Scouting Report: Santa Clara

Scouting Report

W-L:11-9
RPI:150
SOS:168
Best Wins:
#85 @ Utah 72-57

Current Rankings:
n/a

Team Leaders:
Points: John Bryant 17.5
Assists: Brody Angley 5.4
Rebounds: John Bryant 9.4

Best Player:
John Bryant, Jr., 6-10 305, C
The beast from the west lives up to his namesake in more than one way. Mr. Bryant seems to toy with opponents at times. He shoots almost 60% from the field. I expect him to thoroughly handle any and all big men the zags throw at him.

Brody Angley,Sr., 5-11 195, PG
The resident senior leader, hits about 40% from three. Angley is a very good passer and definitely has a knack for knowing when to get it down low to the beast. I expect Angley and Bryant to have good games against the zags and give them some trouble.

MY Prediction:
Again i expect the Broncos to give the zags some trouble down low. The zags average about 11 more ppg and hold opponents to a lower shooting clip than the broncs, i expect Santa Clara to give us some problems, but overall i think the zags have a much more well rounded team.

Final Score: Gonzaga 74 Santa Clara 67

Recap: Portland @ Gonzaga

Recap

Final Score: Gonzaga 79 Portland 41

Box score snapshot
Scorer: Austin Daye 19 points
Rebounder: Austin Daye 13 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin 4 Assists
Swatter: Austin Daye 2 Blocks
Theif: Matt Bouldin 2 Steals

Game MVP: Austin Daye
19 points, 13 Boards, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 67% from the field.

Team Comparison: Zags/Pilots
Points: 79/41
assist to turnover ratio:+1.25/-.41
Rebounds:42/27
Shooting Percentage: 48%/26%
3pt Percentage: 29%/21%

Notes from the sideline:
Game was not televised, no view from sideline...

What it means for the future (Analysis):
As i expected, a blowout. The zags had quite the run at it. I expect the zags to be on cruise control until they go to Saint Mary's next week.

SUPER 16 Rankings

SUPER 16

(RPI in parenthesis)

1. Memphis 19-0 (2)
2. Kansas 19-0 (3)
3. Duke 17-1 (5)
4. Georgetown 16-2 (9)
5. Michigan St. 18-2 (6)
6. North Carolina 19-1 (4)
7. Tennessee 16-2 (1)
8. Washington St. 17-2 (10)
9. UCLA 17-2 (12)
10. Indiana 17-2 (31)
11. Texas 15-3 (14)
12. St. Mary's 16-2 (15)
13. Drake 16-1 (8)
14. Butler 19-2 (22)
15. xavier 17-4 (11)
16. Wisconsin 16-3 (19)

Scouting Report: Portland @ Gonzaga

Scouting Report

W-L:7-13
RPI:292
SOS:296
Best Wins:
#176 @ Pepperdine 82-78

Current Rankings:
n/a

Team Leaders:
Points: Nik Raivio 12.4
Assists: Taishi Ito 3.9
Rebounds: Luke Sikma 8.2

Best Player:
Luke Sikma, Fr., 6-8 215, PF
The namesake says it all, The son of Sonics legend Jack Sikma. He has had plenty of big man training from one of the best. Luke plays with a ferocious desire for rebounds. He had at least 10 in the first 4 games of the season, paired with Nik Raivio, he will be the mainstay for the next 4 years in Portland.

Nik Raivio,So., 6-4 195, PG
The brother of former Zag Derek. Its too bad the Zags couldnt get the inside track on Nik, but thankfully he is only a sophomore and not the gamer that his brother is. He will be a star ifor the next couple years.

MY Prediction:
Simply, this is what it looks like, another Zags Blowout win. The Pilots are a young squad with potential, but i dont think they have what it takes to beat the zags.
Final Score: Gonzaga 85 Portland 67

Recap: Gonzaga @ Memphis

Recap

Final Score: Memphis 81 Gonzaga 73

Box score snapshot
Scorer: Jeremy Pargo 25 points
Rebounder: Josh Heytvelt 7 Boards
Passer:Jeremy Pargo 7 Assists
Swatter: Abdullahi Kuso 2 Blocks
Theif: Jeremy Pargo/Josh Heytvelt 2 Steals

Game MVP: Jeremy Pargo
25 points, 7 assists, 2 Boards, 2 steals, 56% from FG. Pargo came out to show that he could compete with his inner city rival Derrick Rose, arguably he did, Rose obviously is more athletic with greater court vision, but Pargo is a superior scorer and slasher.

