When the brackets were announced, one intriguing storyline emerged: the potential Round of 32 game between No. 1 seed Houston and No. 8 seed Gonzaga. What made it interesting was that the Bulldogs were ranked in the top 10 in most metrics despite having an average resume overall.
Gonzaga showed why it was better than an 8-seed, going up 27-3 to start the game against Georgia en route to an 89-68 victory. Of course, the Cougars will be the toughest test the WCC program has faced all season.
Here are the keys to an upset win for Gonzaga to make it 10 straight trips to the Sweet 16.
1. Battle of the FG strengths
This game will be the ultimate contrast between the best defensive and best offensive units in college basketball. Houston is ranked 2nd in the sport at 38% FG allowed, while Gonzaga is No. 2, shooting 50% from the field. Odds would be that the likely percentage will end up in between, but how well Gonzaga plays on offense will determine who wins this one.
2. Houston’s sneaky-elite 3-point shooting
The Cougars’ dominant defense is their main calling card, but you don’t lose just one game in Big 12 play without being able to score. Houston’s biggest offensive strength is beyond the arc, ranking 5th nationally at just under 40%. All three of their top scorers (Milos Uzan, LJ Cryer, and Emanuel Sharp are each over 42%. Gonzaga’s three-point defense has also been a strength of theirs, ranking in the top 15 nationally at under 30%. As with the first key, something will have to give here.
3. Braden Huff the x-factor
A move Coach Mark Few recently made was to play both its scoring centers together, with Huff joining Graham Ike in the starting lineup. It’s worked, getting wins over both Saint Mary’s and Georgia. Huff scored 18 points in both games, having no issue defending the four-spot either.
Will it work against Houston’s frontcourt? The Cougars’ starting frontcourt of J’Wan Roberts and Joseph Tugler are just 6’7, but they’re incredibly physical and can guard all kinds of interior players. We’ll see if this late lineup change could be what the Bulldogs needed to get back to the Sweet 16.