Gonzaga vs Arkansas...predictions and other thoughts

[Reborn]

I believe the Zags will will tomorrow. I think it will be a very rugged, tough game like the game against Dayton. Let's see how the Zags handle this one tomorrow. I think it could very well be a 3 or 4 point victory for the Zags. We need a game like that. The Zags need another game like the one against Dayton, so they can redeem themselves, as well as prepare themselves for the close games coming this year. We're now 0-1 in close games. Let's make it one and one.

Sam is shooting well so far in the first two games in Maui. I hope he keeps it up, and think he will. We need his offensive game inside. But honestly we need him even more on Defense and the boards
PK will have another chance tomorrow to prove that he can play with toughness and courage, and he will be tested for sure. Arkansas is tough and athletic.

Can Gonzaga win when they are not shooting well from behind the 3 pt line? Im hopeing we don't have to find out tomorrow, but may.

What I hope to see? More of Coleman. At least 8 threes.

Gonzaga 82
Arkansas 76

[DZ]

Though I agree that it would be a huge learning experience to win a tight game by 3 or 4 points, I would be fine with blowing this team out of the gym with another hot shooting game.

We simply cannot afford to drop another game given our light weight schedule this year - not unless we want to pin our tournament lives upon winning the WCC tournament and I certainly don't.

Ideally, I would love to see Karno have a great game, get better position, play better defense and be somewhat a bigger force on the boards.

Like many, I would like to see Gary really be aggressive and lead the team in scoring.

I want to see Stocks take fewer risks early in the shot clock and not dribble drive himself into trouble.

Perimeter defense would be a nice attribute.

Out rebound them.

GU 85
Ark 75

[Mantua]

I want to see:
Rebounding and blocking out by everyone
Perimeter d
GBJ with just as many assists but more shots
Coleman (well-hydrated)
Dranginis
No one poking Dower in the eye
Garbage time

[ZagMan in Philly]

Zags have to play more physical and out rebound them. The two bigs stay out of foul trouble.
Just win!

[stevet75]

I think Dayton woke the Zags up, Chaminade gave them time to think about it and Arkansas will get the results.
Zags 90
Arkansas 78

[gonzagafan62]

I think Dayton woke the Zags up, Chaminade gave them time to think about it and Arkansas will get the results.
Zags 90
Arkansas 78

Gonzaga 99
Arkansas 84

[primal23]

GU 86
Ark 90

Karno and Dower get gassed and/or foul trouble.

[RenoZag]

Third game in three days = tired legs for both teams, jump shots that don't fall, free throws that don't drop, turnovers and silly fouls induced by fatigue. . .I don't expect a thing of beauty this afternoon. I do expect the Zags to compete and notch another "W"

Zags 78
Hogs 74

[bartruff1]

Third game in three days = tired legs for both teams, jump shots that don't fall, free throws that don't drop, turnovers and silly fouls induced by fatigue. . .I don't expect a thing of beauty this afternoon. I do expect the Zags to compete and notch another "W"

Zags 78
Hogs 74

Makes sense to me, but just to be slightly different....Gonzaga by 6....80-74.....

[McZag]

Lack of perimeter D combined with a tired, poor shooting effort will likely mean another teachable moment for the Zags.

Hogs 76
Zags 68

[kitzbuel]

I hope to see some really good fast break basketball. Guard penetration with trailers and kickouts moving off screens. Make Arkansas have to guard at a high pace and get them to be out of position on D and hand-checking and all the things that draw fouls now.

[Reborn]

Before the season started there was a thread asking for our opinions about how we thought the Zags would do in November. I said one loss. So far so good. Come on, Zags. Don't let me down today.

Go Zags!!!

[Zag4Hire]

What I hope to see? More of Coleman.

Reborn, exactly this. Don't know a lot about Arkansas but if I had to guess: a mid-to-lower level tier BCS school squad (big & athletic) with not a ton of shooters but can suck up rebounds. I don't know what the rest of you guys think but if the Hogs hit their FTs at a good clip, this sounds like a recipe for disaster. Just looked up Qualls and he is a 6'6" athletic looking guard and a potential matchup problem. I am going to put GU winning based upon Coleman's minutes: > or equal to 15 - GU wins; < 15 - GU loses.

Unfortunately, I think another reality check looms before turkey:

Hogs 80
Zags 77

[Ezag]

If they play like Dayton, we're in trouble. Even if Coleman plays well, we need more than Pangos and Dower scoring. Karno, Drag, Stocks and Bell need to step it up a couple notches

[Reborn]

Reborn, exactly this. Don't know a lot about Arkansas but if I had to guess: a mid-to-lower level tier BCS school squad (big & athletic) with not a ton of shooters but can suck up rebounds. I don't know what the rest of you guys think but if the Hogs hit their FTs at a good clip, this sounds like a recipe for disaster. Just looked up Qualls and he is a 6'6" athletic looking guard and a potential matchup problem. I am going to put GU winning based upon Coleman's minutes: > or equal to 15 - GU wins; < 15 - GU loses.

Unfortunately, I think another reality check looms before turkey:

Hogs 80
Zags 77

The Zags will indeed be tested, just as they were against Dayton. Arkansas is built much like Dayton. A tall, 6'6" guard (wing) and a very good small forward at 6'7" who will give Dower fits (imo) and is just too good for Barham to stop. This is a team that we need to play zone against. I felt that Few should have stuck with the zone defense against Dayton. Playing man to man against teams like Dayton and Arkansas will just cause the Zags to get into foul problems.

Unfortunately, Arkansas has a good 3 pt shooting team. So imo, we need to play a match-up zone. They are also good free-throw shooters so we do not want to put them on the line. That will happen if we play man to man. Part of Arkansas strength is their press, and tempo they play at. This could be a game in the 90's. I think GU will handle their press because one of our strengths is our ball handling and passing. I think this kind of game will be fun to watch.

I believe the Zags' loss to Dayton will help them get ready for Arkansas. I just believe that GU was not ready for the level of intensity that Dayton played at. Dayton had a fight in them that GU had not seen up to that point. Arkansas will play with that same intensity because honestly, they have not had the greatest of teams in the past five years or so. I think they may have a new coach who is trying to bring back the old style of Razorback basketball. He has the players on this team that seems to be doing that.

I think Gonzaga needs to come to grips with the fact that they are NOT seen by their opponents as a mid-major small university program. Teams who play GU now view us as an elite program and they take great pride in beating us. This was so true for Dayton. You could see it in their eyes. I think Arkansas will see this as a big game, but not quite as big as Dayton saw us. Afterall, Arkansas does come from a Power Conference. I think for them to beat Florida or Tennessee would be much bigger for them. Although Arkansas will play with intensity, I don't believe they will have quite the intensity that Dayton had. I believe that for today, this is a bigger game for GU then it is for Arkansas. For that reason we will see a higher level of intensity and fight in the Zags today then we saw against Dayton.