Latest news with #BradenHuff
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Gonzaga's Offense Should run through Braden Huff Next Season
As Gonzaga reloads for another push toward a deep NCAA Tournament run in the 2025-26 season, few players offer as much offensive upside as Braden Huff. A skilled 6-foot-10 forward with a rapidly evolving game, Huff showcased flashes of brilliance in his second season of action—and the time has come for Mark Few's offense to run through him. Huff's scoring versatility is what sets him apart. He's not just a stretch big with touch—he's a three-level scorer in the making. During the final stretch of last season, Gonzaga began to lean into lineups that featured Huff and fellow big man Graham Ike sharing the floor. The result? Efficient offense and more matchup problems than opposing defenses could handle. Huff, who has quietly expanded his range, is now a legitimate threat from three-point land. His ability to space the floor forces opposing bigs to guard out to the perimeter, creating driving lanes and better ball movement in Gonzaga's half-court sets. One of the key advantages of the Huff-Ike tandem is the freedom it gives Huff in the post. With Ike on the floor drawing attention, Huff often gets single coverage in the post, a mistake few defenders can afford to make. Huff's footwork and touch are elite for a player of his size. If he gets to his right shoulder, he's nearly unguardable, finishing with precision using his left hand. Overplay that shoulder, and he has the balance and awareness to spin baseline and finish with his right. In one-on-one situations, Huff is a consistent problem—too quick for traditional centers, too strong for forwards. Advertisement What makes Huff even more dangerous is what happens when Ike goes to the bench. Gonzaga will be relatively inexperienced at point guard, shooting guard, and small forward in terms of in-game reps. That puts more responsibility on the frontcourt. When Huff is the lone big on the floor, it's highly likely he will draw double teams—opening up clean looks for others. With his growing vision and feel, Huff has the passing chops to exploit those traps and find cutters or kick out to open shooters. The biggest wrinkle for defenses will come when Gonzaga uses the 'double big' lineup with Huff as the primary screener in ball-screen action. In these sets, Huff's ability to short roll, catch, and finish with a soft floater puts defenses in a bind. If the help comes from the weak side, Ike will be lurking along the baseline or the mid-post, ready to punish any lapse in rotation. It's a pick-your-poison scenario that few teams are equipped to handle. Gonzaga did this time after time in the second half versus Houston in the second round and nearly pulled off an amazing comeback as the Cougars didn't have answers. Ultimately, Braden Huff is the kind of offensive focal point that Gonzaga's system thrives with. He's skilled, unselfish, and dangerous at all three levels. With his development as a shooter and his dominance on the block, running the offense through Huff gives the Zags their best chance to maximize the talent on this 2025-26 roster. Related: Win the Day: The Fitting Mantra of Gonzaga's Next Point Guard Braeden Smith
USA Today
17-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Gonzaga vs. Georgia First Round: Game Time, TV Channel and More
Gonzaga vs. Georgia First Round: Game Time, TV Channel and More Details for the NCAA Tournament first-round game between the No. 8 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs and the No. 9 seed Georgia Bulldogs have been announced. The contest will tip at 4:35 p.m. ET on Thursday. In its last game, Gonzaga won 58-51 over Saint Mary's (CA) on Tuesday, March 11. Braden Huff led the team with 18 points. Georgia lost its last matchup against Oklahoma 81-75 on Wednesday, March 12, led by Silas Demary Jr.'s 24 points in the losing effort. Check out: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll What Time and TV Channel is the Gonzaga vs. Georgia Game on? Game Day: Thursday, March 20, 2025 Thursday, March 20, 2025 Game Time: 4:35 p.m. ET 4:35 p.m. ET Location: INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas TV Channel: TBS TBS Live Stream: Sling TV - Watch Now! Watch the NCAA Tournament on Sling! Gonzaga Players to Watch Ryan Nembhard puts up a team-leading 9.8 assists per contest. He is also posting 10.8 points and 3.1 rebounds, shooting 44.4% from the floor and 39.3% from downtown with 1.1 made 3-pointers per contest. Graham Ike leads the Gonzaga Bulldogs with 17.1 points per contest and 7.5 rebounds, while also putting up 1.4 assists. Khalif Battle puts up 13.