Gonzaga is going to have to navigate a crucial stretch of the season without its breakout star in the frontcourt. Junior forward Braden Huff is expected to miss 4-8 weeks after suffering a left knee injury during practice earlier this week, the school confirmed.
This is a tough blow for the No. 9 Bulldogs, who have leaned heavily on Huff’s emergence this season.
He’s been nothing short of a revelation - leading the team in scoring with 17.8 points per game and doing it with remarkable efficiency. Huff is shooting a blistering 66.2% from the field, the best mark on the team, and he’s pulling down 5.6 rebounds per game, second only to fellow big man Graham Ike.
What’s made Huff so valuable isn’t just the numbers - it’s the moments. He’s delivered when it’s mattered most.
In early December, he torched then-No. 18 Kentucky for 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting, helping Gonzaga secure one of its signature non-conference wins.
Later that month, he exploded for a career-high 37 points in a win over Campbell, and just recently, he dropped 28 points to carry the Zags past Seattle in an overtime thriller. He’s been the engine behind a Gonzaga team that’s been quietly building a strong résumé.
Now sitting at 17-1 overall and a perfect 5-0 in West Coast Conference play, Gonzaga’s only blemish came against Michigan - currently ranked No. 4 in the AP Poll. With that kind of record and the way they’ve handled business, the Bulldogs are currently tracking as a projected No. 4 seed in CBS Sports' latest Bracketology.
The timing of Huff’s injury introduces a bit of uncertainty, especially with March looming. If he’s able to return closer to the four-week mark, there’s a good chance he’ll be back in time to get his legs under him before the WCC Tournament and the big dance. But if his recovery stretches to the full eight weeks, his return would line up just days before the NCAA Tournament tips off - cutting it close, to say the least.
For now, Gonzaga will have to rely more heavily on its depth and frontcourt rotation to fill the void. Huff’s production and presence won’t be easy to replace, but if the Bulldogs can hold serve in conference play and keep their seeding strong, they’ll be in a solid position when - or if - he returns.
Bottom line: Huff’s injury is a hurdle, not a roadblock. But how Gonzaga clears it will go a long way in shaping their postseason ceiling.