On Friday night, the Gonzaga Bulldogs had their hearts broken when they lost a rematch of the 2021 National Championship game to the Baylor Bears. It was a hard-fought game, but the Bears were able to come from behind and capture a one-point victory by scoring the final eight points of the game. The Bulldogs may not have as much talent this season as they have in years past, but they are a veteran ballclub. How could they allow a meltdown in the final minutes of the game?
Although most casual observers would put the onus on Gonzaga for not winning a game they seemed to be in control in the last few minutes, the credit actually belongs to Baylor for not giving up and fighting until the final buzzer. On Friday night, the Washington Huskies, who are not nationally ranked but boast a 7 and 2 record, will try to take a page out of Baylor’s playbook and attempt to pull out a win against the heavily favored Bulldogs.
The Washington Huskies are not expected to defeat the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Friday. Here are the keys for them to achieve an upset.
The Huskies’ unquestionable leader is forward Keion Brooks, who spent three seasons under Hall of Fame Coach John Calipari as a member of the Kentucky Wildcats. While Brooks played an important role for The Big Blue Nation, he was not called upon to make plays that would determine the outcome of the game.
However, as a Huskie Brooks has become the leading man; his individual play greatly impacts whether or not the team reaches its overall potential. While Brooks is a significant factor, he will not single-handedly determine the outcome of the game. Let’s take a closer look at three key areas the Huskies must excel in if they are going to upset Gonzaga on Friday night.