Gonzaga’s Strawther thrives in native Vegas, honors late mom
LAS VEGAS – Gonzaga’s Julian Strawther couldn’t have hoped for a better homecoming.
After playing just seven minutes in last season’s West Coast Conference tournament in his hometown of Las Vegas, which fans were not allowed to attend due to the pandemic, the 6-foot-7 swingman has starred for the Zags in front of enthusiastic crowds.
Moments after topranked Gonzaga smashed No. 2 UCLA 83-63 in Tuesday’s championship game of the Empire Classic, dozens of relatives and friends cheered and teared up as the Bulldogs let Strawther hoist the trophy with a grin that shone like the lights of the Las Vegas Strip.
“Honestly, it’s a dream come true,” Strawther said after Monday’s 107-54 win over Central Michigan. “When you’re a kid you always want to play in the biggest games, in the biggest arenas, in the biggest events. The fact we’re here in my hometown, playing in the biggest arena that we could, and playing some of the biggest games – it means everything. Especially to have all my family out there cheering, smiling, having a good time, it just means the world.”
Strawther, a sophomore, averaged 13.5 points, six rebounds and 28 minutes in the two games at T-Mobile Arena.
“It’s been really exciting for all of us to see how far he’s come since last season,” said Strawther’s father, Lee. “He put in an enormous amount of work this past summer to get where he is now. But seeing him in person, at home, as an important piece of the No. 1 team in the country, and watching him grow and thrive, is something I’m sure we’ll never forget.”
Strawther is particularly glad to be with family this week, with one more game to come when the Bulldogs meet No. 5 Duke on Friday. His mother, Lourdes, affectionately known as Cookie, died in 2011 after a battle with breast cancer. While this will be his 10th Thanksgiving without her, the 19-year-old carries the memory of her support.
“She was at my first
points. Despite having that kind of cushion each game, Minnesota is still only 5-5 on the season.
The other 19 teams to do it combined for an .816 winning percentage, with only the 2015 Giants, the 1987 Dolphins and 1967 Giants failing to post a winning record. Those three teams were also 5-5.
Minnesota can become the 17th team to do it in the first 11 games this week
against San Francisco.
TD CLUB
Jonathan Taylor and Austin Ekeler had days to remember on Sunday.
Taylor scored five touchdowns for the Colts, while Ekeler got into the end zone four times for the Chargers, marking the seventh time since 1950 that multiple players scored at least four TDs on the same day. The last time it happened was Nov. 18, 2007, when Randy Moss and Terrell Owens did it.
Taylor is on an eightgame streak of games with at least 100 yards from scrimmage and a TD run, matching a single-season record set by LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006. Lydell Mitchell also had an eightgame streak over two seasons from 1975-76.
Ekeler was the ninth player in the Super Bowl era to have at least two TD catches and two TD runs in the same game. The most recent to do it before Ekeler was Maurice Jones-Drew for Jacksonville against Tampa Bay in 2011.