Davis Fogle scored a career-high 22 points and No. 15 Gonzaga escaped Las Vegas with a 78-72 season-opening victory against Big Ten powerhouse Purdue on Monday
The Bulldogs were led by their likely “Core Four” this season, as Fogle, Xaivian Lee, Izan Almansa and Braden Huff combined to score 61 of the team’s 78 points. Fogle, one of Gonzaga’s few returning players along with Huff, was only 6 of 18 from the field but hit 9 of 10 free throws.
Lee put up 18 points on 4-for-7 shooting, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range. Almansa added 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, while Huff scored 10 and led the Bulldogs with seven rebounds.
Daniel Jacobsen was the driving force for Purdue, tallying 22 points on an impressive 9-of-11 from the field and grabbing seven boards. CJ Cox added 11 points, while Antione West Jr. chipped in 10 points.
In an evenly-played matchup — the teams finished with the same number of turnovers (10), defensive rebounds (24) and points in the paint (28) — Gonzaga held a single-digit lead for most of the night and never trailed in the second half.
Jacobsen brought Purdue within 41-40 on a lay-in with 16:48 remaining. However, Gonzaga proceeded to go on a 15-6 run punctuated by an Almansa and-one that stretched the Bulldogs’ lead to a game-high 10 points at 56-46 with 12:51 left.
Purdue again managed to cut the lead to two points at 68-66 on a West bucket with 3:07 remaining, but after Fogle responded with a layup, the Boilermakers missed four of their final five attempts from the field.
Gonzaga brought a 36-33 lead to halftime, holding Purdue scoreless for the final 3:06 of the half by forcing two turnovers and four consecutive missed field goals. Fogle paced Gonzaga with 11 points. Gonzaga made 15 of 28 attempts overall before halftime and 5 of 9 attempts from 3.
Jacobsen led Purdue with eight first-half points. The Boilermakers made just one of their final eight field goal attempts in the half and made just 4 of 13 attempts from 3-point range, spoiling what was otherwise an efficient half offensively.