Gonzaga Basketball: 2019-20 keys to beating the ranked BYU Cougars

Someone needs to stop Yoeli Childs

Gonzaga may have manhandled BYU the last time these two teams faced each other, but BYU gets reinforcements in a major way with a healthy Yoeli Childs in the mix this time through.

Childs endured a ridiculous nine-game suspension to kick off the campaign and has battled injuries as well – leading to him only having played 16 games so far this season.

However, as per usual, he has been remarkable in those 16 contests, averaging 20.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1 block per game on excellent 57.7 percent shooting from the field, 51.4 percent from downtown, and, strangely, just 52.7 percent from the charity stripe.

At six-eight and 225 pounds, Childs is a matchup nightmare for nearly everyone in the WCC, although the Zags are one of the few teams with the size and athleticism to handle him.

Tillie will probably draw the initial one-on-one assignment, and while Childs has a few pounds on him, Tillie’s length should at least subdue him in the paint, and as we saw against San Francisco Tillie is a strong perimeter defender as well.

Corey Kispert and Drew Timme will likely get opportunities to guard Childs as well, and both have the size and athleticism to at least hang with him.

Still – Childs will get his points, as he always does. If Gonzaga is able to prevent him from getting their bigs in foul trouble, and they rotate well on defense to prevent him dishing it out to open three-pointers, they should be okay.