SPOKANE — North Dakota State didn’t figure to pose too much trouble for Gonzaga on the day the Bulldogs rose to No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25. The Bison didn’t.
Brandon Clarke and Rui Hachimura each scored 18 points as top-ranked Gonzaga beat North Dakota State 102-60 on Monday night to remain undefeated.
“Mission accomplished,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said.
Few had worried about his team having a letdown after beating former No. 1 Duke at the Maui Invitational, in part because of the long trip home. But that didn’t happen.
“They were mature in their approach,” Few said. “Josh Perkins did a great job of settling us down, especially on the offensive end. “
Gonzaga also did a good job on defense, holding North Dakota State to 4-of-27 shooting from behind the arc. Corey Kispert added 17 points and Zach Norvell Jr. 15 for Gonzaga (7-0), which shot 63.8 percent in the game, including 15-of-28 from 3-point range.
Vinnie Shahid scored 16 points for North Dakota State (2-5), which shot just 36 percent in the game. Cameron Hunter and Deng Geu each added 12.
“Some games you just have to throw away and move on,” Bison coach David Richman said. “That’s what we have to do with this one.”
Clarke made all nine of his field goal attempts and added eight rebounds and five blocks for Gonzaga. Six Zags scored in double figures.
“He’s playing with great energy,” Few said. “He’s protecting the rim and really being active on the offensive end.”
Clarke said the Zags need to keep perspective.
“We have to keep on playing tough,” Clarke said. “Don’t let that ranking get to us.”
“I felt I was taking shots that I can make pretty easily,” he said. “I wasn’t forcing shots.”
Gonzaga has beaten four teams from Power Five conferences already this season, and came in averaging 97 points per game to 71 for the Bison. North Dakota State stayed close early, and led 19-18 with just over 10 minutes left in the first.
Gonzaga replied with a 19-0 run, making seven consecutive field goals, for a 37-19 lead. Clarke had 10 points and Josh Perkins had a pair of 3-pointers in the run. The Bison were scoreless for more than 6 minutes before Cameron Hunter’s 3-pointer ended the Gonzaga run.
But Gonzaga then embarked on a 16-3 run to take a 53-25 lead at halftime. The Zags shot 72.5 percent (21 of 29) in the first half, while North Dakota State shot just 37 percent and committed eight turnovers.
Kispert sank three consecutive 3-pointers as a 22-2 run put Gonzaga up 85-38 midway through the second.
Gonzaga students chanted “we want Cleveland” in the final minutes.
Zags ascend to top spot in poll
Gonzaga is the top dog again in the AP college basketball poll.
The Zags, on the strength of an 89-87 win over former No. 1 Duke in the Maui Invitational championship, moved into the top spot in the latest rankings released Monday.
As expected, the vote was close between Gonzaga (6-0) and Kansas (5-0) from AP’s media panel. The Zags went from zero first-place votes a week ago to 32 this week and earned 1,590 points. The Jayhawks received 31 first-place votes and 1,584 points.
It marks the third time in six seasons the Zags are No. 1. After a 22-0 start, they took over the top spot in the Jan. 30, 2017, poll and held it for four weeks before losing their regular-season finale to BYU.
Gonzaga’s first ascent to No. 1 came late in the 2013 season. GU, with a 29-2 record, nabbed the top spot from Indiana on March 4.
Kansas was leapfrogged for the second time this season. Duke climbed over the Jayhawks in the first regular-season poll after the Blue Devils routed then No. 2 Kentucky 118-84. The Jayhawks are the only team with two top 10 wins.
Duke dropped to No. 3, followed by Virginia, Nevada, Tennessee, Michigan, Auburn, Michigan State and Kentucky.
Crandall out 4-6 weeks
Top-ranked Gonzaga says guard Geno Crandall fractured his right hand during practice Sunday and will miss the next four to six weeks of the season.
Crandall joins star forward Killian Tillie, who is out for about another month with an ankle injury, on the sidelines.
Crandall is a graduate transfer from North Dakota who has appeared in all six games this season, averaging 18 minutes per game. He’s averaging five points and has dished out 14 assists.
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