12 3s to GU’s 3 of 12.

That changed in the second half as Pepperdine was 0 of 6 behind the arc.

Gonzaga visits San Diego on Saturday.