Timme and No. 1 Gonzaga take care of No. 6 Kansas
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Coach Mark Few and Gonzaga keep reaching new heights.
While the top-ranked Bulldogs opened their season with a 10290 victory over No. 6 Kansas, Few won his 600th game.
“I got an ice shower in the locker, which I didn’t expect,” said Few, who has been at Gonzaga since 1999. “(Kansas coach) Bill (Self ) and I set this up for a big college basketball game on Thanksgiving Day before the Cowboys game. That’s why we love college basketball. There’s a lot more games like this coming across the season.”
Drew Timme scored 25 points, Jalen Suggs had 24 and Corey Kispert added 23 as No. 1 Gonzaga pulled away for a statement win.
“We’re not that experienced of a team coming back,” Few said. “We needed Drew and Corey against a high, high level team. We needed their experience and toughness.”
The Bulldogs built a doubledigit lead in the first half at the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-off, then saw the Jayhawks tie the game twice. Gonzaga went on a 22-7 run to go up 96-78.
Self said he believes the Bulldogs are as talented as the Kentucky team in 2014-15, which went 38-0 before losing to Wisconsin in the Final Four.
“I thought we played a great team,” he said. “They have four guards who I think will be the best guards we’ll play all year.”
Suggs, who got in foul trouble in the first half, scored 17 of his 24 in the second half.
Marcus Garrett led Kansas with 22 points and Ochai Agbaji added 17 points.
“We needed Ochai out there,” Self said. “We’re not deep enough to make up for him.”
BAYLOR TO OPEN IN LAS VEGAS
No. 2 Baylor made an unexpected Thanksgiving night flight to Las Vegas, where the Bears now hope to open their schedule with two games this weekend.
Baylor expects to play Saturday against an opponent that was not initially revealed and then take on Washington the following day.
The Bears had originally been slated to start the season Wednesday night against No. 18 Arizona State and then play No. 3 Villanova or Boston College on Thanksgiving Day at the Empire Classic in Connecticut.
Baylor didn’t make that trip after coach Scott Drew tested positive for COVID-19. Baylor then canceled Sunday’s game at Seton Hall. The Bears are set to play twice next week in Indianapolis, on Wednesday against No. 8 Illinois and then three days later against No. 1 Gonzaga.
NO. 3 VILLANOVA 83 NO. 18 ARIZONA ST. 74
Jeremiah Robinson-earl scored a career-high 28 points to lead the Wildcats past the Sun Devils in the 2K Empire Classic Championship game at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
The Wildcats improved to 2-0. Josh Christopher led the Sun Devils (1-1) with 25 points.
NO. 8 ILLINOIS 97 CHICAGO ST. 38
Ayo Dosunmu scored 22 points, freshman Andres Curbelo added 18 and the Illini routed the Cougars at Champaign, Ill.
The Illini (2-0) scored the first nine points and led 47-17 at halftime.
Illinois will host Ohio in the third round of the multi-team event Friday before facing No. 2 Baylor on Wednesday.
NO. 15 WEST VIRGINIA 78, VCU 66
Derek Culver had 23 points and 15 rebounds to help the Mountaineers beat Virginia Commonwealth in the Bad Boys Mowers Crossover Classic semifinals at Sioux Falls, S.D.
West Virginia (2-0) will face Western Kentucky in the final Friday.