By Kellan King
It was always going to be an uphill climb to beat Gonzaga in Spokane, and for 20 minutes the San Francisco Dons were up to the task. They traded blows with the #1 team in the country, getting off to a 15-4 lead before going into the half down just 3.
The Dons did this behind guard Jamaree Bouyea and a strong defensive effort. Bouyea was able to get to his spots, and keep the Dons in the game. USF was also able to limit POTY contender Drew Timme to 1-7 in the first half, with big men Patrick Tape and Yauhen Massalski both doing a good job keeping Timme from his spots.
In the second half, the Zags showed why they are the best team in the country. They were able to capitalize on some USF turnovers, and get running. Chet Holmgren spurred a 18-2 Gonzaga run, and the Dons were never able to recover. The Dons missed Khalil Shabazz, who picked up 3 early fouls, and got his 4th just 2 minutes into the second half. Without him, the Dons were left with a lineup with only 1 primary creator in Jamaree Bouyea, and struggled to keep pace with the talent of Gonzaga.
The Dons will now move on to play Pepperdine on Saturday, before a big week with home games against Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara.
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