Gonzaga hosts San Francisco in big WCC clash: 'We got to be fully prepared for this one'

Any talk of a perceived "down" year for Gonzaga men's basketball hasn't permeated through the thick concrete walls of the McCarthey Athletic Center.

As the Bulldogs (13-5, 4-1 WCC) prepare for a pivotal West Coast Conference showdown against San Francisco (15-5, 4-1 WCC) on Thursday, any discourse regarding the NCAA Tournament or apparent struggles to reach the program's lofty expectations that have accumulated over the last 25 years is all just white noise to the student-athletes who face that sort of pressure of carrying on a legacy.

The last handful of ESPN Bracketology updates have had Gonzaga teetering on the bubble to make the NCAA Tournament. But predictions and the ensuing chatter online and on social media don't really resonate with the Bulldogs.

"I don't really hear what people are saying," starting point guard Ryan Nembhard said on Tuesday. "We'll be fine throughout the rest of the year if we just take care of business, so I'm not too worried about what everybody has to say. Everybody kind of wants to hate on Gonzaga right now, so we're cool with that."

Still, there's no overlooking just how important Thursday's bout with the Dons will be when it comes to jockeying for position near the top of the WCC standings.

"Yeah, it's a big game. I think we all know that," said Anton Watson. "[San Francisco] is one of the teams that are going to be at the top [of the WCC standings] at the end of the season. So we know it's a big game. Yeah, we got to be fully prepared for this."

Of all the additions Dons head coach Chris Gerlufsen brought in over the offseason through the transfer portal, none have been as impactful as Jonathan Mogbo. The versatile and athletic forward from Missouri State is looking like a frontrunner to win the WCC Player of the Year Award, as he averages 15.3 points, 10.5 rebounds (No. 1 in the WCC), 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals (also No. 1 in the league).

Those numbers only look better in WCC action; Mogbo is second in scoring (20.8 points) and first in rebounds (11.8 per game) while recording four double-doubles through five league games thus far. Keeping him off the boards is a task easier said than done, as Mogbo ranks among the top 20 players in the country in offensive and defensive rebounding rates. Per hoop-math.com, Mogbo has recorded 25 putbacks and has converted 78.9% of his shot attempts near the rim this season.

"[Mogbo] is kind of their focus on offense is to get him the ball, but he's super athletic," Watson said. "I think a lot of the offense goes through him and you know, he's just super aggressive on offense. He's trying to get to the cup. So just finding ways to stop him I think will be good for us."

Watson will likely match up with the Dons' 6-foot-8, 225-pound big man on the defensive end, but it could take a collective team effort to truly limit Mogbo's impact on the game. Offensively, the Bulldogs could look to apply foul pressure with strong, aggressive drives to the rim in hopes of getting a few whistles called on Mogbo early.

That strategy seemed to work out for the Gaels, as they drew two fouls on Mogbo before the midway point in the first half of their 77-60 win over San Francisco last week. Mogbo still played 31 minutes and committed just one more foul, but was held to just five shot attempts in an 11-point performance.

A similar recipe defensively from Gonzaga would force the rest of San Francisco's cast to step up. The Dons have a little extra scoring kick in Marcus Williams, a 6-foot-2 junior averaging 13.9 points. Ndewedo Newbury has stepped up his scoring output in league play, as the 6-foot-7 junior from England averages 11.8 points while shooting 62.9% from the field and 47.8% from beyond the arc against WCC competition.

Overall, the Dons have struggled to knock down their 3-pointers over the last five games, shooting a league-worst 30.5% in that span. The Bulldogs, who have been more consistent shooting the ball since conference play began, have allowed WCC opponents to shoot 32.5% from distance, the third-lowest mark in the conference.

Thursday's matchup in Spokane will be dictated by the battle down low in the paint, but whichever team gets it going from behind the arc might be the difference-maker.

Anton Watson, Gonzaga embrace 'nasty' identity: 'We got to be the most aggressive, nasty team'