Jalen Suggs Stars as No. 1 Gonzaga Takes Down Luka Garza, No. 3 Iowa

More than two weeks had passed since No. 1 Gonzaga played a game or had a full practice following a coronavirus-related shutdown, but the Bulldogs shook off the rust against the only team in the nation that has a higher-ranked offense.

After four lead changes and two ties during the opening six minutes, Gonzaga settled in and took a lead it did not give up at 14:06 of the first half. The Bulldogs then went on a 23-7 from midway through the half until 2:20 remained before intermission.

Jalen Suggs had 27 points to lead the 4-0 Bulldogs to a 99-88 win over No. 3 Iowa on Saturday. For the Hawkeyes, preseason national player of the year Luka Garza added 30 points and 10 rebounds.

Notable Performers

• Luka Garza, C, Hawkeyes: 30 PTS (13-18 FG, 4-7 FT), 10 REB, 2 AST, 3 BLK
• Jalen Suggs, G, Bulldogs: 27 PTS (8-17 FG, 7-10 3PT, 4-7 FT), 7 REB, 4 AST, 3 STL
• Joe Wieskamp, G, Hawkeyes: 20 PTS (8-16 FG, 3-8 3PT), 9 REB, 4 AST, 3 STL
• Drew Timme, F, Bulldogs: 15 PTS (6-10 FG, 3-4 FT), 9 REB, 3 AST

The Jalen Suggs Show

Suggs, a freshman, did it all with 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block.

He even made mistakes—and then redeemed himself immediately. His SportsCenter Top 10-worthy play came in the middle of the second half, when he turned the ball over and hustled back to block the ensuing shot.

The two weeks off didn't seem to make a difference for Suggs or the Bulldogs, though that's no surprise considering he played through a high ankle sprain back in December, according to Dana O'Neil of The Athletic. As Gonzaga gets back into a regular schedule, Suggs has every intention of continuing to perform on the national stage.

"Coming out here, knowing everyone is watching me, I love it," he told O'Neil. "It keeps me focused. The last thing I want to be is the one player who doesn't perform for this team."

Hawkeyes Can't Break Through

The Hawkeyes entered Saturday with the premier offense in the nation, leading the country with 24.0 assists per game and a 51.0 field-goal percentage en route to 100.5 points per game. But they had met only one ranked team through their 6-0 start, and certainly not one of the Bulldogs' caliber.

On Saturday, Gonzaga limited Iowa to 46.7 percent shooting and 16 assists while also giving up only 17 points off turnovers and 11 points on fast breaks. The Hawkeyes never led by more than four points.

The Bulldogs shot 51.4 percent with 25 assists, 12 points off turnovers and 18 points on fast breaks. They also made 13 of their 26 three-pointers to Iowa's four of 22.

What's Next?

The Bulldogs host 1-6 Northwestern State on Monday night. The Demons opened their season with a 101-58 loss at Texas Tech and earned their lone win of the season against Champion Christian.

The Hawkeyes will host 5-2 Purdue on Tuesday, with the Boilermakers entering off a Saturday afternoon game against Notre Dame and a Wednesday victory over No. 20 Ohio State.