Gonzaga Basketball: Keys for advancing to Final Four over Texas Tech

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 23: Zach Norvell Jr. #23 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs drives with the ball against Makai Mason #10 of the Baylor Bears during their game in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 23, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – MARCH 23: Brandon Clarke #15 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Killian Tillie #33 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs rebound the ball against Freddie Gillespie #33 of the Baylor Bears in the first half of the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 23, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

1. Excel in the Post

Between Clarke, Hachimura and Killian Tillie, the Bulldogs’ athletic, six-foot-ten-inch athletic sixth man, Gonzaga scored 35 points, grabbed 21 rebounds, blocked six shots and shot 41.9% from the field against No. 22 two-point defense in Florida St. This came against the Seminoles’ imposing frontcourt composed of 6’8″ Raiquan Gray, 7’4″ Christ Koumadje and 6’10” Mfiondu Kabengele. Gonzaga’s three big men held their counterparts to just 16 combined points and 16 rebounds.

Like Florida St., Texas Tech obviously has imposing defensive abilities. The Red Raiders are holding opponents to a nationally second-best 42.6% effective field goal percentage. Opponents are shooting just 41.6% from two-point range, the No. 3 average in division one. Inversely, the Bulldogs shoot 61.6% on two-pointers, the No. 1 average by a sizable 2.1%.

Texas Tech’s three-man frontcourt rotation revolves around Tariq Owens, 6’10”, Norense Odiase, 6’8″ and Deshawn Corprew, 6’5″. The trio account for 18.5 ppg, 14.8 rpg and 3.7 bpg. Clarke, Hachimura and Tillie make for 42.9 ppg, 19.1 rpg and 4.6 bpg. With favorable matchups in terms of size, Gonzaga will certainly look to find success in the paint where they feel the most comfortable. Hachimura and Clarke are both 6’8″ while Tillie is a towering 6’10”.

Texas Tech has restricted the three-point abilities of its opponents extremely well through its three games of the NCAA Tournament, but has allowed quite a bit of productivity in the paint. Against No. 14 seed Northern Kentucky in the opening round, the Norse shot just 22.7% from deep, but were 45% from two. As for their second round matchup against Buffalo, the Red Raiders held the Bulls to 33% shooting from deep but were scored on 40% of the No. 6 seed’s two-point attempts. In their dominating win over the West’s No. 2 seed Michigan, Texas Tech allowed just one made three-point shot on 19 attempts. However, the Wolverines were extremely efficient when closer to the basket as they shot 50% from two.

In their six losses this season, the Red Raiders opponents have shot 49.7% from two-point range. Considering the Zags are a two-point dominant team (1293 or 64.8% shots this season have come from two), these numbers fall for the advantage of the Bulldogs. While any of Perkins, Norvell, Kispert or Tillie can comfortably stroke it from three, Gonzaga will rightfully feed the paint frequently as they battle Texas Tech come Saturday.