Gonzaga vs Pepperdine: 2019-20 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
By Joey Loose
Gonzaga and Pepperdine matchup in an exciting WCC clash; will the Bulldogs keep rolling through the conference or can the Waves pull off a stunner at home?
TV schedule: Saturday, February 15, 10:00 pm ET. ESPN
Arena: Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, California
As seems to be the case in recent times, Gonzaga (25-1) is rolling and has again emerged as a national title contender. Their only loss of the season came nearly three months ago to Michigan and they’ve more than taken care of business since then. In their last game, they ran Saint Mary’s out of their own building, upended the Gaels by 30 points. Can anyone in this conference end the Bulldogs’ long winning streak?
This is an almost completely different team from last season and yet coach Mark Few has another championship-level roster. Sophomore forward Filip Petrusev (17.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg) has quite possibly been their biggest threat, topping 20 points in three of their last four games. The play of freshman forward Drew Timme (10.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg) has been impressive, scoring 20 points in that win over the Gaels. Factor in the inevitable return of senior forward Killian Tillie (13.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and the contributions of junior forward Corey Kispert (13.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg) among others, there’s no question this is a deep talented roster.
Gonzaga is currently ranked 2nd in KenPom, the NET rankings, and by the AP Top 25 voters. They have the top-ranked offense in the country, having scored more than 80 points in nine straight games. They avoid turnovers, they make shots from all over the court and they have what is easily the most lethal offense in the nation.
Interestingly enough, the last team to keep Gonzaga under 80 points is Pepperdine (14-12), who lost by just five points on the road. Now playing at home, there’s always the chance of a repeat performance, but this Pepperdine team has certainly struggled this year. They’ve already been swept by Pacific and have two other home losses, just needing a game-winning three-pointer to get by San Diego on Thursday. How do they match up with this behemoth of an opponent this time?
Without question, the player to watch is junior guard Colbey Ross (19.8 ppg, 7.3 apg). Ross had 24 points and 10 assists in the first matchup and put up 28 points against Pacific last Saturday. In addition to Ross, senior forward Kameron Edwards (17.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg) and brother sophomore forward Kessler Edwards (13.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg) will have an impact on this game, with both brothers capable of dropping 25+ points in a game.
At the moment, Pepperdine sits at 142nd in KenPom and 130th in NET rankings. Clearly, this is not an NCAA Tournament team unless a magical WCC Tournament run happens. They do rank 50th in offensive efficiency but their weak defense is a major concern, especially against the Bulldogs. The Waves have one of the worst 3-point defenses in the nation, though they did solid at limiting the Bulldog’s outside game back in January.
For the Bulldogs, there’s always the chance of a flat start on the road, though this certainly isn’t what happened at Saint Mary’s last weekend. They just need to avoid mistakes and run their offense and everything else should take care of itself. For the Waves, they’ll need Ross to have one of his signature games while some of the role players will need to step up, especially on the defensive end.
Next. WCC power rankings. dark
With how Gonzaga’s offense has played in recent weeks, this looks like a terrible matchup on paper, even if it is in Malibu. There’s reason for faith in the Waves, especially if they can replicate their performance from last time, but things have changed. Pepperdine needs to play a perfect game and I just don’t see it happening.