Gonzaga notebook: Point guard Ryan Nembhard enjoys record-setting performance

SALT LAKE CITY – It didn’t take Ryan Nembhard long to join Gonzaga’s fraternity of standout point guards, which includes his older brother Andrew.

Ryan Nembhard, in his first season as a Zag, dished out 12 assists in GU’s 89-68 victory over Kansas on Saturday, moving ahead of Josh Perkins at No. 1 on the program’s single-season list.

Nembhard, who needed 10 to tie Perkins’ 234 assists in 2019, had nine assists in the first half. He fed Graham Ike for a basket with 16:11 remaining and set up Anton Watson’s 3-pointer nearly 3 minutes later to take over the top spot.

When Nembhard was told about the record during a postgame news conference, teammates and fellow starters Watson, Ike, Ben Gregg and Nolan Hickman offered up a round of applause.

“There’s so many great point guards and players who went through the program,” Nembhard said. “It’s an honor to have that record. The coaches prepared us really well.”

Nembhard played his first two seasons at Creighton before transferring to Gonzaga. Other Zags with at least 200 assists in a season: Matt Santangelo, 225 in 2000; Blake Stepp, 207 in 2004; and John Stockton, 201 in 1984.

Nembhard has had double-digit assist totals in seven games this season, including four of the past five games. He’s had nine assists four times, including vs. Kentucky and in the first-round win over McNeese State.

“Ryan has been at the highest level for the last eight weeks, it feels like,” coach Mark Few said. “Just got our throttle all the way down and making great decisions. Just managing these games masterfully.”

No reception

Athletic director Chris Standiford was thrilled to watch the Zags’ 21-point win over Kansas at the Delta Center, but he also badly wanted to be at the McCarthey Athletic Center for the Gonzaga women’s basketball team’s NCAA Tournament opener against UC Irvine later Saturday.

The men tipped off at about 12:30 p.m. while the women’s game started at 4:30 , not nearly enough time for Standiford to make it home on the flight from Salt Lake City.

Standiford was hoping he would be able to watch the women’s game on TV, a streaming service or even just tracking it via text messages, but none of those options was available on the NCAA charter flight to Spokane. The women’s game was in the first half when the charter was ready to depart.

“It’s a great problem (having both teams playing in the tournament),” Standiford said in a text message before departure, “but I hate not being there at the McCarthey Athletic Center.”

Lloyd and Lloyd at Arizona

Liam Lloyd and his fiancée Halle sat a couple of rows behind Arizona’s bench Thursday, cheering on his dad, Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd, to a 78-68 victory over Dayton at the Delta Center.

The younger Lloyd will be joining his father on the court next season. Liam, who played two seasons at Grand Canyon and the past two at Northern Arizona, is transferring to Arizona to use his COVID season of eligibility.

“I’m going to finish my last year at Arizona with my dad and then I’m going into coaching after that,” Lloyd said. “There are just more resources there for me and my family. So just go finish off with pops and have a great time.”

Lloyd started most of the past two seasons for the Lumberjacks, averaging 6.1 points and 3.0 rebounds. He saw limited time at Grand Canyon in two seasons.

Lloyd and Gonzaga fifth-year senior forward Anton Watson helped Gonzaga Prep win a pair of State 4A championships.

“I feel like I’ve had a great career, a lot of different experiences going to Grand Canyon and Northern Arizona,” Lloyd said. “I’m thankful for every minute of it.”

Tommy Lloyd is in his third season as Arizona’s head coach.

Podium game(s)

Gonzaga might have been one player away from requiring a longer podium at its postgame news conference.

It’s typical for teams to bring two, but no more than three players to the podium to speak with reporters after NCAA Tournament games.

The Bulldogs would’ve been hard-pressed to choose just three after their blowout win against Kansas, so instead they invited all five starters to the news conference.

“I love it,” Watson said. “I say we bring the whole team up there. It speaks for the group, very unselfish group. Credit everyone, even the bench players. B-Huff (Braden Huff) and Dusty (Stromer), I feel like they should’ve been up there, too.”

The 21-point win was one of GU’s most well-rounded games of the season, with five players scoring in double figures and four totaling five rebounds or more.

“It definitely speaks to the level of talent on this team,” Ike said, asked about the altered podium setup. “Like I’ve been saying all year, it could be anybody’s night with this team and it’s so selfless.”

Keeping receipts

Through the season’s ups and downs, Gonzaga players have heard skepticism from analysts and media pundits questioning whether the Bulldogs could extend the program’s many postseason streaks.

Former Zags have also taken note and had a few things to say after the team’s latest NCAA Tournament win.

“Not bad for a down year,” Drew Timme, GU’s career scoring leader, posted on Instagram.

“Lmaoooo down year for the zags eh?” former GU wing and Denver Nuggets rookie Julian Strawther wrote.

Andrew Nembhard reacted to his younger brother’s single-season assist record, posting a goat (greatest of all time) emoji to his Instagram story, while Killian Tillie and Corey Kispert each posted to their own Instagram stories.

“January, February, Zags, April, May …” Kispert wrote.

“Keep it rolling,” Tillie wrote.