Gonzaga’s Braden Huff Still Searching for Rhythm After Knee Injury

Gonzaga Wins Behind Balanced Scoring

The Bulldogs beat Purdue 78-72 on Monday in Las Vegas, starting the season with a victory. Davis Fogle led Gonzaga with 22 points, while Xaivian Lee added 18.

Izan Almansa scored 11 points on four-for-six shooting. Starting center Massamba Diop had seven points, but foul trouble kept him to 15 minutes.

Huff Shows Effort, Misses Shots

Huff finished with 10 points and seven rebounds in nearly 36 minutes. The 6-foot-10 forward made four of 11 shots from the field and two of four free throws.

With Diop limited by fouls, Huff contributed on defense and collected five offensive rebounds. He also missed several shots around the rim, an area where he has typically been highly accurate.

Few Backs Huff’s Recovery

Coach Mark Few said Huff competed well and defended effectively against Purdue. Few noted that some shots rolled out, and said Huff would be fine. Huff had limited activity early in the offseason while recovering, then entered exhibition games at full strength but short on recent game experience. He made four of 11 shots at Kraziness in the Kennel on Oct. 3, and was seven-for-16 against Arkansas.

Frontcourt Depth Eases Pressure

Huff has shot 65.7% on two-point attempts over 89 career games. His rate was 70.1% as a freshman and 69.7% last season before his injury, making a few uneven outings a limited basis for concern.

Arkansas and Purdue are among the toughest interior defenses Gonzaga is expected to face this season. Almansa’s early contribution gives the team another scoring option, while Huff may see a lighter workload as Diop adjusts to avoid foul trouble.

Gonzaga’s home opener is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, at 2:00 p.m. PT against New Mexico State. The game will air locally on KHQ and stream on ESPN Unlimited.