No. 7 Gonzaga rallies, avoids upset with OT win vs. Seattle
Braden Huff scored 28 points on 11-of-14 shooting as No. 7 Gonzaga survived an upset bid, rallying to defeat Seattle University 80-72 in overtime in a West Coast Conference game Friday night in Spokane, Wash.
Graham Ike added 24 points and 10 rebounds and fellow reserve Tyon Grant-Foster scored 19 as the Bulldogs (15-1, 3-0) recovered from a 13-point deficit in the second half to win their eighth consecutive game.
Brayden Maldonado scored 17 for the Redhawks (12-4, 1-2), who were seeking their first victory against a ranked team since beating No. 16 UNLV on Jan. 12, 1974. John Christofilis added 12 points for Seattle and Gonzaga transfer Junseok Yeo and Will Heimbrodt each scored 10, with Heimbrodt grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds.
Maldonado's 3-pointer gave the Redhawks a 59-47 lead with 8:38 left.
Gonzaga responded with an 8-0 run, with Ike scoring the last six points, to pull within four with 5:41 to go.
A turnaround jumper in the lane by Huff got Gonzaga within three with 1:43 left and Grant-Foster's driving layup made it 64-63 with 1:01 to go.
Yeo made one of two free throws with 33 seconds remaining to give the Redhawks a 65-63 lead before Gonzaga's Braeden Smith was fouled and made both attempts to tie the score with 21 seconds left.
Maldonado's 3-point attempt with three seconds left was blocked out of bounds by Grant-Foster. Maldonado got another attempt at the buzzer, but his shot went off the front of the rim.
Huff's free throw with 4:24 left in overtime gave the Bulldogs a 66-65 lead, their first since they led 9-8.
Maldonado made a three-point play with 3:35 to go to give the Redhawks a 68-66 lead.
Huff's tip-in tied it and Grant-Foster made a driving layup with 2:25 to go to put the Bulldogs ahead 70-68.
Grant-Foster drove the baseline for a layup with 1:37 left to extend the lead to four and scored off a fastbreak to make it 74-68 with 58 seconds to go.
Maldonado made a deep 3-pointer from beyond the top of the key with 49 seconds remaining to halve the Redhawks' deficit.
Ike made four free throws in the final 33 seconds to help clinch the victory.
Christofilis made three 3-pointers in the first half as the Redhawks overcame a 7-0 deficit to take a 37-29 lead at the intermission.