Team Comparison: Tigers/Zags
Points: 81/73
assist to turnover ratio:+1.4/+1.2
Rebounds:39/25
Shooting Percentage: 56%/43%
3pt Percentage: 46.7%/46.6%

Notes from the sideline:
-Let me start this to say that everything that could have been against the zags, was against them; 9am Pacific Start time, true away game, Crazy Crowd, #1 team in nation, poor shooting to start the game off, ect. And through it all they still managed to get very close to knocking off the Tigers multiple times. Great game.
-It's sad, but Josh Heytvelt looks like he may not regain last seasons form. It could be until next year before he has his athleticism and conditioning back.
-Matt Bouldin continued his ways of seeming to disappear when he gets to a big game.
-I think i saw more airballs out of Gonzaga than all the rest of their games ive seen combined.
-For a brief moment, Micah Downs flashed his all american talent hitting 3 threes towards the end of the 1st half. Will this be shown again?
-During the 1st half the zags made a nice run at the tigers going on a 19-5 run. Of course it didnt help that they started the game down by 12.

What it means for the future (Analysis):
It means that the zags finish their Non Conference schedule without a top 25 win. Late losses to UT, Memphis, and Wazzu were heart breaking and if the zags cannot beat out St. Mary's in Conference and win the conference tourney the possibility looms that the zags could miss the tourney for the first time in many years. This being said, i think the zags will split the season set with the Gaels and even without a conference title, which is still attainable, i think they are an At-large lock with wins over UConn, Utah, St. Josephs, Georgia, Western Kentucky, and at least 1 over St. Mary's.

Scouting Report: Gonzaga @ Memphis

Scouting Report

W-L:18-0
RPI:4
SOS:53
Best Wins:
#7 @ Arizona 76-63
#11 @ Georgetown 85-71


Current Rankings:
ESPN/USA Today #1
Power 16 #1
AP #1

Team Leaders:
Points: Chris Douglas-Roberts 16.6
Assists: Derrick Rose 4.2
Rebounds: Joey Dorsey 10.4

Best Player:
Chris Douglas-Roberts, Jr., 6-7 200, SG
Mr. Roberts is a poor mans Rodney Carney. Many may remember Carney when he shredded Gonzaga two years ago versus Adam Morrison. Chris is very versatile on the offensive end and plays solid enough D that he can hold his own with most top shooters in the country. His only knock is his less than special physical frame.

Derrick Rose, Fr., 6-3 190, PG
The Freshman phenom is vying with D.J. Augustine(Texas) for the best pointman in the nation award. He is silky smooth at times and might be a top 3 PG in the NBA in the next 5 years. He is the cog that will take Memphis from being an Elite 8 team to being a Final 4 or National Championship contender. That being said, do not expect him to stick around, this is a one and done player.

MY Prediction:
This might be the toughest test the Zags will have all year, including tourney time. If the zags can come out shooting at a high clip and play stingy defense, this team has a chance to walk out of the Fed Ex forum with a big upset. That being said, i am a pessimist and i dont think the zags will get the calls or shots necessary to knock off the big Giant. I think this one will be as close as last year though, a final seconds squeaker which will open many eyes on the talent level of the zags even with a 75% Heytvelt.
Final Score: Memphis 85 Gonzaga 82

Recap: San Francisco @ Gonzaga

Note: First off i want to preface this to say that im sorry for those who were looking for the scouting report this weekend and the weekly rankings, it has been a busy weekend. I will post my weekly rankings later today.

Recap

Final Score: Gonzaga 72 San Francisco 64

Box score snapshot
Scorer: Steven Gray 16 points
Rebounder: Josh Heytvelt 7 Boards
Passer:Jeremy Pargo 6 Assists
Swatter: Josh Heytvelt 2 Blocks
Theif: Steven Gray 5 Steals

Game MVP: Steven Gray
16 points, 3 Boards, 5 steals, 1 assists, 2-5 from three. I think gray showed a certain maturity that belies his years last night. When the whole team seemed to lose its composure at times, Gray was out there working his tail off trying to keep the zags from beating themselves. I also saw some excellent perimeter defense and ball handling leading me to think how good could gray be in the next couple years?

