Zagaholic

Butler/ Gonzaga agree to home and home series

2011-07-05T17:35:00.003-04:00

According to David Woods, of the Indianapolis Star, Butler and Gonzaga have agreed to a home and home series to begin in Spokane on December 20, 2011. The return game will be played at Hinkle Fieldhouse in December 2012...this makes one zag fan very happy! 2012 ROADTRIP!

West Coast Conference Unveils new Logo

2011-07-01T19:14:00.002-04:00

Not sure how i feel about the new logo, but you cant argue with adding a top 20 basketball opponent to the Zags schedule twice a year.

Ricky Kreklow visits Zags today

2011-07-01T00:30:00.002-04:00

Missouri transfer Ricky Kreklow visited Gonzaga today per Jeff Goodman of cbssports.com, potential wing for 2012 as he would have to redshirt in 2011...

Manny Arop Commits to Indiana State

2011-06-13T20:48:00.001-04:00

Per Jeff Goodman from CBSSports.com,

"Gonzaga transfer Manny Arop is headed to Indiana State - per source. Quality pickup for Greg Lansing and the Sycamores."

Good Luck Manny on a future in Terre Haute!

Demarquise Johnson back in the fold?

2011-06-11T10:11:00.002-04:00

It seems the previous reports to DeMarquise Johnson's demise as a Gonzaga recruit, may have been a bit exaggerated. According to Scout.com, Johnson is not only still listing the Zags, but has Gonzaga in his top three per his father. The only issues that remain are the potential logjam in the guard and/or wing position. While he seems higher on the Zags than the initial reports indicated, i would still not hold my breath as he may be seeking more potential initial playing time.

Ryan Spangler Plays in Oklahoma All-Star Game

2011-06-11T09:47:00.003-04:00

While playing in the 2011 Faith 7 Oklahoma All-Star game, Ryan Spangler was asked why he wanted to go to school across the country in Spokane, WA. He responded, “I know it’s far off, but I like winning and they’re always in the NCAA Tournament, I would rather go somewhere far and win rather than stay somewhere close and lose.”

Spangler is not leaving the OK State without having left a mark, His senior season was spent racking up averages of 29.2 points, 17.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. He also Shot 72 percent from the field, 70 percent from the charity stripe. He currently holds the state record for rebounds, and the school record for scoring, rebounds, and blocked shots. Spangler left Oklahoma as the Basketball Coaches Association POY, the Gatorade POY, and a Parade All-American. He said he plans to major in Business at Gonzaga.

A Lucky freshman, Spangler will get a chance to travel home this season when the Zags face the OK State Cowboys in Stillwater. Good Luck Ryan!

Manny Arop narrows choice to 2

2011-06-10T11:01:00.003-04:00

According to Jim Meehan's twitter Account,

"Ex-Zag Manny Arop apparently down to two schools: Valparaiso and Indiana State."

We will see over the coming days where he will end up.

Demarquise Johnson?

2011-06-05T10:36:00.003-04:00

According to ESPN.com Insider, Demarquise Johnson is no longer interested in the Zags. Id imagine the recent additions to the wing, ie. Guy Landry, and the logjam at guard is influencing his decision. The Bryce Jones debacle cant be helping matters either.

Gonzaga offers Richard Longrus

2011-05-30T12:58:00.003-04:00

According to Josh Gershon of scout.com, Gonzaga has officially offered Richard Longrus from the 2012 recruit class. Here is his twitter post: @JoshGershon "Bay Area forward Richard Longrus was recently offered by Gonzaga."

Meech to play Corner at Baylor

2011-05-29T19:55:00.000-04:00

Well Folks, its official, Demetri Goodson is transferring to Baylor for football. As most of us suspected the reason was a chance to improve his professional chances. In his words, "I could probably go overseas and make some money,” Goodson said. “But professionally football will be a better move for me just because of the number of basketball players who make it and the number of football players. That was basically why I did it.”

According to Baylor Head Coach, Art Briles, Goodson is bigger than both starting corners for the Bears and with his speed, hes a shoe in for playing time. Good luck Meech, hope this turns out well for you.

For more head to Myfoxhouston

HUCKING FUSKIES!

2011-05-24T19:46:00.004-04:00

I think its more than time for this argument to be laid to rest. The Washington Huskies ended their Series wih the Gonzaga Bulldogs Per this Seattle Times article. END OF STORY. The Huskies then tried to restart the series in 2009 with an arrogant 3 game series exclusively in Seattle. Why Would Gonzaga agree to play a PAC-10 school who cant even win their own conference on their terms, when we can play teams like Michigan St., Notre Dame, and Wake Forest(...and the list goes on) with true Home and Homes?

When Lorenzo Romar got to UW in 2002, he wanted to prove that unlike his predecessor, he could beat Gonzaga. Only instead of improving his record between 2002 and 2005 he lost 4 Straight games to them. So he got with then Athletic Director Todd Turner and began discussing a way to end the series. He knew that the Huskies hadn't won versus the Zags since 1997 and he didn't want to keep losing. He also saw the effect on recruiting as the Zags began to take players like Josh Heytvelt away from the Huskies, so he spouted off about how they needed to fill the schedule with a "better game" and immediately did so by scheduling other WCC teams the following season, teams that continue to be dominated by the Zags to this day.

In 2009, after the Huskies proposed playing 3 games at Key Arena, Mark Few told CBS Analyst Seth Davis, "The chances of that happening are about the same as Big Foot having my baby," Few said. "That's like me saying, Gonzaga proposes a five-year deal at Spokane Arena. There, I just made a proposal. That's as logical as this deal [would be]." This is after the Huskies had literally faxed a letter to the Zags with their proposal and then called the press and reported that they made an official proposal, they didn't even give the Zags a chance to negotiate, it was either "take our deal or walk away". That is not how these things are handled.

I was recently approached by a rabid Husky fan who said that Lorenzo Romar is not in charge of scheduling, that this would fall under the purview of Athletic Director Scott Woodward. I was obviously puzzled as to why this would be the case when ever other Division 1 program i knew of handled scheduling via their Head Coach, so i did a little research and found this quote from their AD: on whether the end of the BIG 12/PAC 10 Season series would allow the Huskies to reschedule with Gonzaga, "No, We will probably do what we did with the Big 12 series: schedule some nice BCS-style teams to do home-and-away with -- we just won't do it within the purview of the Big 12 hardwood classic. So, we'll probably play some Big 12 schools, maybe look at playing an SEC school or a Big Ten school or a Big East school, ACC: We're open. We obviously consult on it, but I give that authority to coach Romar to schedule."

AKA, Lorenzo Romar IS responsible for not continuing this series. This series ended on their terms and they want to restart it on their terms as well, I can promise you IT WILL NOT HAPPEN. PERIOD!

Lets Support the movement, led by fans, to restart this series on amicable terms, click this link at Facebook.com and like the page.

Elias Harris to play with Dirk Nowitzki

2011-05-24T10:37:00.002-04:00

Elias Harris has been invited to the German National Team tryouts on June 20-22. If he makes the team, he has a chance to play with Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman at the EuroBasket 2011 Tourney in Lithuania. Some have expressed their discontent with this, that maybe he isn't committed to working out with his true teammates. My question is how can you turn down the opportunity to work with one of the top 5 players in all of basketball?

Dirk is en fuego right now, having scored 40 Points to lead the Mavs back against the Thunder last night en route to a 3-1 series advantage and just a win away from the NBA Finals. Elias has much to learn from a player of Dirks caliber, and the tournament runs just through the beginning of September. So Elias will have 2 months to get acclimated with the new Zags and work on becoming a cohesive unit.

Most of us were disappointed that Elias suffered the Sophomore slump this past season, and i can totally understand that. But what i cannot understand is why no one thinks this is a good idea for the development of one of the most athletically talented Zags ever. Elias has the potential to have a very, very good season and i can only think that spending time with one of the hardest workers in the NBA will help his progress this year.

If Elias has the year we all know he is capable of having, this may be his last hurrah in a Zags Uniform. I have faith that Rob and Elias will lead one of the best front courts in all of College Basketball this season.

Bryce Jones Signs...

2011-05-22T07:03:00.000-04:00

...With UNLV. Not a big surprise, i think the Zags staff really cooled on him once they got a commitment from Guy Landry. I don't think they really wanted to commit a scholarship to a guy with a checkered past who wouldn't be able to play right away. Either way, Congrats Bryce, enjoy your time in Sin City!

Las Vegas Sun article

2012 Recruit Profile: Richard Longrus

2011-05-18T18:13:00.003-04:00

Richard Longrus
SF 6-6 200
Oakland, CA (Bishop O'Dowd)
Follow Richard Longrus on Twitter

Current List(Offers in Bold): Colorado, Utah, UCLA, Gonzaga, Santa Clara, Harvard, New Mexico, Texas, Stanford, California, UW, UNLV

Ratings:
-Rivals.com 2012 #33 PF, #149 Overall (3*)
-ESPN.com 2012 #29 SF, UR Overall (3*)
-Scout.com 2012 UR SF, UR Overall

Scouting Info:
ESPN.com, "Longrus has a great frame with broad shoulders and very long arms. His demeanor is terrific and he always plays the game with an even keel. He can guard the 4 or the 3 with equal aplomb due to his length, strength, and quickness. He handles the ball well in the open court and although his offensive game is limited he does make good decisions with the ball in his hands. Longrus, who reminds some of current Milwaukee Buck Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, is a solid looking prospect for the Division I level. Defensively, he is a stalwart, both inside and out, and his offensive game should get better with confidence and hard work. If he becomes a viable offensive option in the near future he should be a lock for the high-major level."

Scout.com,"Impressive young forward with athleticism and willingness to defend. Potential high major prospect."

Richard is a great kid, reminiscent of UCLA'er of the past Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. He is very smart as evidenced by Harvard and Stanford's interest. Not the best on the offensive end, but on defense may be one of the best in the entire 2012 class. He has strong interest in Gonzaga as well and would not be surprised to see him visit sometime this summer or next fall. He will be somewhere between a 3 and 4 at the college level, although he is definitely undersized for the 4.

2012 Recruit Profile: Tyrone Wallace

2011-05-18T17:57:00.002-04:00

Tyrone Wallace
PG 6-4 180
Bakersfield, CA (Bakersfield)

Current List(Offers in Bold): Arizona, Arizona St., Gonzaga, UNLV, California, Colorado, Florida St., Fresno St.,Oregon, Nevada,San Francisco, SDSU, Utah, UCLA, UW, Stanford, USC

Ratings:
-Rivals.com 2012 #15 PG, #84 Overall (4*)
-ESPN.com 2012 #11 PG, #98 Overall (3*)
-Scout.com 2012 #15 PG, UR Overall (4*)

Scouting Info:
ESPN.com, "Wallace has great size for the 1 with great length and solid athleticism. What stands out the most in his game is his ability to make others better. The left-handed point guard prospect has a great feel for the game and is an astute passer, especially in the half court set. Although Wallace is left-handed, he does much of his ball handling and passing with his right hand-a truly unique prospect. He can play the 1 or the 2 based on his skill set as well as his savvy. He has the ability to score in the paint utilizing his arsenal of runners and floaters as well. Defensively, he uses his lengthy wing span to get numerous steals and he's a deceptive shot blocker in transition. Wallace is an interesting prospect with no true position at this stage-he is just a guard with multiple gifts. His length, savvy, and versatility, should warrant a high-major scholarship. He isn't one of the elite prospects in the country, but by his junior season he should be a tremendous college player at both ends of the floor."

Tyrone has great length for a point and may remind some of Jrue Holiday who played for UCLA a couple years back. He hails from the Bay Area and may be partial to staying in the region either for Cal, Stanford or even San Francisco. He is another recruit high on Donny Daniels list and has the skillset to play the 1,2 or even 3 at the college level. Not much footage is available of him at this time.

Manny Arop Visits Indiana State

2011-05-18T17:45:00.000-04:00

Per WTHITV.com, Manny Arop had an official visit with the Indiana State Sycamores earlier this week. He is also said to be interested in Valparaiso, WAZZU, Montana, and Cal Poly.

Gonzaga transfer Manny Arop visits ISU: wthitv.com

2012 Recruit Profile: Xavier Johnson

2011-05-18T17:41:00.003-04:00

Xavier Johnson
SF 6-6 205
Santa Ana, CA (Mater Dei)

Current List(Offers in Bold): UCLA, USC, Arizona, Arizona St., California, SDSU, Utah, UNLV, Gonzaga, Stanford, Saint John's, Georgetown, Syracuse

Ratings:
-Rivals.com 2012 #19 SF, #70 Overall (4*)
-ESPN.com 2012 #8 SF, #39 Overall (4*)
-Scout.com 2012 #17 SF, UR Overall (4*)

Scouting Info:
ESPN.com, "The left-handed Johnson has improved in many areas of the game. He plays with great energy at both ends and he can score in a variety of ways. He can face-up his defender and he has a quick 1st step to the basket. Johnson has now become a fairly consistent 3-point shooter. He overall shot has become much softer and as a result much more consistent. He is very potent as well when he chooses to attack off the dribble and use his length and bounce at the rim. Smooth wing that can score on the break and in the half court by getting to the rim and taking advantage of his size or showing off his nice middle game. Johnson finds a way to use his strengths to be productive. He must be more effective on the offensive glass. Due to his work ethic and physical attributes look for Johnson to climb the recruiting charts during the up and coming spring (2011) evaluation period."

Scout.com,"Long, slender lefty with big-time body and athleticism. Highly skilled, excellent feel for the game. One of the elite prospects in the country for 2012."

Xavier is one of the premier athletes on the West coast. He is being heavily recruited by the LA schools and may end up signing with one of them soon. Donny Daniels has been linked to Xavier and may try to put a wrench in his former teams plans by making Gonzaga a player. He is also being recruited by most of the PAC-12, MWC, and BIG EAST.

Anrio Adams for 2013?

2011-05-18T17:20:00.003-04:00

Per a recent Tweet from Jason McCleary, a High School Basketball journalist, Anrio Adams will be re-classified as a 2013 Recruit...more details to come when available.

Actual Tweet from May 1st: "Anrio Adams out of seattle will reclassify next week to the class of 2013 @PaulBiancardi @EvanDanielscout @DaveTelep"

Follow Jason McCleary on Twitter
He Writes for Dawgman.com

2012 Recruit Profile: Anrio Adams

2011-05-18T17:07:00.003-04:00

Anrio Adams
SG 6-3, 190
Seattle, WA (Garfield)

Current List(Offers in Bold): Arizona, California, Gonzaga, Louisville, Georgetown, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oregon, UCLA, USC, Texas, Pittsburgh, UW, Wazzu, Syracuse, Miami, Florida, Baylor, Oregon St., FIU

Ratings:
-Rivals.com 2012 #8 SG, #63 Overall (4*)
-ESPN.com 2012 #16 SG, #78 Overall (4*)
-Scout.com 2012 #17 SG, UR Overall (4*)

Scouting Info:
ESPN.com, "Adams has lengthy frame with long arms and he's very athletic. He uses his quickness, strength, and bounce to blow by opponents in transition as he makes his way to the rim. He can take contact while finishing and he plays at a relentless pace. He is geared for scoring and he can do it in a variety of ways. Whether it is nailing the 3-point shot or scoring off the dribble in traffic he can put points up in a hurry. Adams is one of the better scoring guards in the country. He can score in bunches and he's an intense competitor. However, his game needs to mature as he plays to fast far too often. In addition, he has allowed his emotions to get the best of him - thus causing him to lose focus at critical parts of the game.""

Rio Adams is one of the hotter names in the country, and has been skyrocketing up most boards recently. He is currently an AAU teammate of Gary Bell Jr. and Tony Wroten Jr. at Seattle Rotary. Not sure if this gives us a leg up on the competion, as Tony may be more in his ear than Gary, but i know the staff has been plugging away at Adams for months now. He is being recruited by teams out of the PAC-12, BIG EAST, SEC, BIG 12, and ACC. This is one of the harder ones out there for the Zags, I wouldnt be surprised to see him end up at UW, UCLA, or Arizona. He is very athletic and one of the most prolific scorers in the country, one red flag is that he has jumped around between a few high schools and may not be one that will stay at school for more than a year or two.

