The Gonzaga basketball team has been missing big man Graham Ike, who is dealing with an injury. Gonzaga head coach Mark Few indicated that Ike might be able to return to the lineup for the team's next game against St. Mary's.
“We just need to take some days off. I mean, Jalen's beat up through this stretch, and we'll see if and when we get Graham back, and we'll have to change the way we play again,” Few said after a close win over San Francisco, per Sports Illustrated. “But that'll be a welcome addition to get one of the better players in America back and certainly give us some more options on the offensive end.”
Gonzaga slipped past San Francisco on Saturday by a 68-66 score. The Bulldogs struggled on offense throughout the game, but got 19 points from Jalen Warley.
The Bulldogs' only loss this season is to Michigan.
Gonzaga survived a scare against San Francisco
Gonzaga shot just 17 percent from three-point range on Saturday. It was not a pretty game to watch for Bulldogs fans. Coach Few said the team had to rely on defense to win.
“We survived on the defensive end,” Few said to reporters at his postgame presser. “…..It came down to we needed one stop, and we got it. That was the difference. We didn't finish the game ideally like what we wanted.”
Gonzaga's woes offensively weren't just from the perimeter. The Bulldogs shot only 50 percent at the free-throw line in the contest.
“That was disappointing,” Few said.
Despite the mistakes, Gonzaga got the win. The Bulldogs are now 21-1 on the season, and 9-0 in the WCC.
“It was a gutty, gutty win for a squad that was short-handed,” Few added. “It feels great.”
Ike is a difference-maker for the Bulldogs. The veteran big man is averaging 18 points and close to 9 rebounds this season. He last played on January 15, in a win over Washington State.
Gonzaga and St. Mary's play January 31. Bulldogs fans would love for Ike to return to the floor for that contest.
