Gonzaga vs St Mary's Post Game thoughts and analysis

[Reborn]

Gonzaga 94
St Mary's 46

Come on now, let's celebrate. There's a party going on down here. A celebration that'll last throughout the year.

This may have been the best basketball I've ever seen a Zag team play. Why do I say that? Look at the score. Against St Mary's. If you know me you know I love passing, and I've never seen ANY team pass the basketball the way the Zags did tonight. I've seen passes like the ones I saw tonight on a hard wood floor, but they were outside on concrete floors and chain nets. Perkins is definitely an artist/magician with the basketball. But I'm tellin ya, I think Crandall is really in another zone. That guy is G R E A T. Did you see that behind the back pass? OMG!!! I will watch this game many times because of the passing. I want to see them over and over and over. I have never shaken my head so many times as I did tonight. Just unbelievable plays.

And all the dunks, as a result of the dynamic passes, and blocked shots made me totally hysterical. It was unreal, and surreal. I started wondering if Clark was playing on pogo sticks. And Rui too. Clarke really was out of his mind tonight. Like I said earlier today, I'll take him over Zion any day. Gonzaga beating Duke earlier this year was no fluke. Yeah! Duke played awesome today against Virginia. And I"m sure it fired the Zags up and made them want to play the way they did. The story line is beginning to build up. Little 'ol Gonzaga out West vs the big giant in the East, Duke.

Zags had 22 assists and just 6 turnovers. They had 9 steals. Clarke led the team in scoring with 24 followed by Rui Hachimura with18, Norvell 12, Kispert 10 and Petrusive off the bench with 15. I was so happy to see him play so well. I missed him. I really did. That's five guys in double figures. Not bad.The team shot 58% for the game and 44% from behind the arc. They shot 80% from the foul line. It was an awesome offensive night.

I am not ashamed to be giddy tonight. It's just how I feel. These two games this week were just so cool. The Zag student body looked so crazy and so giddy on TV tonight. They were just plain having a ball. And now that I'm thinking about it, so were the Zags. They were just so loose tonight. They were racing down the court like a bunch of horses in the Kentucky Derby. It was all about speed tonight.

My last thought is, "I wish I had been in the Kennel tonight. I am sure it was electric inside there. Someone please tell me what it was like to be there. I love this team,

Go Zags!!!

[ZagzKrak]

My favorite play of the night was Rui taking the ball all the way down the court, dribble between his legs by 2 defenders, then spin around to a huge dunk. I knew the game was over at that point...we just have a different level of athletes then they have this year.

[Reborn]

My favorite play of the night was Rui taking the ball all the way down the court, dribble between his legs by 2 defenders, then spin around to a huge dunk. I knew the game was over at that point...we just have a different level of athletes then they have this year.

Yes! For sure! It was unbelievable. I think Rui was kind of surprised by what he did.

[CDC84]

Did anyone see our elite recruits at the Kennel this evening?? I would imagine that both guys were impressed by the show.

St. Mary’s was 15-9 coming into tonight’s game vs. Gonzaga. Even with tonight’s destruction of the Gaels, they are still 12th in the country in offensive efficiency at kenpom.com.

Teams with SMC’s credentials RARELY lose by 48 points to anyone. I realize it’s not one of Randy’s better teams, but they are still 15-10 after tonight, and 12th in the country in offensive efficiency. There’s no way that teams like Louisville, Houston, Virginia Tech, Nevada or Wisconsin are coming close to blasting that team by 48 points. The Gaels only lost to a 19-4 LSU team by 4 on a neutral floor. Since SMC went through that 4 game losing streak in November, they have not lost a game by more than 7 points until tonight. They are not a BAD team.

Gonzaga is just that powerful.

[CDC84]

GU is now at 128.0 in offensive efficiency, and #20 in the nation in defense efficiency. They have passed Villanova and are just 1.1 from surpassing 2015 Wisconsin who has the highest offensive efficiency rating in the Pomeroy era. Of course that rating is what Wisconsin finished the season with......all the way to the national title game. Pretty amazing on the Badger's part.

[Skimhvn]

My favorite play of the night was Rui taking the ball all the way down the court, dribble between his legs by 2 defenders, then spin around to a huge dunk. I knew the game was over at that point...