2012 Recruit Profile: Anthony Bennett

2011-05-18T16:21:00.005-04:00

Anthony Bennett
PF 6-8 230
Henderson, NV via Brampton, ON (Findlay Prep)
Anthony Bennett DraftExpress Profile
Follow Anthony Bennett on Twitter

Current List(Offers in Bold): Arizona, UCONN, Florida, Florida St., Kentucky, Oregon, UW, Xavier, Boston Coll., Cincy, Georgetown, Iowa St.,Pittsburgh, Texas, West Virginia,UNLV, Oklahoma, Ohio St., Marquette, Virginia Tech, Gonzaga?

Ratings:
-Rivals.com 2012 #9 PF, #22 Overall (5*)
-ESPN.com 2012 #23 PF, #85 Overall (4*)
-Scout.com 2012 #15 PF, UR Overall (4*)

Scouting Info:
DraftExpress.com,, "One of the most productive players in Hamburg (and probably one of the most talented as well), Anthony Bennett bounced back from a concussion suffered midway through the tournament to lead his Canadian team to the semifinals with a magnificent performance. He backed up everything we thought about him following the Jordan Classic and then some (even if there is still plenty of room to improve). Bennett is undersized at 6-7, but he has a body that looks more like a 21 year old's than a teenager's. He is extremely long and athletic and has a pretty unique skill set for his age. He makes shots from the perimeter at a terrific rate, spotting up confidently from beyond the 3-point line and making jumpers in impressive fashion. Bennett isn't much of a ball handler and needs to improve his footwork, post moves and work ethic in order to take full advantage of his terrific talent level. He isn't in a huge rush to show off how athletic he is, which can be misleading when watching him on first glance. Defensively, Bennett has a ways to go, but he is quite a presence on the glass."

ESPN.com,, "Bennett has a chiseled physique and has a great combination of power and finesse. He can step out and nail the 3-point shot or go inside and impose his will. He's explosive around the rim and uses his thick frame and impressive lift to convert in traffic. He is a terrific rebounder in traffic due to his instincts and power. Bennett is a definite high-major 4-man who will make an immediate impact at the next level. He is a high-level rebounder that has great hands and instincts in the paint area. He can be a match up problem as well because of his soft shooting stroke beyond the arc. With continued development Bennett could be considered one of the top 25 prospects in the country."

At this time i have not found anything mentioning Anthony's interest in Gonzaga. However it has been rumored that he would prefer to end up playing with Kevin Pangos. Im sure Anthony will be watching to see how Pangos reacts to his time at Gonzaga and we may enter the fray towards the end of the 2012 recruiting season. However with Anthony's current list, he may be more inclined to head to a High-Major where he can improve his draft stock and be a 1 and Done.

2012 Recruit Profile: Demarquise Johnson

2011-05-18T16:07:00.002-04:00

Demarquise Johnson
SG 6-5 190
Phoenix, AZ (Westwind Prep)

Current List(Offers in Bold): Arizona St., Colorado, Gonzaga, Louisville, Georgetown, Minnesota, SDSU, Virginia, UW, Michigan, Arizona, UCLA, Oregon St., Kansas, Pepperdine, Saint Mary's, New Mexico

Ratings:
-Rivals.com 2012 #35 SG, #122 Overall (3*)
-ESPN.com 2012 #17 SG, #82 Overall (4*)
-Scout.com 2012 UR SG, UR Overall

Scouting Info:
ESPN.com,, "Johnson has that quintessential frame for the 2 or the 3 and the skills as well. He can stroke it from deep and he gets great lift and rotation on his shot. In addition, he has a terrific burst off the dribble and can slash his way to the basket exhibiting excellent body control. Johnson is one of the elite scoring guard prospects in the country. If he is willing to improve his all-around game (rebounding, defense, making others better) he should be an excellent Division I player."

Demarquise is one of those players who is just now starting to get some national attention. He will continue to rise in the rankings, as evidenced by ESPN.com having his ranked so much higher than Rivals.com and Scout.com doesn't even really have him on their radar. He has started to get the attention of Sean Miller at Arizona and UCLA as well, those may be the two toughest competitors for his services for the Zags. Many are questioning why the Zags offered Quise, but i really think we need to go after as many high end players as possible, we can let the rest work itself out later. Quise has a nice tough on his shot and is a great slasher, one of the better athletes in the west.

2012 Recruit Profile: Jordan Tebbutt

2011-05-18T15:38:00.002-04:00

Jordan Tebbutt
SF 6-5 220
Tualatin, Oregon (Horizon Christian)

Current List(Offers in Bold): Arizona, Oregon, Wazzu, UW, Gonzaga, Oregon St., Kentucky, UCLA, USC, Stanford, Virginia, Vanderbilt, Marquette, Colorado,Arizona St., Portland, Portland St., California

Ratings:
-Rivals.com 2012 #14 SF, #68 Overall (4*)
-ESPN.com 2012 #18 SF, 65 Overall (4*)
-Scout.com 2012 UR SF, UR Overall (3*)

Scouting Info:
ESPN.com,, "Tebbutt's frame is that of a college junior rather than a rising junior in high school. Despite his bulk he has a nice touch out to the stripe and he uses his body very well while navigating the key area for runners and strong takes to the rim. He has a nice mid-range game where he uses his strength to power his way to the rim or pull-up and hit the jump shot at the elbow. He has a solid looking 3-point stroke and his release is smooth. Defensively, he slides his feet fairly well despite his size and he's a dependable rebounder. Overall, Tebbutt is an intriguing prospect for the next level. At this stage he's a college-ready 2/3, but if his body gets much bigger and he loses some of his explosiveness and quickness his upside may come into question."

Jordan's recruiting is wide open at this point. It doesn't help that he is headed to Oak Hill (VA) for his senior season. This will only bring more east coast teams into his recruitment and if he plays well, he may be in for the likes of UConn, Duke and UNC jumping into the fray. At this time, he is being courted by the entire PAC-12 as well as some of the WCC and even some BIG EAST/ACC teams. Very big, physical wing...Capable of driving the lane with ease, however he currently does not have the level of competition he will get next season. His body is built for contact, and with his skill set he will match up with most wings in the country. He has a nice stroke from outside and will square up and knock down the three. I expect the Zags to continue to recruit him, but with the level of competition they will have for his services, he may not make up his mind until late in his senior season.

2012 Recruit Profile: Skylar Spencer

2011-05-17T23:23:00.005-04:00

Skylar Spencer
PF 6-8 210
Los Angeles, CA (Price)
Follow Skylar Spencer on Twitter

Current List(Offers in Bold): USC, Gonzaga, Florida St., Marquette, UNLV, Colorado, Iowa, UCLA, UW, Utah

Ratings:
-Rivals.com 2012 #18 PF, #80 Overall (4*)
-ESPN.com 2012 #27 PF, UR Overall (3*)
-Scout.com 2012 UR PF, UR Overall (3*)
-2010 State Div. 4 Champion (as Sophomore)

Scouting Info:
ESPN.com,, "He has a terrific frame and his game has continued to evolve since his sophomore campaign. Spencer plays with great energy and possesses a blue-collar mentality despite having a wiry frame. His offensive game needs attention, both from a skill and fundamental standpoint, but he's an intriguing talent because he runs hard and fills the lane, usually finishing with a dunk. Defensively, he is an elite shot-blocker and his ability to rebound in traffic is improving."
also from ESPN.com,"Spencer has great length with long arms and his frame suggests that he isn't done growing. He is an exceptional athlete that can run all day. His rebounding prowess is impressive and he does a great job filling the lane after out-letting the ball. He has developed a solid half-hook shot over his right shoulder and he can elevate in traffic to dunk it. Defensively, he slides his feet well for a big and he's a top-tier shot blocker with excellent timing - it's not unusual for him to get multiple blocks during a half-court sequence."

We all know who is picking up the tab on this recruiting job. Donny Daniels has dramatically opened the doors on recruits from Southern California since his arrival on the bench. Skylar is very excited about Gonzaga and plans on taking a visit to Spokane soon. I wouldn't be surprised with an early commitment locked up if all goes well. Skylar looks and feels like a replacement for Elias Harris, they have similar athletic games, the biggest difference right now is on offense with Skylar still needing a lot of work. I'm sure Coach Few and Co. will be able to tap into his offensive potential and i expect if Skylar does commit that Sam Dower will be able to give him a few pointers on some offensive moves. Not much footage is available on Skylar yet, but i did find a nice long interview.

Its not Easy

2011-05-17T14:56:00.005-04:00

The recent article on ESPN.com regarding the sexual orientation of former Villanova standout, Will Sheridan, got me thinking about how players cope with the mental stress of life while juggling their everyday role as a Gonzaga Mens Basketball player.

You can read the article on Will Sheridan HERE

Most players come into the program as teenagers, still learning what it is to be a man and what they ultimately will strive to achieve. Like the infamous NCAA commercial says, there are over 400,000 student-athletes, and almost all of them will be going pro in something other than sports. Basketball may not ultimately be their career, but while at Gonzaga they will become the man that eventually starts a business or maybe even a family. We as fans should examine our favorite players with a grain of salt. Sure that last three pointer missed badly, but what was on the players mind? We analyze that shot or their play with a microscope looking for some flaw or issue that needs their attention. Worse yet we curse at the television and blame the player or coaching staff for poor decision making, when at the end of the day there could be so much more than basketball on their mind.

Think about guys like Steven Gray who so epitomized the role of the student athlete with his forays into acting and his trip to Africa. He began his career in 2007 full of so much potential. His hair no more than an 1/8 of an inch long. No tattoos, nothing but a clean cut face that didn't look a day over 16. By the end of his freshman season we watched as he went toe to toe with Stephen Curry, matching the future NBA star shot for shot and looking like a future pro in his own right. Then he became a sophomore, and I'm sure many of us wondered what happened, he didn't look interested at times, almost disappeared on the court, his inconsistent play would continue throughout his career. We all screamed when he would miss shots that we just knew he could make. We all watched with glee as he dominated games with his defensive prowess in the passing lanes. Time after time i would shake my head, as he always seemed to have an uncanny ability to find the ball. At the end of the day, NBA scouts would leave the Kennel with the same feeling, shaking their head. I read a quote recently from an NBA scout who said Gray used to be considered a sure fire lottery pick, but has since become something of a pariah and as such his stock has noticeably fallen. He now sits somewhere near the back end of the second round as a fringe NBA player.

But, how does Steven feel about this? With his dread-locked hair and tribal tattoos, Steven was always more interested in Life than with Basketball. He went to Gonzaga to shoot the ball, and left ready to experience life. I wouldn't be surprised if he made an NBA team and found a niche, or even if he decided to take his talents to Europe for a few years. But at the end of the day, Steven will find his way, he will rise above Basketball and live life to the fullest. I am inspired by his take on life, I see Steven and i think about how much potential he has in Life. He will become something special, no matter what the NBA scouts say. I think Steven said it best when he said, "I've really enjoyed being a part of this program, They've taught me a lot, not just on the court, but in being a man." Next time we are watching a game, lets think about the players not just how they play, but who they will become.

Past Zags Update

2011-05-17T14:34:00.007-04:00

While most of us stop following the players once they leave the program, I find myself wondering where they are, and what they have made themselves into. I will be doing a three Part look at some of the more famous Players of the last 15 years. Starting with Ronny Turiaf, Adam Morrison, Blake Stepp and Nathan Doudney.

Ronny Turiaf
Ronny Turiaf Twitter
Official Website

As one of the most memorable Zags and fan favorites, Ronny's success surely hasnt escaped the most seasoned Zag fans, but for those of you who havent been keeping up, heres a summary of his career.
Ronny has been playing in the NBA since he left the Zags in 2005. He was drafted in the second round at #37 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2005 NBA Draft. 4 Weeks after the draft, the team signed Ronny to a 2 Year $1 Million deal, and as part of the deal he was required to have a routine Physical. What sounded easy and routine ended up showing that Ronny had an enlarged Aortic Root in his heart, ultimately requiring surgery. Ronny's contract was voided, but the Lakers retained his rights. Less than 6 months later after a short stint in the CBA with the Yamika Sun Kings, Ronny was resigned by the Lakers and was able to restart his NBA career.
Ronny has gone on to play for the Golden State Warriors and this past season was traded to the New York Knicks. He has averaged 5.8 Points and 3.8 Boards per game, He is also considered a tough veteran and has spent time as team captain with the Warriors and Knicks.

Adam Morrison
Adam Morrison Rumors

We all remember "Stachio" and his quirky personality, we also remember his clutch shooting and unmatched confidence. He would ultimately win Co-National Player of the Year with J.J. Redick and lead the Zags to the Sweet 16. Not a day goes by that i dont wonder what would have been had that fateful game in 2006 had finished differently, but alas back to reality.
Instead of moving on and having the career of the oft compared Larry Bird, Adam has settled for more of a career of mediocrity. Adam's NBA fortunes began with a bang, being selected #3 by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2006 NBA Draft. He also had the distinction of being Michael Jordans first selection since joining the Bobcats front office earlier that year.
His rookie season was marred by inconsistent offensive and horrible defensive play. After the 06-07 season, Adam took on a rigorous offseason workout regimen and began to show signs of stardom, so much so that during the 2007 Preseaon, MJ began to hint at building the team around Adam.
On October 21, 2007, the Charlotte Bobcats announced that Morrison had sustained a severe injury to his left knee in a pre-season exhibition game against the Lakers. An MRI scan performed after the game indicated a torn ACL. I wouldnt be surprised if this is considered a career ending knee injury as Adam has not regained a regular role with any team since.
Adam was traded to the Lakers at the 2009 Trade Deadline and would go on to infamously cheer on the Lakers bench during their back to back national championships. Following the 2010 Season the Lakers unsurprisingly decided not to bring Adam back and he would later sign with the Washington Wizards, however he was waived at the end of Training Camp. Some have speculated that Adam may decide to retire following the 2011 Season as he has stated his desire not to play in Europe. Adam has averaged 8.6 Points and 2.2 Boards per game for his career.

Blake Stepp
Blake Stepp Poker Page

After leaving Gonzaga in 2004 with career averages of 13 Points, 5 Assists, and 3.9 Boards per game, Blake was drafted #58 overal by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was later waived by the Wolves prior to the regular season, he would go on to have a 2 year career in the Euroleague Playing for the Serbian Club Partizan in 2004-05 finishing with averages of 13.1 Points, 2.5 Assists, and 2.2 Boards per game.
While this former Zag may not have had a long NBA Career, he has been playing Professional Poker of late and is actually pretty good. He has 1 top 10 finish in 2006 and has cashed in 6 times throughout his career for total winnings of $37,555.

Nathan Doudney
Nathan Doudney Poker Page

Many may not remember this former zag, he only played 1 official season, spending another as a redshirt with a torn ACL. ESPN actually had an interesting article on him in July of 2010 about his transformation into a Professional Poker player here.
During his time on the professional Poker circuit, he has done rather nicely for himself with 15 total cashouts for career winnings of $691,252. He has finished in the Top ten 4 times and the top 5 twice. Doudney may just be the best Poker Player to ever come out of Gonzaga.

Next up:
Austin Daye
Matt Bouldin
Dan Dickau
Josh Heytvelt

and...
Derek Raivio
J.P. Batista
Richie Frahm
Matt Santangelo

Recruit Profile: Chris Sarbaugh

2011-05-16T18:26:00.003-04:00

Chris Sarbaugh
PG 6-3 180
Spokane, WA (Gonzaga Prep)
*Committed to Gonzaga on 11/6/2010

Accomplishments:
-2011 4A State Champion
-2011 4A State tourney MVP
-2011 Seattle Times POY

Scouting Info:
From his coach Matty McIntyre,, "He’s a playmaker, a creator, He knows we’re about team basketball, but he can pick and shoot his shots. He gets to the rim. He can play above the rim. We’re going to need him creating in the paint. He’s got a knack at finishing, He can finish with both hands, but he can finish with his left hand in traffic better than most kids at the high school level. He anticipates so well, He sees the game a few steps ahead of everybody."

Chris comes to the Zags without the need for a Scholarship, as his father taught there and will receive a tuition waiver. Chris is not just some walk-on, he actually comes as one of the top 3 vote getters for Player of the Year in the state. He can drive to the hole surprisingly quickly and has been known to knock down the big shot. He actually is pretty athletic and comes to the Zags with a 32 inch vertical leap. I would not be surprised to see Chris get solid minutes in the next couple years.

