Gonzaga closed 2020 dominantly, welcoming the Dixie State Trailblazers to Division I basketball with a 112-67 explosion.
Joel Ayayi was exceptional in ending the night with 21 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists, the only thing that kept him from hitting a triple-double was Gonzaga’s big advantage and the opportunity to get quality minutes for his younger teammates . Corey Kispert had another great offensive performance with 25 points (4-6 3PT FG) at a shooting clinic. Oumar Ballo had his best collegiate game by having a perfect 6-6 on the field towards a career record of 17 points and 5 rebounds. Dominick Harris and Julian Strawther also made big changes, with 8 points each, with Harris adding 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
Trailblazers remained competitive during the first 10 minutes of play with a clean run on the offensive side that allowed them to keep pace with their hosts. For a team that has just moved from Division II to Division I (although it has been one of the best DII programs in recent years), it was impressive to see them coexist with the top-ranked team in the country for as long as they did.
But Gonzaga has people like Ayayi and Kispert, and Dixie State does not. The veteran duo was defenseless. Ayayi once again flirted with a triple-double, while Kispert continued to burn the nets.
The Zags moved away very quickly during the final stretch of the first half and the Lumberjacks had a front row seat to show what is the best attack in college basketball. Dixie State likes to play uptempo basketball, but the Lumberjacks were getting a transition attack clinic from the Zags, who are the best at getting the ball quickly to the ground and putting it in the back of the net before the opposing defense can be defined.
Gonzaga continued the offensive clinic in the second half. The bank had another opportunity to play extended minutes and took advantage, while Ballo, Strawther and Harris displayed the qualities that make them key pieces for Gonzaga’s future.
Ballo played the best game of his brief career, embracing the physicality of college basketball and finishing a variety of chances in painting. You can see the features that make the fan base dream of what it could be after a few years with the GU team.
Gonzaga’s dominance even allowed an opportunity for the newest member of the team – Ben Gregg – to get his first taste of college basketball. It was a few minutes where we were able to see Gonzaga’s future even more as the team performed the last dribbles of 2020.