Gonzaga Basketball: Keys to success against Eastern Washington

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 18: Gonzaga Bulldogs t-shirts are draped over stadium seats prior to the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center on December 18, 2019 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /

3 of 4

TUCSON, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 14: Petrusev of the Bulldogs dunks. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

2. Attack the basket relentlessly.

Gonzaga’s backcourt has been tremendous in recent games but the team’s biggest strength still lies in the frontcourt. With Corey Kispert (mostly a wing), Killian Tillie, and Petrusev in the starting lineup, the Bulldogs feature plenty of inside-out versatility with athleticism and the ability to dominate the paint in every single game. Additionally, very few teams can boast bringing forwards such as Drew Timme and Anton Watson off the bench.

As a result of this frontcourt talent and depth, Gonzaga scores 54.3% of its total points inside the arc as it pounds the ball into the paint on most possessions either on the drive or via post-ups. The Bulldogs are also excellent on the offensive glass and convert on second-chance opportunities more often than not. The most notable contributor in this facet of the game is sophomore big man Filip Petrusev, who is averaging 16.2 points and 8.1 rebounds (2.7 offensive) per game on over 50% shooting from the field.

Additionally, the team is able to consistently create open looks from 3-point range by nature of their bigs receiving so much defensive attention. Gonzaga is shooting 39.1% from three so far this season (22nd-best nationally) and the shooters can thank their bigs for the wide-open looks that they often receive. Opposing defenses are so quick to double underneath or collapse on Gonzaga’s drives that is often leaves players such as Kispert open on the perimeter.

With regard to this particular matchup, Gonzaga should be able to once again dominate the paint. This is mainly due to the fact that Eastern Washington does not boast nearly enough size to match up underneath. While the Bulldogs rank 4th in the country in average height, the Eagles sit at just 240th. It is also important to mention that the Eagles rarely block shots inside, send opponents to the free-throw line a ton, and are surrendering over 50% of their total points inside the arc. Gonzaga should be able to easily attack their defensive weaknesses early and often.