Recruit Profile: Guy Landry

2011-05-16T15:26:00.005-04:00

Guy Landry
SF 6-5 210
Paris, France (Midland College JUCO)
*Committed to Gonzaga on 4/23/2011
Follow Guy Landry on

Accomplishments:
-2010-11 NJCAA National Champion
-2011 Parade All-American 4th Team
-Named to 2010 Ivory Coast FIBA team (Averaged 10.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG for tourney)

Scouting Info:
scout.com, "Physically mature and very strong, Landry is originally from France. He's a bit older than kids in his class -- turns (22 in December of 2010) -- and he takes advantage of that maturity on the court. He plays with great energy and he has the potential to be a very good defender. Shot and overall ball skills are just fair. A likely high major prospect."

Landry was heavily recruited by Missouri, Wichita State, and Minnesota, but in the end chose Gonzaga. Super Athletic, one of best high flyers in the entire country. Expect great defense, high energy minutes and lots of thunderous dunks.

Recruit Profile: Ryan Spangler

2011-05-16T15:04:00.003-04:00

Ryan Spangler
PF 6-8 230
Blanchard, OK (Bridge Creek)
*Committed to Gonzaga on 9/27/2010

Accomplishments:
-2011 Oklahoma Gatorade POY
-2011 Parade All-American 4th Team

Scouting Info:
ESPN.com, "Spangler was one of the better surprises of the spring. The versatile 5/4 can impact a game in multiple ways. He has a solid (well-built) frame with fairly broad shoulders, good hands, and long arms. He has a blue-collar mentality at both ends of the floor and his fundamentals for the game are quite good. He is always around the basketball and he consistently makes plays in the paint area. He can finish with either hand and his timing is excellent while going for offensive rebounds and put-backs. His back-to-the-basket game is solid as well as he turns over his left shoulder very well and footwork is quite good. While facing the basket he is an excellent passer who understands angles demonstrating his feel for the game."

Recruit Profile: Kyle Dranginis

2011-05-16T14:21:00.004-04:00

Kyle Dranginis
PG 6-4 180
Nampa, ID (Skyview)
*Committed to Gonzaga on 12/29/2009

Accomplishments:
-3 Time Idaho Press-Tribune POY
-2 Time SIC POY
-2 Time Idaho Gatorade POY

Scouting Info:
ESPN.com, "Dranginis is a multi-skilled guard for the next level. He has great size for both guard positions due to his length and skill. He has a feathery touch out to 23-feet and his stroke is smooth. His basketball IQ is tremendous-usually resulting in a number of nifty passes. He sees the floor very well, both in transition and the half court set. In addition, he can pass over the top of the defense to open shooters in the corners."

Dranginis continues a long line of great passing guards at Gonzaga. He comes in as one of the most accomplished players in Idaho history. Plays like a Point, but with his size may be able to play 2 guard at the College level. Expect comparisons to Matt Bouldin, not for his size, but for his court vision.

Recruit Profile: Gary Bell Jr.

2011-05-16T02:24:00.007-04:00

Gary Bell Jr.
SG 6-2 200
Kent, WA (Kentridge)
*Committed to Gonzaga on 4/26/2010

Accomplishments:
-AP State (WA) Player of the Year, 2011
-Mr. Basketball 2011, WA
-Gatorade Player of Year 2011, WA
-Rivals #19 SG, #75 Player in 2011 Recruiting Class
-ESPN #18 SG, #67 Player in 2011 Recruiting Class

Scouting Info:
Scout.com, "Bell is clearly at his best playing off the ball where he can catch and shoot or attack going to the rim. He is slightly undersized to be a wing, and that limits him some on the defensive end, and his shot off the dribble can get a bit inconsistent. Still he is a good scorer off the drive or from deep and has the natural athleticism to be a factor on both ends of the floor."
ESPN.com, "Bell has a strong frame with nice length that can take contact while driving in the paint area and he's a good athlete. The strength of his game is shooting. He has a very smooth release and his shot is especially deadly in a catch and shoot situation. In addition to his shooting prowess he has improved as a passer and rebounder. He isn't afraid to bang inside for rebounds and igniting the fast break."

Gary Bell Jr. is the centerpiece to one of the Zags deepest recruiting classes in school history. Bell was ranked the 2nd highest player in the state after future UW Guard, Tony Wroten Jr., and also happened to be teammates on the same AAU squad, Seattle Rotary. His stock skyrocketed during the summer of 2010 while playing AAU ball, and he continues to impress with his great shooting and athletic ability.

Recruit Profile: Kevin Pangos

2011-05-15T22:58:00.008-04:00

Kevin Pangos
PG 6-1 165
Newmarket, Ontario
Follow Kevin on
*Committed to Gonzaga on 10/5/2010

Accomplishments:
-In August 2010, Kevin became the youngest member to ever play for the Canadian Senior National Team at the age of 16.
-Named Top Point Guard at 2010 FIBA U17 Championships
-Named to 2011 Nike Hoops Summit World Team

Scouting Info:
Former Arizona Point Guard, Miles Simon, "He's smart, deceptively quick, is a great shooter, and can finish with both hands -- an excellent player."

NBADraft.net "His strengths are tailor-made for the college game. He can shoot and handle the ball; he's a great playmaker and a hard-worker defensively."

Part of the Canadian Basketball Renaissance, Pangos is considered the countries best Point Guard prospect since Steve Nash, who you may remember as a 2 Time NBA MVP (not to mention former player at WCC Rival Santa Clara). This "Best of" List includes the Rivals.com #7 player overall from the 2010 Class, Cory Joseph, formerly of the University of Texas and projected 2nd Round pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. All High Praise for such a young kid, but according to his National Team Coach, Leo Rautins (Father of former Syracuse, and current New York Knicks Guard Andy Rautins), Kevin will be a Special Player.

IM BACK!

2011-05-15T17:46:00.007-04:00

OK...I know its shocking, but I'm back. I got tired of seeing some of the whining on message boards and decided it was time to jump back into the fray. Its time to reclaim the Blogosphere with my witty commentary and spry POV on all things Zags...(insert hysterical laughter here)...

I'm sure most of you barely remember, but at one time this Blog was happening! Well its back, and with a vengeance. This time around we're tougher, meaner, and nastier. Im not gonna keep censoring for the faint of heart, You've been put on notice!

Let me start with the recent Bulldog Buzz around the net: Apparently Demetri Goodson decided his basketball future was far less bright than his Football future and is transferring to some Lone Star State school who hasnt been relevant in football in years. Whatever, its his choice, I'm sure he will fizzle out with the Pigskin just like he never lived up to expectations in Bulldog Blue...Manny Arop is also out as a Zag, but its not like he really earned many minutes did he? Sure he hit a few big threes in his time, but he never really could handle the competition in D-1 College Basketball. It will be interesting to see if he can get on anywhere else in the states...Now there's rumors that Kelly Olynyk will be soon to follow, and now we got a bunch of whiny B!@#hes calling for Mark Few's head, i question their fanhood, their manhood, and their all around Patriotism with comments like that. Name one transfer who would have made the All-WCC team this year, let alone all-Big Sky. This opens minutes for far superior players.

I'm ready for the 2011-12 Season to start, the worst part about April-November is no college basketball, and I'm gonna do my best to keep some form of commentary alive during the dull-drums. LETS GO ZAGS!

Hiatus

2010-11-24T03:00:00.004-05:00

Hello devoted readers! I want to apologize for a lack of content. I started this blog over three years ago with the intention of making it the best Gonzaga Mens Basketball blog on the Internet. During my time blogging I've had over 30,000 hits and more importantly I had a lot of fun. I want to thank the readers of this blog for their support. Now for the bad news...I'm going to have to go on an indefinite hiatus. I'm a full time dad of two toddlers ages 2, and 1. Im also a full time culinary arts student. In the future I would love to come back to this blog on a more full-time basis, however at this time it's simply not feasible. Now I do not want to leave anyone high and dry, my friends over at Slipper Still Fits can supply you with all the zag news you need, a matter of fact I will go out on a very sturdy limb and say they have the best bulldogs blog on the internet. Please dont take this as a goodbye, but more of a see you later! Good luck, and as always GO ZAGS!!!!!

Gonzaga 90 S. Oregon 58

2010-11-06T14:37:00.003-04:00

It was just an exhibition game, but Gonzaga looked like a team that is ready to roll this season. Mark Few emphasized that Turovers were the biggest issue as the Zags committed 12 in the first half, but as advertised the frontcourt was simply great (all without help from Sophomore phenom Elias Harris who sat out with what was described as a "Badly Bruised Shoulder" but should be ready for the Season opener against Southern next Friday) Sam Dower offered 17 Points while Robert Sacre and Kelly Olynyk combined for 23 Points and 19 Boards. Lots of encouraging signs going into this season...The Biggest thing i noticed was depth...Mark Few has prided himself in having one of the deepest rotations in College Basketball for the last few years, and this team is no different.

2010 Season Preview

2010-11-05T16:52:00.005-04:00

The Season officially Tips off tonight in the Kennel with the Zags slated to take on the Southern Oregon University Raiders in an Exhibition matchup at 9 PM Eastern on FSN. The Biggest Questions heading into this game are the following:

1. Can Stephen Gray solidify himself as the leader and make this backcourt shine?
2. Can Robert Sacre take his physical talents and transform into the first round NBA talent we have all seen flashes of?
3. Can Elias Harris improve on his phenomenal freshman season and become one of the best wing players in the country?
4. Can the Zags replace Matt Bouldins savvy leadership this season?
5. Can the Zags finally get over that hump and get back at least to the Sweet 16 this season?

I expect these questions and more to be answered as the season progresses, but at least we will get a chance to see the Zags in action for the first time this season. Im expecting them to win the West Coast Conference and make the NCAA Tournament, after that we will not know for sure until we can see them play some of the toughest Non Conference Schedule in all of college basketball this season.

Its Official BYU joins the WCC in 2011...

2010-09-02T19:33:00.002-04:00

Well folks...its official, BYU has joined the WCC in all Sports but Football starting in 2011. Great News! The expectation is that the WCC will now have a 16 game true round robin conference season with the WCC Tournament now being pushed to start on mondays to avoid a sunday game for BYU who does not play on sundays...More news to come as we have it...

WCC to Expand to 10 Teams for 2011?

2010-08-19T21:03:00.002-04:00

BYU is potentially being courted by the WCC for Basketball! Maybe this is where the WCC also adds the University of Seattle...Stay Tuned!

UPDATE:

Recently the University of Hawaii expressed interest in going independant in football and bringing their non football sports to the WCC...so maybe we have BYU and Hawaii joining the WCC in 2011 or 2012...

Conference Realignment

2010-06-12T23:26:00.002-04:00

Much has been made in recent days about conference realignment. As with most Gonzaga fans, i find myself riveted at the thought of change, change for the better that is. I have spent the last couple weeks watching and reading all the rumors of how this will shake up college sports as we know it. Here are the current specifics we know:

The PAC-10 has invited 6 teams from the BIG 12 to join their conference. At this time, only 1 team has accepted their invitation, the Colorado Buffaloes. PAC-10 commissioner Larry Scott met with Oklahoma President David Boren and athletic director Joe Castiglione today and we now expect Oklahoma's board of Regents will hold a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the potential move west. The University of Texas is also expected to meet with Scott tomorrow, and will have its own meeting on Tuesday. I would say its likely both schools will formally accept invitations to join the PAC-10 sometime toward the middle of next week. With both schools leaving the BIG 12, its only a matter of time until Texas Tech, and Oklahoma St. follow. The final invitation to the PAC-10 is Texas A&M, however its believed both the SEC and Texas A&M are more interested in each other. If Texas A&M were to move to the SEC, it is likely they would go after the University of Missouri as well.

This would leave the following schools in the sure to collapse BIG 12, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, and Baylor. If this happens its likely the Mountain West will invite Kansas and Kansas State to join their already bolstered rotation which now includes Boise State. This should be enough to push them into Auto BCS bid territory for football.

So where does this leave Gonzaga? Where should it leave the Zags? In my opinion, i have always thought it would be a good thing to move conferences to greener pastures, however with the recent events, i would say its unlikely they would get a bid to the PAC-10 or the Mountain West anytime soon. Both conferences are more interested in College Football and its Mega Millions payoff. If you were to ask me today, my opinion has changed, we need to stay in the WCC with the rest of our traditional rivals and in a couple years extend an invite to the Seattle University as well as maybe Idaho or Pacific. The reason i say this is that we are not in a football conference, we do not have aspirations to compete in football at all, and at this time i would say we would do better to continue our run in the WCC. The league is improving every season and the coaching is slowly starting to get better, it would be foolish to chase bigger dreams and end up alienating our closest competitors all for what would be maybe another 5 million a year in revenue sharing.

No lets stay put, lets continue our winning ways and lets aspire to be the Atlantic 10 conference of the west. In all things, LETS GO ZAGS!

NCAA Madness

2010-03-26T13:54:00.003-04:00

First off, i want to apologize for the long hiatus. I was recently offered a new job and it has eaten away at my available time. So in the last month a lot has happened in the world of college basketball. Gonzaga lost to Saint Mary's in the conference championship, the Zags won their first round match up with Florida State, and then lost...badly...to Syracuse in the 2nd round. This made me mad to begin with because i really felt that had Matt Bouldin and Steven Gray showed up and hit a few threes this would have been a completely different result. But last night was the last straw. We got to see Butler, who i would consider to be the Gonzaga of the East, take down Syracuse using a game plan that i thought we would use, but didn't. That hurts...

In Other news, usually i would say that i could not root for Saint Mary's as they are our biggest rival (Outside UW of course) but as a fellow WCC member, i can not lie, i was cheering them on in their win over Villanova, and i will continue to cheer them on for as long as they last in the NCAA tourney. With Baylor up next, I wonder what their Final Four Odds would be? While Cinderella teams have shown the ability to reach the highest pedestal in college sports, Ala George Mason, in recent years, i think Saint Mary's has taken a step above Cinderella and moved into the national spotlight. Patty Mills surely helped them with his dynamic talent, and now Omar Samhan has become a beast in the low post. It pains me to say it, but with the current setup Saint Mary's has a great chance at the Final Four.

Looking ahead to the future, Gonzaga has a lot going for them. While the loss of Matt Bouldin cannot and should not be taken lightly, Steven Gray is in line to step up and become the senior leader. This team also boasts the return of what i would say is the best young front court in all of college Basketball in Elias Harris and Robert Sacre. Then you have the young supporting cast of Grant Gibbs, Kelly Olynyk, Manny Arop, and Bol Kong. This team really is built for the future and i have to applaud Mark Few for his vision on the recruiting trail, not many coaches can create such a hodge-podge of talent and turn it into a team. You have to remember that this team had 9 freshmen to start the year and a couple sophomores. This was by no means a veteran team. With the loss of Austin Daye, Josh Heytvelt, Micah Downs and Jeremy Pargo a year ago, i really don't think even the most die hard fan could have seen this team having this much success this soon. As always i am looking forward to the next season with high hopes and maybe even higher expectations. LETS GO ZAGS!

Game Recap: CSUB @ Gonzaga

2010-03-03T12:05:00.001-05:00

Scouting Report: Cal State Bakersfield

2010-03-01T23:56:00.003-05:00

Cal State Bakersfield
W-L: 7-21
RPI: 286
SOS: 220
Best Wins:
(201) Montana St. W, 71-61

Best Losses:
(31) Utah St. L, 68-51

Team Leaders:
Points: Trent Blakley 15.0
Assists: Stephon Carter 3.0
Rebounds: Santwon Latunde 7.9

Best Player:

Trent Blakley SF 6-4 220 SR
Blakely is a great scorer, getting over 20 points 8 times this year.

My Take:
Great tune up game before the WCC Tourney. i expect a blowout on Senior Night. This will be Will Foster and Matt Bouldin's last games at the Kennel. We will miss you both.

Final Score: Gonzaga 95 CSU Bakersfield 60

Game Recap: San Francisco @ Gonzaga

2010-02-27T22:30:00.003-05:00

Game Recap: Santa Clara @ Gonzaga

2010-02-26T12:24:00.001-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 88 Santa Clara 51

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Steven Gray 26 Points
Rebounder: Kelly Olynyk 7 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin 5 Assists
Swatter: Harris/Foster 2 Blocks
Thief: Matt Bouldin 3 Steals

Game MVP: Steven Gray
26 Points, 6 Boards, 2 Steals, and an Assist

Team Comparison: Zags/Broncos
Points: 88/51
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.70/0.27
Rebounds: 40/24
Shooting Percentage: 57%/34%
3pt Percentage: 42%/29%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
What a way to clinch our tenth straight conference championship. The Zags moved into a tie for 2nd place on all time with UCONN and UNLV and only second to UCLA who won 13 straight conference championships in the late 60s and 70s.

