Post-game Press After BYU

[ZagNative]

Please feel free to add story links.

From the Salt Lake Tribune:

Gonzaga blows out Cougars in WCC
...
"We had some early shots that could have gone in, but it just didn’t go our way and we just dug ourselves a hole," BYU senior Noah Hartsock said. "It is hard to come back against a team that is shooting that well."

About the only decent moments for the Cougars came early in the second half, when Brandon Davies scored six straight points to seemingly carve into Gonzaga’s momentum. But GU’s Kevin Pangos scored 13 points in the first seven minutes of the half — drilling three huge 3-pointers, and that was that.

The freshman finished with 30 points and continually kept the Cougars at bay in the second half with clutch shots and passes.

"He has such a quick release, and when he gets going, he’s going," Hartsock said.

"They played great," Hartsock said. "They came out really focused and shot the ball extremely well, and ran their stuff well. They just played a great basketball game. It is hard to stop a team that is playing that well.

The 'Zags totally dominated the Cougars. BYU was intimidated. Congrats to the 'Zags. They continue to show that they are the best and most consistent basketball program in the West. Pangos was dominant. Nobody could guard him. The 'Zags athleticism was extremely evident. The Cougars have one athletic player - Abouo. Gonzaga showed at least 5 - all the starters.

25 wins is impressive. But to get drilled by 20+ by Gonzaga... and it was never close, may not get the Cougars into the big dance. I think the 'Zags win the WCC tournament on Monday night. If the 'Zags don't do the same thing to St. Mary's, it will be tough to justify the Cougars getting into the NCAA tournament.

[Oregonzagnut]

I like this photo of Stockton laying out for the steal.

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/photos?gameId=320632250&photoId=1896880#photo_1896921

[ZagNative]

Meehan's gamer:

LAS VEGAS – Gonzaga men’s basketball coach Mark Few was feeling the pressure Saturday. No, he wasn’t too worried about the Bulldogs’ position in the eyes of the NCAA Tournament selection committee.

The wave pool opens Monday at the hotel where Gonzaga was staying and Few’s kids wanted to stick around to enjoy it. Of course, that required a win over third-seeded BYU and Gonzaga came up with one of its more complete efforts of the season en route to a 77-58 victory in the West Coast Conference Tournament semifinals.

The win, viewed by a sell-out crowd of 7,828 at the Orleans Arena, sends the second-seeded Bulldogs (25-5) into Monday’s championship game against No. 1 Saint Mary’s, which downed No. 5 San Francisco 83-78. The Bulldogs and Gaels have clashed in the last three title games with Gonzaga winning twice.

“I was getting a lot of heat from my kids,” said Few, who applauded Gonzaga’s work at both ends of the court. GU made 55 percent of its shots and limited BYU to 38 percent. The Cougars’ 58 points was their second lowest point total of the season. BYU scored 56 in an early season loss to Wisconsin.

Gonzaga talks often about throwing the first punch and it landed a flurry of blows at the outset. Pangos was at the center of most of it, hitting a pair of 3s, scoring 12 points and handing out three assists to help Gonzaga to a 38-26 halftime lead.

Pangos made consecutive 3s from almost the identical spot in the corner for an early 12-4 lead. It was 19-5 after Guy Landry Edi forced a turnover – one of 11 by the Cougars in the opening 20 minutes – and finished at the other end with a one-handed jam.

[ZagNative]

Random neat pic of Guy stealing the ball from Charles Abouo:

[zagfan07]

Video Highlights???

I'm in China on business and wasn't able to catch the game. Anybody know of any video highlights of the game? I don't have access to ESPN3 here either. Down with the man / communist government!

[caduceus]

I'm in China on business and wasn't able to catch the game. Anybody know of any video highlights of the game? I don't have access to ESPN3 here either. Down with the man / communist government!

Found one. Try here: http://www.espnnorthwest.com/

[ZagNative]

Post-game press conference on Youtube.

[ZagNative]

John Blanchette

My worst fears confirmed: Blanchette reads this board and snickers behind our backs about some of our ludicrous hand-wringing:

LAS VEGAS – Here in Multiple- Bid Land, life is always good.

The question then becomes, inevitably, is it too good?

The rather considerable sigh that Gonzaga coach Mark Few let out at the end of the regular season was parsed, sliced and diced in that respect all week approaching the West Coast Conference basketball tournament.

“It’s just nice,” he said, “to be able to go into that tournament knowing you’re not sweating it.”

Holy red flags.

There was no mistaking his reference – sweating NCAA tournament selection – and there was no slowing all the third-hand emotional temperature taking triggered by that single sentence.

With their bracket invitation assured, would the Zags be ready? Would they come with an edge?

Would they care enough?

Asked. Answered. Hammered home.

It was one thing for Gonzaga to come charging out of the gate – and the 19-5 lead the Zags stormed to in the beginning was quite possibly 6 minutes of the purest basketball you’ll ever see. Flawless man-to-man defense. Pretty 3-pointers from the remarkable Kevin Pangos. And the culminating play – a BYU pass Guy Landry Edi deflected to Pangos, who quickly redirected it to a streaking Edi for a vicious dunk.

[caduceus]

ESPN added another dozen photos to their postgame page (see Oregonzagnut's post above).

[Oregonzagnut]

I'm in China on business and wasn't able to catch the game. Anybody know of any video highlights of the game? I don't have access to ESPN3 here either. Down with the man / communist government!

I worked on an oilrig in China for 3 weeks. Loved it!! We had regular USA ESPN on the rig. Back then (2005) Zags games weren't streamed as regularly as they are now. Watch out for them little 5 ft chinese women, they'll eat you up in stir fry.

If you see the photo in the post above, they say Sacre is soft. I say he gets hacked in the neck, makes the shot, and gets no foul from either of the 2 guys hammering on him.

[Bocco]

John Blanchette

My worst fears confirmed: Blanchette reads this board and snickers behind our backs about some of our ludicrous hand-wringing:

Perhaps one of the reasons I like John Blanchette he sees the humor in some of the angst, wild speculation, and dulusuons of some posters on this board.

On the other hand, as an impartial observer, I doubt if he ever has the desire,as I do, of lobbing over ripe tomatoes or rotten eggs at the posters of these posts.

[RenoZag]

Bud Withers

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/budwithers/2017660841_withers04.html

In the battle of freshman guards — the Zags' true freshmen against two redshirts from BYU, Matt Carlino and Anson Winder — Gonzaga had much the better of it, thanks to Pangos. When the Cougars unveiled a zone defense to try to stem the Gonzaga momentum early, Pangos banged two threes on successive possessions from the left wing, and BYU suddenly had an idea what the night would be like.

Shaking his head at Pangos' effort, Gonzaga coach Mark Few said, "He's Derek Raivio-like with his attention to detail. There isn't a day that goes by that he isn't repping it out on one of our shooting machines.

"That was one of our most complete games of the year."

[RenoZag]

AP Wire Story

From GOZAGS.com

Pangos was most excited about Gonzaga's defensive rebounding and defensive intensity.

"It was a team effort; everyone is loud and our energy was unbelievable. That fueled our offense," Pangos said. "When we play and try to get steals and are active like that, it fuels everything. It's contagious."

Official Box Score

[hooter73]

If BYU stays in the conference Carlino will be a PITA for many years to come.

[former1dog]

If BYU stays in the conference Carlino will be a PITA for many years to come.

Right about now I'm liking Carlino a lot from GU's perspective. He's so undisciplined that he helps BYU's opponents.