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Gonzaga Basketball: 5 takeaways from Bulldogs 2021-22 non-conference play

By Tuck Clarry

Nov 29, 2021; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs wave to the crowd after a game against the Tarleton State Texans at McCarthey Athletic Center. Gonzaga won 64-55. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2021; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs wave to the crowd after a game against the Tarleton State Texans at McCarthey Athletic Center. Gonzaga won 64-55. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /
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Gonzaga Basketball Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Gonzaga Basketball Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

In a season currently on pause with one game played in the last three weeks due to Covid pauses, it may take some mental gymnastics to remain positive in a season that continues to stay touch and go. And for Gonzaga Basketball, losing two of your first nine games is already out of the norm.

But this season’s nonconference run still has plenty of positive moments with informative and teachable moments in their losses. This Gonzaga team is still second in KenPom and Barttorvick and first in Sagarin and Even Miyakawa’s system.

This is a team that throughout the nonconference was still learning to play together and how to replace the contributions of Jalen Suggs, Corey Kispert, and Joel Ayayi. Head coach Mark Few stated early before the season started that the difference was stark and that freshmen Chet Holmgren, Nolan Hickman, and Hunter Sallis would still have a lot of work to put in before the playbook would be fully opened up.

And the schedule, with a few offsetting quadrant four teams, contained far more tests this season than even last year’s heralded early season tour. Ultimately, last season’s team played just one top 20 team in the nonconference according to KenPom, which was seventh-ranked Iowa. This season, Gonzaga has played five of these games with a record of 3-2. So with a more battle-tested Gonzaga team, here are five takeaways from nonconference action.