Team Comparison: Zags/Dons
Points: 72/64
assist to turnover ratio:+1.45/-.77
Rebounds:35/30
Shooting Percentage: 43%/40%
3pt Percentage: 35%/39%

Notes from the sideline:
-Very ugly match, the zags appeared to be skating by to begin and end the match. Honestly they are lucky this was not a better competitor as this would be loss #5.
-Austin Daye again had a great game, despite the flu that has been holding him back in the last couple games he has been brilliant when on the floor.
- Matt Bouldin finally ended his run of games with at least 15 points, however he still played very well all around.
-Heytvelt seemed to regress on his conditioning and still doesnt appear to have regained his low post scoring stroke yet.
-Ira Brown has shown some decent athleticism in recent games and i wonder why few has not tryed to tinker with him in a few other lineups.
-This game was definitely the poorest shooting ive seen from the zags in a few weeks.
-Coach Sutton showed some big class taking time with each player as he congratulated them on a win, taking a little extra time to speak with Matt Bouldin and Austin Daye.

What it means for the future (Analysis):
Well it means that Eddie Sutton will need to wait at least another game to get Win number 800. It also means the zags have a lot of loose ends to tie up in practice to get to where they need to be to give Memphis a run on saturday. I expect Mark Few to have this team fully prepared for the showdown with #1.

Recap: San Diego @ Gonzaga

Recap

Final Score: Gonzaga 80 San Diego 70

Box score snapshot
Scorer: Matt Bouldin 16 points
Rebounder: David Pendergraft 9 Boards
Passer:Jeremy Pargo 8 Assists
Swatter: David Pendergraft 2 Blocks
Theif: David Pendergraft/Steven Gray 4 Steals

Game MVP: David Pendergraft
8 points, 9 Boards, 4 steals, 2 blocks, 2 assists, 2-3 from three. I gotta give this one to Pendo, Mr. Zag was spot on tonight. The little things may be ugly, but dang he does them so well he makes them look good.

Team Comparison: Zags/Toreros
Points: 80/70
assist to turnover ratio:-.89/-.67
Rebounds:30/31
Shooting Percentage: 56%/43%
3pt Percentage: 53%/45%

Notes from the sideline:
-The Zags opened the contest with 15 unanswered points showing a offensive boom that i have not seen any other time this season.
-Gonzaga hosted a 2009 3 star recruit, Marshall Henderson, of Bell High in Hurst, TX and he walked away with an offer. He is 6-2 165 pound Point Guard.
-Austin Daye, after having a great game versus pepperdine, surprisingly only got 9 minutes and didnt seem to play that bad 4 points 2-3 shooting. His learning curve is starting to get smaller thanks to Mark Fews Vigilance.
- Matt Bouldin has been brilliant in the last 6 games scoring at a clip of 19.5 ppg which has boosted his season average to 15.9 ppg.
-Heytvelt seems like he is finally getting his conditioning right.
-The perimeter defense took a step back allowing 45% from three.
-Eddie Sutton won his 799th game on saturday night which means the quest for 800 starts at the kennel on national television. Dont expect the zags to be fazed.

What it means for the future (Analysis):
I see a bitter rivalry brewing in the next few years with San Diego, although the zags handedly beat Coach Griers squad tonight. This showed that the zags are still improving. The shooting percentage has been a lot higher as a team since the return of Heytvelt and Gray. I think with one last game to warm up for Memphis, the zags are going to put it all together and have the best opportunity of any team in the country to end Memphis' run for perfection.

