Gonzaga Basketball: Keys for the Zags meeting with Tennessee

BOISE, ID - MARCH 17: Rui Hachimura #21 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts during the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Taco Bell Arena on March 17, 2018 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

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1. Limit Grant Williams and Schofield

This Tennessee team has depth, as one would expect from a top-10 team. The Volunteers only lost one player from their 2017-18 SEC regular season co-championship. With this, so many players can have a huge effect on their game, but the two most important players the Zags must focus on to defeat the Volunteers are Williams and Schofield.

On the defensive end, the tasks will most likely fall on Norvell and Corey Kispert to disrupt Schofield, while a big-time matchup between two Wooden Award hopefuls will take place in Hachimura covering Williams, with help from Clarke and his blocking abilities, and Jeremy Jones off the bench.

Williams and Hachimura mirror each other almost perfectly in terms of stature and pure skill, with the Volunteer notching in at 6-feet-7-inches, 236-pounds while the latter stands at 6-feet-8-inches and 230 pounds. In terms of scoring, both are threats from practically any corner of the court. Williams is averaging 59.3% from the field and 45.5% from behind the arch. But the junior can also dish the ball, averaging 4.3 apg, second on the team.

One of the few questions about Hachimura’s game has been his ability to defend on the perimeter, and matching up with such a similar player will allow scouts a great indication of this ability. Hachimura did record three huge blocks in the Zags’ win over Duke, and with assistance from Clarke, who is averaging 3.4 bpg, the two certainly could disrupt Williams’ play in the paint. Williams is averaging 2.7 tpg, the highest on the team, which could be a key aspect of Few’s game plan.

As for Schofield, the senior has spent all four of seasons with the Volunteers and is well equipped to handle the pressure of such a high-stakes meeting. His two primary defenders, Norvell and Kispert are both only sophomores, so inexperience may play a role in this particular meeting. Norvell leads the Zags with 1.6 spg and has top-notch speed, which may lead to a Schofield turnover or two, who averages 1.9 on the season.

Schofield excels from close to the basket, but can still find success from deep, where he averages 36.1% on the season. However, The senior is scoring on 56% of his shots from two-point range, so Gonzaga will certainly look to keep his shots from ranged for most of the game. Also, the Volunteers are averaging 10.9 offensive rebounds per game, with 22 of their 76 this season coming from Schofield and Williams, so boxing out will be crucial for the Zags to limit the Volunteer’s second chance points.