“A lot of people need to put a lot of respect on his name” - Chet Holmgren full of praise for teammate Andrew Nembhard, believes he’s the best point guard in the NCAA

Chet Holmgren and the second-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs continue to look like one of the most dangerous teams in college basketball.

The Bulldogs (18-2) find themselves in a good groove as March Madness nears.

Gonzaga got a statement performance from their freshman center as the Bulldogs romped past San Diego 92-62 Thursday night. The 7-footer, who could be the first overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, had 23 points on 9-for-12 shooting, with 12 rebounds and four blocks.

Although Holmgren stole the show, teammate Andrew Nembhard was sensational as well, finishing with 14 points, four rebounds and seven assists.

After the game, Holmgren praised his teammate for his play this year.

"I don't think there's a better point guard in this nation, and a lot of people need to put a lot of respect on his name,” Holmgren said.

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Chet Holmgren and the Gonzaga Bulldogs continue to impress

Gonzaga freshman Chet Holmgren, left, continues to impress.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs look to be a serious contender to make a run at the NCAA championship.

After a pair of early-season losses to challenging opponents, Gonzaga is riding an 11-game winning streak. The Bulldogs have won seven of those games, including the last three by at least 30 points, and two others by at least 25. All 11 wins have been by double-digit margins.

Freshman big man Chet Holmgren, who is 19, talked about the importance of senior guard Andrew Nembhard on Thursday night. Holmgren said people need to "put some respect on his name." Nembhard, the floor general, and is averaging 10.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 45.8%.

Gonzaga continues to look like a force. Its only two losses have been to Duke and Alabama. Duke is ranked ninth, while Alabama is receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. Gonzaga was the NCAA runner-up last season and also in 2017.

Heading into the season, many were expecting Holmgren to be a runaway favorite for the first overall selection in the 2022 NBA draft. Holmgren is the highest-rated recruit ever to sign with Gonzaga.

After showing some flashes during the beginning of the season, Holmgren has seen his game take off lately in a big way. In his last five games, the Gonzaga freshman averaged 17.8 points, 10.6 assists and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 71.4% (65.0% from 3-point range).