Scouting Report: San Diego @ Gonzaga

Scouting Report
W-L:8-10
RPI:183
SOS:103
Best Wins: #174 @ UC Irvine 60-57
#180 @ Kentucky 81-72


Current Rankings:
n/a

Team Leaders:
Points: Brandon Johnson 16.8
Assists: Brandon Johnson 3.1
Rebounds: Gyno Pomare 7.3

Best Player:
Gyno Pomare, Jr., 6-7 220, PF
One of the better Rebounders and low post scorers in the west coast conference. Gyno is averaging a little over 55% from the field on the year. He will be a handful for Josh Heytvelt to handle down low. I expect Gyno to perform well and give San Diego a chance in this game.

Brandon Johnson,Jr., 6-0 195, PG
Brandon is the leading scorer, passer, and thief on this young team. He also leads the team in turnovers with 3.4 per contest and is second in threes with 39%. He has had 10 games with over 17 points and is definitely the best scorer on the toreros roster.

MY Prediction:
Bill Grier hopes to lead his upstart Toreros over his former boss, Mark Few. San Diego has impressed many this year with their tenacious play(Upset over Kentucky) but i think they are a little overrated. I credit the toreros for walking into rupp arena and coming out with a win, but UK is having one of its worst seasons in recent memory. Gonzaga marks the first real test of the season in what has been a largely inconsistent year. I give the edge to the zags due to home court advantage and far superior depth.
Final Score: Gonzaga 82 San Diego 75

Recap: Gonzaga @ Pepperdine

Final Score: Gonzaga Wins 92-57!

Box score snapshot:

Scorer: Austin Daye 19 points
Rebounder: Josh Heytvelt 7 Boards
Passer: Jeremy Pargo 8 Assists
Swatter: Austin Daye 2 Blocks
Theif: Jeremy Pargo 6 Steals

Game MVP: Austin Daye
19 points, 6 boards, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal and 3-3 from the FT line. This was the best all around performance of the year for Daye. I would say Matt Bouldin again set the tone for the game, but Daye was excellent, edge Austin Daye.

Team Comparison: Zags/Waves
Points: 92/57
assist to turnover ratio:+1.2/-.44
Rebounds:41/24
Shooting Percentage: 59%/37%
3pt Percentage: 39%/22%

Zags outperformed the waves in almost every category...

Notes from the sideline:
-The game opened with an emphasis on Good ball distribution, Pepperdine was forced to run around back and forth to no avail as GU made solid team passing a priority.
-GU showed excellent perimeter defensive awareness, jumping into passing lanes and knocking the ball loose.
-I had an epiphany about Micah Downs...teach him how to shoot with pressure before giving him the ball, the man flat out takes 2-3 crappy threes a game.
-Austin Daye is seeming to start to get "it"; its nice to see Mark Few in his ear every 5 seconds.
-During the first 10-12 minutes Josh Heytvelt was a non factor, the team needs to work on getting him more solid low post passes, especially against St. Mary's and Memphis.
- Zags shot about 73% in first 15 minutes of the game...definitely a hot shooting night.
- Started to trail off towards the end of the first half and into the second half, the game could have been 50-60 point win if they had kept their composure.
- Pepperdine looked lost on the offensive and defensive end for long stretches.
- During the Last 4 minutes we saw a strange lineup: Andrew Sorenson, Ira Brown, Robert Sacre, Larry Gurganious, and Steven Gray.

What it means for the future (Analysis):
Really was not a barometer for the zags, however it did show that the offense is starting to finally gel together. This team is leaps and bounds better than they were even on saturday night versus LMU.

Recruiting Update

In June 2006, Mark Few knocked down his first solid verbal of the 2010 Season. Ok well we are still in the 2008 season, which means anyone who commits for the 2010 season is a junior in high school and 2 years away, but nonetheless its another sign that Few has eclipsed the "mid major" recruiting label. Here is the info on the zags commit;

Brock Osweiler

Well first off he is a 3 star recruit out of Kalispell, MT. He is 6-8 215 pounds and is still growing and continuing conditioning and strength training adding more and more muscle to his frame. Some think he might reach 6-10 before hes done. Brock may be one of the most college ready recruits the zags have nabbed in recent memory and will make a case to start immediately. He looks like a zag, the moppy hair suggests an homage to Matt Bouldin, Dan Dickau, and Adam Morrison. Secondly he is in the mold of zags in his unselfish style of play. He is very athletic, known for his legendary pregame 360 slam as a freshman. I have not been able to find any video footage of him yet, but as soon as i do i will post it.

