Color Scheme

Subscribe now
Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga’s Michael Ajayi provides spark off the bench for second straight game

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Michael Ajayi (1) drives against Loyola Marymount Lions guard Will Johnston (4) during the second half of a college basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles, Calif. Gonzaga won the game 96-68. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Michael Ajayi (1) drives against Loyola Marymount Lions guard Will Johnston (4) during the second half of a college basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles, Calif. Gonzaga won the game 96-68. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5585

LOS ANGELES – Gonzaga forward Michael Ajayi caught up Lorenzo Romar, his former coach at Pepperdine, hours before Saturday night’s game against Loyola Marymount. Ajayi and former Waves teammate Jevon Porter chatted on the phone Friday night.

And roughly a half hour after Ajayi turned in one of his better performances of the season in Gonzaga’s 96-68 rout over LMU, Ajayi and Porter visited again leaving the Gersten Pavilion court.

“I’m happy for Mike,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “He’s just such a wonderful, positive guy that everybody loves to death. It’s good for him to see some (shots) go down.”

Ajayi began turning the page on a recent rough patch Thursday, snagging a season-high 15 rebounds and scoring five points – after posting six points combined in the previous four games – in an 81-50 blowout victory over Portland.

Ajayi, who earned All-West Coast Conference first-team honors in his lone season at Pepperdine last year, had 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting against Loyola Marymount, which hired Romar as an assistant coach and brought in Porter from the transfer portal.

Ajayi came off the bench in the last two games but still made major contributions. Saturday was his third double-digit scoring game of the season.

“Just started off confident, being more aggressive from the jump,” Ajayi said. “At the end of the day, it’s my last year, and I’m trying to make a statement.”

Gonzaga’s Michael Ajayi dunks on Loyola Marymount Saturday at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
Gonzaga’s Michael Ajayi dunks on Loyola Marymount Saturday at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)

Ajayi ran into Romar as Gonzaga was leaving Gersten Pavilion following a Saturday shootaround and LMU was getting ready to take the floor.

“He’s just proud of me and how far I’ve come,” Ajayi said. “He’s always on my side, behind me.”

Said Romar: “He played with his normal energy. He’s got to be the best role player in America.”

Ajayi and the 6-11 Porter guarded each other at times. Porter finished with a team-high 17 points, but he was just 4 of 14 from the field.

Ajayi had 11 points in the first half. He hit his first 3-pointer since facing West Virginia in the Bahamas, ending streak of 12 consecutive misses. He also had a steal and dunk.

“Man, I’m not trying to get too high on this, we still have a long way to go, but I’m working on the 3-ball every day,” Ajayi said. “Still confident in my shot, I’m not hesitating, that’s good news.”

“I know it’s been a little down (for Ajayi), but it’s a hard transition,” senior wing Khalif Battle said. “Especially for me, speaking from experience, I came from three schools (before Gonzaga) so every single time you go to a new school you have to learn their system and understand how to be good in that system. His attitude is amazing. He’s never low, always high spirited.”