Rui Hachimura and Brandon Clarke each scored 18 points, leading Gonzaga to a dominant 102-60 victory over North Dakota State at McCarthey Athletic Center on Monday. The Bulldogs, now 7-0 for the season, secured the number one ranking in the USA Today and Associated Press Polls earlier in the day. Geno Crandall, who usually plays as a reserve guard, was absent from the game due to a hand injury.
Crandall suffered a fractured bone in his right hand over the weekend and is expected to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks. Despite missing Crandall, Gonzaga’s defense thrived, with Clarke standing out by blocking five shots and grabbing eight rebounds.
Six Bulldogs players hit double digits in scoring, with Zach Norvell Jr. contributing 15 points, Corey Kispert adding 17 points, and Josh Perkins and Filip Petrusev chipping in with 10 and 11 points respectively. Norvell also excelled with eight assists and zero turnovers, helping Gonzaga tally a total of 25 assists during the game.
Vinnie Shahid led North Dakota State with 16 points, but Gonzaga’s impressive shooting performance overshadowed their efforts. The Bulldogs shot 63.8% overall and connected on 53.6% of their three-point attempts, while the Bison struggled at 35.4% overall and 14.8% from beyond the arc. Gonzaga will next travel to face Creighton on Saturday morning at 11 am on Fox 28.