Scouting Report: Gonzaga @ Pepperdine

Scouting Report:
W-L:5-11
RPI:75
SOS(Strength of Schedule):165
Best Wins:
#137 @ N. Arizona 93-87 OT
#149 @ Pacific 83-65

Current Rankings:
N/A

Leading Statistics:
Points: Orlando Johnson 13.1
Assists: Corey Counts 2.9
Rebounds: Orlando Johnson 5.1

Best Player:
Tyrone Shelley, Fr., 6-6 210 F/G
One of the more Gifted players that has come through Malibu in recent years. He has shown the ability to take over a game at times this year, but has also been very inconsistent. Very good rebounding wing. He's not the best shooter, only 42% from the field and 28% from 3. He's had 9 games over 17 points on the year, including a two game stretch with 34 and 25 respectively. Coach Vance has a nice wing here.

My Prediction:
When it comes to depth the zags out match the Waves in pretty much every way. The Waves shoot 42% from the field and an even worse 30% from three. Final score Gonzaga 90 Pepperdine 67.

Weekly top 16 Rankings

Weekly top 16 Rankings

RPI in parenthesis

1. Memphis 15-0 (2)
2. Kansas 16-0 (7)
3. North Carolina 17-0 (1)
4. UCLA 16-1 (6)
5. Tennessee 14-1 (3)
6. Texas A&M 15-1 (21)
7. Duke 13-1 (13)
8. Georgetown 13-1 (22)
9. Dayton 14-1 (4)
10. Michigan St. 14-2 (8)
11. Washington St. 14-1 (25)
12. Indiana 14-1 (33)
13. Butler 16-1 (17)
14. Pittsburgh 14-2 (10)
15. Wisconsin 13-2 (19)
16. Marquette 13-2 (16)

Others Receiving Attention

xavier 14-3 (11)
Vanderbilt 16-1 (12)
Texas 13-3 (14)
St. Mary's 14-2 (5)
Mississippi 14-1 (20)
Rhode Island 15-2 (15)
Arkansas 13-3 (32)
Clemson 13-3 (37)
Drake 12-1 (18)

Recap: Gonzaga @ Loyola Marymount

Final Score: Gonzaga 91 Loyola Marymount 68



Well two things happened here, the zags shot the lights out with a season high 65.4% from the field and had a season high 91 points. Josh Heytvelt continued his return from injury with 19 points in 21 minutes, although he seemed to lapse at times. Jeremy Pargo started his return from the injury in the final moments of the Georgia game, he definately seemed a little sore out there at times. Pargo didnt attempt one shot in 21 minutes on the court. I still feel that the zags will be finally up to speed come the road trip to the Fedex forum in Memphis. All in all it was not a bad game, although i think it showed that the zags need to ratchet down on perimeter defense some more and keep working on continuity on the offensive end. Matt Bouldin continued his recent hot streak, he has averaged 21.3 points in the last 4 games. Stay tuned for the weekly rankings and the pepperdine preview tomorrow.

How bout the throwback to Morrison going off for 37 points in one half versus LMU:

Scouting Report: Gonzaga @ Loyola Marymount

Scouting Report:
W-L:3-13
RPI:272
SOS(Strength of Schedule):165
Best Games:
L #53 Vs. Sam Houston St. 72-50
L #47 Vs. New Mexico 66-83
L #84 @ Brigham Young 62-91
L #80 Vs. San Diego St. 56-78

Current Rankings:

Uh? U Serious?


Leading Statistics:
Points: Orlando Johnson 13.1
Assists: Corey Counts 2.9
Rebounds: Orlando Johnson 5.1


Top Players:
Orlando Johnson, Fr., 6-5 205 G
Not only the most talented player, but also one of the youngest on the team. Johnson comes into the game with just over 40% three point shooting percentage, which is a little low. He has had 5 games over 19 points and can come out shooting the rock with a high amount of attempts, but at times can disappear as well. Johnson kinda mirrors the Lions, wait till next year.

Jon Ziri, Sr., 6-2 200 SG
Ziri is the senior leader. Now as far as senior leaders go he is inconsistent. He's had excellent games and subpar games. He comes out with a 37% FG shooting and 28% on threes, not exactly scary.

