Key matchup: Bigs Graham Ike, Norchad Omier take center stage in season opener

Nov. 3—In showdowns between top 10 teams, there’s often multiple choices for the key matchup. That’s certainly the case for No. 6 Gonzaga and No. 8 Baylor in Monday’s season opener.

One could go with the dynamic point guards — GU’s Ryan Nembhard and Baylor’s Jeremy Roach, a transfer from Duke. Or zero in on Baylor’s 6-foot-5 freshman guard VJ Edgecombe, a projected lottery pick, and new Zag Khalif Battle, an accomplished scorer.

Both are creditable choices, but we’re going with the big men: Gonzaga’s Graham Ike, a 6-foot-9, 250-pound redshirt senior; and 6-7 Norchad Omier, who was listed at 240 pounds last season at Miami before transferring to Baylor, which doesn’t list weights in player bios.

Ike, in his first season with GU after transferring from Wyoming, played his best basketball in February with seven straight games with at least 20 points to make a run at West Coast Conference player of the year honors that eventually went to Saint Mary’s guard Augustas Marciulionis.

Ike averaged 16.3 points (his season average was 16.5) in three NCAA Tournament games on 65.6% shooting (just under 61% on the season).

Ike had mixed success against the best posts he faced last year. He struggled at times against UCLA’s Adem Bona, UConn’s Donovan Clingan and Purdue’s Zach Edey — Clingan and Edey were eventual lottery picks and Bona was taken 41st overall — but was strong against San Diego State, Kentucky and Kansas.

Omier, a native of Bluefields, Nicaragua, began his carer at Arkansas State, earning 2022 Sun Belt Conference player of the year. He helped Miami reach the 2023 Final Four and was named second-team All-ACC. He followed up by averaging 17.0 points and 10.0 rebounds last season.

He’s made 117 career starts. His career averages: 15.2 points and 11.0 rebounds entering his fifth season.

“He’s a physical presence, something that I look forward to,” Ike said. “I’ve faced a lot of physical guys, especially as we saw last year so it’s nothing I’m shy to. We’re going to put…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/key-matchup-bigs-graham-ike-030200987.html

Author : The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.

Publish date : 2024-11-04 03:02:00

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