BYU vs Gonzaga Thread

[Color Me Badd Fan]

If I were a betting man, I would take Gonzaga. Gonzaga is peaking right now and BYU is not.

I think the same thing could be said of UNM at the end of the year, they were a young team and peaking towards the end of the year. If they had played Gonzaga's typically difficult non-conference schedule combined with its cushy conference schedule, UNM could have been a tournament team. They hammered BYU in the Marriott a day or two after Davies was suspended, and then it took 52 points from Jimmer and an injury to Gary for BYU to put those guys away in the conference tourney.

[Katy Lied]

Waste 2 minutes of your time and speculate with me:

What would happen if Coach Rose put Davies in the game vs. Gonzaga?

Davies is still eligible. He's a current student in good standing as far as the NCAA goes. He hasn't withdrawn from BYU. What's to stop him from playing?

It's not like Cecil is going to run onto the court to physically stop the game.

I imagine that Rose would be suspended afterward. But what if Rose is going somewhere else next year anyway? What would he have to lose?

[KillerDog]

Waste 2 minutes of your time and speculate with me:

What would happen if Coach Rose put Davies in the game vs. Gonzaga?

Davies is still eligible. He's a current student in good standing as far as the NCAA goes. He hasn't withdrawn from BYU. What's to stop him from playing?

It's not like Cecil is going to run onto the court to physically stop the game.

I imagine that Rose would be suspended afterward. But what if Rose is going somewhere else next year anyway? What would he have to lose?

Let's just let it go. We will play with the guys who are able to play. Think about this, what would Davies help us. Gonzaga is traditionally strong on interior D. Davies has trouble scoring on true bigs who move well and Gonzaga has 2 5-men who move well. The loss of Davies will be least felt in this game on the offensive end. We will spread them out and force a 7-footer to guard Noah at the 3 point line. 6-7, 245 lbs will try and guard KC or Abuou at the edge too (probably KC). This game will be won by pace and whoever can maximize their strength relative to the other team's strength. Oh yeah, and the Jimmer factor v the Gray factor.

[SeattleUte]

Who cares about spread and Ken Pomeroy. This is going to be an exciting basketball game. A couple of facts:

Gonzaga has done a poor job of defending the 3 point line this year. Not a spectacularly poor job but a poor job. Part of the reason is that their guards are not impressive defensively. Part of the reason is that their bigs are true bigs. We will be a difficult match-up for them because we spread the floor and will force their big guys to guard in space.

Gonzaga is a very good team in the paint. They have big athletic guys who know how to play the game. This is an advantage to them. I expect they will score more off of deep catches in the block than we will (it seems silly to have to say that because I expect 0 points off of catches in the block for us).

Gonzaga plays at an average pace for college hoops. This is to be expected given their size. We like to play at a faster than average pace. If we can push the pace, they will have trouble. Our ability to push off makes or misses will be critical. It will force their 5 and 4 to drage their 245+ lbs up and down the floor. It will also force them to go to their nearly equally talented back-up 5. It will also allow us to trade 3s for 2s.

Basically this game will be strength against weakness at both ends of the floor. Their interior scoring and rebounding against our interior defense and rebounding. Our outside scoring and spreading the floor against their defense in space.

Like all of you, I watched the SJU v. GU game and came away impressed with the 'Zags. I did not, otoh, come away fearful of either team. SJU looked like UNLV. In fact, I think the two teams are so similar that I would bet some of our UNLV stuff could have been our SJU stuff. Gonzaga beat SJU by forcing them to do stuff they didn't want to do. Luckily for Gonzaga, that played into their strength too. IOW, SJU is a dribble penetration team that can't shoot from range consistently. Gonzaga's defense is best at help side interior defense. Not a good matchup for SJU (that's why I picked the upset on both brackets.) That doesn't mean Gonzaga has miraculously become Kansas overnight. They still have weaknesses. I expect BYU will exploit those weaknesses.

VIking says that the fact that Gonzaga has three bigs who are outstanding basketball players is an advantage for BYU.

[SeattleUte]

Waste 2 minutes of your time and speculate with me:

What would happen if Coach Rose put Davies in the game vs. Gonzaga?

Davies is still eligible. He's a current student in good standing as far as the NCAA goes. He hasn't withdrawn from BYU. What's to stop him from playing?

It's not like Cecil is going to run onto the court to physically stop the game.

I imagine that Rose would be suspended afterward. But what if Rose is going somewhere else next year anyway? What would he have to lose?

ROSE WOULD BE MY HERO! I'D CHEER WILDLY FOR BYU, AND SHED TEARS AS THEY LED ROSE TO THE GALLOWS.

THEN I'D WRITE A SCREENPLAY ABOUT IT (if BYU won and Davies was the hero).

[Flystripper]

VIking says that the fact that Gonzaga has three bigs who are outstanding basketball players is an advantage for BYU.

It is an advantage for us when spreading the floor but it is not an advantage for us on the defensive end. Kdog is correct. This game is strength on offense versus weakness on defense for both teams.

[SeattleUte]

Waste 2 minutes of your time and speculate with me:

What would happen if Coach Rose put Davies in the game vs. Gonzaga?

