Preview: Zags look to push the pace against methodical Gaels

One game at a time. It’s an age-old cliché that every coach and player, from high school to the professional ranks, has uttered at some point or another in their athletic career. The phrase is often reiterated countless times to prevent the dangers of overlooking an opponent, especially when there’s a circled game on the schedule approaching. Good teams say they have this mentality, but great teams show it.

I think we know which category Gonzaga falls into by this point. After crushing Pacific on Thursday, the Zags have won five straight by at least 30 points as they continue to make light work of their WCC schedule. Home or away, ranked or (mostly) unranked, no foe has been taken for granted during their 30-game win streak against the conference.

But that’s not to say every opponent is treated equal.

“I think that’s kind of natural… older players on the team might look at a game easier than another one.” Andrew Nembhard said.

There might not be a more polar opposite team from the Zags than the Gaels in terms of play style. Through pick-and-rolls and post feeds, Saint Mary’s wears down and frustrates the opposition with a slow but steady offensive tempo while chewing a majority of the shot clock. Making the extra pass isn’t an issue, as some possessions will see all five players get a touch before the defense finally cracks and an open look presents itself.

To put it into perspective, 17.7% of the Gaels’ shot attempts have come in transition this season, which is the 26th fewest in the nation. Gonzaga is second-most at 34.4%.

“It’s definitely a different type of game,” Anton Watson said. “They’re going to try and play hard and give us some tricks, but we’ll play through it.”

Many teams have attempted to keep pace with the Zags’ blistering pace, only to fall flat by halftime. But Randy Bennett’s patient offense presents a whole different approach to the ballgame, one Gonzaga has not seen much of this season. The most comparable WCC team in terms of tempo is LMU, which “held” the Bulldogs to 89 points back in January, but the level of execution is nowhere near that of the Gaels.

Defensively, Saint Mary’s poses another complexing challenge. No team has hit more than nine 3-pointers in a game against the Gaels, as they’ve held their opponents to shoot just 29% from deep, fourth best in the country. The Zags have had success spreading the floor as of late, knocking down double-digit 3-pointers in eight of their last 12 games, making this a must-watch game within the game.

Leading the charge for Saint Mary’s is Mattias Tass, a bruising 6-foot-10 senior from Estonia. As a roller or isolated in the post, he can fight through double-teams and hold his own on the defensive end, averaging 6.2 rebounds a night. He’s prone to missing the open man at times when swarmed by help side defense, a weakness Santa Clara exploited on Tuesday. Nonetheless, his build and skillset are similar to that of Domantas Sabonis when he was at Gonzaga, making him a threat on any given night.

Surrounding Tass is a mix of playmaking wings and shooters that can knock down the long ball at an efficient rate. Logan Johnson and Alex Ducas makeup a crafty duo that can contribute in a number of different ways for the Gaels. At 6-foot-7, Ducas can back down and muscle through smaller defenders to get to the rim or spot up from outside, where he’s shooting 40.9% from on over five attempts a game.

And while Johnson doesn’t spread the floor quite as well, he helps run the show on offense alongside Tommy Kuhse. Johnson is coming off one of his most well-rounded nights of the season against San Diego, in which he racked up 16 points and nine rebounds to go along with five steals. His ability to carve his way to the rim keeps opposing defenses on alert, as 52.3% of shots come from the painted area.

In a game where it’s strength against strength, the Gaels pose a must-needed challenge to the Zags, who have faced little resistance in WCC play. Aside from playing a ranked opponent, it’s the closest resemblance to what the NCAA tournament could look like once the game slows down, and teams lock in defensively. A win of course would give the Bulldogs their sixth Quad 1 win of the season, boosting their resume in the process, as well as claiming the top spot in the AP poll.

The Gaels should put up a fight early but Mark Few always has an adjustment up his sleeve against Randy Bennett.

The pick: Zags 84, Gaels 67

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