Gonzaga Basketball: 3 biggest keys to beat BYU Cougars in Provo in 2021

Jan 7, 2021; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Corey Kispert (24) goes up for a shot against Brigham Young Cougars forward Kolby Lee (40) in the first half of a WCC menÕs basketball game at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /

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Brigham Young Cougars Gideon George Gonzaga Basketball Anton Watson James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Prepare for Gideon George

When comparing this year’s BYU team to the one that gave Gonzaga its last loss, the one glaring difference is the lack of a star player that can give you 20 points in a given night. The one a year ago had Yoeli Childs, TJ Haws, and even Jake Toolson. This year’s team is more about depth than star power.

Alex Barcello is the one legit star for the Cougars, averaging 15.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, and 4.6 apg. But his numbers have dipped in WCC play, including putting up just nine points on 3/11 shooting in the earlier loss to Gonzaga, including five assists and six turnovers. If BYU has any hopes of pulling off the upset, they’ll have to find a source from somewhere in the rotation.

And that player may be Gideon George, a transfer from New Mexico Junior College who has averaged 5.3 ppg on the season. He’s played sporadically in his first year with the program, as he’s still raw in terms of playing organized basketball and into a specific offensive and defensive system.

But the talent is there, evident by his breakout performance against Portland on Thursday. George posted a season-high 19 points to lead all scorers, while all securing 13 rebounds, which was more than the opposing Pilots combined (12). It was also his first start of the season, which I feel had more to do with setting things up to play Gonzaga on Monday.

In the first matchup, George was one of the few positives for the Cougars, scoring 11 points in 20 minutes off the bench. He’s one of the only players on the roster who can match up with the Bulldogs in terms of athleticism and versatility and will need to have a big impact for BYU.

Gonzaga will certainly have its hands full with George but he’s not without flaws. Defensively, he can be exposed in certain sets, which the Bulldogs run non-stop. The ball also stops with him on offense, which is just fine for a sound defensive unit. He could either be the key force or weak link so the favorites will need to look out for him.