Graham Ike delivers in big way, scoring 20 of 23 points in second half to help Gonzaga handle SDSU 80-67

SAN DIEGO – Graham Ike’s five previous games against San Diego State all culminated in defeat – four losses to the Aztecs during a three-year stint at Wyoming, followed by a double-digit loss to Brian Dutcher’s team last season at Gonzaga.

Ike cited his “personal rivalry” with San Diego State during recent interviews at the joint West Coast Conference/Mountain West Conference Media Day.

With that history in mind, one could jump to the easy conclusion that the forward wasn’t brimming with optimism 75 seconds into his sixth encounter with San Diego State on Monday evening.

The forward was whistled for a rebounding foul on SDSU’s first offensive possession. A second foul arrived roughly 40 seconds later, followed by a frustrating walk to Gonzaga’s bench.

Ike’s early foul trouble didn’t set Gonzaga back – his teammates largely controlled the first half, entering the break with a nine-point lead – and the forward was nothing but an asset for his team in the second half, scoring 20 of his season-high 23 points in the final frame to lead the third-ranked Bulldogs to an impressive 80-67 win at Viejas Arena.

“I remember my last time I was in here, I got blew out by 20 twice, back -to -back games playing baseball schedules during COVID,” Ike said. “So that’s definitely been on my mind since I saw this game on the schedule and it just feels great.”

Considering how things started, Ike couldn’t have scripted a better start to the second half, dropping in a layup over SDSU 7-footer Magoon Gwath, who picked up his third foul while trying to contest. Ike calmly finished the and-one play at the free -throw line, then proceeded to throw haymaker after haymaker, converting at the rim or drawing fouls whenever he looked to shoot.

Gonzaga saw the best version of Ike – the one it got so accustomed to seeing by the end of his junior season – for the final 20 minutes and the Bulldogs never allowed SDSU to pull within two possessions, leading by as many as 16 points in their first marquee road victory of the 2024-25 season.

“I just told him in the locker room, I thought that was huge for us,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “For Graham to come back, especially after the early two fouls. A: to play him for spurt there in the first half and not pick up a third, but B: to come in and get back to delivering in a hard, physical – those bigs are tough to post and tough to score on and I thought that was a huge key in the second half.”

Ike, who hadn’t scored at his customary clip in wins over Baylor, Arizona State and UMass Lowell, finished 7 of 9 from the field and 9 of 11 from the free -throw line. He was also good for nine rebounds – matching SDSU’s Nick Boyd for the game high – after pulling down six boards in the second half.

“Big time, big time,” Ryan Nembhard said. “I told him, that’s what we need from him every night. That’s just who he is, just an All-American type player and when he gets it down there, it’s almost a bucket every time. So, we know what he does, we trust him and we’re going to keep throwing it in there and he’s going to deliver.”

But Gonzaga didn’t necessarily pick up its ninth consecutive road victory – tying Saint Mary’s for the most in the country – on Ike’s back alone.

Nembhard produced another sensational stat line, posting a double-double of 19 points and 10 assists to go with four rebounds and three turnovers.

Braden Huff had 10 points off the bench – most of those coming during Ike’s absence in the first half – while Ben Gregg and Michael Ajayi had seven apiece.

The Zags led from wire-to-wire, but held off a few inspired runs from the Aztecs that could’ve flipped the momentum around inside a rowdy, loud Viejas Arena.

When Wayne McKinney III’s putback layup closed the gap to 59-51 with 9 minutes, 27 seconds remaining, Gregg responded with an impressive effort at the other end, shedding multiple Aztecs to bring down an offensive rebound. The forward went right back up and converted a layup off the glass, drawing the fifth and final foul on Gwath.

SDSU’s best interior defender spent the final nine minutes on the bench, Gregg’s free throw opened Gonzaga’s advantage back up to 11 points and the visitors never led by fewer than nine points the rest of the way.

SDSU’s top scorer, Miles Byrd, was a game-time decision after missing the Aztecs’ last game with an ankle injury. The guard started and played 22 minutes, but was held scoreless on 0 of 5 from the field.

The Aztecs were led by Boyd’s 23 points and got 15 more from BJ Davis. SDSU finished 23 of 61 from the field while Gonzaga was 24 of 57. The Bulldogs scored at least 80 points for the fourth straight game despite making just 5 of 20 from the 3-point line.