The Gonzaga Bulldogs don’t look like they are slowing down anytime soon after an 86–65 win over Washington State. Navigating the West Coast Conference, where Gonzaga is the only ranked team, shouldn’t be much of a challenge for Mark Few’s side. But with Braden Huff now injured, things could get tricky for the Zags.

“We didn’t have much time to feel sorry for ourselves,” Mark Few said in the postgame conference. “That’s something I’m very, very proud of with this group. That was a really great win for us tonight — to go on the road and play a team that was playing some of its best basketball this year, and to do it without, not only one of our best players, but one of the best players in the league, one of the best players out west, and I think one of the better players in the country. That’s a lot to absorb in 24 hours, and the guys were great.”

Gonzaga has confirmed that Braden Huff will be sidelined for four to eight weeks with a left knee injury. The setback occurred in practice earlier this week, and although Mark Few did not provide specifics on the play, it creates a scenario in which the Zags could be without their leading scorer and will need to get creative offensively.

Gonzaga will now look to Graham Ike for more production. The senior forward acknowledged how tough Huff’s injury is for the team, but made it clear he is ready to step up and help keep the standard high while the Zags wait for their leading scorer to get healthy.

“It’s a tough time for me and Huff just because I know how much he wants to be out there,” Ike said in the postgame press conference. “I’m just keeping his spirits high, as the whole team is, and making sure he’s in good spirits. Whenever we get him back, we’ll be alright. But until then, we’re just going to keep playing hard for him.”

Huff leaves behind averages of 17.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting better than 66% from the field, and he led the nation in made field goals. Without him, Gonzaga’s ability to maintain its No. 9 ranking becomes a legitimate concern. Naturally, the scoring load now falls more heavily on forward Graham Ike.

And he has already responded in a big way. Ike finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. Although late in the game, he appeared to be walking gingerly himself. Without Huff as a second interior threat and high-low post partner, Ike will now attract even heavier defensive attention.

And that could open the door to more injury problems for Mark Few, with the schedule only getting heavier.

Gonzaga’s Quest to Win Without Braden Huff

Gonzaga won’t see another ranked opponent before the big dance, and they enter this stretch with the fourth-best NET rating in the nation and a 3–1 Quad 1 record. The depth is there for the Zags to survive this run, but players like Jalen Warley, Steele Venters, and Braeden Smith will be counted on heavily. Their impact could decide how smoothly Gonzaga navigates the weeks ahead.

Next up for Gonzaga is a trip to Seattle, Washington to play Seattle University at Climate Pledge Arena. Even without Braden Huff, this matchup shouldn’t pose many problems for the Bulldogs. ESPN gives them a 94.8% chance of winning, and that should hold as long as nothing goes south.

Mark Few will be hoping his team avoids any further injuries and that his top scorer makes a quick recovery. It’s still unclear whether Huff will be healthy in time for the big dance, and there is no guarantee he returns as the same player he was before the injury.

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A lot is in play for Gonzaga, so stick with us to see how it all unfolds.