Gonzaga Basketball: 3 keys for the Bulldogs against North Alabama

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 09: Rui Hachimura #21 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs moves the ball past Grant Williams #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half of the game at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 9, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Volunteers defeated the Bulldogs 76-73. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 09: Zach Norvell Jr. #23 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts with teammates Josh Perkins #13 and Corey Kispert #24 during the second half of the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 9, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Volunteers defeated the Bulldogs 76-73. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Gonzaga Basketball takes on a brand new D-I program in North Alabama. What are the keys for another Bulldogs win?

The Zags are passed the demanding portion of their schedule and now will most likely cruise through the next few couple before West Coast Conference play begins on January 5. Mark Few’s squad has won their past two games after dropping two straight to Tennessee and North Carolina, with victories over the University of Texas at Arlington and Denver. In their past two victories, Gonzaga has outscored its opponents 190-95, including a 101-40 win over the latter, which was the Bulldogs’ largest margin of victory in program history.

On Friday, December 28, Gonzaga (11-2) will host the Atlantic Sun Conference’s North Alabama (3-10), whose only wins have come against two NAIA schools and a division three squad. The disparity between the two teams is quite clear in the wins column alone, but the differences only mount from there. While the Bulldogs are ranked No. 7 in the nation, with a No. 3 rating according to Kenpom and the third highest-scoring offense in the land, the Lions are ranked No. 325 in Kenpom’s most recent poll.

With non-conference play winding down, Gonzaga has certainly asserted itself as one of the most elite teams in the nation, especially on the offensive side of play. The Zags are averaging 93.9 ppg, with their star-studded frontcourt duo of Rui Hachimura and Brandon Clarke alone combing for 38.9 ppg. The Bulldogs’ two starting guards, Zach Norvell Jr. and Josh Perkins are averaging 16.8 and 10.5 ppg, respectively. Perhaps even more impressive for the Bulldogs’ offense is their incredible accuracy, shooting a national-best 53.3% from the field.

However, where the Zags have looked less-than-impressive is on the defensive side of the ball. In the two losses for Gonzaga this season, the lack of top-level defense became quite evident. Against Tennessee, the Bulldogs led for a vast majority of the second half, but continual struggles in off-the-ball switches led to easy buckets for the Volunteers, allowing them to mount their come-back win, highlighted by a wide-open Admiral Schofield three-point jumper due to poor switching. In the game in Chapel Hill, the defensive woes were again clear, with Bulldogs frequently chasing their man-to-guard. The Tar Heels hung 103 points on the Zags.

While it doesn’t seem likely that North Alabama will topple Gonzaga in Spokane (ESPN’s matchup predictor gives them only a 0.3% chance of a victory), Few’s team will need to tighten up the defense to ensure they can stretch their winning streak to three straight.