Gonzaga Basketball: 5 teams that can defeat the Bulldogs in 2020-21

Gonzaga Basketball: 5 teams that can defeat the Bulldogs this 2020-21 season

Jan 7, 2021; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Jalen Suggs (1) and Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) celebrate a basket and foul during a game against the Brigham Young Cougars in the second half of a WCC menÕs basketball game at McCarthey Athletic Center. The Bulldogs won 86-69. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /

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M.J. Walker Florida State Seminoles (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

Florida State Seminoles (10-3, 6-2)

The Bulldogs have played against a number of star college basketball players, including ACC Player of the Year candidate Sam Huff, West Virginia guard Miles McBride, and favorite to win National Player of the Year Luka Garza. But while those players managed to have good games versus the No. 1 team in the country, it still wasn’t enough.

So why not try to beat Gonzaga by literally a full-team effort? The program that specializes in that strategy is Florida State, led by head coach Leonard Hamilton. As usual, the Seminoles have 10 main rotational players, averaging from 4.2-13.7 ppg this season. Senior guard MJ Walker is the leading scorer and has elevated his game as the go-to player on offense.

Five-star freshman Scottie Barnes has been coming off the bench since coming back from an injury but still has been effective, leading the team with 4.1 apg while scoring 10.3 ppg. His presence would be very difficult for Gonzaga to scout, as he’s a 6’9 “point-forward”. Jalen Suggs, who tends to be foul prone, would have a difficult time defending him. Even if he moved to the four-spot, Kispert would have issues with him off the bounce.

Florida State also has several other key players, including starting forward Raiquan Gray and 7’1 center Balsa Koprivica. They have another 7’1 big man off the bench in Tanor Ngom and 6’11 center Quincy Ballard to try and wear down both Timme and Oumar Ballo. The Seminoles also shoot well from deep and have capable guards Sardaar Calhoun and Anthony Polite.

This potential matchup may depend on how much of an impact Barnes has on both ends, but the Seminoles would present a unique challenge that many other teams can’t. They might not have the firepower to keep up with the Bulldogs but they definitely can muck it up for 40 minutes and use their superior depth to wear Gonzaga’s key players down.