Gonzaga Basketball: What makes the Bulldogs a national title favorite?

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 11: Rui Hachimura #21 and Corey Kispert #24 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs celebrate during a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament against the Pepperdine Waves at the Orleans Arena on March 11, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bulldogs defeated the Waves 100-74. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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SPOKANE, WA – FEBRUARY 21: Head coach Mark Few of the Bulldogs talks. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /

4. There are very few holes on the defensive end.

Gonzaga is well-known for having one of the best offenses in the country but that should not take away from the fact that they also own a quality defense. With strong perimeter defenders and elite rim protectors, this team has very few holes on the defensive end of the floor and that makes them difficult to match up with. In general, the Bulldogs rank 14th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency and it is really hard to gameplan for scoring against this team.

This is due to the fact that they can lock down just about any facet of the game. From a statistical perspective, the Bulldogs allow opponents to shoot just 43.1% inside the arc and 30.9% from distance. This means that their opponent effective field goal percentage sits at only 44.2%; this is the seventh-best defensive mark in the nation. Additionally, teams dish out assists at the fifth-lowest rate, reach the free throw line at the 13th-lowest rate, and attempt the 48th-lowest rate of 3-pointers against Gonzaga.

And while Gonzaga’s competition might not be the toughest in the country, their personnel and scheme make it very difficult for anyone to score with regularity. If there is any major hole in their defense, it is allowing offensive rebounds. The Bulldogs rank near the middle of the nation in defensive rebounding rate and they are susceptible to giving up some second-chance buckets.