Drew Timme scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds Tuesday night as No. 11 Gonzaga shrugged off a slow start to stop Montana 85-75 in a nonconference matchup in Spokane, Wash.
Timme went 12 of 16 from the field and also dished out five assists for the Bulldogs (10-3), who converted 51.9 percent of their field goal attempts. Julian Strawther added 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Four players finished in double figures for the Grizzlies (6-6). Josh Bannan scored 19 points, while Dischon Thomas added 15 before fouling out on an offensive foul with 1:33 left. Brandon Whitney also tallied 15 points and Aanen Moody added 13.
With 3:31 left, Whitney connected on a short jumper to pull Montana within 72-67 — after the Griz had trailed by 14 about 4 1/2 minutes earlier. But Timme sank four straight foul shots and Strawther added a layup off an assist from Timme to stave off the upset bid.
The Griz canned 60 percent of their shots in the second half and finished the night at 50 percent, but they were outrebounded 33-27 and outscored 26-11 at the foul line. Gonzaga also earned a 22-5 advantage in bench points, thanks to 11 from Malachi Smith.
Montana came out smoking, establishing a 20-10 lead on a layup by Whitney at the second TV timeout. It made eight of its first 12 shots and benefited from a spate of Gonzaga turnovers.
But, beginning with Timme’s layup at the 10:51 mark, the Zags dominated the half’s remainder. They uncorked a 26-5 run that lasted just over eight minutes, capping it with another layup by Timme that gave them a 36-25 cushion with 1:36 remaining.
That polished off an 18-point half for Timme, who rang up 29 points on Saturday in a 100-90 win over No. 4 Alabama.
Gonzaga took a 36-28 lead into intermission Tuesday. The Griz made just 2 of their last 14 shots.
–Field Level Media