Steven Gray was brilliant scoring 26 points on 83% shooting. Robert Sacre played well also establishing a dominating post presence with several dunks and tough moves to the basket on his way to 11 points in 16 minutes. I expect this game to be a sign of things to come as the Zags close out the regular season with San Francisco on Saturday and Cal St. Bakersfield on Tuesday. LETS GO ZAGS!

Game Preview: Santa Clara

2010-02-25T16:04:00.002-05:00

Gonzaga plays at home tonight versus the Santa Clara Broncos. I expect a good game, but in the end the Zags will lock up at least a share of the Conference Title for the 10th Straight season. With Memphis likely to not win the C-USA title, the Zags will have the longest streak in the nation and be the only ones left to try to challenge UCLA's record of 13 straight. LETS GO ZAGS!

Game Recap: Gonzaga @ Pepperdine

2010-02-22T14:46:00.002-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 72 Pepperdine 54

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Matt Bouldin 18 Points
Rebounder: Arop/Harris 6 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin 5 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 6 Blocks
Thief: Goodson/Gray 1 Steal

Game MVP: Robert Sacre
12 Points, 6 Blocks, and 4 Boards

Team Comparison: Zags/Waves
Points: 72/54
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.30/0.73
Rebounds: 31/43
Shooting Percentage: 53%/27%
3pt Percentage: 39%/20%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
Well this was definitely the rebound game the Zags needed. Although splitting this road trip was not in the plans, i think we have learned something more about our team and everything we can learn now will only help us in the tournament. I expect if the Zags can win out in Conference play to be able to secure our #4 seed in Spokane still. LETS GO ZAGS!

Game Recap: Gonzaga @ Loyola Marymount

2010-02-19T00:21:00.004-05:00

Final Score: Loyola Marymount 74 Gonzaga 66

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Elias Harris 13 Points
Rebounder: Elias Harris 11 Boards
Passer: Steven Gray 6 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 3 Blocks
Thief: Steven Gray 3 Steals

Game MVP: Demetri Goodson
11 Points, 3 Boards, and a steal

Team Comparison: Zags/Lions
Points: 66/74
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.09/1.90
Rebounds: 33/31
Shooting Percentage: 34%/47%
3pt Percentage: 35%/50%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
Seriously? Loyola Marymount? This is the type of loss that makes you shake your head and ask does Gonzaga want to host the first two rounds of the NCAA tourney? or would they rather travel across the country again...with this loss id say its the latter.

Scouting Report: Loyola Marymount

2010-02-15T22:43:00.002-05:00

Game on Thursday...

Game Recap: San Diego @ Gonzaga

2010-02-14T23:53:00.003-05:00

Scouting Report: San Diego

2010-02-12T14:23:00.001-05:00

Don't Miss the Zags next game against San Diego, Saturday night at 10PM eastern time on ESPNU. LETS GO ZAGS!

Game Recap: Saint Mary's @ Gonzaga

2010-02-12T14:09:00.002-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 80 Saint Mary's 61

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Elias Harris 19 Points
Rebounder: Kelly Olynyk 7 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin 4 Assists
Swatter: Will Foster 2 Blocks
Thief: Robert Sacre 3 Steals

Game MVP: Matt Bouldin
18 Points, 5 Boards, 4 Assists, a steal and a Block

Team Comparison: Zags/Gaels
Points: 80/61
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.00/0.56
Rebounds: 32/29
Shooting Percentage: 54%/37%
3pt Percentage: 31%/30%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
This game helps solidify the Zags run for a 10th straight Conference title. The Gaels had been tied for first place in conference, now the Zags are alone at the top and beat Saint Mary's twice on the year. Matt Bouldin continued his great play as of late, and helped lead the Zags to quite a lopsided victory. Elias Harris finally found his legs again after his lackluster performance against Memphis.

It is likely that with the Zags new found defensive prowess and their offensive efficiency that they will run the table the rest of the way and enter the NCAA tourney at 29-4...

Scouting Report: Saint Mary's

2010-02-08T16:14:00.001-05:00

This Thursday at 11PM Eastern on ESPN2, Gonzaga will play host to Saint Mary's in a rematch of the Zags big win in Moraga, CA earlier this year. The winner will take over the top spot alone in Conference play and probably secure a West Coast Conference Title. BIG GAME! LETS GO ZAGS!

Elias Harris interview

2010-02-07T15:56:00.000-05:00

Game Recap: Gonzaga @ Memphis

2010-02-06T23:42:00.001-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 66 Memphis 58

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Matt Bouldin 19 Points
Rebounder: Steven Gray 7 Boards
Passer: Elias Harris 5 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 4 Blocks
Thief: 6 With 1 Steal

Game MVP: Matt Bouldin
19 Points, 4 Boards, 3 Assists, and a Steal

Team Comparison: Zags/Tigers
Points: 66/58
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.17/0.67
Rebounds: 33/26
Shooting Percentage: 41%/40%
3pt Percentage: 41%/29%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
Great game, The Zags took care of the Tigers for the first time after going 0-4 for the last 4 years. Matt Bouldin played like a prodigee with behind the back no look passes and stutter step fakes to the basket. And the Zags won without almost any offensive output from their freshman phenom, Elias Harris who had 6 points on 2-14 shooting.

This game also stands as a likely stepping stone to the #4 seed in the tourney and playing host in Spokane.

Scouting Report: Memphis

2010-02-05T23:41:00.001-05:00

Memphis Tigers
W-L: 16-6
RPI: 50
SOS: 155
Best Wins:
(58) UAB W, 85-75
(76) Marshall W, 75-72

Best Losses:
(1) Kansas L, 57-55
(19) Tennessee L, 66-59

Team Leaders:
Points: Elliot Williams 19.6
Assists: Willie Kemp 3.9
Rebounds: Will Coleman 5.8

Best Player:

Elliot Williams G 6-4 180 SO
The Former Dukie, has come to Memphis and helped stop the bleeding once Calipari left.

My Take:
This game is huge, with this win, the Zags solidify themselves as a #4 seed and likely get to host the first 2 rounds of the tourney in Spokane, with a loss the Zags will have lost 5 Straight to the Tigers and may want to seriously consider cancelling their new 4 year Home and Home agreement. That being said, i fully expect the Zags to continue their winning ways and beat Memphis.

Final Score: Gonzaga 72 Memphis 67

Game Recap: Portland @ Gonzaga

2010-02-05T13:16:00.003-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 76 Portland 49

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Matt Bouldin 20 Points
Rebounder: Harris/Arop 7 Boards
Passer: Steven Gray 5 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 4 Blocks
Thief: Harris/Arop 3 Steals

Game MVP: Manny Arop
8 Points, 7 Boards, and 3 Steals in 17 Minutes!

Team Comparison: Zags/Pilots
Points: 76/49
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.78/0.56
Rebounds: 35/27
Shooting Percentage: 50%/36%
3pt Percentage: 39%/27%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
WHAT A GAME! The Zags came out guns blazing and played their best defense of the year. No question that they are fired up after that San Francisco loss. This is the kind of game that makes you think that the Zags have potential to go very far in the NCAA Tourney.

As far as individual efforts go, Manny Arop was so efficient in his time on the court that i had to give him the player of the game. He ended up with 8 Points, 7 Boards, and 3 Steals in just 17 minutes, GREAT GAME! LETS GO ZAGS!

Scouting Report: Portland

2010-02-02T13:57:00.006-05:00

As we have already done a scouting report for Portland this year, i will spare you redundancy, Eric Reveno and Co. are coming to the Kennel on Thursday night, are you ready?

Game Recap: Gonzaga @ San Francisco

2010-02-01T22:52:00.002-05:00

Final Score: San Francisco 81 Gonzaga 77 OT

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Elias Harris 21 Points
Rebounder: Matt Bouldin 12 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin 5 Assists
Swatter: 3 With 1 Blocks
Thief: Demetri Goodson 2 Steals

Game MVP: Elias Harris
21 Points, 8 Boards, 2 Assists, and 1 Steal

Team Comparison: Zags/Dons
Points: 77/81
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 0.63/0.94
Rebounds: 39/34
Shooting Percentage: 42%/48%
3pt Percentage: 28%/46%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
Ugh! What can i say about this that hasn't already been said? This was ugly, the Dons were shooting the lights out, namely Dior Lowhorn, and the Zags were horrible on the offensive end. In the end, i think we can all agree this is good to have this happen now, hopefully we will use it to learn and become that much better in the tournament.

Scouting Report: San Francisco

2010-01-30T13:51:00.003-05:00

San Francisco Dons
W-L: 7-14
RPI: 233
SOS: 61
Best Wins:
(167) San Jose St. W, 76-71
(184) San Diego W, 87-71

Best Losses:
(4) Brigham Young L, 69-43
(29) Arizona St. L, 104-65
(52) Washington L, 86-71

Team Leaders:
Points: Dior Lowhorn 17.5
Assists: Dontae Bryant 3.6
Rebounds: Dior Lowhorn 6.5

Best Player:

Dior Lowhorn F 6-7 230 SR
Lowhorn is in the top 2 or 3 players in the entire WCC, he could be the x-factor for the Dons

My Take:
I really dont think this one is going to be too difficult, i expect a blowout for the Zags.

Final Score: Gonzaga 88 San Francisco 72

Game Recap: Gonzaga @ Santa Clara

2010-01-29T02:11:00.002-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 71 Santa Clara 64

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Gray/Bouldin 19 Points
Rebounder: Elias Harris 14 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin 6 Assists
Swatter: Arop/Olynyk 2 Blocks
Thief: Matt Bouldin 4 Steals

Game MVP: Steven Gray
19 Points, 3 Boards, 3 Assists, and 1 Steal

Team Comparison: Zags/Broncos
Points: 71/64
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 0.81/0.75
Rebounds: 30/23
Shooting Percentage: 48%/45%
3pt Percentage: 33%/50%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
What a tussle, huh? Every time the Zags come to the Leavey Center, its a dogfight. Coach Keating does a masterful job of preparing his team mentally to be ready for a defensive battle. In the end the Zags emerged victorious, from being down by 14 to winning by 7, a 21 point swing. Great effort by the Zags for not throwing in the towel and letting their frustrations get the best of them. Mark Few did a great job as well keeping his bigs out of foul trouble and allowing Steven Gray and Matt Bouldin to get some rest from the constant badgering of the Bronco defenders. This game will definitely go a long way towards preparing the zags for the Memphis defensive attack. LETS GO ZAGS!

Scouting Report: Santa Clara

2010-01-26T11:58:00.003-05:00

Santa Clara Broncos
W-L: 9-13
RPI: 249
SOS: 186
Best Wins:
(107) Pacific W, 54-53
(127) Fresno St. W, 74-67

Best Losses:
(42) St. Mary's L, 80-72
(46) UNLV L, 66-63

Team Overview:
Under Construction!

Team Leaders:
Points: Kevin Foster 19.8
Assists: Marc Trasolini 6.5
Rebounds: Robert Smith 3.1

Best Player:

Kevin Foster G 6-2 215 SO
Foster is Santa Clara's best player, but he fractured his foot and will probably miss the remainder of the season.

My Take:
Santa Clara is no match for the Zags. Santa Clara sans Kevin Foster is no match for Gonzaga High School. The Zags win handedly, no surprise here.

Final Score: Gonzaga 92 Santa Clara 67

Game Recap: Loyola Marymount @ Gonzaga

2010-01-25T11:56:00.001-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 85 Loyola Marymount 69

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Elias Harris 22 Points
Rebounder: Sacre/Harris 8 Boards
Passer: 3 With 4 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 3 Blocks
Thief: Demetri Goodson 3 Steals

Game MVP: Elias Harris
22 Points, 8 Boards, and 4 Assists

Team Comparison: Zags/Lions
Points: 85/69
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.82/0.67
Rebounds: 39/28
Shooting Percentage: 52%/44%
3pt Percentage: 19%/25%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
It means we are well on our way to another perfect WCC season. I fully expect us to run the table and possibly win out if we can take care of business in Memphis. This has truly been a remarkable season with such a young roster. LETS GO ZAGS!

Scouting Report: Loyola Marymount

2010-01-23T14:49:00.002-05:00

Loyola Marymount Lions
W-L: 10-10
RPI: 202
SOS: 201
Best Wins:
(43) USC W, 67-59
(80) Notre Dame W, 87-85
(138) Long Beach St. W, 85-80

Best Losses:
(57) Tulsa L, 79-65
(81) Portland L, 79-39

Team Overview:
Under Construction!

Team Leaders:
Points: Drew Viney 16.7
Assists: Vernon Teel 6.3
Rebounds: Drew Viney 7.1

Best Player:

Vernon Teel G 6-4 190 JR
Teel is one of the better all around players in the WCC, currently he is averaging 14.5 points, 6.3 Assists, and 5.6 boards per game.

My Take:
LMU has been wildly inconsistent this year, one game they are slaying giants like USC or Notre Dame, the next they are losing to Montana. That being said, they have loads of talent and are likely to give the Zags a good run. I expect a close one, but in the end, we know the story, ZAGS win again!

Final Score: Gonzaga 82 Loyola Marymount 75

Game Recap: Pepperdine @ Gonzaga

2010-01-21T23:14:00.003-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 91 Pepperdine 84

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Matt Bouldin 32 Points
Rebounder: Elias Harris 13 Boards
Passer: 3 With 3 Assists
Swatter: No Blocks
Thief: Steven Gray 2 Steals

Game MVP: Matt Bouldin
32 Points, 2 Boards, and 2 Assists

Team Comparison: Zags/Waves
Points: 91/84
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.50/1.00
Rebounds: 36/28
Shooting Percentage: 53%/44%
3pt Percentage: 36%/38%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
The waves, namely Keion Bell gave the Zags a run. Especially in the second half in which Keion scored 34 points. He was simply amazing, best scorer i have seen in the WCC since Adam Morrison. In the end, we won, and a win is a win is a win. LETS GO ZAGS!

Scouting Report: Pepperdine

2010-01-20T23:23:00.004-05:00

Pepperdine Waves
W-L: 7-12
RPI: 248
SOS: 195
Best Wins:
(98) Utah W, 76-64
(171) Loyola Marymount W, 79-75

Best Losses:
(52) Miami L, 86-63
(92) Georgia L, 64-47

Team Overview:
The Waves know they can start with an outstanding tandem in junior Mychel Thompson, who plays on the wing, and sophomore shooting guard Keion Bell.

Thompson (Portland, Ore./Santa Margarita Catholic HS/Stoneridge Prep) is the only scholarship player that has been on the roster for two previous seasons. A 6-foot-7, two-year starter who has been voted team captain in 2009-10, he averaged 8.1 points as a freshman and was up to 9.6 points as a sophomore, second-best on the team. He has made 91 career three-pointers and is likely to break into Pepperdine's top 10 this season.

"Mychel might have made as much progress as anyone during the offseason," Asbury said. "The fact that he was voted captain by a landslide shows the respect that the players have for him as a leader. Even though he's a quiet leader, he leads by example. He's versatile. He can step out and shoot it, he can put the ball on the floor, he can defend, he's a very complete player. I expect great things from him."

Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS) was a revelation as a freshman, showing skills that will make him one of the conference's most dynamic players for the next three seasons, and dunking ability that may make him a YouTube legend. The 6-foot-3 guard was named to the WCC All-Freshman team after averaging team highs of 12.9 points, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals. His showing at the Say No Classic summer league prompted one local sportswriter to call him arguably the best college player in all of Southern California.

"I think Keion will be one of the top players in the conference," Asbury said. "He's improved his body, gotten bigger and stronger, and has a better understanding of the game and what we want to do. He's a pretty complete player. Once he makes a consistent jump shot and commits fewer turnovers, he may be the best player in the league at some point in time."

Team Leaders:
Points: Keion Bell 19.2
Assists: Keion Bell 4.0
Rebounds: Taylor Darby 6.3

Best Player:

Keion Bell G 6-3 200 SO
Bell is one of the best perimeter players in the WCC, with games of 34 and 28 Points so far this year.

