Preview: Bulldogs host bucking Broncos on senior night

In front of a who's-who crowd, the Zags look to win their 16th straight on the season against Santa Clara.

With three regular season games left, the Bulldogs have two words on their minds: win out. A clean sweep of the WCC would be the third time in four years for Mark Few’s bunch, who’s gunning for his 21st conference crown. More importantly, it would check off a box on the list of seasonal goals the team sets out to achieve every year.

Beyond that, clinching another top seed in the big dance is on the line. Barring any unforeseen hiccups before Selection Sunday, the Zags are in line to be the first program to earn back-to-back No. 1 overall seeds since Duke did it in the early 2000s according to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. That wouldn’t have meant much back in December, but now, a strong finish to what has been yet another dominant year is all that stands in the way of history.

But first, it’s time to take care of business. The final stretch could be Gonzaga’s toughest since November, with San Francisco and Saint Mary’s both vying to keep their tournament hopes alive. Then there’s Santa Clara, a team that probably hasn’t received enough attention despite being one of the hottest squads in the conference.

With an efficient offense backed by a solid defense, the Broncos are poised to put up more of a fight than they did in the first meeting.

Paced by junior stud and scoring machine Jalen Williams (17.8 ppg on 60.7% true shooting), the Broncos can light up the scoreboard on any given night. Herb Sendek’s crew trails only Gonzaga in the WCC in most of the major offensive categories, including scoring, while cashing it at a high clip. A 54% effective field goal rate is among the top-30 in the nation.

Like the Zags, Santa Clara isn’t interested in waiting around to score either. Both teams average over 73 possessions per game, a recipe for a high-scoring affair as both teams look to push the pace right from the opening tip. The first matchup featured plenty of transition buckets, as the two squads combined to score 37 fastbreak points in Santa Clara.

Defense might’ve been an afterthought in that game, but it could very well be a different story on Saturday.

Since that January meeting, the Bulldogs have tightened up to become a formidable defense heading into the postseason. Andrew Nembhard and Rasir Bolton continue to harass opposing ballhandlers, while Chet Holmgren locks down the paint as a legitimate shot blocker. As a unit, all five players on the court rotate and recover with pristine anticipation and timing to contest every shot attempt down low and from deep. Julian Strawther and Anton Watson have made a living by going after every 50/50 ball in sight to spark a transition opportunity for their teammates.

As a result, Gonzaga boasts the sixth best defense in the nation according to KenPom and the best efficiency rate in the WCC.

On the flipside, the Broncos have quite the conundrum on their hands. If there was a blueprint on how to “contain” the Zags, it would involve slowing the game down in hopes of limiting their opportunities in transition. Once teams realized they wouldn’t be able to keep up on the scoreboard, the game plan shifted to taking as much time off the clock per possession as possible, a strategy that simply isn’t sustainable for 40 minutes. Saint Mary’s slow tempo stymied the Zags to a degree, but even then, the results are mixed.

Only 18.3% of Santa Clara’s opponent’s shot attempts have come in transition, which is the seventh fewest nationally, but Gonzaga has already proven to be too much to handle. It would be uncharacteristic to see a slow-paced, grind-it-out type of game from either side.

Outside of the game itself, it’ll be a who’s-who of those in attendance. Many former Bulldogs are expected to make an appearance in The Kennel, while five-star recruit Mookie Cook from Jefferson, Oregon is slated to make his official visit to campus. The nation’s fourth-best prospect according to 247Sports has also been targeted by Kentucky, Oregon, Arizona and Kansas.

Gonzaga is also expected to honor Nembhard, Bolton, Will Graves and Matthew Lang in some capacity for senior night.

The pick: Zags 102, Broncos 84