Busting Brackets
Fansided

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

By Tristan Freeman

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 25: Fans for the Gonzaga Bulldogs rally for their team in the game against the Pacific Tigers at McCarthey Athletic Center on January 25, 2020 in Spokane, Washington. Gonzaga defeats Pacififc 92-59. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 25: Fans for the Gonzaga Bulldogs rally for their team in the game against the Pacific Tigers at McCarthey Athletic Center on January 25, 2020 in Spokane, Washington. Gonzaga defeats Pacififc 92-59. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 12: Malik Fitts #24 of the Saint Mary’s Gaels (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 12: Malik Fitts #24 of the Saint Mary’s Gaels (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

2. Malik Fitts is more important to deal than Jordan Ford

It’ll be interesting to see who winds up with the WCC Player of the Year Award. Filip Petrusev, Jordan Ford and Yoeli Childs of BYU each have impressive cases to make and it could come down to this last game in the regular season to sway the voters. The Gaels star is one of the best scorers in the country and even on an off-night as he had against Gonzaga the first time, Ford still managed to drop 23 points on 10/20 shooting.

Yet the Bulldogs still won by a whopping 30 points on the road. That’s because the supporting cast struggling mightily, including second-leading scorer Malik Fitts. The box score has him producing 12 points on 5/10 shooting but the junior played in just 22 minutes due to foul trouble and largely was taken out the of the game by Gonzaga. The 44% three-point shooter didn’t even attempt a three-pointer, one of two times that has happened while at Saint Mary’s, with the other happening at home versus the Bulldogs a year ago.

Saint Mary’s may have one of the most efficient offenses in the country but it largely depends on what both Fitts and Ford do. With the ladder likely playing in all 40 minutes and having the ball in his hands a ton, it’s likely that Ford will put up numbers regardless of what Woolridge and others do to him. But if Saint Mary’s can’t pass the ball around and get Fitts involved, Ford could drop 30 points in this game and I could still see Gonzaga winning by 20+. Sometimes, it’s more important to take care of Robin instead of focusing all on Batman.