Davies is still eligible. He's a current student in good standing as far as the NCAA goes. He hasn't withdrawn from BYU. What's to stop him from playing?

It's not like Cecil is going to run onto the court to physically stop the game.

I imagine that Rose would be suspended afterward. But what if Rose is going somewhere else next year anyway? What would he have to lose?

Katy, this is one of your finest. you do have flair, I'll say that for you.

[KillerDog]

VIking says that the fact that Gonzaga has three bigs who are outstanding basketball players is an advantage for BYU.

I read that post. I don't know what he's talking about. I suspect he is actually saying that Gonzaga is historically poor at guarding the deep ball and this year is no exception. I think he is also saying BYU can control pace better against a team that is big. I don't know if we can control the pace but if we can, that will be an advantage at altitude and with the beef some of those kids are carrying. I personally think forcing them to defend in space and help from outside in instead of inside out will give them problems. In no way would I trade our inside game for theirs though. Sacre is nice.

[KillerDog]

It is an advantage for us when spreading the floor but it is not an advantage for us on the defensive end. Kdog is correct. This game is strength on offense versus weakness on defense for both teams.

More than anything I think we need to rebound from all 5 spots if we want to win this game. Then we want to push off the miss to punish them for going to the offensive glass. The gameplan should be similar to our SDSU gameplans.

[jay santos]

Waste 2 minutes of your time and speculate with me:

What would happen if Coach Rose put Davies in the game vs. Gonzaga?

Davies is still eligible. He's a current student in good standing as far as the NCAA goes. He hasn't withdrawn from BYU. What's to stop him from playing?

It's not like Cecil is going to run onto the court to physically stop the game.

I imagine that Rose would be suspended afterward. But what if Rose is going somewhere else next year anyway? What would he have to lose?

My post in the Wofford game thread re: Eddie Jones suggesting Rose put Davies in with all the foul trouble...

omg that's so perfect. Rose would need to find a new job next year, but that would be awesome.

Oh I'm fantasizing now. Rose goes on the media before the game and says "I personally put in an appeal to BYU administration and plead Brandon's case and they sided with me, saying they made a harsh initial decision and with Brandon's repentant and humble attitude they decided to reinstate him".

Brandon comes out of the tunnel dressed in uni, starts the game, goes for 14 and 8, and BYU wins the game.

Meanwhile Elders Bednar, Eyring, etc are blowing a gasket.

[CardiacCoug]

I had a dream last night about the BYU-Gonzaga matchup.

BYU was down by 2 points with about 10 seconds left. The ball was inbounded to Jimmer in the front-court. Gonzaga was actually giving Jimmer quite a bit of space, but Jimmer absentmindedly backed up with the dribble and stepped over the half-court line. Turnover. Game over.

I woke up in a little bit of a panic -- then realized that BYU was still alive and the game won't take place until tomorrow.

[pellegrino]

ROSE WOULD BE MY HERO! I'D CHEER WILDLY FOR BYU, AND SHED TEARS AS THEY LED ROSE TO THE GALLOWS.

THEN I'D WRITE A SCREENPLAY ABOUT IT (if BYU won and Davies was the hero).

make sure you include a scene where racist remarks are directed toward Davis, we must keep up appearances.

[SeattleUte]

My post in the Wofford game thread re: Eddie Jones suggesting Rose put Davies in with all the foul trouble...

omg that's so perfect. Rose would need to find a new job next year, but that would be awesome.

Oh I'm fantasizing now. Rose goes on the media before the game and says "I personally put in an appeal to BYU administration and plead Brandon's case and they sided with me, saying they made a harsh initial decision and with Brandon's repentant and humble attitude they decided to reinstate him".

Brandon comes out of the tunnel dressed in uni, starts the game, goes for 14 and 8, and BYU wins the game.

Meanwhile Elders Bednar, Eyring, etc are blowing a gasket.

No, Rose just does it. Two minutes into the game Davies sprints to the locker room and then during a time out emerges in basketball uniform on cue and enters the game. BYU fans go nuts; mostly, some are confused.

In the movie they'll pan to to the old guys in suits with curmudgeonly frowns all in a row as Davies scores 25 and grabs 13 rebs and leads BYU to victory. Rose resigns during the post game, inciting an LDS revolution.

Better than Hoosiers.

[Flystripper]

No, Rose just does it. Two minutes into the game Davies sprints to the locker room and then during a time out emerges in basketball uniform on cue and enters the game. BYU fans go nuts; mostly, some are confused.

In the movie they'll pan to to the old guys in suits with curmudgeonly frowns all in a row as Davies scores 25 and grabs 13 rebs and leads BYU to victory. Rose resigns during the post game, inciting an LDS revolution.

Better than Hoosiers.

I have to admit I would love that movie for multiple reasons.

[Commando]

No, Rose just does it. Two minutes into the game Davies sprints to the locker room and then during a time out emerges in basketball uniform on cue and enters the game. BYU fans go nuts; mostly, some are confused.

In the movie they'll pan to to the old guys in suits with curmudgeonly frowns all in a row as Davies scores 25 and grabs 13 rebs and leads BYU to victory. Rose resigns during the post game, inciting an LDS revolution.

Better than Hoosiers.

Similar to the Soviets in the fancy seats in Rocky 4??