This Saturday’s NCAA basketball West Coast battle consists of the Arizona Wildcats and the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
In 2015-16, the Arizona Wildcats defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs by five in Spokane. This year, the venue changes to Tucson, and the teams are changing identities.
We will start with Gonzaga, who has a 7-0 record to begin the season.
Mark Few has led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament in each of his seasons at the helm. This year, they have what it takes to go deeper into the tournament and make their first Final Four ever.
Gonzaga has great balance. They have shooting on the perimeter. Junior guard Nigel Williams-Goss and Josh Perkins can drain three pointers from everywhere around the arc.
The Bulldogs greatest strength though lies inside.
Forward Zach Collins is a good freshman that helps stretch the floor and center Przemek Karnowski is a 7-footer that can turn over both shoulders and dominate most college centers in the paint.
Karnowski is averaging 11.5 points, seven rebounds and 2.3 assists per game so far this year. The Bulldogs have a gem in Karnowski because of his passing ability. When the double team comes, he knows how to get rid of the ball to open shooters.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs have to do a few things to get the win against a tough Arizona squad. One of their main issues this season has been scoring consistently. The Bulldogs have stretches when they commit unforced errors repeatedly. They constantly shoot themselves in the foot.
Another issue is they tend to shun their post play. The Gonzaga guards need to continuously throw the ball inside and allow Karnowski to be the bully.
Meanwhile, Arizona head coach Sean Miller is one of the nations best at recruiting. He always has some of the best freshman and his teams consist of some of the most athletic players in the nation.
This Wildcats have another year of young, fresh talent. Rawle Alkins is a 6’5″, 220 pound freshman with huge upside. He’s averaging 10.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
Seven-footer Lauri Markkanen is averaging 18 points and 7.6 rebounds per game and could be compared to Kristaps Porzingis. Markkanen is a big guy that most NBA teams are looking for.
Miller can also depend on his senior guard Kadeem Allen to lead the Wildcats to the promised land.
The keys for the Arizona Wildcats to win this game are simple. They have to play their regularly stout defense and force turnovers. This will allow them to flourish with fast break opportunities and use their athleticism. Freshman Kobi Simmons will have the opportunity to show his true abilities when he’s out on the break.
I see the Wildcats winning this game closely. The Bulldogs earned a close win against Iowa State last week, but the Bulldogs’ late game execution was questionable.
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