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest. Defensively, he puts up 1.2 steals and 0.1 blocked shots. Ben Gregg averages 9.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per contest, shooting 57.1% from the field. Nolan Hickman puts up 11.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest, shooting 47.5% from the floor and 43.6% from beyond the arc with 2.2 made 3-pointers per game. Georgia Players to Watch Asa Newell is posting team highs in points (15.3 per game) and rebounds (6.8). And he is delivering 0.9 assists, making 54.3% of his shots from the field. Demary leads the Georgia Bulldogs in assists (3.1 per game), and posts 13.4 points and 4.0 rebounds. He also puts up 1.7 steals and 0.2 blocked shots. Blue Cain is putting up 9.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game, making 41.8% of his shots from the field and 33.8% from beyond the arc, with 1.4 treys per game. The Georgia Bulldogs receive 8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game from Tyrin Lawrence. The Georgia Bulldogs receive 9.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game from Dakota Leffew. Gonzaga vs. Georgia Betting Info Spread: Gonzaga -6.5 Gonzaga -6.5 Moneyline Favorite: Gonzaga -272 Gonzaga -272 Moneyline Underdog: Georgia +220 Georgia +220 Total: 151.5 Follow the latest college sports coverage at College Sports Wire.
CBS News
12-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Gonzaga beats No. 19 Saint Mary's 58-51 to capture West Coast Conference Tournament title
The metrics — and oddsmakers — indicated Gonzaga was far better than its record, and there was little doubt the Bulldogs had the ability to once again compete at a high level. Maybe it was simply a matter of timing. Braden Huff scored 18 points in just his second start of the season as Gonzaga avenged two regular-season losses to Saint Mary's, beating the 19th-ranked Gaels 58-51 in the West Coast Conference Tournament championship on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs (25-8) secured the WCC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, though both teams were safely in the field regardless of the outcome. "We've had an inordinate amount of one-possession games," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "I think that's why we're such an interesting seed going into this NCAA Tournament. I think we were 350th in luck in Kenpom. We've had more banked 3s on us than I could ever, ever remember in my entire career. "Whether it's law of averages coming through or just a little resiliency ... or maybe it's just desperation by some seniors who don't want this thing to end." The Bulldogs also got some measure of revenge for losing to the Gaels in last year's title game, which ended Gonzaga's run of four conference championships and 10 of 11. Gonzaga also extended its national record to 18 consecutive 25-win seasons. Saint Mary's (28-5) had its seven-game winning streak stopped. The Gaels also had won 17 of 18 games. "We've had a great year," Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett said. "We did not play well tonight." Khalif Battle scored 14 points for the Zags, Graham Ike added 11 and Ryan Nembhard had 10. Mitchell Saxen led Saint Mary's with 20 points but scored only six after halftime. Two-time WCC Player of the Year Augustas Marciulionis finished with 12 points. Saint Mary's was attempting to become the first team since San Diego in 1996-97 to beat Gonzaga three times in a season. But Gonzaga entered the game with the higher Kenpom rating, ninth to 22nd for the Gaels, and was a 3 1/2-point favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook. "You've got to go through some hardships in order to win," Battle said. "We've been practicing for this moment. I think we were prepared more than ever going into this tournament, so I'm happy we were able to hoist the trophy." Takeaways Gonzaga: The Bulldogs committed just four turnovers while forcing 18 that included two shot-clock violations in the closing minutes. Saint Mary's: The Gaels are the first ranked team since No. 25 Texas A&M in 2011 to go at least 0 for 16 from 3-point range and commit 18 or more turnovers. Key moment Marciulionis' layup with 15:09 left brought Saint Mary's within a point, but the Gaels went the next 7:36 without a field goal as Gonzaga built a 48-42 lead. Key stats The teams combined to shoot 1 of 31 on 3-pointers, the third-worst combined percentage in any game over the past 20 years. Saint Mary's went 0 for 16. Up next Both teams will find out their NCAA Tournament seeds and destinations on Sunday.
