Gonzaga vs West Virginia...Predictions and thoughts about what you hope to see...

[Reborn]

Gonzaga 77
WVU 63

I think the game will be close in the first half and the Zags pull away in the second half. WV gave us everything they had, and did try to upset us to pay us back for the drubbing we gave them in the NCAA tournament last March.

I hope to see PK have a strong game against some tough bigs. I say he starts slow, but has a good second half. The Zags will most likely wear WV down because of their fast pace, and pull away in the last 7 minutes of the game.

It's time for our stars to rise. I think Kevin, Gary Bell Jr. and Elias are the difference makers in this game. It is not going to be as easy to get inside on drives like we have been able to do. We are going to have to prove that we can shoot from the outside. Our outside shooting is going to be the difference in this game.

I also feel that someone from the Zags is going to have great game, and show his talent. I'm anxious to see who it is (25 or points or better).

I'm looking to see if the Zags can have less than 13 turnovers?

And more than 5 three's.

And finally, it's time for the Zags to get serious from the foul line. The whole team.

[Nevtelen]

Few and Co have mentioned several times that I've seen that Karnowski needs to learn to play tougher on the court and adjust to the speed of D-I ball. They've also said he's a fast learner. I expect him to get attacked very intesely as soon as he comes in the game and I wouldn't be surprised if he has problems at first. What I'd like to see is how he responds to that. By the end of the game, I want to see Karnowski take a step forward in the toughness and rebounding department. For that matter, I want to see a Dower who doesn't float through the game, but gets his nose in there down in the post and gets his share.

Edi did well on Friday, but I think if he does well vs WV, we can call it officially a 'break out game'. I'd like to see that because I think he can really do something like that. I'm not sure he'll score as much, but I hope he'll show his D and rebounding (and athleticism) to the rest of the country.

[bartruff1]

Gonzaga 73...Not Quite Heaven...62

Huggy Bear is a great coach and his teams reflect his toughness and he knows Bell and Pangos and Harris and even Few so unless Gonzaga is shooting 60% it will be close for 25 or 30 minutes.

This is the Kennel and Kevin plays here with great confidence and he makes everyone better.

The big three will win it (IMHO) the others will make significant contributions.

As Always Kevin is the Key.

I am hoping to see a execution of several Student Life members at half time, so that they get the message about what is really important at Gonzaga.

If we lose this game with KO on the bench....well....it could get ugly.......kidding....just kidding...

[Reborn]

Few and Co have mentioned several times that I've seen that Karnowski needs to learn to play tougher on the court and adjust to the speed of D-I ball. They've also said he's a fast learner. I expect him to get attacked very intesely as soon as he comes in the game and I wouldn't be surprised if he has problems at first. What I'd like to see is how he responds to that. By the end of the game, I want to see Karnowski take a step forward in the toughness and rebounding department. For that matter, I want to see a Dower who doesn't float through the game, but gets his nose in there down in the post and gets his share.

Edi did well on Friday, but I think if he does well vs WV, we can call it officially a 'break out game'. I'd like to see that because I think he can really do something like that. I'm not sure he'll score as much, but I hope he'll show his D and rebounding (and athleticism) to the rest of the country.

Good post with good insights. I'm with ya on this one. So far Edi and PK have been outstanding, and now it's time for the next step. Let's see how they do.

[MickMick]

WVU has some very good talent that is young and relatively unproven. Huggins likes his current version and that alone makes them scary as he typically calls it like it really is.

The type of team that will get much better over the course of the season.

I expect GU to win and they might win handily, but WVU will be a much better team by the time post season consideration comes in to play. They really just need time playing together as a group and GU will be a really stiff test for them at this early stage of the season.

It might be a blow out at home. Old Spice will be a more level playing field for WVU and I do expect GU will face them in Orlando.

As far as the game itself:

Kevin Pangos. If the game gets unexpectedly difficult, Kevin will some how, some way, put us in position to win.

[zagamatic]

West Virginia has a lot of new guys who will be trying to sort things at game speed for the first time in one the hardest venues in the country for other teams to pull out a W. I fully expect our guys to go all out trying to disrupt their gelling process.
That being said, I respect Huggy as a guy who says it like it is. And if he has high praise for this group, so do I.
IF we can jump em early, I like our chances. Either way, I expect WVU to improve as the game goes on. FWIW, I don't wanna have to face em twice this season. Unless it's in the national championship game. I'd be ok with that.
Zags 83
Mountaineers 72
Just because I don't think they'll be able to overcome a slow start

[Kiddwell]

Yo! You eat that rabbit after you shot it?

Let's see if we can handle their big brawny center now that Rob is...
Playing for pay,
In the NBA.


Shoot basketballs -- 83
Shoot rabbits-'n'-wear 'em on our heads -- 66

:]





<Truth be told, the Mountaineer mascot is pretty cool.>

[upan8th]

Special K, the Big Karnowski, the Prze's affect will be notably diminished from Friday's game. Welcome to the world of Division 1 big time college basketball, Przemek. Cheerfully looking forward to Board reality check re the Polish "phenom". Predict will play less than 15 minutes after accumulating early fouls and 1 for 6 FG against interior defense that (except for his Turkish counterpart) doubles his 15" vertical. Let the howling begin.

[DCZag]

I think it will be tight early, but our depth and home crowd will wear them down.

Protect the ball, rebound and hit some FTs.

Zags by 12.

[zagzilla]

I'll be there tomorrow and I am nervous. WV is bigger and tougher inside and has revenge on their minds. The last team they played was us and they have had the offseason to think on that.

Offsetting that concern is the reality that there are a bunch of new faces on the team who haven't had the seasoning we have. Add to that a 9PM pacific time start and a 3000 mile trip and I think we do just enough to pull it out in a relatively low scoring affair.

GU 62
WV 59

I'll be watching closely to see if we can stay even on the boards. I don't think the Mountaineers are particularly good shooters so defensive bounding by GU and limiting second chance points will be important.

ZZ

[Baldwinzag]

I'll be watching closely to see if we can stay even on the boards. I don't think the Mountaineers are particularly good shooters so defensive bounding by GU and limiting second chance points will be important.

Great point, 'zilla.

West Va feature very good offensive rebounders, yet a collection of mediocre shooters along the perimeter. I believe their best, most experienced "shooter" is a transfer from Boston College -- who Huggs labeled his 'sniper' -- still just 33% from 3pt for his career.

Their starting PG, Staten, is very good all-around guard, who can get in the lane and spread the ball around. He led the Atlantic-10 in assists during his Freshman season, yet again, still not a great shooter. Hinds, Browne, et al are the other guards who are unproven shooters as well. Maybe a bit more zone this time around?? Worth a gamble, imo.

Point is, they are going to miss shots, yet as ZZ eluded to above, can we clean it up? or will we allow their big, tough, mean post players to secure 2nd chance opportunities?

Dower, Elias, & King Karn Dog are going to need to crash, crash, crash, and crash some more on shot attempts. If Dower continues to hover in the mid-range area and stare at shots attempts(including his own), then we're in trouble b/c West Va will get 40+ pts off the O-glass. yes, I'm a bit concerned over our ability to board the bball, especially considering Elias is not fully healthy and facing a nagging injury, Big Pole hasn't faced this type of physicality before, and Dower, is well, Dower on defense.

It'll be a given we can score on these guys and feature much better shooters, yet if they are off, even a little bit, we won't have much room for error vs their big bodies down low.

I'm excited to post the post-game thoughts and analysis after this one. If we out-rebound them, I'll be the happiest I've been as a Zag fan in a long time, b/c that'll mean we are Top-10 good, imho. Right now, I haven't seen "it" down low, but then again, we haven't really been tested -- maybe they are still holding back? (again, not as players or scorers, as tough-nosed, focused defenders with an intensity on the glass, b/c I know the Mountaineers have it in spades).

[combatcorpsmangulaw]

As Freshman: Sacre and Karnoski

As a freshman, Sacre didn't possess the skills that Karnowski seems to possess now. It's too early to tell exactly how good Karnoski will be this season but his soft hands, ability to run the floor, his passing thus far have been superb in my view. Defense is always an issue to one degree or another. But, if KO and Dower play defense while "Special K" is in the game, he'll be a force even at this young age.

WV will certainly bring it to him under the Boards and their slashing guards will be a real test in the Paint.

Should be a great game. Go Zags.

[kitzbuel]

Dower, GLE and GBJ are key. If Dower can pick up his intensity defensively and Guy and Gary are active defensively, WVU will have a hard time running its offense.

[Reborn]

Special K, the Big Karnowski, the Prze's affect will be notably diminished from Friday's game. Welcome to the world of Division 1 big time college basketball, Przemek. Cheerfully looking forward to Board reality check re the Polish "phenom". Predict will play less than 15 minutes after accumulating early fouls and 1 for 6 FG against interior defense that (except for his Turkish counterpart) doubles his 15" vertical. Let the howling begin.

I am so excited to see what you have to say after the game. Thanks for your different perspective of the game. I appreciate your views, even though mine are different. I do agree that PK has not been tested in the way that he will be on Monday. I just disagree about how he will handle WVU. I think he passes the test.

[LongIslandZagFan]

Neers 128
Zags 40