For most programs in the nation posting a 27-8 record would be exceptional. Reaching the Sweet 16 would be the hallmark of a successful season. Yet, for the team that resides in Spokane, Washington, last year was a bit of a “down” one. It is no secret that the Gonzaga Bulldogs have become the primer program in the West Coast Conference for over 20 years. Despite their dominance, last year’s squad was surrounded by discourse. To make matters worse, their conference rival, the Gaels of St. Mary’s won both the regular season and conference tournament championship.
In response to all the outside noise surrounding this team, they have responded with a vengeance. Mark Few put together an elite offseason that stacks up against any program in the country. Almost every major contributor from last year has returned. They brought in top-tier talent via the transfer portal. Clearly, their fall from the top of the WCC has struck a chord. From the returning players to a loaded transfer class, one thing’s for certain. The Zags got dudes.
West Coast Conference Preview: Gonzaga Bulldogs
Gonzaga Bulldogs: Key Departures
Anton Watson
The list of key players to leave Gonzaga starts and stops with Spokane native Anton Watson. Arguably one of the most underrated players in the nation last year, Watson’s five-year career with Gonzaga placed him among the best to ever step foot inside the Kennel. Watson was the glue that held together a lineup that oftentimes featured two transfers and a true freshman. He ranked second on the team in points per game (14.5), rebounds per game (7.1) and led them in steals per game (1.5). His growth as an offensive player was highlighted by a respectable 60.8% effective field goal percentage.
While he grew into a strong scoring option for Gonzaga, Watson’s defense was his calling card. Capable of guarding all five positions and providing elite off-ball defense, Watson was able to cover up mistakes on the less glamorous end of the court. For a long time, pundits have always questioned if Gonzaga’s defense can keep pace with their elite offense. Without Watson, those questions will remain.
Gonzaga Bulldogs: New Pieces
Losing a hometown hero like Watson is always hard. Thankfully, Coach Few and the staff have done an outstanding job of remedying last season’s concerns about depth and experience. Leading scorer Graham Ike is back after averaging 16.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Ryan Nembhard emerged as one of the primer point guards in the nation while handing out seven assists to only two turnovers a night. Nolan Hickman, Braden Huff, Dusty Stromer and Ben Gregg round out a strong core.
We back 😤 pic.twitter.com/G099cIDwAd
— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) May 2, 2024
For the 2024-25 season. the Gonzaga Bulldogs will be welcoming in a host of players via the transfer portal.
Michael Ajayi
Michael Ajayi spent last year competing against Gonzaga with the Pepperdine Waves. In his first year of NCAA Division I basketball, Ajayi burst onto the scene averaging 17.1 PPG and 9.9 RPG. He was named to the WCC First Team All-Conference squad and scored 20 or more points 11 times on the season. Standing six-foot-seven with a seven-foot wingspan, he provides a needed boost of NBA level athleticism on the wing.
Khalif Battle
One of the biggest needs facing Gonzaga coming into the offseason was the need for isolation scoring along the perimeter. In other words, they needed a guy who could simply “get a bucket”. The possible answer could be Arkansas transfer Khalif Battle. Battle comes to the Bulldogs with an interesting college resume. Now joining his fourth college program, Battle is a scorer through and through.
With a career average of 13.3 points a game, the six-foot-five wing is one of the top players in the nation at getting to the free throw line. Battle averaged just under seven free throw attempts a game last year while putting up 14.8 points a night in the loaded SEC. Questions about his fit with Gonzaga remain. Regardless, if the version of Battle that averaged 29.5 PPG over the last seven games of the year arrives in eastern Washington, it could take Few’s offense to new heights.
Emmanuel Innocenti
It was mentioned earlier that alternatives to Watson’s defense is going to be one of the biggest uncertainties for this team. Replacing his institutional knowledge and familiarity with the staff’s schemes is impossible to replicate. Enter Emmanuel Innocenti.
After a strong freshman campaign at Tarleton State, Innocenti comes to the Gonzaga Bulldogs with the resume and physical tools needed when trying to replace a defensive anchor. At six-foot-five with a seven-foot-one wingspan, the Italian wing was a force when guarding the ball last year. He posted 10 games of three or more steals and started 33 contests as a true freshman. The offense will likely take some time to develop, but there is no better staff in the world at getting players to elevate their game.
Gonzaga Bulldogs: The Schedule
Non-Conference Play
As has always been the case, the Gonzaga Bulldogs have put together one of the toughest schedules in the country. With the level of competition in the WCC always a hot topic for debate, Mark Few has built a non-conference schedule that resembles an Elite Eight during March Madness.
As it stands the team’s top matchups include a trio of neutral site games against UConn (at Madison Square Garden), Kentucky (at Climate Pledge Arena), and UCLA (at the Intuit Dome). With that said, both games against UConn and UCLA will be played in the backyards of their respective programs. Gonzaga will also hit the road to face fellow mid-major powerhouse, San Diego State. Lastly, it is rumored that a matchup against the Bears of Baylor could be announced any day. According to most pundits, all these teams minus the Aztecs, will find themselves among the AP Top 25 list to start the season.
On top of these games, Gonzaga will be participating in the Battle for Atlantis tournament with West Virginia on deck as their opening opponent. Depending on how the tournament bracket shapes up, they could likely face Indiana and Arizona as well. With Arizona State penciled in for a November 10th matchup, there are not many non-conference schedules that rival that of the Bulldogs.
Conference Play
As for the conference, the always pesky St. Mary’s Gaels should look to provide the stiffest challenge. The pair of Oregon State and Washington State have joined the conference as well. Still, both teams look to be in potential rebuilds as Oregon State ranked 155th in the KenPom rankings last year, and Washington State will be under the leadership of a new head coach.
Conclusion
Gonzaga has loaded up their roster and built a brutal schedule. Mark Few has come close to the national championship that has eluded him, and he will once again look to be in contention. Even with all the praise being awarded to them, this article doesn’t even mention the additions of the reigning Patriot League Player of the Year in Braeden Smith or intriguing freshman Ismaila Diagne who averaged 10.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks for Real Madrid’s Under-18 team.
Anton Watson has left. Steele Venters unfortunately will miss another season. Yet, with Graham Ike, Ryan Nembhard and the crew running it back, plus high level players joining the mix, this team has all the makings for not only a WCC Championship squad, but one that will make a run in March.