Fox Sports
12-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Gonzaga gets payback vs. Saint Mary's to win West Coast Conference Tournament title
Braden Huff scored 18 points and Gonzaga avenged two regular-season losses to Saint Mary's, beating the 19th-ranked Gaels 58-51 in the West Coast Conference Tournament championship Tuesday night. The Bulldogs (25-8) secured the WCC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, though both teams were safely in the field regardless of the outcome. They got some measure of revenge for losing to the Gaels in last year's title game, which ended Gonzaga's run of four conference championships and 10 of 11. Gonzaga also extended its national record to 18 consecutive 25-win seasons. Saint Mary's (28-5) had its seven-game winning streak stopped. The Gaels also had won 17 of 18 games. Khalif Battle scored 14 points for the Zags, Graham Ike added 11 and Ryan Nembhard had 10. Mitchell Saxen led Saint Mary's with 20 points but scored only six after halftime. Two-time WCC Player of the Year Augustas Marciulionis finished with 12 points. Saint Mary's was attempting to become the first team since San Diego in 1996-97 to beat Gonzaga three times in a season. But Gonzaga entered the game with the higher Kenpom rating, ninth to 22nd for the Gaels, and was a 3.5-point favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook. [Related: Mike DeCourcy latest bracket NCAA Tournament projections] Takeaways Gonzaga: The Bulldogs committed just four turnovers while forcing 18 that included two shot-clock violations in the closing minutes. Saint Mary's: Dominating the boards is a key reason the Gaels won the regular-season title, and their 43-28 advantage kept them competitive. Key moment Marciulionis' layup with 15:09 left brought Saint Mary's within a point, but the Gaels went the next 7:36 without a field goal as Gonzaga built a 48-42 lead. Key stats The teams combined to shoot 1-of-31 on 3-pointers, with Saint Mary's going 0-for-16. Up next Both teams will find out their NCAA Tournament seeds and destinations on Sunday. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gonzaga beats No. 19 Saint Mary's 58-51 to capture West Coast Conference Tournament title
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Braden Huff scored 18 points and Gonzaga avenged two regular-season losses to Saint Mary's, beating the 19th-ranked Gaels 58-51 in the West Coast Conference Tournament championship Tuesday night. The Bulldogs (25-8) secured the WCC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, though both teams were safely in the field regardless of the outcome. They got some measure of revenge for losing to the Gaels in last year's title game, which ended Gonzaga's run of four conference championships and 10 of 11. Gonzaga also extended its national record to 18 consecutive 25-win seasons. Saint Mary's (28-5) had its seven-game winning streak stopped. The Gaels also had won 17 of 18 games. Khalif Battle scored 14 points for the Zags, Graham Ike added 11 and Ryan Nembhard had 10. Mitchell Saxen led Saint Mary's with 20 points but scored only six after halftime. Two-time WCC Player of the Year Augustas Marciulionis finished with 12 points. Saint Mary's was attempting to become the first team since San Diego in 1996-97 to beat Gonzaga three times in a season. But Gonzaga entered the game with the higher Kenpom rating, ninth to 22nd for the Gaels, and was a 3 1/2-point favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook. Takeaways Gonzaga: The Bulldogs committed just four turnovers while forcing 18 that included two shot-clock violations in the closing minutes. Saint Mary's: Dominating the boards is a key reason the Gaels won the regular-season title, and their 43-28 advantage kept them competitive. Key moment Marciulionis' layup with 15:09 left brought Saint Mary's within a point, but the Gaels went the next 7:36 without a field goal as Gonzaga built a 48-42 lead. Key stats The teams combined to shoot 1 of 31 on 3-pointers, with Saint Mary's going 0 for 16. Up next Both teams will find out their NCAA Tournament seeds and destinations on Sunday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 all season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: and
