One can appreciate when two of the most winningest college basketball programs over the last decade put on a home-and-home series like this. The sport needs more non-conference action with two similar offensive playing styles through their quick-paced approach.
This season for the No. 19 Gonzaga Bulldogs (3-0), their defense looks to be better than their offense, which is completely insane to think, given the past history of how well this school can score the ball on any given night. It was a defensive clinic from the Zags against the No. 23 Creighton Bluejays (1-1), forcing the Big East Conference opponent out of rhythm and into tough shots continuously while not allowing any second-chance opportunities.
It was a defensive masterclass from top-to-bottom at the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane. Creighton turned over the ball 18 total times while Gonzaga scored 27 points off those turnovers. The Zags won the rebounding battle, 41-33, and scored 48-20 points in the paint.
At one point in the second half, the Zags went on a 21-0 run over a five-minute period due to their ability to force turnovers, jump into passing lanes, and secure the possession on the glass.
That was one of the most dominant defensive performances in a single half from anyone in quite a while. A statement to the rest of the country.
Gonzaga had to fight through screens and constantly be moving around with how quickly the ball was being swung by the Bluejays in that first half. Creighton coach Greg McDermott always looks for the best possible shot while playing with a fast pace and a purpose to score the rock.
The Bluejays actually played solid interior defense at least to start this matchup before it got well out of reach, but with Iowa transfer Owen Freeman (two points, three rebounds in 15 minutes) not being 100 percent healthy since suffering a knee injury back in May, the game became well out of reach when he was off the floor. The Zags actually recruited the 6-10 center over the offseason.
It was Gonzaga’s Graham Ike (20 points on 8-for-10 shooting/4-for-4 three pointers, 10 rebounds) who answered the offensive call against Creighton by hitting his first three three-pointers of the season. The Steph Curry impressionist has never hit three three-pointers in a single game in 117 career games, let alone three in the first 3+ minutes of a game.
“Graham (Ike) killed us with threes that we dared him to shoot and the second half was a nightmare… When you come and play here (the Kennel), you have to prepare to be exposed.” – Creighton coach Greg McDermott
Ike grabbed his third straight double-double to open up the season, sporting an average of 17.3 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, while reaching a major milestone and joining the 2,000-point club. As a team, Gonzaga looks like one of the best overall rebounding teams in the nation at this formative stage.
This was easily Braeden Smith’s best game in a Gonzaga uniform through the first three contests, finishing with a well-rounded six points, five assists/zero turnovers, two rebounds, and two steals. Many have speculated that Mario Saint-Supery (13 points on 5-for-6 field goals/2-for-2 from beyond the arc, four rebounds, three assists/two turnovers, three steals, one block) should replace him at the lead guard position. It’s a fantastic discussion to be having when both your primary ball-handlers are playing at a high level. Ultimately, the Spaniard fits the sixth man role perfectly with the way he directs the second unit and competes aggressively on the defensive end as just a freshman.
He stays in front of his assignment, not using his hands to reach in, but only when he makes a clean close-out on an opposing shot. Saint-Supery is way more advanced on that side of the floor than the majority of players at his age, even some veterans. He brings energy off the bench that Gonzaga coach Mark Few can call upon to change the direction of how a game is going.
Gonzaga showed why they are worthy of having a top-10 defense and offense (now No. 5-ranked defense and No. 9 offense, according to KenPom) against Creighton. They showed off their defensive prowess through their 11 key rotation players while holding the Bluejays to 7-for-25 shooting in the second half. They executed on all cylinders while hitting a season-high nine three-pointers, something that is thought to be the lone issue this 2025-26 season.
The two fellow Jesuit institutions are now tied at 6-6 in their all-time history against each other. Gonzaga is riding a four-game winning streak against the Midwest program.
The Zags are deep across the board, and Few is utilizing that to his advantage through the first three games. It’s much too early still, but the hype is for real around this group of men who are already clicking chemistry-wise, and they’re now beginning to gain national attention.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho