NBC Sports: Gonzaga on Upset Alert

[Zag4Hire]

Santa Clara is getting a lot of stock out of losing to Duke (similar to Gonzaga losing a few years ago at Michigan State). The author doesn't actually say SCU wins but 'will give Gonzaga a fight'. You could say that about all WCC road games.

In a word: DOOMED!

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/04/weekend-preview-no-10-gonzaga-on-upset-watch/

[HenneZag]

Wcc

the WCC in general is much much stronger, you have to bring it every night or you are in danger of losing. Look @ BYU last night, absolutely destroyed a respectful LMU team by nearly 40! Pepp gave us a fight the whole game.

We will be tested several times throughout the conference, and I could see us dropping 4 games or so if we don't execute. BYU/SC/SM all very scary teams.

We always have the target on our backs, but especially now getting all of the PUB and holding that #10 ranking, going to be a "dog fight" every game.

[BobZag]

When I saw the schedule a few months ago, I pegged this SCU game as a loss. Zags have been flying around for a week, staying in strange hotels in different cities, eating hotel/restaurant food, trying to stay fresh but if you have ever slept in hotels in three cities for a week you know how sloggy you start feeling... If it were the NBA, the third away game in 7 days is no problem. But not a college team... And SCU has the ideal weaponry to shoot down the Zags.

I agree with NBC Sports. Be prepared to welcome Zags home with 14-2 record.

[ZagMan in Philly]

Whenever I pick the Zags to lose, they win. And, yes, I am picking them to lose.

[jim77]

After that trip to NEW YOWK (peperdine) for the filiming of "streetball2"...and no trips to the emergency room. I'd say the Zags feel providence is on their side. Zags by 3.

[zagzilla]

Definitely could drop this game if they start slow and play flat.

Checking with realtimerpi.com, they predict we lose 74-73. Interestingly they also predict we drop 2 other WCC road games (BYU and SMC) 74-73 as well.

I think the good news is that we won't be looking past SCU like we may have otherwise. Everybody knows they are good, so the team will be focused. Having said that, this is the longest road trip for GU that I can recall and energy level may be an issue. Glad that the starters didn't play heavy minutes last night.

Go Zags

ZZ

[stevet75]

We're going to win this one. We struggle for a while, but our depth wears them down 3/4 of the way through the second half.

[titopoet]

Santa Clara is getting a lot of stock out of losing to Duke (similar to Gonzaga losing a few years ago at Michigan State). The author doesn't actually say SCU wins but 'will give Gonzaga a fight'. You could say that about all WCC road games.

In a word: DOOMED!

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcspor...n-upset-watch/

I understand his point, but man, Rob Dauster, (the author) get another phrase other than the "real deal." First. it's cliched. Second, more than once in an article is annoying.

[HenneZag]

Foster

We shut him down in Spokane last year...0-4 from 3, think he ended with 9 total points.

SC has better balance this year with the addition of Trasolin back in the line up...Roquemore is a fantastic guard that can dish with the best of them and hit the 3.

If we can contain Foster and wheter the storm (you know they will hit some 3's) then we will be ok. Our guards need to have an above average perimeter game and our bigs need to continue to be consistent.

If Foster goes off we are in trouble tommorrow night, I say we put Hart on Foster and have him shadow him and disrupt his flow.

[DZ]

The fact that this game screams out "loss!" from all angles b/c of all the considerations listed above gives me some hope that we will go into it with the right fighting attitude. We should go into the game with the "underdog" mentality, as the team with something to prove.

It can rightfully be questioned that even if we come in with the right attitude, do we have the legs to get it done and here is where I think we throw some caution in the wind and play in waves - go 10 deep so that there is never a "soft" defender on the floor.

I picked us to lose at OkSt and so I am playing with house money and I think that the guys should play just as lose, they are the better team, they just need to take the right approach, not try to play safe (the WCC officials will not let them anyway) but play to win - big.

I think that this is a pretty critical early season conference game in that we can put a decent win between us and the others early.

[CaliforniaZaggin']

Child, please. Zags by 15+.

[gamagin]

any and all

warnings are good for the Zags to help with the focus, imo. Pepp was great for us.

We had to get our stuff together while a bunch of football players, and a couple of excellent shooters, did their best to get us and keep us on our heels, frustrated and off balance. That is everyone's game plan vs. us.

And the best teams at doing that are the top 2-3 in the league because they know everything else there is to know about us, except whether they can string together enough of a plan, any plan that will work, to beat us.

I think the answer this year is our foes will lose unless they can manage to beat all 10 Zags in the rotation, mentally and physically, for an entire 40 minutes. And that is what they will try to do.

[jazzdelmar]

live or die with KP. Harris, Kelly and Hart are very consistent and Bell hasnt been one to count on, save for his Meechian gamewinner. KP hot GU wins.

[siliconzag]

An important factor

in this game is that the Rough Riders will not be in full force, not having yet returned from Christmas break. I have heard from many of you how intimidating the Kennel Club can be, but believe me, the Rough Riders are a noisy bunch, and while I would not care to conjecture which section is better, I have heard the decibel level in Leavy rise to a deafening level. I love the atmosphere there, and will never forget the first time DD played their and their "You suck D---au" cheer. I snorted the pepsi right out my nose. Hilarious.

I think this is a trap game. If the Zags escape, they are going to need to be both lucky and good. They cannot count on just one. They need both, I've been there when teams just as good as this one lost.

For those of you who are bacchetoni, start praying. I think it couldn't hurt.

Sili

Apologies to Dixie Zag, didn't see your post first.

[hooter73]

This would even be talked about if Duke hadnt played so poorly a week or so ago.