Preview: Broncos' offense posses interesting challenge for GU

In their first true road game of the season, the No. 2 Gonzaga Bulldogs (13-2, 2-0 WCC) visit the WCC’s most surprising team this season in the Santa Clara Broncos (11-5, 1-0 WCC) in a matinee matchup on Saturday.

“[SCU] has played us good in the past,” Timme said on the matchup. “It’s a challenge for us to play them.”

Picked to finish 6th in the conference preseason poll, the new-look Broncos have turned heads this season with their run-and-gun offense, led by versatile guard Jalen Williams. SCU ranks 2nd only to the Zags in the WCC for points per game (76.9) and field goal percentage (49.1%) while leading the conference in 3-point shooting (38.3%). With a starting lineup that can space the floor and share the ball effectively, lighting up the scoreboard has not been a problem for Herb Sendek’s squad this season.

After showing flashes as a sophomore, Jalen Williams has taken the next step as the Broncos’ go-to guy to get a bucket. His 6-foot-6 frame combined with the ball-handling skills of a guard is a matchup nightmare on the perimeter, not to mention his ability to knock down the midrange jumper. Through pick-and-rolls and dribble-handoffs, he has the speed to turn the corner and create space for himself or attack the rim.

Averaging a WCC-best 19 points a contest, he’s coming off a 22-point outing against Pacific on Wednesday.

Outside of Williams, the Broncos feature an experienced roster that can score in a multitude of ways. All-WCC first teamer Josip Vrankic has been consistent from the low post since his return to the lineup, shooting 56.8% from the field and putting up 15 points a night. The Broncos were 4-4 in his absence but have now won four of their last five with the Toronto native giving the offense a much-needed boost.

“He’s obviously an all-league guy and a really good player,” Timme said about Vrankic.

To help space the floor for Vrankic down low, forwards Parker Braun and Keshawn Justice are two capable shooters in the frontcourt. Justice leads the Broncos in that department, knocking down just under three 3-pointers a game while eclipsing 44% from downtown, while Braun has shown he’s not afraid to take an open jumper from deep. The pair has started all 16 games for the Broncos, combining for 26 points and 14 rebounds a night.

Nagging injuries to guys like Vrankic and PJ Pipes has allowed for SCU’s role players to make a difference in their limited opportunities, including guards Gioardan Williams and Karlos Stewart. Against the Zags last season, Williams continuously found space for himself from the outside as he knocked down four 3-pointers and recorded 18 points. The junior thrives in dribble-handoff sets where he can hide behind screeners to separate himself from his defender.

Stewart, a shorter yet strong guard with a handle, can take his matchup off the dribble and power his way through contact. He posted a season-high 16 points on 7-for-12 shooting in SCU’s win over San Jose State last month while Pipes sat out with an undisclosed injury.

Like the Zags, the Broncos will take any opportunity to push the ball up the floor when they can, which places a huge focus on turnovers and shot selection.

Neither of those areas have been a concern for Coach Few’s squad recently, who are coming off back-to-back triple-digit scoring performances to start WCC play. GU shot a whopping 69.4% from the floor against BYU on Thursday, easily the highest mark for the team this season, against a top-35 scoring defense in the nation that seemingly had no answer to stop the avalanche. While Timme casually had 30 points and was perfect outside of a desperate 3-point heave, Andrew Nembhard played like one of the nation’s best point guards. The senior recorded his first double-double in a GU jersey, dropping 22 points and 12 assists.

But we can’t expect another jaw-dropping performance in such a short turnaround, right? Perhaps not, especially against a team that has given the Zags a fight in the past. Last year’s meeting in Spokane marked the first time that GU trailed by a significant margin for a period, as the Broncos jumped out to a 19-9 lead midway through the first half. It won’t be easy for the Zags to rattle an experienced group, either.

Nonetheless, GU has the star power advantage in this matchup once again. Containing Jalen Williams is no easy task, as well as the other sharpshooters surrounding him, but after allowing 13 3-pointers to BYU, Few will make the necessary adjustments to counter.

The pick: Zags 90, Broncos 72

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