Gonzaga Basketball: 2019-20 keys to Bulldogs defeating Saint Mary’s at home

1. Follow same offensive gameplan as the first time

One of the biggest questions heading into the first matchup was how the undersized Gaels would handle Gonzaga’s frontcourt size and depth. The answer? They couldn’t. It was a defensive disaster for Saint Mary’s from the get-go. Whenever the Bulldogs didn’t turn the ball over, it was a field inside for Gonzaga that was barely contested.

Starting forwards Petrusev and Killian Tillie combined for 37 points on 15/21 shooting from the field, while freshman Drew Timme went for 20 points and 10 rebounds off the bench to add insult to injury. There was just nothing head coach Randy Bennett could do from his side of things, having just 6’8 forward Dan Fotu to provide defense down low. He tried 7’3 center Aaron Menzies but he contributed just two fouls in less than a minute on the court. 7’1 center Jock Perry should be available after fighting injuries all season but has yet to play more than 10 minutes in any game in over a month.

But you still should expect some changes by the Gaels this time around. Look for some zone and potential double-teams to surprise Gonzaga. The problem, of course, is that the Bulldogs are a top-5 three-point shooting team. And if the No. 1 scoring offense gets going from deep, it won’t matter if you can somehow neutralize them inside. Yet Saint Mary’s will have to try something new because it was clear that it’s a massive disadvantage for them inside. The Bulldogs should simply be prepared for different looks outside of man-to-man defense.