Gonzaga Basketball: 2018-19 keys for a Bulldogs victory at BYU

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 15: Rui Hachimura #21 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs dunks against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on December 15, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 06: Zach Norvell Jr. /

Gonzaga Basketball have had little struggles through WCC play thus far, but a trip to Provo, Utah is never easy. Here’s three keys for the Bulldogs to leave with a victory.

Gonzaga Basketball (19-2) is about a third of the way through West Coast Conference play and the Bulldogs have strolled through practically every game except a tight battle with San Francisco at War Memorial. With a 6-0 record, Gonzaga is a game-and-a-half ahead of the Dons and its opponent Thursday night, BYU.

The Zags, the nation’s highest scoring team, have outscored their opponents 514-327, while doing so with suffocating defense. The Bulldogs have allowed an average of just 54.5 ppg, and if one excludes San Francisco’s 83-point performance Jan. 12, the averages falls to a Virginia-esch 48.8 ppg.

BYU (13-9) has had a relatively off-season, especially in terms of the past several season’s success. However, the Cougars are coming off a five point win at home against Saint Mary’s last Thursday, dropping the Gaels to 4-3 in conference.

Related Story. Keys for BYU to upsetting Gonzaga. light

Perhaps a combined momentum push from a victory over Saint Mary’s last week and the Cougar’s ability to spoil the Bulldog‘s success could lead to a serious upset come Thursday. Two seasons ago, in Gonzaga’s best season to date (which may very well be dethroned this year), BYU went into the McCarthy Athletic Center and knocked off the No. 2 Zags in the final game of the regular season, destroying the Bulldog’s dreams of a perfect season.

Come Thursday, Gonzaga will again be a top-five team with a massive target on its back, and a ruckus Marriott Center and a Dave Rose squad with a chip on its shoulder could lead to deja vu for Mark Few and Co.

One key for Gonzaga to earn its seventh conference win of the year will be to win the battle of dominating big men in the WCC, as two favorites for Conference Player of the Year will go head-to-head in Rui Hachimura and Yoeli Childs.