Live updates: No. 3 Gonzaga opens Battle 4 Atlantis against West Virginia
Follow along this thread throughout the game.
Second half
0:00 – GU 71, WV 71: Battle can’t put up a shot going hard to the basket and we’ll head to overtime.
0:05 – GU 71, WV 71: DeVries strips Hickman near midcourt and is fouled. He makes both shots and the Zags call timeout to try and draw up a winning shot.
0:20 – GU 71, WV 69: DeVries hits a 3-pointer and the Mountaineers call timeout. Zags have the upper hand, but this one’s going to get dragged out.
1:44 – GU 67, WV 64: Zags go to Huff on back-to-back possessions and he makes two left hooks to put the Zags back ahead. WV calls a timeout.
Huff has 15 points, supplying the spark in the second half.
3:19 – WV 62, GU 61: Mountaineers retake the lead after a 3-pointer from Small and a layup form Harris. Gregg is fouled at the U4 media timeout and will shoot two free throws when play resumes.
Small has been outstanding for WV. He has 24 points on 7 of 12 shooting from the field.
5:31 – GU 59, WV 58: Zags finally able to take the lead back on a layup from Huff. WV on a 2:30 scoring drought.
7:22 – WV 58, GU 56: Zags draw up a nice play to get a 3-pointer for Hickman. Mountaineers keeping the lead, but GU has the ball on the other side of the U8 media timeout.
11:44 – WV 50, GU 49: Battle puts back a dunk to pull the Zags back within one at the U12 media timeout. Battle has a team-high 16 points.
Mountaineers have hit seven of their last nine shots.
14:39 – WV 45, GU 43: Mountaineers now on a 12-0 run and have taken the lead at the U16 media timeout. WV is 6 of 9 from the field in the half, while the Zags are 2 of 7.
16:17 – GU 43, WV 40: Small hits a 3-pointers to give the Mountaineers a 7-0 run and the Zags call a timeout. WV has a 9-4 advantage in the second half.
Halftime
Gonzaga ride Khalif Battle’s hot hand to lead West Virginia 39-31 at halftime in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament.
Battle has a team-high 14 points, making 5 of 7 shots from the field. Ryan Nembhard facilitating with six assists.
Zags shooting 42% from the field and 6 of 14 on 3-pointers. Mountaineers shooting 30% and have hit 6 of 18 3s.
First half
1:49 – GU 37, WV 28: Battle scores eight straight points for the Zags and WV calls a timeout. Zags guard has 14 in the game, shooting 5 of 6 from the field.
3:56 – GU 29, WV 26: Battle turns it over at the U4 media timeout. Zags have gone cold, without a field goal in the last 4:43.
7:54 – GU 27, WV 20: Zags go on a 10-0 run, but the Mountaineers stop the bleeding with a steal and dunk from DeVries.
Huff called for a rebounding foul at the U8 media timeout.
11:31 – GU 20, WV 16: Hickman hits a 3-pointer and the Zags are hot from outside to start this one, 5-for-8 on 3s.
Hickman leads with eight points, while Ajayi adds five. Hansberry has a game-high 10 points for West Virginia.
15:40 – GU 9, WV 8: Zags take the lead with a string of 3-pointers. Hickman, Ajayi and Battle all hit from outside at the first media timeout.
WV’s Harris broke up an ally oop and was hurt before the timeout.
19:40 – GU 0, WV 0: Zags win the tip and can’t find a quality look on the first possession, Ike misses a 3-pointer, and we’re underway at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Starting 5
Gonzaga going with the same starters: Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, Khalif Battle, Michael Ajayi, Graham Ike.
WVU starters: Javon Small, Toby Okani, Tucker DeVries, Amani Hansberry, Sencire Harris.
Pregame
Let the Battle commence.
No. 3 Gonzaga is in Paradise Island, Bahamas, to take part in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament this week. The Zags open today against West Virginia at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN.
The winner of today’s game will advance to face Louisville in the semifinals. The Cardinals dispatched Indiana in the early game.
The Zags have wins over two Big 12 teams already this season, West Virginia could be the third. The Mountaineers (3-1) have wins over Iona, UMass and Robert Morris and lost to Pittsburgh.
Game preview
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