Busting Brackets
Fansided

Gonzaga vs Northwestern State: 2020-21 college basketball game preview, TV schedule

ByJacob Stevenson|
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 02: Mark Few the head coach of the Gonzaga Bulldogs gives instructions to his team in the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the Jimmy V Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 02, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 02: Mark Few the head coach of the Gonzaga Bulldogs gives instructions to his team in the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the Jimmy V Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 02, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Gonzaga looks to avoid a letdown after beating Iowa against Northwestern State of the Southland Conference.

TV schedule: Monday, December 21, 9:00 pm ET. Check local listings

Arena: McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington

The No. 1 ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs (4-0) will take on the Northwestern State Demons (1-7). The Bulldogs are coming off a (99-88) win against Iowa after not playing a game in over two weeks because of Covid-19 issues. Jalen Suggs scored 27 points including 7 three’s and Joel Ayayi added 11 points and 18 rebounds. The Bulldogs shot 13-26 for three.

Not only is Gonzaga the No. 1 team in the country but they are also ranked in the top 15 in the country on offensive and defensive efficiency according to Kenpom. The Zags are a very balanced team with five players in double figures.

This is Gonzaga’s first home game of the year. Another thing to keep an eye on is potentially more minutes for Julian Strawther and Dominick Harris. The two 4 start freshmen haven’t played much this year due to the quality of competition and being out because of Covid-19 protocols. Look for this game as an opportunity for them to get some more time.

The Northwestern State Demons come into the game with a recent (94-67) loss to Missouri State. The only players in double figures for the Demons were Trenton Massner and Carvell Teasett. As a team, the Demons shot 37% from the field.

Northwestern State comes into the game (0-7) against division one teams on the season. The Demons play a lot of guys with 12 players averaging double-digit minutes coming into their matchup against the Zags.

According to Kenpom, Northwestern State is 11th in the country in tempo. Since the Zags also like to play fast, you can expect an up and down game with lots of possessions.

Gonzaga is a much better team than Northwestern State and should come away with the easy victory. It will be a great opportunity for Gonzaga to get some minutes for their younger guys such as Oumar Ballo, Strawther, and Harris.

Prediction: Gonzaga-108 Northwestern State-65