Gonzaga vs. Baylor result, takeaways: No. 6 Zags make a strong opening statement with an easy win over No. 8 Bears

No. 6 Gonzaga posted a stunning 101-63 win over No. 8 Baylor on Monday at Spokane Arena in one of the biggest nonconference games of the 2024-25 college basketball season. Trailing 1-0 in the first minute, the Bulldogs secured a commanding win with a near-goalless performance.

Gonzaga guard Nolan Hickman scored a game-high 17 points and star big man Graham Ike added 15 in the win. Eight players on Gonzaga's roster scored at least five points, five of whom scored in double figures. Mark Few's team took a 49-30 lead into halftime and used a 16-2 run in the second half to finally pull away after Baylor cut the deficit to 13 points.

Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe, a projected top-five pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, struggled in his first college appearance. Edgecombe missed his first four shot attempts before finally canceling one out in the final moments of the first half. Edgecombe finished the game with four points, six rebounds and two blocks. Miami native Norchad Omier scored a team-high 15 points for Baylor.

Gonzaga's non-conference schedule includes games against Kentucky, UConn, UCLA and Baylor over the next month and a half before conference play begins in the New Year. Baylor faces UConn, Arkansas and St. John's before the Big 12 matchup begins.

• Baylor shot 3 of 21 from the 3-point line.
• Gonzaga has won nine straight season-opening games
• Gonzaga's 38-point win is the most by any team in a season opener against a top-10 opponent
• This was Gonzga's biggest win against an AP Top 1 team and Baylor's biggest loss against an AP Top 10 team.

• Gonzaga made 13 of 31 from distance.
• Gonzaga guard Khalif Battle scored 12 points in his Gonzaga debut. This is his fourth time visiting a different school, having previously played at Butler, Temple and Arkansas.
• Gonzaga scored 46 points in the paint. Gonzaga also scored 42 points from its bench.