Holmgren, Watson lead No. 4 Gonzaga past Northern Arizona
AP
Dec 21, 2021
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) Chet Holmgren had 20 points and nine rebounds, Anton Watson scored 17 and No. 4 Gonzaga Bulldogs beat Northern Arizona Lumberjacks 95-49 on Monday night to extend the nation's longest home winning streak to 58 games.
Drew Timme added 14 points for Gonzaga (10-2), which was coming off a victory over No. 25 Texas Tech in Phoenix last weekend. The Bulldogs opened the season as the nation's top-ranked team.
Jalen Cone scored 19 points for Northern Arizona (4-8), which has lost six of seven. The Lumberjacks have never beaten a ranked opponent and were undone in this one by 32% shooting and 20 turnovers.
Gonzaga shot 55% and committed only five turnovers.
''It comes down to guys making the right basketball decisions,'' Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. ''To go through a high-possession game like this with five is really, really good.''
Holmgren, a freshman considered the nation's top recruit this year, sank all three of his 3-point attempts in the first five minutes as Gonzaga took a 16-9 lead. Cone completed a four-point play to pull the Lumberjacks to 16-15.
But the Zags replied with a 15-5 spurt to build a 31-20 lead. Gonzaga added a 15-2 run late in the first half to carry a 48-30 advantage into halftime.
Holmgren had 14 points before the break, while Timme and Watson scored 10 each.
Cone, a transfer from Virginia Tech, led all scorers in the first half with 17 points, including four 3-pointers. But he was shut down in the second half.
''We stayed on his body a little bit better,'' Few said.
''Basically, we took away his 3,'' Gonzaga guard Hunter Sallis said. ''We made it so he didn't have many shots.''
The Zags made their first four attempts after halftime to open a 59-32 bulge.
Sallis hit a 3 and a pair of free throws during a 12-0 run that put the Bulldogs up 77-44 with less than 10 minutes left. The Lumberjacks did not challenge again.
''It's tough to keep up with them offensively when they get easy transition points and are making their 3s,'' Northern Arizona coach Shane Burcar said.
''Give Gonzaga credit on the defense side of the ball as they're long and contest every shot well, and athletic, and always play hard on defense.''
CHET'S LINE
The 7-foot Holmgren shot 6 of 9 and had three blocks. He's been West Coast Conference freshman of the week four times already this season.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Gonzaga will remain in the Top 25 for a 103rd consecutive week next Monday, the longest streak in the nation by far. Villanova is second at 46.
GOOD SHOOTING
Gonzaga went 10 of 22 from 3-point range and sank 19 of 23 free throws. Northern Arizona was 5 of 22 on 3s and 2 for 3 at the foul line.
THE SKY IS FALLING
Few is 43-1 against Big Sky Conference foes in his two decades as Gonzaga coach.
BIG PICTURE
Northern Arizona: The Lumberjacks were seeking their first win over the Zags since 1979, and first-ever road win at Gonzaga after 13 losses. ... Cone leads the Lumberjacks with an average of 17.6 points per game.
Gonzaga: The Bulldogs have played five ranked teams, most in Division I, and gone 3-2 against them. The Lumberjacks didn't offer that kind of challenge. ''They exposed our weaknesses,'' Watson said of playing ranked teams. ''We can learn from those games.''
UP NEXT
Northern Arizona hosts Idaho on Dec. 30.
Gonzaga hosts North Alabama on Dec. 28 in its final non-conference game before opening West Coast Conference play. Few said it's a nice luxury to give players a week off to go home for Christmas.
''I'm a huge Christmas guy,'' said Few, the son of a minister. ''It has a special place in our life.''
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1st Half
NAU
Lumberjacks
30
GONZ
Bulldogs
48
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Ezekiel Richards vs. Chet Holmgren (Drew Timme gains possession)
19:41
+3
Drew Timme makes three point jump shot (Julian Strawther assists)
0-3
19:11
Chet Holmgren blocks Jalen Cone's two point jump shot
19:09
Lumberjacks offensive rebound
19:06
Mason Stark misses two point jump shot
19:04
Drew Timme defensive rebound
18:55
+3
Chet Holmgren makes three point jump shot (Andrew Nembhard assists)
0-6
18:34
Carson Towt turnover (bad pass)
18:22
+2
Andrew Nembhard makes two point turnaround jump shot
0-8
18:05
Nik Mains misses two point jump shot
18:03
Jalen Cone offensive rebound
17:56
+2
Jalen Cone makes two point jump shot
2-8
17:49
+2
Julian Strawther makes two point reverse layup (Andrew Nembhard assists)
2-10
17:32
Jalen Cone misses three point jump shot
17:30
Carson Towt offensive rebound
17:25
+2
Carson Towt makes two point putback layup
4-10
17:18
Drew Timme misses two point layup
