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Gonzaga Basketball: Keys to success against North Carolina at home

By Lukas Harkins

TUCSON, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 14: Filip Petrusev #3 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs dunks the ball in the second half against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Center on December 14, 2019 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
TUCSON, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 14: Filip Petrusev #3 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs dunks the ball in the second half against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Center on December 14, 2019 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /
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SPOKANE, WASHINGTON – DECEMBER 04: A general view. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON – DECEMBER 04: A general view. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /

Gonzaga basketball already looks the part of one of the best teams in the country. Another tough test awaits, though, as the Bulldogs host North Carolina.

Despite needing to replace a ton of talent this offseason, Gonzaga basketball has quickly proven that it deserves the benefit of the doubt heading into every campaign. Through the opening month of this season, head coach Mark Few has done a masterful job with this roster while molding it in his image. Some areas for improvement have definitely already emerged this year but it is hard to argue with the Bulldogs’ 11-1 record that includes wins over Oregon, Washington, and Arizona – all away from home.

Gonzaga has already made it very clear that it is the best team on the west coast by taking care of business against every other contender to that claim. The Bulldogs are led by a superb frontcourt and the backcourt is seemingly improving with every game. This team once again has the makings of an offensive juggernaut as they are playing extremely well as a unit on that end of the floor. Gonzaga’s defense has been a bit inconsistent at times but that can partially be attributed to dealing with some injuries.

During this past week alone, Gonzaga secured true road wins over Washington and Arizona to rise to the No. 2 spot in the AP Top 25 (also slotted in the same spot in our national power rankings). The team’s challenging non-conference schedule, though, just continues to roll on with a home matchup against North Carolina coming up next. Even though the Tar Heels have disappointed a bit to begin this season, this matchup should still be a headliner during Finals Week.

Many have criticized the engagement of “The Kennel Club” so far this season but that shouldn’t be the case for this matchup. Expect that the McCarthey Athletic Center will be packed as Gonzaga looks to pick up another win over a likely NCAA Tournament team. With tip-off approaching on Dec. 18th, let’s dive a bit deeper into the matchup to analyze some potential keys to success for the Bulldogs.