That's what I thought

[GonzagasaurusFlex]

I’m definitely rewatching this game later today as it was as joyous to watch as it seemed the Zags were playing together. These guys are on a mission together. Their intensity, focus and determinatiion is off the charts. A couple random postgame thoughts:
- Jeremy Jones really impresses me. He plays great D, knocks down the shots the team needs him to take cause he’s open and keeps the D honest. There was one play last night where Zags were reversing the ball and JJ just made the pass so quickly and w speed that the next guys pass gave (Kispert?Norvell?Crandall?) a wide open shot. Ball movement was fantastic.
-Norvell is in a groove shooting very high % and looking great. Also love how he attacks the rim fearlessly.
- Clarke has taken his game to the next level. Dude plays w such great intensity. Methinks he and Rui are bringing out the best in one another. Healthy competition between those two to carry this team and be the focal point on offense.
- Kispert is being a lunch pail do everything blue collar guy for this squad. He too plays w great intensity. Love to see him playing w confidence. Man, if Coach Knight could devise an off-season routine that would improve CK’s lateral quickness and handles, he could be a superstar as an upperclassman. CK only a sophomore!
- PERKINS! Never seen a PG be such a focal point and catalyst for his team with so little accolades or need for attention. Josh Perkins is content to be this team’s maestro facilitator; I believe any postseason talk of team MVP really ought to start and finish w Perkins. His leadership, unselfishness and warrior mentality sets the tone for “his guys”. I love JP and it is for him more than any other player I hope these Zags win the National Champiinship. Dude deserves it

[VinnyZag]

They allowed .71 points per possession to a very good SMC offense. Incredible.

[bartruff1]

Randy was completely relaxed during the game.... and so gracious at the end..... that he smiled and exchanged some pleasantries with Few..

I keep hearing/reading how much better the WCC is this year....should I believe that or my lying eyes.....Gonzaga has humiliated them to the extent that there is no chance for one of them to get a at large bid.....

[zagamatic]

After the Portland game, I started to think to myself "here we go again. ...playing down to our competitors level, just like every year." And then, wow, have I been pleasantly surprised. This team is playing with an edge that I haven't seen from any Zags team this time of year. The reason why this is important is that they need to keep it up going into the tournament. I don't know what the staff said after the Portland game, but I hope that they wrote it down or have video or something.

[TexasZagFan]

Randy was completely relaxed during the game.... and so gracious at the end..... that he smiled and exchanged some pleasantries with Few..

I keep hearing/reading how much better the WCC is this year....should I believe that or my lying eyes.....Gonzaga has humiliated them to the extend that there is no chance for one of them to get a at large bid.....

bart, I think the WCC is better than last year, given how the teams have performed in OOC. This group of Zags has a focus to it that exceeds any Zag team I've seen in the past.

I'm watching last night's game...second half, up by 40, and they're still mercilessly hounding the Gaels on defense. It's not just Zach, they're all cold blooded assassins on the court.

[BayAreaZagFan]

Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Probably the best game we've played in this "rivalry". I can't wait to see my St. Mary's-graduate coworker on Monday - he told me on Friday, "I feel good about this game. We'll give them a tough fight." That's the closest he's come to complimenting the Zags since I've known him.

[Stache]

The only possible way last night could have been better? Omar Ham-Sandwich decides to make a return trip to the MAC and sits behind Randy Bennett and the bench. That would have been an oversized cherry on it.

[JAGzag]

Overseas right now and missed the game. Any idea where to watch it that’s not on ESPN??

[bballbeachbum]

enjoyed reading all of these posts this morning.

love what the backcourt is doing, and Flex's breakdown of those players above.

just wanted to highlight Zach, what he is doing these days. just 6 shots last night but also 4-4 FTs for his 12 points, within the offense designed around Rui and BC and ignited by Josh, and a big part of the team D that keeps rising. His game maturity growth has been fun to watch this season and a big key to what's happening lately imo

and the Zag bench, even without KT (which sucks), was awesome again and the level of play didn't wane, put a ton of pressure on SMC, no let up, and now Josh and Zach can return fresh instead of still gassed after a one minute blow. it's a rising tide floating all boats