Figuring out the pieces of the puzzle in this deep Gonzaga rotation is going to take some patience. It will take some time for everything to start clicking, but tonight’s opening statement win proved that
it’s going to be a fun problem to solve.
Coach Mark Few’s starting lineup in the season opener against the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s Texas Southern Tigers was as follows:
Redshirt junior guard Braeden Smith
Graduate student wing Tyon Grant-Foster
Junior wing Emmanuel Innocenti
Redshirt junior forward Braden Huff
Graduate student forward Graham Ike
This lineup struggled in the beginning (0-for-5 from the field), with the nerves getting the best of them before graduate student guard Adam Miller (13 points on 5-for-8 shooting, 3-for-5 three-pointers) was the first substitution of the night. His three-point shooting ability spreads out the floor, something that was lacking with the starting five. Miller’s vast college basketball experience across the Big Ten Conference, Southeastern Conference, Pac-12 Conference, and Big 12 Conference will be something that Few has to lean on throughout.
The offensive pace seemed to be more under control by the Tigers at the start of the first half. The Zags seem to play out of control, out of rhythm, while trying to go a 100 miles an hour at the beginning of this matchup. Despite Smith getting the start (four assists/one turnover in 17 minutes), freshman guard Mario Saint-Supery played more off the bench (three assists/one turnover in 19 minutes). The Spaniard is still getting used to the American game, forcing passes into tight windows when he should’ve pulled it back out and reset the offense.
Senior guard Zaire Hayes, Texas Southern’s top returning scorer at 10.4 points per game on a shooting split of 46.8 percent from the field/42.0 percent on three-pointers/84.1 percent from the free throw line, wasn’t available for undisclosed reasons and couldn’t be spotted on the bench. That played a factor in legendary coach Johnny Jones’ confidence with his unit and the Gonzaga comeback about halfway through the first half.
Grant-Foster (game-high 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting/5-for-5 free throws) made his presence known across the board, influencing the game with his high-flying five rebounds and continuous effort to get to the free-throw line. He’s loving every second of playing in front of the Kennel.
It’s been well-remarked the past couple of weeks, but this is one of the deeper groups that coach Mark Few has had in his historic tenure. Against the Tigers, the bench scored 48 of the 98 total points.
One of the hottest takes for this season’s group is that their defensive rating on KenPom will actually be better than their offensive rating. That’s unheard of for what has been one of the best scoring programs in the country year after year. The length and relentless effort out on the perimeter, especially from Innocenti and senior guard Jalen Warley’s (four rebounds, four steals, three assists) active hands in the passing lanes, will hurt their opponents consistently.
The biggest question mark surrounding this team has to be with their three-point shooting. The Zags struggled tonight versus Texas Southern, going 7-for-22 (32.0 percent). Graduate student guard Steele Venters, who made his return to the floor after 961 days away, and Miller can hit from deep; that is a given. Who else will step up from beyond the arc?
On the 2027 recruiting front, small forward Gene Roebuck received “We want Roebuck” chants from the Kennel Club on his unofficial visit with the Gonzaga program. The Zags have already received four commitments in the 2026 and 2027 recruiting classes since the start of October (2026 German combo guard Jack Kayil, 2026 four-star center Sam Funches, 2026 four-star wing Luca Foster, 2027 four-star guard Dooney Johnson).
Next on the non-conference schedule for Gonzaga is against the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday, November 8th, on ESPN2 at 7:30 p.m. PT. The Zags lead the all-time series, 3-1, and won the last meeting, 87-81, in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
