Recap and highlights: Julian Strawther makes 3-pointer in final seconds to lift Gonzaga over BYU 75-74

Jan. 12—PROVO, Utah — As Julian Strawther made a go-ahead 3-pointer in the closing seconds to lift Gonzaga over Brigham Young, the sold-out crowd at the Marriott Center hushed to a stunned silence.

BYU held a four-point lead and possession with a minute remaining. It dominated the second half with a spree of outside shooting and built a double-digit lead. Yet, for the third time in as many games, Gonzaga came out on top of a chaotic finish.

The question seemingly lingering on the minds of everyone in attendance: "How can they keep getting away with this."

Strawther's basket sent Gonzaga to a 75-74 win over BYU, despite trailing for almost all of the final 10 minutes.

Strawther collected a missed free throw and dribbled the length of the court, before pulling up at the top of the 3-point line for the winning shot. He, Nolan Hickman and Hunter Sallis all made 3s in the final two minutes. Gonzaga went 3-for-14 from beyond-the-arc in the previous 38 minutes.

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Julian Strawther (0) celebrates with guard Rasir Bolton (45) and guard Malachi Smith (13) after he hit the game winning shot to defeat BYU during the second half of a college basketball game on Thursday, Jan 2023, at the JW Marriott Center in Provo, Utah. Gonzaga won the game 75-74. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)

The No. 8 Bulldogs (15-3, 4-0 West Coast) won their 10th straight game. For most of it, they relied on their frontcourt.

Drew Timme scored a game-high 21 points and had 13 rebounds. Anton Watson had 16 and Ben Gregg added 10.

The Zags took a five-point lead into halftime, but went cold in the second half, shooting just 34% from the field.

The Cougars (13-7, 3-2) took advantage, making 7 of their first 10 3-point attempts in the second half.

Still, Gonzaga found a way and has won its last three WCC games by a combined eight points.

The Zags host Portland on Saturday at 7 p.m.

ESPN / Youtube

'I loved it:' Former Gonzaga standout Jalen Suggs watches Julian Strawther hit game-winner vs. BYU

It couldn't have turned out any better from Suggs' vantage point as one of his close friends, junior wing Julian Strawther buried a game-winning 3-pointer from 26 feet in Gonzaga's thrilling 75-74 victory over the Cougars. Suggs and Strawther arrived in Spokane together as part of GU's 2020 recruiting class."I loved it," Suggs said outside Gonzaga's locker room in the Marriott Center. "Put the dagger in them, let's go home, let's go back to Spokane." — Read more

Difference Makers: Julian Strawther's 3-pointer, Anton Watson's defense lift Gonzaga past BYU

JULIAN STRAWTHER — Read more

First half

19:20 — GU 2, BYU 0: Cougars miss their first shot from the floor and Timme comes down the other end and drops a hook shot in to open the scoring.

15:46 — GU 9, BYU 8: Both teams making shots at the first media timeout.

Watson and Timme doing all the scoring for the Zags with five and four points, respectively.

Hickman called for a foul ahead of the break.

11:40 — GU 19, BYU 19: Cougars jump into the lead, scoring 14 of their 19 points in the paints, but the Zags cut it back to tie at the U12 media timeout.

Huge 4 minutes off the bench for GU's Gregg, who scores six points with three offensive rebounds, one assist and a steal.

7:59 — GU 31, BYU 27: Watson up to 12 points on 5 of 5 shooting. Zags shootign 62% from the field for a narrow lead.

BYU shooting 58% and is 3-for-5 on 3-pointers.

3:22 — GU 42, BYU 35: Zags extend their lead to seven at the U4 media timeout.

This one has been all about the Zags' bigs, with Watson, Timme and Gregg combining for 30 points.

Johnson leads BYU with 10 points.

Halftime

Gonzaga leaned on its frontcourt to take a 44-39 lead over BYU into halftime in front of a sold-out crowd at the Merriott Center in Provo, Utah.

Anton Watson has a team-high 14 points and has made all six attempts from the field, while Drew Timme added 10, while making 5 of 7 attempts.

The Zags bench contributed 15 points, while the two starting guards, Nolan Hickman and Rasir Bolton went scoreless in the half.

Ben Gregg scored six points in eight minutes to go with five rebounds, one assist and a steal.

BYU kept it close by shooting 53.6% from the field and converting 5 of 9 3-point attempts.

Second half

15:41 — GU 46, BYU 42: Not much scoring in the second half, as Timme makes his first attempt and the Zags go cold, missing their next eight.

BYU's lone basket came on a 3-pointer from Robinson.

12:47 — GU 52, BYU 51: The Cougars briefly tie the score at 48, before Gregg scores back-to-back baskets to regain the lead and BYU answers with a 3-pointer. Few calls a timeout.

Gregg has 10 points. BYU is 9-for-15 on 3-pointers.

8:03 — BYU 63, GU 56: Cougars in control now, going 6-for-9 on 3-pointers in the second half, while the Zags have gone ice cold.

