Busting Brackets
Fansided

Gonzaga Bulldogs: 3 Thoughts on Loss to Arizona

By John Parker

facebooktwitterreddit

Gonzaga lost 66-63 to the Arizona Wildcats in an overtime slugfest on Saturday afternoon. Senior guard Byron Wesley missed three free throws with 3.4 seconds left in the first overtime session to keep the game from going five more minutes. Gonzaga became Arizona’s 26th straight victim at the McKale Center. Here are three thoughts on the Bulldogs’ loss:

Both of these teams belong in the Top 5

Last week, San Diego State moved up two spots in the polls despite losing to Arizona. This week, Gonzaga deserves the same treatment. On a night when its shooters weren’t shooting well, the Zags fought for an overtime session while playing one of the top teams in the country on its home court.

Dec 6, 2014; Tucson, AZ, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs center Przemek Karnowski (24) shoots over Arizona Wildcats center Kaleb Tarczewski (35) during the first half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

Gonzaga’s depth was on full display tonight. Despite scoring just 63 points and having two of its three leading scorers held under 10 points, the Bulldogs finished the night with four players in double figures. Foul trouble limited second-leading scorer Domantas Sabonis to 17 minutes

The Bulldogs also showed the ability to compete even when an elite opponent is dictating the game’s pace. An extra five minutes did little to help Gonzaga come close to the 88 points it averaged coming into the game tonight, but a different call at any point during the first 40 minutes of the game would’ve sent the team back to Spokane victorious.

There’s a tendency for voters to drop teams following losses, paying little attention to the quality of the winning team. While San Diego State avoided that fate last week, Gonzaga’s Top 10 status might make it more difficult for voters to justify leaving them there. It shouldn’t. If anything, the Bulldogs exceeded expectations and should be moved up.

Opponents will struggle with Gonzaga’s size all season

Przemek Karnowski, Domantas Sabonis, and Kyle Wiltjer took on one of the more talented front courts in America and performed admirably. While neither Sabonis nor Wiltjer performed up to their normal standards offensively, the trio clogged the lane to generate a number of turnovers and to make things difficult for their Arizona counterparts. Wildcat forward Brandon Ashley provided a number of crucial baskets to force overtime, but he did the majority of his damage away from the hoop.

More from Gonzaga Bulldogs

While Sabonis and Wiltjer struggled, Karnowski posted better than his season averages with 10 points and 11 rebounds. This is exactly the problem that Gonzaga’s opponents will face this season. Even one of the top front courts in the country couldn’t hold down all three of the team’s big men, and that was on a night when its guards struggled to stretch the Arizona defense. Less talented front lines will be overwhelmed trying to slow down the trio, particularly while also trying to defend the team’s talented guards.

Domantas Sabonis is a work-in-progress

Sabonis, the highly touted son of former NBA star Arvydas Sabonis, is clearly a tremendous talent. He’s currently the team’s leading rebounder and second leading scorer, but he needs to make significant improvements mentally to reach his potential. He committed four fouls and three turnovers in a game where the margin of error was simply too small to make mistakes.

Fortunately for the Bulldogs, there’s not another team on the schedule with a front court nearly as talented as Arizona’s. Combined with the fact that Gonzaga doesn’t need to lean on him for production right away, Sabonis will have the opportunity to grow into the starring role that he’ll likely see if NBA scouts don’t convince him to jump before he’s fully matured.