Russell Brown staff writer
Coming off an upset loss to in-state rival Washington, a team they had beaten in seven straight and in 13 of the last 14, the Gonzaga Bulldogs were looking for a big bounce-back performance vs the reigning national champions in the UConn Huskies. Despite what ended up being a home crowd in the neutral cited Climate Pledge Arena, the Bulldogs did not have enough to overcome the No. 5 Huskies.
The Bulldogs trailed for all 40 minutes of the action on Friday, finding themselves down by as much as 18 points. This was despite a combined 35 from Anton Watson and Ryan Nembhard. No other Gonzaga player reached double figures, and the bench was only able to contribute seven points on the night.
Back-to-back losses in the city of Seattle, both to Huskies no less, is a glaring sign that this Gonzaga squad may differ from years past. A powerhouse that has outshined its mid-major moniker over the years, the Bulldogs are accustomed to winning. A lack of NCAA titles aside, the nation has seen the program as something just shy of a blue blood. With that said, the team usually has the star power on the court that drove them to success.
The 2023-24 iteration of the team seems to be missing that go-to player. The veteran you trust to get you a bucket to end a run, or a young top recruit whose ability on the court is rarely overshadowed by someone on the opposite bench. In other words, there doesn’t seem to be a “dog” on this Bulldog team. 11 games into the season, that’s far from a good thing.
With a matchup with last year’s national runner-up in San Diego State looming, and conference play in a much-improved West Coast Conference right behind it, this team is in danger of falling into a step-back year.
Can one of the current players step into that role that so many greats before have? Can one of the best coaches in the country in Mark Few right a ship that seems to be a bit off course? Only time will truly tell. More likely than not however, the country will be one step closer to that answer within the next couple of weeks.
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