My Take:
Pepperdine is a team in transition. They have talent, but in most cases its pretty young. That being said, they are off to a scorching hot start in WCC conference play at 3-0, this game is shaping up to be the fourth straight against the upper echelon of talent in the WCC, expect Pepperdine to give the Zags some trouble early on, but in the end, they are no match for the Zags premier division 1 talent. I expect a blowout.

Final Score: Gonzaga 94 Pepperdine 67

Dan Fitzgerald Dead at 67

2010-01-20T11:41:00.001-05:00

Gonzaga University was informed late Tuesday night that Dan Fitzgerald, former head coach for Gonzaga men’s basketball, died unexpectedly earlier Tuesday evening.

Fitzgerald first came to Gonzaga in the early-1970s as freshman basketball coach, became assistant basketball coach under then-Coach Adrian Buonchristiani, left for a brief assistant coaching stint at Santa Clara University, then was named Gonzaga’s head basketball coach and athletic director in 1978.

He coached three seasons, then resigned to work full time as athletic director. But he assumed both roles again, beginning in 1985. Fitzgerald paved the way for Dan Monson to take over the coaching reins after the 1996-97 season, and Fitzgerald resigned as athletic director in December 1997.

Over the course of 15 seasons, Dan coached the Bulldogs to 252 wins and the team’s first NCAA tournament appearance in 1995. In recent years, he has served as community relations manager for Northern Quest Casino.

Gonzaga President Thayne McCulloh, Ph.D., asked the University community to keep Dan’s family, especially his wife Darleen and their daughter Kelly, in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

RIP Dan, we will miss you!

Game Recap: Gonzaga @ San Diego

2010-01-16T23:29:00.001-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 68 San Diego 50

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Elias Harris 20 Points
Rebounder: Robert Sacre 10 Boards
Passer: Demetri Goodson 5 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 4 Blocks
Thief: Steven Gray 2 Steals

Game MVP: Elias Harris
20 Points, 9 Boards, 2 Assists, and a Steal

Team Comparison: Zags/Toreros
Points: 68/50
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.33/0.78
Rebounds: 36/25
Shooting Percentage: 53%/35%
3pt Percentage: 55%/7%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
Three road games, the top 3 teams in the WCC not named Gonzaga, Three Wins. The Zags did a great job in quelling the San Diego perimeter game, holding the Toreros to a god-awful 7% from three. This was a stepping stone to another perfect conference season. We are not out of the weeds yet as an improved Pepperdine squad is also 3-0 in conference and coming to the Kennel this thursday, expect the Zags to handle the Waves.

Scouting Report: San Diego

2010-01-16T12:25:00.001-05:00

San Diego Toreros
W-L: 8-11
RPI: 204
SOS: 88
Best Wins:
(87) Houston W, 72-65
(105) Oklahoma W, 76-64
(126) Stanford W, 77-64

Best Losses:
(25) Mississippi St. L, 77-68
(49) New Mexico L, 82-78
(65) San Diego St. L, 69-62

Team Overview:
Point guard Brandon Johnson, who lost most of last season to a ruptured Achilles, was granted a fifth year of eligibility and will be back running the offense. The importance of Johnson's return can't be understated, as he averaged almost 17 points and 3.5 assists per game during his junior season. San Diego will have some frontcourt issues as F/C Gyno Pomare, who averaged almost 14 points and 6 boards a game, graduated, and Rob Jones, who averaged nearly 10 points and 5.5 boards left the program. Coach Bill Grier hopes 6-9 Brazilian junior college transfer Rafael Crescensio and 6-9 holdover Roberto Mafra (5.0 ppg. 2.5 rpg) can make an impact inside.

Team Leaders:
Points: Brandon Johnson 15.9
Assists: Brandon Johnson 3.1
Rebounds: Chris Lewis 6.5

Best Player:

Brandon Johnson PG 6-0 200 SR
Johnson is a fifth year senior leader who knows how to fill up the cup, he has led this San Diego team to some big wins this year.

My Take:
San Diego is no push over, especially at home, this marks the third straight conference game the Zags have had to go on the road. It also marks the third straight game the Zags will have faced their stiffest competition. Billy Grier knows this team frontwards and backwards and if anyone could orchestrate a big upset i would not put it past the former Zags assistant coach. If the Zags can get through this game unscathed, i strongly beleive we will run the table in the WCC again this year. LETS GO ZAGS!

Final Score: Gonzaga 88 San Diego 72

Game Recap: Gonzaga @ Saint Mary's

2010-01-15T11:26:00.001-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 89 Saint Mary's 82

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Elias Harris 31 Points
Rebounder: Steven Gray 14 Boards
Passer: Steven Gray 6 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 2 Blocks
Thief: Elias Harris 3 Steals

Game MVP: Elias Harris
31 Points, 13 Boards, 3 Steals, and 1 Assist

Team Comparison: Zags/Gaels
Points: 89/82
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 0.92/2.11
Rebounds: 45/25
Shooting Percentage: 60%/48%
3pt Percentage: 30%/40%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
This was a big win for the Zags; On the road in Moraga, probably one of the toughest environments outside the kennel in the WCC; Against probably the second most accomplished team in the WCC over the last 10 years; A dual of the two best coaches in our Conference. In the end, Omar the Great (Or Beast as he likes to be called) was not enough for the much more finesse driven Gaels. In the end Elias Harris put on a show and made this Saint Mary's crowd rethink their chants of "Overrated".
Boy Did Harris ever put on a show, as usual he was a monster on the glass leaping over opponents to grab boards and tip in missed shots. But it was his uncanny ability to go and get the ball on the offensive end that was most impressive. He had at least 4 tip in for dunks or Alley Oops. Including one very impressive one from Steven Gray in the first half, in which he leaped over a Saint Mary's opponent. I am officially in awe of the young Germans athleticism. He may possibly be the single most Gifted athlete in Gonzaga Basketball history; And that is high praise.

Scouting Report: Saint Mary's

2010-01-11T15:11:00.004-05:00

Saint Mary's Gaels
W-L: 15-2
RPI: 32
SOS: 172
Best Wins:
(64) San Diego St. W, 80-58
(65) Utah St. W, 68-63
(86) Oregon W, 81-76

Best Losses:
(21) Vanderbilt L, 72-70
(51) USC L, 60-49

Team Overview:
St. Mary's has a great inside/outside game with 6-11 Omar Samhan at center and 6-0 Mickey McConnell at guard. Samhan is a beast near the basket, averaging nearly 21 points and 11 rebounds a game on 57% shooting from the field. The Saint Mary's backcourt will look to establish their post game early and often. McConnell is a deadly accurate shooter from the outside, shooting 53% from beyond the arc.

Outside of their starters, St. Mary's doesn't have a lot of experience or depth but they do have a good 6th man in Tim Williams. Who steps up for Wayne Hunter (Torn ACL) will be interesting as the most likely candidates are all freshman in Trey Anderson, Matt Dellavedova, and Jorden Page. Out of those, Anderson and Page are the most likely but have limited experience.

Team Leaders:
Points: Omar Samhan 20.8
Assists: Mickey McConnell 6.4
Rebounds: Omar Samhan 10.9

Best Player:

Omar Samhan C 6-11 265 SR
Omar Samhan, the beast from Moraga. He is probably the most seasoned post player in the WCC this season and the best since John Bryant at Santa Clara.

My Take:
This is going to be the toughest Conference game all season as we travel into Moraga. The Saint Mary's fans love to poke and prod the Zags each and every time we come to play. I expect this one to be very close and ultimately will be decided in Overtime.

Final Score: Gonzaga 85 Saint Mary's 82 OT

Game Recap: Portland vs. Gonzaga

2010-01-10T15:04:00.002-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 81 Portland 78

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Matt Bouldin 20 Points
Rebounder: Olynyk/Harris 7 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin 9 Assists
Swatter: Sacre 1 Block
Thief: 3 With 1 Steal

Game MVP: Matt Bouldin
20 Points, 9 Assists, 3 Boards, and a Steal

Team Comparison: Zags/Pilots
Points: 81/78
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 2.29/5.00
Rebounds: 32/28
Shooting Percentage: 49%/50%
3pt Percentage: 29%/37%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
This was no cupcake game. Yes the Zags had won 26 of the last 27 games against Portland, but was this a typical game? We were on the road at a hostile Chiles Center, with a Portland team who is as seasoned as they have ever been. At the end of the day, walking out with a win should be seen as a big deal regardless of how close it was. I personally think the Zags played a great game, and despite Jared Stohls otherworldly three point shooting or T.J. Campbells amazing passes, We still won!

In the News

2010-01-05T19:06:00.007-05:00

The Gonzaga Bulldogs have grabbed their first recruit out of the 2011 Class in Kyle Draganis. Draganis is a wiry 6-4 Point Guard out of Skyview High School in Nampa, ID. He seems to understand his size advantage at the Point with his ability to dominate smaller guards by creating mismatches and backing down in the paint. I expect Mark Few to use him in a similar fashion to how he uses Matt Bouldin(Also a big guard who can play the point). His biggest weakness at this time is his weight, he comes in at a very slim 165 pounds. He will need to definitely spend some time in the weight room adjusting to the much more physical nature of Division 1 College Basketball.

In Other News, late last night, the Zag family lost one of its many assets in the low post. Andy Poling will be transferring to an as yet named Division 1 program in Oregon. Most think he is transferring due to a lack of playing time. He came into this season with the expectations of challenging for a bigger role, but the Zags ended up with the opportunity to bring in players who ate away at any potential playing time that existed. I wish Andy well and hope that he can adjust to life outside Spokane.

Scouting Report: Portland

2010-01-04T15:30:00.005-05:00

Portland Pilots
W-L: 9-5
RPI: 98
SOS: 82
Best Wins:
(11) Minnesota W, 61-56
(71) Oregon W, 88-81
(150) UCLA W, 74-47

Best Losses:
(10) West Virginia L, 84-66
(55) Washington L, 89-54
(72) Nevada L, 78-69

Team Overview:
Pilots reserve guard Jared Stohl is averaging 9.6 points after hitting a school record 10 three-pointers and scoring a season-high 30 points in the recent 82-52 victory over Idaho at the Chiles Center. Stohl is shooting 58.8 percent (20 of 34) from three-point range in five home games, and 38.5 percent (10 of 26) from beyond the arc in six road games. In his last two road games against Idaho and Washington, Stohl went 0 for 4 on three-pointers...Raivio is UP's leading scorer, averaging 14.6 points a game, and has reached double figures in points in six consecutive games and 10 of 11 overall. Campbell (12.9 ppg) and Smeulders (11.7 ppg) are the only other Pilots averaging double figures in scoring. Reserve forward Luke Sikma is averaging a team-best 7.6 rebounds, and Campbell leads the Pilots with 5.5 assists per game.

Team Leaders:
Points: Nik Raivio 14.6
Assists: T.J. Campbell 5.5
Rebounds: Luke Sikma 7.6

Best Player:

T.J. Campbell PG 5-9 190 SR
When Campbell is on, there is no stopping him. Campbell, a Red hot Three Point shooter, is averaging 12.9 Points and 5.5 Assists a game...

My Take:
When the season began, i expected Portland to be a formidable foe. They posted big early season wins over Oregon, UCLA, and Minnesota. In the last few weeks, that expectation has dramatically changed with losses to Portland State, Idaho and Nevada. Ultimately they are a team that is dangerous, but unpredicable, there is no doubt they possess the talent to potentially crack the NCAA Tournament, but it may take a near flawless run through the WCC Conference schedule or Tournament to justify a selection. This is at the Chiles Center, so expect a good game.

Final Score: Gonzaga 82 Portland 70

Game Recap: Gonzaga vs. Illinois

2010-01-03T17:26:00.004-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 85 Illinois 83 OT

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Steven Gray 20 Points
Rebounder: Elias Harris 16 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin 7 Assists
Swatter: 3 With 1 Block
Thief: Matt Bouldin 2 Steals

Game MVP: Elias Harris
19 Points, 16 Boards, 1 Assist, Steal and Block...1-2 from Three...

Team Comparison: Zags/Illini
Points: 85/83
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.00/2.30
Rebounds: 37/30
Shooting Percentage: 56%/42%
3pt Percentage: 35%/17%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
We came out guns blazing for the first 15 Minutes, pulling out a lead of 21 in hostile Chicago. So Why did the game become so close? Mental Lapses on the offensive end caused 21 turnovers over the last 25 Minutes of the game. For as good as we played to start out, it was just as bad to finish. What transpired in the end was a much more battle tested Zag team continuing their resiliency and toughing out a win. Elias Harris was a monster on the boards. Matt Bouldin almost had a triple double, and Robert Sacre was Dominant in the low post, not only scoring but causing Illinois top post player to foul out. Great Victory, even better set up for the start of conference play.

Scouting Report: Illinois

2010-01-01T21:50:00.002-05:00

W-L: 9-4
RPI: 53
SOS: 147
Best Wins:
(15) Clemson W, 76-74
(23) Vanderbilt W, 79-68
(70) Northwestern W, 89-83

Best Losses:
(9) Missouri L, 81-68

Current Rankings:
#53 RPI

Team Overview:
The Illinois Illini had a roller-coaster ride of a season last year that ended with a first-round loss to Western Kentucky in the NCAA tournament. At times they looked like a talented and dangerous team. They obliterated a strong Missouri team that made it to the Elite Eight early in the year and won two of their three matchups with a tough Purdue squad.

However, they struggled with their consistency in other games, especially on the offensive end. On two occasions they failed to put 40 points on the board, including an embarrassing 38-33 loss to Penn State. They finished 24-9 on the year, which was still pretty good given the roster uncertainty entering the season. While their three best players return from that team, they have some holes to replace in the backcourt.

Team Leaders:
Points: Demetri McCamey 14.1
Assists: Demetri McCamey 5.6
Rebounds: Mike Davis 10.4

Best Player:

Mike Davis F/C 6-9 220 JR
Davis is a beast in the low post, having 8 games in Double Digit rebounds this season

My Take:
While Illinois has struggled this season, they are in fact a good team. This is not going to be an easy roadtrip, having to travel all the way out to Chicago after just playing on New Years Eve in Spokane. I expect the Zags to eventually pull this one out late.

Final Score: Gonzaga 77 Illinois 75

Game Recap: Oklahoma @ Gonzaga

2010-01-01T18:50:00.005-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 83 Oklahoma 69

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Steven Gray 18 Points
Rebounder: Elias Harris 9 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin 8 Assists
Swatter: Sacre/Gray 1 Block
Thief: Gray/Bouldin 2 Steals

Game MVP: Matt Bouldin
12 Points, 8 Assists, 5 Boards, and 2 Steals

Team Comparison: Zags/Sooners
Points: 83/69
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 2.00/1.07
Rebounds: 28/22
Shooting Percentage: 51%/50%
3pt Percentage: 42%/40%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
The Zags came to play in this one, never letting the Sooners have a chance at a lead. Matt Bouldin seems to have finally healed after his Concussion and the Post Play of Harris and Sacre continues to dominate teams down low. Steven Gray continues to get better and better with every passing game, and his shot seems to have finally leveled off. I expect this game to give the Zags a boost in confidence heading into their big matchup in Chicago against the Fighting Illini.

Scouting Report: Oklahoma

2009-12-31T09:25:00.001-05:00

W-L: 8-4
RPI: 100
SOS: 236
Best Wins:
(134) Arizona W 79-62
(203) Arkansas W 67-47
(131) Utah W 78-73 OT

Best Losses:
(38) UTEP L 89-74
(75) VCU L 82-69
(93) Houston L 100-93
(174) San Diego L 76-64

Current Rankings:
#100 RPI

Team Overview:
Coach Jeff Capel is good enough to make the transition from a frontcourt orientated team to a backcourt orientated team. And without Blake and Taylor Griffin he will not have much of a choice. The frontcourt returns very few experienced players and the Sooners will have to rely on a talented class of incoming freshmen.

The backcourt has a pretty solid starting three. Of course it all starts with Willie Warren. Warren had a great freshman campaign, tallying 14.6 points and 3.1 assists per game. His outside shooting may have been a little erratic at times and his turnovers could be a little high, but remember this was as a freshman. His positives sizably outweigh his negatives and Warren is ready to become the leader of this team. Having Tony Crocker back on the wing will help. Crocker is a capable outside shooter who can also use his 6-6 frame to finish around the basket. Cade Davis will likely go from the sixth man to a starter this year. He has good size for a shooting guard and could emerge as a surprisingly decent scorer if he attacks the basket more often.

