Gonzaga Basketball: 2019-20 keys to beating the ranked BYU Cougars
By Andy Patton
Killian Tillie needs to play, and play well
As great as Filip Petrusev, Corey Kispert, Joel Ayayi and Ryan Woolridge have been this year, the Zags live and die by the presence of Killian Tillie.
That presence has been spotty at best this season, however, thanks to a recurring ankle injury that has limited him to just 19 games played.
He made his return to the court on Thursday evening against San Francisco, scoring a season-high 22 points on 10-13 shooting with nine rebounds. That line brought his season average to 13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists on 52.7 percent shooting.
Tillie is a do-it-all forward. He can score in the paint, he can shoot from the outside, he can penetrate off the dribble, he’s elite at making entry passes from the top of the key (a staple in all Mark Few offenses) and he’s a strong defender on the perimeter and in the paint.
The three-point shooting is perhaps his greatest trait. Tillie is a career 44.6 percent shooter from beyond the arc, a ridiculously good number for any player but especially elite for a guy six-foot-ten. He’s shooting exactly 40 percent this season, and his ability to stretch BYU’s already subpar defense will be immensely important in this contest.
BYU’s two big starters are Yoeli Childs (6’8) and Kolby Lee (6’9). In order to handle Filip Petrusev and Drew Timme in the paint, they’ll need to double. If Tillie is knocking down open threes, they’ll probably have to double with guards – which allows those guards to roll to the paint for open twos or spot up for open jumpers.
All signs point to Tillie playing in this one, and without limitation, which is a massive bonus for this Gonzaga squad as they look to continue their home winning streak.