Gonzaga 5 of 21 from the field in the second half, as Few calls for a timeout. BYU leads the second half 24-12.

3:43 — BYU 68, GU 63: Timme gets a dunk and the Cougars turn it over at the other end leading to the U4 media timeout.

Timme has 10 of the Zags' 19 points in the second half, trying to will them to victory down the stretch.

The Cougars hot shooting has cooled over the last 3 minutes, just 1 of their last 6 from the field.

1:21 — BYU 73, GU 69: Sallis makes a cruicial 3-pointer for Gonzaga, but George answers with a 3 of his own for the Cougars, who call for a timeout after the make.

36.8 — BYU 73, GU 72: Big mistake by the Cougars, who turn it over and surrender a wide-open 3-pointer from Hickman.

The 3 was Hickman's first made field goal of the game.

9.5 — GU 75, BYU 74: Strawther makes a 3-pointer to give the Zags the lead.

Bulldogs close to eking out another conference win.

Starting 5

Programing update

Tipoff has been pushed back to 6:40 p.m. The ESPN broadcast will begin at the conclusion of the Detroit-Toronto hockey game.

Pregame

Gonzaga and Brigham Young's short-lived West Coast Conference rivalry is coming to an end with the Cougars leaving for the Big 12 Conference after this season.

That may come as a welcome sight for BYU, which has dropped 11 of the last 12 meetings to the Zags.

The Cougars will look to get one back on the Bulldogs at the Merriott Center in Provo, Utah tonight. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.

Gonzaga (14-3, 3-0 WCC) earn a pair of hard-fought victories on the road last week, beating San Francisco 77-75 and Santa Clara 81-76, extending its win streak to nine games.

BYU (13-6, 3-1) split its WCC games last week, losing at Loyola Marymount 64-59 and beating San Diego on the road 68-48.

Series history

Gonzaga holds a 22-7 all-time record over Brigham Young. The Zags have dominated the series in recent years, winning 11 of the last 12 meetings. GU has an 8-3 record in Provo, Utah.

Team stats

BYU (13-6, 3-1)

Gonzaga (14-3, 3-0)

Points

74.5

85.9

Points allowed

66.7

72.9

Field goal pct.

44.1

51.8

Rebounds

40.1

37.6

Assists

15.6

16.5

Blocks

4.4

3.1

Steals

7.4

7.6

Streak

Won 1

Won 9

Individual leaders

POINTS

PPG

FG%

FT%

Fousseyni Traore (BYU)

12.8

60.1

78.4

Drew Timme (GU)

21.8

61.5

61.5

REBOUNDS

RPG

DRPG

ORPG

Fousseyni Traore (BYU)

7.9

4.6

3.3

Drew Timme (GU)

7.9

5.6

2.3

ASSISTS

APG

TOPG

MPG

Dallin Hall (BYU)

3.5

1.9

20.6

Nolan Hickman (GU)

3.6

1.66

28.5

Game preview

Gonzaga expects 'physical and wild' test from BYU in final WCC game at Marriott Center

PROVO, Utah — There's a good chance the programs link up again somewhere down the line, but Thursday's game between Gonzaga and BYU closes an important chapter of a West Coast Conference rivalry that's produced 11 years of compelling regular-season matchups and heated postseason showdowns. — Read more

Key matchup: Fousseyni Traore's low-post scoring, defense key for BYU against Gonzaga

PROVO, Utah — More times than not last season, the West Coast Conference's Freshman of the Week honor went to Gonzaga sensation Chet Holmgren. — Read more

More on the Zags

Commentary: Gonzaga big man Drew Timme has a big fan in the big redhead, Bill Walton

Watch Drew Timme and you'll witness an expanding repertoire of basketball moves, high-percentage shooting and a creative dismantling of defensive schemes designed specifically to stop him. — Read more

Zags in the NBA: The case for Sacramento Kings' center Domantas Sabonis making All-NBA

The former Gonzaga big man is having the best season of his eight-year career. Sabonis and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic are the only players in the NBA to rank in the top 10 in total rebounds and assists. Sabonis is averaging a league-best 12.4 boards while shooting 62% from the floor, better than his previous best of 59% in 2018-19, a year before his two consecutive All-Star appearances with the Indiana Pacers. He also leads the NBA in double-doubles. — Read more

Former Gonzaga guard Andrew Nembhard earns starting spot with Pacers as rookie

Andrew Nembhard is putting together a memorable rookie season in the NBA. The former Gonzaga guard has become a fixture in Indiana Pacers' starting lineup and continues to put up solid numbers. — Read more

Gonzaga continues climb in AP rankings to No. 8 after 2-0 WCC road trip

Gonzaga (14-3, 3-0 West Coast Conference) climbed one position to No. 8 in Monday's latest rankings, thanks to a pair of suspenseful road wins over San Francisco and Santa Clara. — Read more