Team Leaders:
Points: Willie Warren 18.7
Assists: Willie Warren 4.9
Rebounds: Tiny Gallon 8.9

Best Player:

Willie Warren G 6-4 199 SO
Warren is the resident Scorer and Creator of this offense, without him, things fall apart...

My Take:
This is not the Sooner team of last season. Blake Griffin is gone, Taylor Griffin is gone, the swagger is gone. Coach Jeff Caple leads a talented team that has struggled during the early season to find their niche. This is a team that lost to Gonzaga conference rivals San Diego earlier this season in the Great Alaskan Shootout. I expect Oklahoma to give us a game, but in the end we pull away and win handily.

Final Score: Gonzaga 82 Oklahoma 67

Game Recap: Eastern Washington @ Gonzaga

2009-12-29T13:51:00.002-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 94 Eastern Washington 52

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Elias Harris 22 Points
Rebounder: 3 With 7 Boards
Passer: Manny Arop 6 Assists
Swatter: 3 With 1 Block
Thief: Matt Bouldin 4 Steals

Game MVP: Elias Harris
22 Points, 7 Boards, 3 Steals, a Block and an Assist, 9-11 from the floor

Team Comparison: Zags/Eagles
Points: 94/52
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.19/0.22
Rebounds: 50/27
Shooting Percentage: 50%/29%
3pt Percentage: 46%/17%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
This was a nice turnaround game for the Zags. After being humiliated against the Blue Devils in MSG, this was the game that got their blood pumping again. I expect the Zags to use this as a stepping stone as they begin a 2 game block against Oklahoma and Illinois.

Scouting Report: Eastern Washington

2009-12-28T12:36:00.001-05:00

W-L: 4-9
RPI: 316
SOS: 206
Best Wins:
(217) Seattle W 100-97 OT
(317) Texas Arlington W 72-68

Best Losses:
(10) BYU L 34-91
(75) Nevada L 70-73

Current Rankings:
#316 RPI

Team Overview:
Eastern Washington is 16 miles from Spokane, but the short trip isn't likely to help. The Eagles have lost four straight, averaging 51.3 points and shooting 31.2 percent over their last three. Eastern Washington lost 72-67 to previously winless Jackson State on Wednesday in the final round of the Las Vegas Classic. "Right now it feels like early to mid-November when you don't know exactly what your team is like yet," coach Kirk Earlywine said. "That's not a good feeling." Senior forward Mark Dunn is averaging a team-best 11.9 points for Eastern Washington but scored two on 1-for-5 shooting Wednesday. The Eagles are 0-6 when he fails to score in double figures.

Team Leaders:
Points: Mark Dunn 11.9
Assists: Glen Dean 3.8
Rebounds: Brandon Moore 7.7

Best Player:

Brandon Moore F/C 6-9 250 SR
Moore is their best all around player and the only hope the Eagles have of stopping Robert Sacre Down low...

My Take:
This game is going to be as easy as they come in college basketball. Eastern Washington will be outmatched in every aspect of the game. This will be a nice rebound game from the ugly loss at Madison Square Garden to Duke, and i expect us to tune up for Thursday nights New Years bash against Oklahoma.

Final Score: Gonzaga 105 Eastern Washington 67

Game Recap: Gonzaga vs. Duke

2009-12-19T23:33:00.002-05:00

Final Score: Duke 76 Gonzaga 41

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Robert Sacre 9 Points
Rebounder: Manny Arop 6 Boards
Passer: 3 With 2 Assists
Swatter: Foster/Sacre 1 Blocks
Thief: Steven Gray 4 Steals

Game MVP: Manny Arop
6 Points and 6 Boards

Team Comparison: Zags/Blue Devils
Points: 41/76
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 0.44/1.23
Rebounds: 29/41
Shooting Percentage: 28%/45%
3pt Percentage: 10%/33%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
Am I a little embarrassed? Yes. Is the the end of all hopes that Gonzaga could compete on a national stage this year? No. The Zags were playing in a Snowfilled New York City roughly 3,000 Miles from home against a team who had probably a 90% fan base in the arena. Matt Bouldin had just returned to practice late last week following a Concussion. Steven Gray is still not himself, his shot has been horrible this year. So what did the Blue Devils do? They realized there was no perimeter game and decided to double and triple team Elias Harris and Robert Sacre. This game got ugly quick and with no one playing to their ability there was little that the coaching staff could have done to jump start this team.

Contrary to popular opinion, Mark Few did not decide this game. He and his assistants did what they could to stop the bleeding but when someone has suffered internal organ failure on this scale, all you can really do is wait and hope that a donor surfaces with the correct blood type. I do not think that subbing in Bol Kong for any more than the 17 minutes he played would have fixed the problems that were largely compounded by the Swarming Dukie defense. It also does not help when you have a smart coach on the floor in Jon Scheyer who knows how to penetrate defenses and get to the line and then hit 92% of his shots...did i mention that his assist to turnover ratio is 6-1? That is one of the highest a/t ratios i have ever seen. Smart Basketball.

Gonzaga will turn around this ship and come into Spokane with more vigor and enthusiasm than we saw at MSG, in the future i think it would be best not to schedule Duke at MSG, maybe we need to start thinking about who we can get Home and Homes with. If Duke is not willing to provide a return game in say Seattle, then there is no reason to continue this every now and then series. Embarrassment like this hurts recruiting.

Scouting Report: Duke

2009-12-18T11:04:00.006-05:00

W-L: 8-1
RPI: 4
SOS: 82
Best Wins:
(21) Arizona St. W, 64-53
(33) Connecticut W, 68-59
(65) St. John's W, 80-71
(77) Charlotte W, 101-59

Best Losses:
(15) Wisconsin L, 73-69

Current Rankings:
#4 RPI
#7 AP
#7 Coaches

Team Overview:
Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski comes into the 2009-10 NCAA basketball season having made the Sweet 16 three of the past five years. Last year, Duke finished second in regular season ACC play with a 11-5 conference record and 30-7 for the season and won the conference tournament. Unlike most years under Coach Krzyzewski, however, Duke only has three guards on the 2009-10 roster. Kyle Singer will be moving to play the SF position this year to help take the place of Gerald Henderson who left early for the NBA(drafted at 12 by the Charlotte Bobcats). A surprising loss from last year’s squad was Elliot Williams departing to play at Memphis due to a severe illness in the family. As a result, Andre Dawkins was able to finish his high school requirements a year early and join the Blue Devils basketball team for the upcoming season. Overall, Duke is expected to play to a much taller lineup this year than in past years with the greater depth in the front court.

Kyle Singer is going to pose significant matchup problems for opponents with shifting to the wing. His perimeter shooting and ballhandling ability will allow him to play in the post when needed as well as on the perimeter. He scored at a 16.5 ppg, 7.7 rbg, and 2.2 apg clip last year and is now at the position he will eventually play in the NBA. Duke returns 6′8″ senior Lance Thomas who averaged 18.6 minutes a game last year and 7′1″ Brian Zoubek who look to have a greater impact this season after solid junior years on the team. Newcomers Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly are also expected to have a significant role on the team this year. Coach K is just going to have to settle on the right team chemistry that is going to work before hitting ACC play in the new year.

Team Leaders:
Points: Jon Scheyer 18.0
Assists: Jon Scheyer 5.7
Rebounds: Brian Zoubek 7.8

Best Player:

Jon Scheyer G 6-5 190 SR
Scheyer is one of Dukes great Guards. He is a fiery competitor and 46% from the floor along with 42% from three and 92% from the line.

My Take:
This is shaping up to be Gonzaga's marquee game of the year, It is being played in a Neutral site, Madison Square Garden in New York City(I think we all know that the crowd is going to be largely filled with Duke fans though). We match up well with the Dukies and probably have a pretty size-able advantage in the paint with Robert Sacre and Elias Harris.

I expect this one to be quite close and i think its a 50/50 chance on who wins. Of course im gonna go with my Zags in a squeaker!

Final Score: Gonzaga 75 Duke 72

Game Recap: Davidson vs. Gonzaga

2009-12-14T12:47:00.004-05:00

Final Score: Gonzaga 103 Davidson 91

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Elias Harris 27 Points
Rebounder: Grant Gibbs 8 Boards
Passer: Kelly Olynyk 4 Assists
Swatter: Elias Harris 2 Blocks
Thief: G.J. Vilarino 2 Steals

Game MVP: Elias Harris
27 Points, 5 Boards, 2 Blocks, a Steal and an Assist

Team Comparison: Zags/Wildcats
Points: 103/91
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 0.79/1.79
Rebounds: 27/23
Shooting Percentage: 64%/51%
3pt Percentage: 50%/61%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
Matt Bouldin missed the game with a Concussion he suffered against Augustana on Wednesday. Even with that, the Zags rolled. Davidson put up a fight, but the dominant low post tandem of Robert Sacre and Elias Harris proved too much for the upstart Wildcats. The big men combined for a total of 50 Points on 13-15 shooting from the floor.

The bench continued to expand its roll on the team with great performances by Bol Kong and Grant Gibbs. This was a good tune up for the Duke Game.

Scouting Report: Davidson

2009-12-11T12:36:00.002-05:00

W-L: 2-6
RPI: 153
SOS: 22
Best Wins:
(150) The Citadel W 74-63

Best Losses:
(37) South Florida L 58-65
(46) Butler L 62-73
(65) Rhode Island L 65-75
(133) College of Charleston L 55-67
(136) La Salle L 70-84
(140) Penn St. L 57-59

Current Rankings:
#153 RPI

Team Overview:
Bob McKillop’s Wildcats return just two starters from last season’s program, in which the nation’s leading scorer Stephen Curry left after his junior season for the NBA. McKillop will still employ three seniors in the starting lineup, but has a crop of sophomores and freshmen coming in for the future.

One of the leading seniors is power forward Steve Rossiter, who started all 35 contests last season. Another leader is swingman Will Archambault, who played in all 35 games, but managed to start seven of the last eight, and averaged 8.3 ppg in the process. Guard Bryant Barr will look to pick up the pieces that Curry had as the shooting guard, while Archambault will help out. Point guard and coach’s son Brendan McKillop will provide the signal calling duties for the Wildcats, and senior forward Dan Nelms will round out its starting core, with Ben Allison and Frank Ben-Eze coming off the bench in the post positions, while sophomores AJ Atkinson and Will Reigel will be used at times to play for Barr and Archambault.

Team Leaders:
Points: Jake Cohen 13.0
Assists: Brenden McKillop 3.5
Rebounds: Jake Cohen 5.4

Best Player:

Jake Cohen F 6-10 225 FR
Cohen is a very talented Freshman, who in a few years may be one of the most dominant big men in the Southern conference.

My Take:
I think we all can agree that this game was scheduled before the loss of Stephen Curry to the NBA. Davidson post curry is a mid-major, and a team that lacks any true talent. Davidson has played a tremendous schedule this year, and despite not having Curry around, they have played pretty well. That being said, this one will probably hurt our RPI in the long run. I expect the Zags to win this one handedly.

Final Score: Gonzaga 85 Davidson 62

Game Recap: Augustana vs. Gonzaga

2009-12-10T13:54:00.002-05:00

Final Score:Gonzaga 79 Augustana 40

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Steven Gray 12 Points
Rebounder: Manny Arop/Steven Gray 7 Boards
Passer: Grant Gibbs 4 Assists
Swatter: Will Foster 2 Blocks
Thief: Steven Gray 3 Steals

Game MVP: Steven Gray
12 Points, 7 Boards, 3 Steals, and 2 Assists

Team Comparison: Zags/Vikings
Points: 79/40
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.30/1.20
Rebounds: 38/34
Shooting Percentage: 51%/27%
3pt Percentage: 29%/5%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
This was a great opportunity for Mark Few to get his young bench players some additional experience. It also allowed for Steven Gray to get his shot back on track, he finished 5-8 from the floor and 2-4 from three.

Don't read too much into this, the Zags were playing a D3 opponent. I expect the Battle in Seattle on Saturday to be a much better tune up for the Duke game coming up.

Game Recap: Wake Forest Vs. Gonzaga

2009-12-06T13:26:00.004-05:00

Final Score:Wake Forest 77 Gonzaga 75

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Matt Bouldin 22 Points
Rebounder: Manny Arop/Robert Sacre 9 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin 5 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 2 Blocks
Thief: Demetri Goodson 2 Steals

Game MVP: Matt Bouldin
22 Points, 5 Assists, 4 Boards, and a Steal

Team Comparison: Zags/Demon Deacons
Points: 75/77
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.30/1.20
Rebounds: 31/39
Shooting Percentage: 45%/38%
3pt Percentage: 44%/53%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
We Lost? Seriously? If you had asked me whether we would lose when we were up by 9 with 6 minutes left in the first half, i would have laughed in your face. We were rolling, Wake was reeling. So what happened? First of all, the Officiating stunk. They altered the game by ejecting one of our most high energy players in Elias Harris on a tough foul that in my opinion was nothing more than a young Zag player boxing out and a Wake Senior using his ability to act and flop. Not only did they remove Harris, they gave Wake 5 foul shots and totally killed any momentum and confidence the Zags had at that time. It was as if the Zags were a Cancer patient who were getting healthy only to find out half way through their battle that they were riddled with tumors again.

The Poison sets in, the Zags go down by 1 at the half, Mark Few goes in the locker room to try and get the team back on track. 8 minutes into the second half the Demon Deacons are up by 14. Looking to spark an anemic offense, Few does the unthinkable he subs in Bol Kong and tells him to let it fly. Kong does just that sinking 4 three points in about 5 minutes and suddenly its a ballgame again. This ignites the Zags and gives them some confidence again.

We are now 1 minute from the end, the Zags are down by 3, Steven Gray throws up a prayer from outside and hes FOULED! can you believe it, could it be that the Zags will come back and win after being down by double digits again? Gray goes to the line and hits the first foul shot. 74-76...Gray steps up and rattles out, every Zag fan across the nation feels that sinking feeling in their heart they have come to know all too well. The emotional heartbreak of another crushing defeat. Gray then misses the second. Its now less than a minute left, the Zags down by 2, and all we can do is foul. Wake goes down to ice it by going up 2 possessions, but no! they Miss!, 74-77. Matt Bouldin races up the court and is smartly fouled by the Deacons. He hits his first free throw and makes it a 2 point game again 75-77...On his second shot, knowing there are only 3 seconds left in regulation, he puts his cape back on and does what superheroes do, he Throws the ball against the backboard hoping to catch some rim and leaps into the lane trying all his might to pull in the rebound and hit a shot, HE MAKES IT! I feel happiness that i cannot describe! and then the Officials do it again, they take it all away, call a lane violation because the ball never hits the rim and like that its Wake ball up by 2 with 3 seconds left on the clock, GAME OVER...

This game taught me something, it taught me that despite all the youth on this roster and all the adversity of the Elias Harris incident this team has resiliency. This team has that special moxie that a screen writer couldnt pen for a blockbuster movie. This team has leadership in all the right places, an Inside/Outside game that is the best in the West. At the end of the day, this game teaches this team that it can be something special. We will make a run for our first Final Four this year, mark my words.

Scouting Report: Wake Forest

2009-12-03T14:24:00.004-05:00

W-L: 4-2
RPI: 87
SOS: 286
Best Wins:
(205) Oral Roberts W 76-56
(210) East Carolina W 89-58

Best Losses:
(10) Purdue L 58-69
(68) William & Mary L 68-78

Current Rankings:
#87 RPI

Team Overview:
This is not a Wake Forest team that will be awarded high rankings during the regular season. It will take some time to overcome the loss of First Round Picks Jeff Teague and James Johnson, but the cupboard is certainly nowhere near bare. If Al-Farouq Aminu can continue to develop into an NBA talent and the newcomers can contribute, this team could find itself back in the NCAA Tournament.

Team Leaders:
Points: Al-Farouq Aminu 17.7
Assists: Ishmael Smith 5.0
Rebounds: Al-Farouq Aminu 11.0

Best Player:

Al-Farouq Aminu F 6-9 215 SO
Aminu is definitely one of the better players in the nation this year, most likely will be a top 15 Pick in this years draft.

My Take:
This game will not be easy, but this is not the Wake Forest of 2008-09. Gone are team leaders and first round picks Jeff Teague and James Johnson. Wake does return one of the most talented front court players in the nation in Al-Farouq Aminu, but the Prince alone cannot win this game for the Demon Deacons. I expect this to be close early, but Gonzaga to pull away in the end.