My Prediction:
The Lions shoot a paltry 40% from the field and an even worse 32% from three. I really see no risk here for the Zags, expect a romp. Final score Gonzaga 92 Loyola Marymount 52.

Weekly Top 16 Rankings

I've decided to go with a top 16 Rankings to get down to the nitty gritty...i will list an additional 9 teams that are receiving attention to make a it a total of 25 teams ranked.

Weekly top 16 Rankings

1. Memphis 13-0 (1)
2. Kansas 14-0 (7)
3. North Carolina 15-0 (2)
4. UCLA 14-1 (14)
5. Michigan St. 13-1 (5)
6. Tennessee 12-1 (4)
7. Vanderbilt 15-0 (6)
8. Washington St. 13-0 (30)

9. Texas A&M 14-1 (22)
10. Duke 11-1 (23)
11. Georgetown 11-1 (32)
12. Indiana 12-1 (43)
13. Butler 14-1 (16)
14. Dayton 12-1 (7)
15. Texas 13-2 (22)
16. Pittsburgh 12-2 (8)

Others Receiving Attention

Mississippi 13-0 (11)
Marquette 11-2 (29)
Rhode Island 14-1 (18)
Wisconsin 12-2 (19)
Clemson 12-2 (25)
Villanova 11-2 (31)
Stanford 12-2 (38)
xavier 12-3 (10)
Oklahoma 12-3 (36)

Recap: Georgia @ Gonzaga

Final Score: Gonzaga 75 Georgia 67



Matt Bouldin continued his great play of late, scoring 21 points. Jeremy Pargo had a well rounded game getting 8 points, 8 boards and 5 assists. Josh Heytvelt continued to infiltrate the offense getting 28 minutes with 11 points and 5 boards. I think the biggest story of the night came courtesy of the zags ability to dominate the game. After the first 8 minutes they led for the rest of the game, at one point by as much as 18 points. Hopefully the zags will use this as a stepping stone as they start conference play and look forward to the late january matchup with #1 Memphis. LETS GO ZAGS! LETS GO!

Scouting Report: Georgia @ Gonzaga

Scouting Report:
W-L:8-3
RPI:194
SOS(Strength of Schedule):319
Best Games:
W #63 Vs. Wake Forest 72-50
L #71 Vs.(Neutral) Tulane 70-69
L #15 @ Wisconsin 68-49

Current Rankings:
AP:UR
USA Today/ESPN:UR
ESPN Power 16:UR


Leading Statistics:
Points: Billy Humphrey 12.3
Assists: Sundiata Gaines 5.6
Rebounds: Sundiata Gaines 4.8


Top 3 Players:


Billy Humphrey, Jr., 6-2 190 SG
Arrested for weapons charges back in Mid November. Shoots about 37% from 3, has 3 games over 15 points. He is probably the most creative offensive player for Dennis Feltons undermanned Georgia Team.

Sundiata Gaines, Sr., 6-1 210 PG
Sundiata Gaines is one of the country's most underrated point guards. Definitely Georgia's Senior Leader and most talented all around player. Leading the team in rebounds and assists, and second in points scored. Big Guard, similar in size to Jeremy Pargo. Not the best shooter, gets a lot of his points driving to the lane. Shooting Just 23% from 3 and only 41% overall. He has had two games over 24 points and he has a tendency to take a lot of shots.

Jeremy Price, Fr., 6-8 270 PF/C
Has produced best among talented incoming Freshman class. Shooting a high 65% so far with two games over 18 points. He has been getting a lot more minutes of late. He has scored more than 10 points in 5 straight games. Definitely the Low post leader.

My Prediction:
Georgia continues to be involved in the news for bad reasons, having dismissed their top 2 players, Mike Mercer and Takais Brown, and their Leading scorer, Billy Humphrey, being arrested on weapons charges earlier this year. This is not the same Georgia Team that Beat Gonzaga Last year 96-83 in Georgia. This team is definitely running a little weak on their depth currently. I expect this team to give Gonzaga a fight early on, but the zags should push ahead at home towards the end. Final score Gonzaga 77 Georgia 65.