Difference makers: Ryan Nembhard, Graham Ike lead Gonzaga to big road win over Saint Mary’s

Ryan Nembhard

The junior point guard was terrific in the opening half, piling up 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field and handing out six assists. Nembhard also triggered the transition game as Gonzaga built an 11-0 edge in fastbreak points. He had seven points in a 14-0 first-half run and another bucket in a 7-0 spurt a few minutes later. Nembhard finished with 20 points and 10 assists, his fourth double-double of the season and third in six games. He played all 40 minutes and had just one turnover.

Graham Ike

The junior post set the tone early, scoring eight straight GU points to put the Zags up 10-7. Ike had consecutive buckets as GU took its largest lead (42-23) with 2 minutes left. He made 6 of 8 shots from the floor and scored 14 points as Gonzaga led by 16 at halftime. Ike finished with 24 points, his seventh consecutive game with at least 20. That’s the longest streak by a Zag since Adam Morrison’s seven-game streak in the 2005-06 season. Ike also had a game-high nine rebounds.

Turning point

Gonzaga caught fire with about 12 minutes left in the first half, ripping off 14-0 straight points to go on top 24-12 and turning the volume down from an overflow crowd. Nembhard orchestrated the run with a floater, trail 3-pointer on the break and a steal and layup. He also fed Ben Gregg for a layup. Nolan Hickman added a pair of assists, one leading to a Dusty Stromer 3-pointer. Gonzaga added a 7-0 spurt a few minutes later to take a 36-19 point lead with 6:56 remaining.