Final Score: Gonzaga 77 Wake Forest 65

Game Recap: Washingston St. Vs. Gonzaga

2009-12-03T10:56:00.002-05:00

Final Score:Gonzaga 74 Washington St. 69

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Matt Bouldin 28 Points
Rebounder: Elias Harris 12 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin/Steven Gray 3 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 2 Block
Thief: 5 with 2 Steals

Game MVP: Matt Bouldin
28 Points, 5 Boards, 3 Assists, 2 Steals and a Block...7 Big Threes!

Team Comparison: Zags/Cougars
Points: 74/69
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 0.72/0.62
Rebounds: 33/34
Shooting Percentage: 49%/41%
3pt Percentage: 44%/36%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
Honestly the Bulldogs played like Garbage for 30 of the 40 minutes in this game. Even their comeback was ugly. But that doesnt matter, WE WON! We won after being down by 15, we won despite Steven Gray shooting Basketballs at a hoop the size of a Golf Ball Hole. Robert Sacre looked lost and frustrated at times as if he was being guarded by a young Shaq in his prime (I can assure you that DeAngelo Casto is no where near a Young Shaq in his prime). Even Elias Harris looked lost in the first half.

And then something happened. The Cougars began to finally miss their shots as well. The Bulldogs started picking apart their offense and forcing turnovers and before we knew what had happened the game was in single digits, the Zags as if on queue decided it was time to use the experience earned in Maui and send the upstart Cougars back to Pullman with a loss. At the end of the day, we won...The Cougars lost and all is well again in Eastern Washington.

Scouting Report: Washington State

2009-11-29T15:24:00.004-05:00

W-L: 6-0
RPI: 98
SOS: 239
Best Wins:
(133) San Diego W 93-56
(213) E. Washington W 67-61

Best Losses:
N/A

Current Rankings:
#98 RPI

Team Overview:
The Great Alaskan Shootout Champions lost their top two scorers from last year, Taylor Rochestie (13.2 ppg, 4.5 apg) and Aron Bynes (12.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.3 bpg). The challenge for former Portland State head coach Ken Bone in his first year as Tony Bennett's replacement is to find players who can fill those gaps, all while complementing 6-6 sophomore G Klay Thompson (12.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg), one of the best shooters in the conference if not the nation. 6-9 Australian freshman Brock Motum will be called on to fill Bynes' spot, while Thompson will be supported by a couple of youngsters in the backcourt--Reggie Moore and Xavier Thames. Don't overlook the tough DeAngelo Casto, from Gonzaga's back yard in Spokane.

Team Leaders:
Points: Klay Thompson 28.3
Assists: Reggie Moore 3.8
Rebounds: DeAngelo Casto 5.7

Best Player:

Klay Thompson G 6-6 187 SO
Thompson might be one of the top scorers in all of College Basketball this year he has already logged games of 37 and 43 Points on the year.

My Take:
At one point i assumed this would be another easy game for the Zags, but the Cougars are flying under the radar this year. Klay Thompson is coming into his own during his sophomore season and is looking like one of the most Dynamic players on the West Coast. The way he dismantled the Toreros the other night was almost magical. I expect this one to be a tough game now, probably high scoring with the Zags coming out on top.

Final Score: Gonzaga 87 Washington St. 82

WCC piling up Quality Wins...

2009-11-27T12:10:00.003-05:00

This season the WCC figured to be in a down year. Gonzaga was bringing in 9 freshman and losing 5 experienced players. Saint Mary's was losing arguably the best player in the conference last year in Patty Mills. San Diego was coming off a disappointing second season for Coach Billy Grier. The lone bright spot figured to be Portland and it returning starters. Well, obviously the pundits were mistaken. I dont think i have seen a WCC as stacked as the one we are seeing this year...ever. Several teams have racked up quality wins over BCS conference schools. Here are the wins by team:

Gonzaga
Wisconsin W 74-61
Cincinnati @ 61-59 OT
Colorado W 76-72
(Barely lost to #2 Michigan St. 71-75)

Portland
Oregon W 88-81
UCLA W 74-47
#16 Minnesota W 61-56
#8 West Virginia (TBD)

Saint Mary's
San Diego St. W 80-58
(Barely Lost to #24 Vanderbilt 70-72)

San Diego
Oklahoma W 76-64
Stanford W 77-64
Houston W 72-65

Loyola Marymount
USC W 67-59

I Think this bodes well for the rest of the season, there could be a chance to have 3 or 4 WCC teams go to the tournament depending on the results from here on out. LETS GO WCC! and Moreover LETS GO ZAGS!

Recap: Cincinnati vs. Gonzaga

2009-11-26T11:08:00.003-05:00

Final Score:Gonzaga 61 Cincinnati 59 OT

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Robert Sacre 14 Points
Rebounder: Matt Bouldin 11 Boards
Passer: Steven Gray 4 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 1 Block
Thief: Meech Goodson 2 Steals

Game MVP: Robert Sacre
14 Points, 5 Boards, and 3 Blocks

Team Comparison: Zags/Bearcats
Points: 61/59
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 0.69/2.20
Rebounds: 36/31
Shooting Percentage: 43%/35%
3pt Percentage: 33%/26%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
What an exhilarating game, The Bearcats came out playing GREAT DEFENSE! with only 13 minutes left in the game, they were on top by 10. But the Zags weren't having any of that, they came back and won in OT. This game should propel the Zags into the top 25.

Matt Bouldin was off his game, but still accounted for 11 Boards and a big three when it counted (at the end). Steven Gray came alive towards the end, but the real story was how Robert Sacre and Elias Harris took the game on their broad shoulders and helped the Zags to a big time early season victory and the Maui Invitational Championship! GO ZAGS!

Scouting Report: Cincinnati

2009-11-25T11:07:00.002-05:00

W-L: 4-0
RPI: 20
SOS: 52
Best Wins:
(29) Maryland W 69-57
(46) Vanderbilt W 67-58

Best Losses:
N/A

Current Rankings:
#20 RPI

Team Overview:
Mick Cronin's 2009-2010 Bearcat team will be by far the most talented in his four years at Cincinnati.

It starts with senior Deonta Vaughn, a potential first round pick who just may be the best player in the Big East you've never heard of. Vaughn is an explosive scorer (15.7 ppg for his career) whose offense is based around his ability to hit the three.

The Bearcats also add all-world recruit Lance Stephenson to the mix. Stephenson is just a freshman, but already he is as talented a scorer as there is in the country: He's the all-time leader in points scored in the state of New York.

Team Leaders:
Points: Yancy Gates 12.6
Assists: Deonta Vaughn 5.0
Rebounds: Yancy Gates 8.6

Best Player:

Lance Stephenson F 6-5 210 FR
Stephenson is as good a talent that has come through Cincinnati since the days of Kenyon Martin.

My Take:
This is going to be a tough one. The Bearcats are an excellent defensive team with several players who match up well with the Zags. Lance Stephenson might be one of the most talented players the Zags will match up with all year. I expect a low scoring game with the Zags on top, LETS GO ZAGS!

Final Score: Gonzaga 65 Cincinnati 60

Recap: Wisconsin vs. Gonzaga

2009-11-25T09:07:00.002-05:00

Final Score:Gonzaga 74 Wisconsin 61

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Matt Bouldin 18 Points
Rebounder: Elias Harris 8 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin 5 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 1 Block
Thief: Matt Bouldin 2 Steals

Game MVP: Matt Boudlin
18 Points, 6 Boards, 5 Assists, and 2 Steals

Team Comparison: Zags/Badgers
Points: 74/61
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.43/1.33
Rebounds: 35/27
Shooting Percentage: 47%/39%
3pt Percentage: 27%/21%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
Great Game! The Zags were given a run early on by the tough Badgers, but they took a big lead late and the badgers could never recover. Bouldin played like a magician, definitely one of the better performances hes had this year. Gray continued to play well with 15 points and 5 boards.

The front court gobbled up rebounds at an impressive clip 18 boards between Sacre/Harris/Olynyk. Harris continued to play like a man amongst boys, doing anything and everything he could to help the team. after a game like this, i expect the Zags to come out with Guns blazing and win the Maui.

Scouting Report: Wisconsin

2009-11-24T13:07:00.003-05:00

W-L: 3-0
RPI: 28
SOS: 140
Best Wins:
(67) Arizona W 65-61

Best Losses:
N/A

Current Rankings:
#28 RPI

Team Overview:
The Badgers come into this year having lost their leading scorer and all important glue-guy. Bo Ryan will continue to utilize the "Swing Offense" and the Big Ten should expect to see the same type of tough team Wisconsin typically puts on the court. Sharpshooter Jason Bohannon will continue to stretch defenses, while Trevon Hughes will be the go-to-guy. Additionally, Jon Leuer should pick up his production. Newcomer Mike Bruesewitz may command minutes right away if he can fit into Ryan’s system.

Team Leaders:
Points: Trevon Hughes 15.7
Assists: Trevon Hughes 2.7
Rebounds: Keaton Nankivil 7.0

Best Player:

Trevon Hughes G 6-0 193 SR
Hughes is putting it all together in his senior year, similar to Matt Bouldin in that he is a complete player.

My Take:
This game is looking to be a thriller. Wisconsin plays tough as nails and just got out of a dogfight with Arizona, The Zags are as tough as they have ever been. I expect lots of fouls, low scoring and many turnovers on both sides of the ball, in the end i think the Zags are more talented this year and if they can hold it together they will prevail. GO ZAGS!

Final Score: Gonzaga 72 Wisconsin 67

Recap: Colorado Vs. Gonzaga

2009-11-23T18:20:00.006-05:00

Final Score:Gonzaga 76 Colorado 72

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Steven Gray 27 Points
Rebounder: Elias Harris 10 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin 5 Assists
Swatter: Elias Harris 1 Block
Thief: Matt Bouldin 3 Steals

Game MVP: Steven Gray
27 Points, 4 Boards, and 1 steal

Team Comparison: Zags/Buffaloes
Points: 76/72
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 0.82/1.07
Rebounds: 29/22
Shooting Percentage: 47%/53%
3pt Percentage: 42%/47%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
Colorado gave us a run. I knew they would, they are young, spunky and very hungry. I think they are a legitimate Tourney team as long as they can hold their composure. That being said, we didn't play as well as i hoped. Matt Bouldin looked absolutely horrible in the first half, but turned it on at the end. Elias Harris had one of his first Freshman type games, where at times he looked frustrated and lost on the floor, He did look like a Window Cleaner though, wiping the boards every time a rebound was within range.

Steven Gray, what an enigma you are. At times you look like a full blown superstar, at other times you look like you'd rather be out surfing the waves in Maui, if only your effort matched your talent every time you step on the floor. 27 Points, 50% from the floor and 57% from three, where was this effort against Michigan State? Maybe just maybe you will pull it together and make us proud.

Ive been noticing a startling trend over the last several games, Robert Sacre gets into foul trouble far too quickly. He is quite possibly one of the most dominant big men in the country this year, but he really needs to keep his composure and not make stupid fouls, here's hoping he can keep it together against Wisconsin. GO ZAGS!

Scouting Report: Colorado

2009-11-22T19:52:00.001-05:00

W-L: 3-0
RPI: 35
SOS: 91
Best Wins:
(43) Texas Southern W 88-77

Best Losses:
N/A

Current Rankings:
#35 RPI

Team Overview:
For a team that went 1-15 in Big 12 play last year, there are a few reasons for optimism in 2009-10. Foremost among those reasons is the return of super-stud Cory Higgins. The do-everything junior is one of the better returning players in the country and is skillful enough to help propel Colorado to a few more conference wins this season.

Expect Newcomers Alec Burks, Shane Harris-Tunks, Keegan Hornbuckle, and Marcus Relphorde to pay big dividends for Head Coach Jeff Bzdelik who is trying to steer these Buffaloes to the NCAA Tournament in his third season at the helm.

Team Leaders:
Points: Cory Higgins 23.3
Assists: Nate Tomlinson 4.0
Rebounds: Nate Tomlinson 4.7

Best Player:

Cory Higgins G 6-5 190 JR
Higgins is the Buffaloes most complete player, shooting 70% from the floor and 67% from Three.

My Take:
This is not going to be an easy game, this one will be decided at the end. I think Colorado is a lot better this year than people have given them credit for. I expect our defense to struggle with Cory Higgins and Alec Burks.

Final Score: Gonzaga 72 Colorado 65

Recap: IPFW Vs. Gonzaga

2009-11-21T03:48:00.001-05:00

Final Score:Gonzaga 90 IPFW 55

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Robert Sacre/Matt Bouldin 15 Points
Rebounder:Robert Sacre 8 Boards
Passer: Mike Hart 3 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 2 Blocks
Thief: Matt Bouldin 5 Steals

Game MVP: Robert Sacre
15 Points, 8 Boards, and 2 Blocks

Team Comparison: Zags/Mastodons
Points: 90/55
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 0.72/0.18
Rebounds: 48/33
Shooting Percentage: 63%/31%
3pt Percentage: 50%/32%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
This game helps coach Few see some of his bench, no offense to the Mastodons, but this game was never in question. I was very surprised to see Bol Kong finally work his way into a game, and he did not dissapoint 10 minutes, 8 points on 2 big threes and a couple of nice free throws (Great form). I think if he can continue to work hard, he and Kelly Olynyk will be the first two players in rotation off the bench. He had the offensive awareness of an Adam Morrison type, he also compared to Morrison on the defensive end, kinda standing around looking to others to do the work.

Meech Goodson had a great game, 14 points, 4 Steals, 2 Assists, and 2 Boards. He looked solid after a couple of rather ugly games. Steven Gray seemed to finally find his shooting touch, heres hoping he can start knocking down some threes with regularity. Elias Harris sat on the bench for a bit, but played his heart out when he got action. Robert Sacre continued to play well, and i think played the best of the bunch.

We go into the Maui Invitational with a chip on our shoulders, i would not be surprised at all if we win the whole thing, I would not wish what is about to happen to Colorado on anyone.

Recruiting News

2009-11-19T14:02:00.007-05:00

ESPN released their Top 25 early Season recruiting class for next year, this isn't that list, but it is their honorable mention. These teams are the ones that no one would talk about, but who quietly put together great recruiting classes. No Gonzaga on the list, but that is due in part that we had such a large recruiting class this year. With Players like Sam Dower, David Stockton, and Bol Kong possibly redshirting this season, our class for next year looks solid enough to me. Enjoy.

Justin Martin

1. Xavier Musketeers
Conference: Atlantic 10
Players signed: 4
SF Justin Martin (Indianapolis/Mountain State)6-7, 200
SF Jay Canty (High Point, N.C./Oak Ridge Military Academy)6-5, 175
PF Jordan Latham (Baltimore/City College)6-8, 210
PF Griffin McKenzie (Cincinnati/Moeller)6-9, 220.

Breakdown: New coach Chris Mack, who spent five years at Xavier (his alma mater) as an assistant before taking over for Sean Miller in April, showed Xavier isn't slowing down as the Musketeers cleaned up in the early signing period at small and power forward. Martin is a big-time athletic wing with size; he is a scorer with range to 20 feet. Latham is a solid big man who can score and rebound inside; he will help in the paint immediately. McKenzie is a skilled high-post player who had an outstanding summer and is a good face-up shooter out to 19 feet. Canty is a jack-of-all-trades. He is the ultimate glue guy who does the little things that can help a team win. The beat keeps going at the "X."

Juwan Staten

2. Dayton Flyers
Conference: Atlantic 10
Players signed: 5
PG Juwan Staten (Dayton, Ohio/Oak Hill Academy)5-11, 165
SG Brandon Spearman (Chicago/Simeon)6-3, 185
SG Jesse Berry (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson)6-1, 170
SF Ralph Hill (Westerville, Ohio/North)6-6, 195
SF Devin Oliver (Kalamazoo, Mich./Central)6-6, 195

Breakdown: The Flyers put together a very solid class that should help keep them in the upper echelon of the A-10 for years to come. The cornerstone of this class for coach Brian Gregory and his staff was keeping local product Staten in Dayton. The super quick and athletic point guard, who can be a difference-maker for the Flyers, can score and create with the best of them. Spearman is a solid shooting guard with a strong body who can knock it down from the perimeter and will help in many ways. Berry is a combo guard who can score and create, although he is best with the ball in his hands in point guard mode. Hill and Oliver are skilled, athletic small forwards.

