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Gonzaga Basketball: 3 keys to NCAA Tournament matchup with Grand Canyon

By Bryan Mauro

Mar 1, 2023; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) talks tot he crowd after a game against the Chicago State Cougars at McCarthey Athletic Center. Gonzaga won 104-65. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2023; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) talks tot he crowd after a game against the Chicago State Cougars at McCarthey Athletic Center. Gonzaga won 104-65. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /
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Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few (left) talks to guard Julian Strawther Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few (left) talks to guard Julian Strawther Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Stars need to Shine

When Gonzaga has been at their best this year stars Julian Strawther and Drew Timme have taken the game over. It should come as no surprise that when the stars play well the Bulldogs will succeed. Everyone should know about Timme by now, he has been a part of the NCAA tournament every year of his career and he is one of the greatest college players of all time. He is the all-time leading scorer in Gonzaga Basketball history and the only thing missing from his impressive career is a National Title.

Strawther, on the other hand, is a player who had a well-defined role the first few years he was in Spokane but now he is the lead guard and is expected to score. He is streaky and when he gets it going especially from outside, he can put points on the board quickly. If he gets hot and is scoring the Gonzaga offense is harder to stop than it normally is. Even despite all of the noticeable struggles this year it is still the same old vintage Bulldogs. They still have the top offense in the country, have two of the biggest stars in the game, and can overwhelm teams quickly when they start making shots.

Timme and Strawther are the two key pieces that must have a good game for Gonzaga, and really a good tournament if the Bulldogs want to reach their goals. Timme has struggled in the past with big physical big men who won’t let him get to the rim. Grand Canyon does have a tough big man, but Timme should be able to get what he wants in this game or be able to get the ball to Anton Watson or kick-outs to the shooters.

Strawther is a great shooter and as I mentioned is streaky. If he can see the first couple go in, he can score points quickly. If he struggles that would force Gonzaga to go inside much more which makes them a tad easier to defend. How the two stars play is a big story in this tournament.