The Bulldogs Scrappy Play Pleases Coach Graves
11/17/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Matt Breach
Special to GoZags.com
SPOKANE, Wash. - Kelly Graves, it turns out, is a bit of a stat geek. He tediously tracks what he calls disruptions because he wants to know precisely how often his players take charges, tip passes or dive on the floor for loose balls.
They're not the glamorous stats most fans, or players for that matter, care about. They're also unlikely to end up on any highlight reels. But the Gonzaga coach tracks them.
And it's a good thing because, other than missed shots, those are the only stats the Bulldogs really accumulated during an extended first-half drought. But those are exactly the stats that kept the Zags in the game.
The Bulldogs eventually started collecting some of the more common statistics, too, including another win. The Zags scraped out a 62-53 victory over Wisconsin on Friday night in their home opener.
The result pushes Gonzaga's record to 3-0 on the young season. Graves attributed his squad's latest triumph, at least in part, to his beloved disruptions.
"We have a certain team goal," said Graves, now in his 13th year leading the Zags. "My guess is tonight we exceeded that."
Indeed, the Bulldogs likely finished the game with as many floor burns as points. But the 5,758 fans who packed the McCarthey Athletic Center on Friday made it clear they respected that hustle.
"What I think this crowd really appreciates is the fact we play hard," Graves said. "Our kids play really hard and they're scrappy."
Added senior guard Taelor Karr: "If we're hustling, they recognize that and they applaud us for it. That gets us pumped up."
The Bulldogs were especially reliant on the encouragement of their fans during the first half. They labored through a nearly six-minute stretch where they failed to make a field goal. Wisconsin (1-1) took advantage of the Zags' shooting struggles, going on an 18-1 run and building a 14-point lead.
"We weren't quite connecting and didn't quite have the right chemistry," Gonzaga center Shelby Cheslek said. "But once it clicked, we were just kind of unstoppable."
The Bulldogs' comeback was unleashed, of course, by those disruptions their coach values so much.
"I think it's so important," Cheslek said, "because those little tips can lead to steals that lead to baskets on the other end."
Cheslek, who had been nursing a hamstring injury, helped lead the charge. The 6-foot-5 redshirt freshman came off the bench to tally two steals, three blocks, seven points and 11 rebounds. All were career highs.
The Bulldogs also got a boost from their starting backcourt. Haiden Palmer and Karr combined for 29 points and six steals. Both made numerous contributions during Zags' 18-0 salvo that erased their double-digit deficit.
"It shows our character," Palmer said. "We keep fighting back and get into it."
Gonzaga's effort forced 21 turnovers, 14 of which were steals. The Bulldogs also blocked seven shots and outrebounded the Badgers 38-32. Eighteen of the Zags' boards came on the offensive glass.
"This was a big time win for us," Karr said. "We had to really gut it out and play hard."
But that's what leads to all those disruptions and, more importantly, wins.