17:16
Carson Towt defensive rebound
16:51
Mason Stark misses two point jump shot
16:49
Chet Holmgren defensive rebound
16:43
+3
Chet Holmgren makes three point jump shot
4-13
16:19
+2
Nik Mains makes two point pullup jump shot
6-13
16:07
Julian Strawther misses three point jump shot
16:05
Carson Towt defensive rebound
15:55
Mason Stark misses three point jump shot
15:53
Carson Towt offensive rebound
15:49
Julian Strawther personal foul (Mason Stark draws the foul)
15:49
TV timeout
15:43
+3
Jalen Cone makes three point jump shot (Ezekiel Richards assists)
9-13
15:29
Drew Timme misses two point jump shot
15:27
Carson Towt defensive rebound
15:25
Carson Towt turnover (traveling)
15:22
Andrew Nembhard misses three point jump shot
15:20
Ezekiel Richards defensive rebound
14:55
Chet Holmgren blocks Carson Towt's two point layup
14:53
Chet Holmgren defensive rebound
14:46
+3
Chet Holmgren makes three point jump shot
9-16
14:31
+2
Nik Mains makes two point pullup jump shot
11-16
14:18
Chet Holmgren misses two point jump shot
14:16
Carson Towt defensive rebound
14:03
+3
Jalen Cone makes three point jump shot (Nik Mains assists)
14-16
14:02
Hunter Sallis shooting foul (Jalen Cone draws the foul)
14:02
+1
Jalen Cone makes regular free throw 1 of 1
15-16
13:41
Andrew Nembhard misses two point jump shot
13:39
Nik Mains defensive rebound
13:13
Carson Towt misses two point jump shot
13:11
Chet Holmgren defensive rebound
13:05
Isaiah Lewis shooting foul (Chet Holmgren draws the foul)
13:05
+1
Chet Holmgren makes regular free throw 1 of 2
15-17
13:05
Chet Holmgren misses regular free throw 2 of 2
13:05
Isaiah Lewis defensive rebound
12:49
Jalen Cone misses two point jump shot
12:47
Hunter Sallis defensive rebound
12:29
+2
Andrew Nembhard makes two point pullup jump shot
15-19
12:06
Jay Green offensive foul (Anton Watson draws the foul)
12:06
Jay Green turnover
11:54
+2
Anton Watson makes two point layup
15-21
11:29
TV timeout
11:20
Lumberjacks turnover (shot clock violation)
11:10
Carson Towt shooting foul (Anton Watson draws the foul)
11:10
+1
Anton Watson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
15-22
11:10
+1
Anton Watson makes regular free throw 2 of 2
15-23
10:46
+3
Jalen Cone makes three point jump shot (Carson Towt assists)
18-23
10:30
+2
Hunter Sallis makes two point driving layup (Nolan Hickman assists)
18-25
10:14
Drew Timme blocks Jalen Cone's two point jump shot
10:12
Nolan Hickman defensive rebound
10:10
Mason Stark personal foul
10:07
Carson Towt shooting foul (Anton Watson draws the foul)
10:07
+1
Anton Watson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
18-26
10:07
Anton Watson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
10:07
Jay Green defensive rebound
9:57
+2
Jay Green makes two point driving layup
20-26
9:44
+2
Drew Timme makes two point turnaround jump shot
20-28
9:44
Ezekiel Richards shooting foul (Drew Timme draws the foul)
9:44
+1
Drew Timme makes regular free throw 1 of 1
20-29
9:19
Isaiah Lewis turnover (lost ball) (Hunter Sallis steals)
9:04
+2
Drew Timme makes two point turnaround hook shot
20-31
8:37
+2
Jay Green makes two point fadeaway jump shot
22-31
8:37
+2
Jay Green makes two point fadeaway jump shot
22-31
8:28
Nik Mains personal foul (Anton Watson draws the foul)
8:28
Anton Watson misses regular free throw 1 of 1
8:28
Anton Watson offensive rebound
8:24
+2
Anton Watson makes two point layup
22-33
8:06
Jay Green turnover (out of bounds)
7:48
Julian Strawther misses two point reverse layup
7:46
Carson Towt defensive rebound
7:35
Jay Green misses three point jump shot
7:33
Drew Timme defensive rebound
7:27
Drew Timme misses two point jump shot
7:25
Jay Green defensive rebound
7:15
+3
Mason Stark makes three point jump shot (Nik Mains assists)
25-33
7:04
Carson Towt shooting foul (Chet Holmgren draws the foul)
7:04
TV timeout
7:04
+1
Chet Holmgren makes regular free throw 1 of 2
25-34
7:04
+1
Chet Holmgren makes regular free throw 2 of 2
25-35
6:38
Nik Mains misses two point jump shot
6:36
Bulldogs defensive rebound
6:28
+3
Julian Strawther makes three point jump shot (Rasir Bolton assists)
25-38
6:00
Rasir Bolton personal foul (Jalen Cone draws the foul)
5:54
Nik Mains misses three point jump shot
5:52
Julian Strawther defensive rebound
5:45
Julian Strawther misses three point jump shot
5:43
Jalen Cone defensive rebound
5:34
Mason Stark misses three point jump shot
5:32
Julian Strawther defensive rebound
5:23
+3
Andrew Nembhard makes three point jump shot (Rasir Bolton assists)
25-41
4:51
Ezekiel Richards offensive foul (Chet Holmgren draws the foul)
4:51
Ezekiel Richards turnover
4:37
Andrew Nembhard turnover (bad pass)
4:21
Drew Timme personal foul
4:17
Ezekiel Richards turnover (bad pass)
4:06
+2
Drew Timme makes two point turnaround hook shot (Hunter Sallis assists)