GAME THREAD: (3) Texas Tech vs. (1) Gonzaga, Elite 8, March 30, 2019

[CDC84]

3:09pm PT, TBS. more info to come.

[CDC84]

We have to understand this and appreciate it, regardless of Saturday's result. In the past five years, Gonzaga has made the national title game, two elite 8 games and two sweet 16 games. And they could've easily made the elite 8 three times if GU had handled 'Cuse's press better and not been victimized by a terrible ten second call that Few received a NCAA apology for. It's just amazing. Most programs would do almost anything to have this level of success, and yet GU continues to do it the right way (not that others don't), despite the FBI investigations and all the rest of the scandals that are hurting college basketball right now.

I think this goes back to around 2011 or so when Few started to take a more active role in recruiting once again, and also when the program realized it had to, despite its immense offensive skill and huge amount of wins, get tougher and more defensively minded in order to advance in the dance. It is not easy to tinker with things when you win 82% or your games. You want to stick with the formula.

But the fact of the matter is that GU was losing some NCAA tourney games that they should have won but failed to due to rebounding problems, defensive problems, players who felt they could just outscore anyone, etc. Few and his staff (some of which are not here now, like Leon Rice and RayG) did a lot of soul searching and dared to make some moves that I will admit were risky. I don't care what league you play in, if you win the amount of games that GU was winning, why make any changes???

It took a lot guts from the staff, and a lot of vision. Nonetheless, you aren't going to win every single battle, and we could see the Red Raiders take out the Zags on Saturday. But Gonzaga is on the right course and is focusing on the right things. What they have done the past 5 years has rarely been done in the annals of college basketball.

[CanadianZagsFan]

What’s the rotation going to look like ?
Who sees court time vs who’s see less?
Few shortened the rotation a tad versus FSU.

[gu03alum]

Go Zags!

[CDC84]

Every opponent brings a different strategy. All I know is that Culver is the most coveted NBA prospect that will be on the floor Saturday. GU has to find some way to check him. Norvell and Culver are the same size. With the way that Snacks has improved on D, he is likely to draw the initial assignment. But it's going to take a lot more than a one on one defender to hold that guy below his season averages. He's going to need a big game for TT to beat Gonzaga.

[MDABE80]

Lots of sliding over. More than Norvell will be needed. We'll have a good defensive scheme. Defensive struggles might be boring to some but this is where the money is on this one. Lets hope we shoot better than 40% from yesterday. We'll need points.

[tummydoc]

Hero ball by zach

[spike_jr]

we should be cup 6-8 and yet lucky to not be down 4

[DZ]

we should be cup 6-8 and yet lucky to not be down 4

Yep, try to get out of the half with a lead, or one possession game, and see if they can figure anything out.

Turnovers are just killing us.

But the pace is to our liking.

We should be up 10

I like where we are, relative to what it could be.

[MJ777]

Make some adjustments at halftime and survive and advance.

[rawkmandale]

Yep, try to get out of the half with a lead, or one possession game, and see if they can figure anything out.

Turnovers are just killing us.

But the pace is to our liking.

We should be up 10

I like where we are, relative to what it could be.

Agree.

[gonstu]

I’m here at the Honda Center. Lots of zag fans . But lots of Tech fans too, more than I anticipated. Whoever can make a good run will feel like they have a crowd advantage. That’s my take from the nosebleeds at least. Go zags!! So nervous!!

[Zags11]

Zn a no show. Kispert too. Turnovers and 3pt d killing us. Simple as that.

[Zags11]

Tough half. Cut turnovers down and stop 3s and we win.

[john montana]

Bounces going their way, and they are getting away with slaps. We are the better team. Just have to be stronger and make the ref call a few slaps. We should be up 8.

[gueastcoast]

Sure would be nice if the improved D last few mins were paired with some offensive efficiency.

As for the point about Few getting outcoached in the half-court - give me a break, troll. This is the game anyone paying attention expected.

[MontanaCoyote]

Don’t think we were ready for this game. Better be ready for 2nd half of it.

[CdAZagFan]

We had a bad stretch like that vs. Florida State... Multiple turnovers and bad shots in a row. Hopefully we got that out of our system and can get back to playing our style.

[tummydoc]

Keep calm and zag on

[GrizZAG]

Keep calm and zag on

Quit with sloppy plays and bad decisions..that simple. Clarke needs to stop forcing it and just make 8 footers. He’s really good on those.

[spike_jr]

damn it... two unforced turnovers.... and 2 fouls

[23dpg]

Goaltend!

[MDABE80]

TOs are ridiculous! 7 in a row!

[CdAZagFan]

That's why we need Norvell to keep his head in this game!

[MJ777]

Dumb shot; nice make