Dominique Ferguson

3. Florida International Golden Panthers
Conference: Sun Belt
Players signed: 4
PF Dominique Ferguson (Indianapolis/Hargrave Military Academy)6-9, 210
PG Phil Taylor (Marietta, Ga./Wheeler)5-9, 160
SG Richaud Pack (Birmingham, Mich./Seaholm)6-3, 175
SG DeJuan Wright (Detroit/Gillette [Wyo.] College)6-4, 170
PF Eric Frederick (Oklahoma City/Highland [Ill.] CC)6-7, 230

Breakdown: The Sun Belt Conference has been top-heavy during the past decade with very few teams breaking through into the upper echelon of the league. FIU has shown that not only does it plan on asserting itself as one of the elite programs in the conference, but the Panthers also plan on going toe-to-toe with the high-majors for talent. FIU's class would have been considered strong if it had included only talented backcourt players Taylor, Wright and Pack, but when coach Isiah Thomas was able to convince Ferguson, a 6-9 power forward, to sign on the dotted line, it became a class deserving of Top 25 conversation. Ferguson is a long, athletic wing who spurned offers from some of the top programs in the country to play for the Panthers and could be the lightning rod that propels Thomas' squad to new heights.

Alex Kirk

4. New Mexico Lobos
Conference: Mountain West
Players signed: 2
C Alex Kirk (Los Alamos, N.M./Los Alamos)6-10, 225
Tony Snell (Riverside, Calif./Westwind [Nev.] Prep)6-7, 190

Breakdown: Coach Steve Alford's wish list was not long, but it was specific: sign Kirk. The 6-10 center, a longtime target of the Lobos' staff, was a very important get for Alford on two fronts. First, he gives New Mexico the skilled big man it desperately needed. He fits the system perfectly and will be the post player the Lobos can build their program around. Secondly, as a highly recruited, in-state prospect, signing Kirk was monumental for the fan base. With very few in-state players good enough to help the program compete in the Mountain West, the roster is thin on players from within the borders so it was imperative to keep the big fella home. With nine freshmen and sophomores on the roster, the addition of Kirk and versatile 6-7 guard/forward Snell gives the Lobos two high-major level players to add to a more experienced squad.

C.J. Aiken

5. Saint Joseph's Hawks
Conference: Atlantic 10
Players signed: 3
C C.J. Aiken (Conshohocken, Pa./ Plymouth-Whitemarsh Sr.)6-9, 190
SG Langston Galloway (Baton Rouge, La./Christian Life Academy)6-3, 185
SF Daryus Quarles (Clayton, N.J./Life Center Academy)6-6, 170

Breakdown: There are not many coaches who do a better job of evaluating and attracting players operating just under the radar, and then developing them into national names than Phil Martelli and his staff. They again have done a great job at unearthing some hidden gems that should keep the Hawks soaring with the A-10 elite. Aiken, a rail-thin 6-9 center, has tremendous upside and will be one of those players that people can't believe they missed on in two or three years. Galloway is a steal; he is a winner who will bring confidence and energy to the floor each night. Also, look out for Quarles, whose feel for the game and ability to score will ensure that he finds his way onto the floor.

Shelton Boykin

6. Long Beach State 49ers
Conference: Big West
Players signed: 3
SG Jacob Thomas (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights)6-4, 190
SF Shelton Boykin (Long Beach, Calif./Poly)6-5, 190
PF Nick Shepherd (Houston/Westbury Christian)6-9, 200

Breakdown: In his third year, coach Dan Monson is quietly building a program at Long Beach State that can compete for championships. The 49ers hauled in a solid class of talent for the second year in a row with commitments from an outstanding trio of prospects. Boykin, a 6-5 wing type, exploded up the rankings due to his athletic prowess and an innate ability to score in a variety of ways. Meanwhile, Monson scored a coup by convincing the sharpshooting 6-4 Thomas to leave his Midwest roots and take up residence in the Big West. Lastly, the 49ers grabbed an intriguing big out of Texas with an enormous upside in the 6-9 Shepherd. The race for supremacy in the Big West is going to get interesting during the next few years.

Ben Vozzola

7. San Diego Toreros
Conference: West Coast
Players signed: 4
SG Ben Vozzola (Las Vegas/Centennial)6-5, 160
PF Dennis Kramer (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon)6-9, 215
C Simi Fajemisin (Lynnwood, Wash./Lynnwood)6-9, 260
PF Trevor Fuller (Dallas/Episcopal School)6-8, 225

Breakdown: Despite a disappointing season of unmet expectations on the court last season, the coaching staff never lost sight of the importance of getting it done on the recruiting trail. Coach Bill Grier needed an upgrade in frontcourt talent and he accomplished that task with a recruiting haul of three players over 6-8 -- Fajemisin, Kramer and Fuller. Fajemisin is an improving back-to-the-basket center who has upside, while Kramer and Fuller give the Toreros an athletic and skilled combination at the forward position. However, the multiskilled Vozzola, who can play all three perimeter positions, is the jewel of the class.

Alex Tiffin

8. UC Davis Aggies
Conference: Big West
Players signed: 2
Alex Tiffin (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks)6-7, 210, PF
C Michael Kurtz (Roseville, Calif./Woodcreek)6-10, 200

Breakdown: The Aggies may be new to the Division I game, but they have wasted little time adjusting to the recruiting wars that are so important to a program's success. Coach Gary Stewart & Co. have been turning heads in the recruiting world with their ability to sign quality players who should have them competing for championships. Tiffin gives UC Davis a high-level skilled performer who should garner playing time and impact the program immediately. The player who may end up as the biggest coup in the class is Kurtz, a 6-10 sleeper who oozes potential but needs to develop physically to realize his full abilities. Don't forget forward Josh Ritchart. UC Davis hasn't received Ritchart's letter of intent yet, but the Aggies commit should pair with Tiffin to give UC Davis a nice pair of bookend forwards.

Yannick Atanga

9. Santa Clara Broncos
Conference: West Coast
Players signed: 2
PF Yannick Atanga (Ojai, Calif./Besant Hill)6-8, 210
PF John McArthur (Concord, Calif./De La Salle), 6-8, 220

Breakdown: Coach Kerry Keating knows how difficult the WCC has become and landed a couple of horses to help him compete in the improving conference. The WCC continues to progress as opposing teams have upgraded their programs in order to keep up with the Joneses, in this case Gonzaga. The Broncos' two-man class addresses the need for size and athleticism on the interior. Originally from Cameroon, Atanga gives the Broncos a developing high-major athlete who can compete against the league's elite, while McArthur is a beast who is sure to be a fan favorite. He wins most loose balls and hustle plays, and brings the type of game that will have an immediate impact on the team.

Ugo Okam

T-10. Harvard Crimson
League: Ivy
Commitments: 3
(Note: Harvard doesn't officially give scholarships, so there is no NLI to sign)
C Ugo Okam (Lagos, Nigeria/Montverde, Fla.)7-1, 220
SG Laurent Rivard (St. Bruno, PQ, Canada/Northfield-Mt. Hermon School)6-5, 215
SG Matt Brown (Barrington, R.I./Northfield-Mt. Hermon School)6-3, 190

Breakdown: One of the world's most famous academic institutions, Harvard, which has experienced March Madness only once (1946), is beginning to garner some well-deserved attention on the hardwood. Coach Tommy Amaker has been able to find some true double-threat student-athletes who should give the Crimson a legitimate chance to compete for an Ivy League championship and the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The most intriguing figure is Okam, a 7-1 center. The future BMOC -- literally -- is a rare get for an Ivy League school as athletic 7-footers who are elite students with basketball upside are usually a hot commodity.

Travis Robinson

T-10. Boston University Terriers
Conference: America East
Players signed: 7
SF Travis Robinson (Philadelphia/Friends Central)6-5, 185
PF Dominic Morris (Philadelphia/Friends Central)6-8, 230
PG D.J. Irving (Philadelphia/Arch. Carroll)6-0, 170
SG Mike Terry (Philadelphia/NE Catholic)6-1, 170
C Anthony Mayo (Philadelphia/Roman Catholic)6-8, 205
SG Malik Thomas (Wadleigh, N.Y./Wadleigh)6-4, 185
PG Henry Gaskins (Philadelphia/Friends Central)5-9, 145

Breakdown: With six of seven pledges coming out of the City of Brotherly Love, BU's class makes you wonder if the Terriers left any players in the Philadelphia area for anybody else to sign. In his first year, coach Pat Chambers and his staff signed a class of seven players that should set the foundation for his future teams. Two of the top recruits are high school teammates -- Robinson and Morris -- who give Chambers two talented forwards to build on, while Irving and Terry form the potential backcourt of the future.

Scouting Report: IPFW

2009-11-18T14:20:00.003-05:00

FYI
IPFW stands for Indiana University, Purdue University Fort Wayne, similar to IUPUI otherwise referred to as Indiana University, Purdue University Indianapolis. These are part of the Indiana State Public University Network.

W-L: 1-1
RPI: 285
SOS: 24
Best Wins:
(NR) Madonna W 86-57

Best Losses:
(40) Wisconsin L 46-75

Current Rankings:
Are you Kidding?

Team Overview:
Head Coach Dane Fife is only 30, but is entering his fifth season in charge of the Mastodons. His team could be poised for a breakout year, as IPFW returns four starters and the defending Summit League Sixth Man of the Year, Deilvez Yearby (9.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg).

Team Leaders:
Points: Deilvez Yearby 20.0
Assists: Ben Botts 3.0
Rebounds: Deilvez Yearby 6.0

Best Player:

Deilvez Yearby F 6-6 212 SR
Yearby averaged 9 points and 6 boards a game as a Junior.

My Take:
This game will be a nice tuneup for the Maui Invitational, i expect the team to dominate in all aspects of the game.

Final Score: Gonzaga 92 IPFW 65

Recap: Gonzaga @ Michigan St.

2009-11-17T23:11:00.007-05:00

Final Score:Michigan St. 75 Gonzaga 71

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Robert Sacre/Elias Harris 17 Points
Rebounder:Elias Harris 9 Boards
Passer: Matt Bouldin/Steven Gray 4 Assists
Swatter: Steven Gray 3 Blocks
Thief: Elias Harris 3 Steals

Game MVP: Elias Harris
17 Points, 9 Boards, 3 Steals, and an Assist

Team Comparison: Zags/Spartans
Points: 71/75
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 1.09/0.75
Rebounds: 30/43
Shooting Percentage: 36%/44%
3pt Percentage: 22%/27%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
What a great Game! The Zags played their hearts out. Its not often you see a Mid Major team with 9 freshman travel across the country and almost walk away with a win. For 37 Minutes of the 40 Minute game, the Zags were the better team. Overall it seemed that the Zags played like a much better team than many expected.

Robert Sacre looked amazing, if it was not for foul trouble he may have scored twice his 17 points. His Jump Hooks and around the basket offense was on full display, definitely one of the better offensive centers in the country. As Tom Izzo said, He is built like Adonis.

Elias Harris continued his excellent all around play showing the country that the Zags have yet again struck gold on the recruiting trail. He Played with the spunk of a seasoned vet, and in all honestly is quickly making Zag Fans forget about that Austin Daye kid. I think he is further along at this point that Daye is now in the pros.

That being said for as good as our frontcourt played, our backcourt was just as bad. Matt Bouldin seemed to press things at times, playing more like a Freshman than the Senior he is. He really needs to slow it down, and be more selective with his looks, he had 4 turnovers and a couple of those were just plain bad. Steven Gray seemed to be pressing things quite a bit and shot 3-14 from the floor and 1-8 from three, he really needs to get his shot back, if not he is nothing more than a defensive specialist. Dmitri Goodson continues to play great defense and he doesn't make a lot of mistakes on offense, but he also really does not contribute much. He had his hands involved in only 3 points all night, 1 for himself and 2 for his one assist. All in all the backcourt finished 8-34(23.5%) from the floor and 3-16(18.8%) from three, really the big difference in the game.

The bench looked lost. Kelly Olynyk is really playing like a freshman right now, not that he shouldn't but his extended minutes have been hurting this team. I cringed every time he got on the floor, he put up bad shots, play porous defense, and looked all together confused by the speed of the game and MSU's defense. He also didn't move his feet much on offense, at times he would kind of hang about two feet from the three point line and just watch the team go to work. I think he will get better over time, but right now he is a liability. GJ Vilarino played well for the most part, but he is nothing more than a Dmitri Goodson clone, which means he plays great defense but is having trouble contributing much of anything on the offensive side of the ball. Will Foster was the bright spot off the bench, in 12 minutes off the bench he ended up with a nice shot and 3 boards. Manny Arop played 1 minute and looked like a Project, he took a bad shot and gathered a rebound.

In the end, we all expected this game to be tough, but i dont think many (other than me, i predicted 75-70) expected the Zags to come this close to an upset. They played very well as a whole and came into this game with a fire and intensity that they have lacked in seasons past. Expect this team to continue to learn more about themselves through the early season schedule with games against IPFW and the Maui Invitational coming up. GO ZAGS!

Scouting Report: Michigan St.

2009-11-16T14:20:00.003-05:00

W-L: 1-0
RPI: 17
SOS: 262

Best Wins:
(263)Florida Gulf Coast W 97-58

Current Rankings:
#2 AP
#2 Coaches
#17 RPI

Team Overview:
The Spartans will likely start three guards with Kalin Lucas, Chris Allen, and Durrell Summers. Forwards Raymar Morgan and Delvon Roe will likely complete the starting lineup.

* Lucas will be the team leader at the point guard position and is emerging as one of the top floor generals in the nation.
* Morgan is the only senior in this starting lineup and will be depended on heavily for points in the paint.
* Allen is the sharpshooter of this squad, providing a dangerous outside threat.
* Summers will use his explosiveness to drive at the basket and also can spot up and shoot from outside.
* Sophomore Delvon Roe will be given the oppurtunity to show why he was recruited so heavily as an extremely athletic forward.

Off of the bench, sophomore Korie Lucious will be a sparkplug with his lightning quickness and high energy play. Sophomore Draymond Green is continuing to get himself in better physical shape, making himself an even more dangerous player off of the bench.

Freshman centers Garrick Sherman and Derrick Nix will see a lot of playing time, to help prepare them for tournament time when MSU will need a post presence off of the bench.

Michigan State has a lean and athletic squad this year that will be one of the more exciting teams in the country. Size in the frontcourt is a weakness for the Spartans, but that didn’t stop them from reaching the Final Four last season. The Spartans should edge out Purdue for a Big-10 Chamionship and contend for a Final Four berth.

Team Leaders:
Points: Kalin Lucas 21.0
Assists: Korie Lucious 8.0
Rebounds: Derrick Nix 14.0

Best Player:

Kalin Lucas PG 6-1 190 JR
Lucas is the do everything guard for the Spartans, expect him to have a big game.

My Take:
This game is going to be the biggest early season test the Zags have experienced in years. I expect a great game, but probably low scoring and a tough loss for the Zags.

Final Score: Michigan St. 75 Gonzaga 70

Recap: Mississippi Valley St. Vs. Gonzaga

2009-11-16T14:01:00.003-05:00

Final Score:Gonzaga 92 MVSU 74

Box Score Snapshot
Scorer: Matt Bouldin 22 Points
Rebounder:Robert Sacre 9 Boards
Passer: Steven Gray 7 Assists
Swatter: Robert Sacre 3 Blocks
Thief: Demetri Goodson 3 Steals

Game MVP: Elias Harris
18 Points, 7 Boards, and a Steal in only 19 Minutes!

Team Comparison: Zags/Delta Devils
Points: 92/74
Assist to /Turnover Ratio: 0.94/1.08
Rebounds: 39/22
Shooting Percentage: 56%/42%
3pt Percentage: 35%/42%

What it means for the future (Analysis):
This was a sloppy affair. Matt Bouldin looked lost at times, Demetri Goodson didn't seem to really kick it into high gear. And the freshman...They played like Freshman. There were some exceptions, Elias Harris looked like a Magician, he played with the effort and Heart of a Seasoned vet, but with the talent of an All-American. Robert Sacre proved he can be a force down low, i see big things from our front court this year. Going to East Lansing will prove to be one of the toughest early season tests in recent memory, especially with a team that is as young as this. I don't think we will win, but we will give it our best effort. GO ZAGS!