Game day for the Zags and Gaels and we've got more on Tent City, Omar Samhan and notes/quotes below.

First, here's an S-R A-1 story on GU students camping out for the best seats at the MAC. Here is an article on Samhan and a side bar on the Gaels' junior center, from the San Francisco Chronicle. And another on Patty Mills here and GU's crowd here.

--Saint Mary’s Samhan said there’s a limit to his on-court chatter. As a freshman he barked at Few, but the junior center said Gaels coach Randy Bennett didn’t care for that.

“He doesn’t like it when I talk to Few,” Samhan said. “I think he’s OK with me talking on the court.”

Samhan said when he signed at Saint Mary’s that he thought the Gaels were prepared to make a run in the conference.

“When I came in, (senior forward) Diamon Simpson was here. We grew up together; I knew he was a really good player. I liked how Coach Bennett thought and how optimistic he was. I thought it was possible, but I knew it would take a lot of hard work and a lot of ups and downs. At that time, Gonzaga definitely ran the conference. They didn’t have any challengers. I don’t think Gonzaga is alone in this league any more.”

Samhan said SMC’s 18-1 record is a bit of a surprise: “I knew we had a great team and worked hard. Those are important aspects, but there are some things that went our way that you just can’t count on. We hit some big shots.”

One, of course, was Patty Mills’ 3-pointer in the closing seconds that tripped up Santa Clara. Mills has scored in double figures in 23 consecutive games.

“He’s been huge, on and off the court,” Samhan said of Mills. “He was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to play in the Olympics and he really lets us in on the insights of that trip.”

Samhan, who had six points and five rebounds last year in Spokane, said the key to tonight’s game for the Gaels is handling the ball and the environment: “We need to take care of the ball. It’s important that the (atmosphere on the) court doesn’t get into you and you stay loose. You have to stay focused, it’s a hard place to play, the people are loud and you don’t want to get caught up in that.”

Samhan has improved his conditioning since GU last saw him.

“I’m in better shape, just working hard and watching what I eat,” he said. “You can play more minutes and play them the way you want to play them. When I was heavier I got tired quicker and couldn’t play as long.

“I cut out all sodas, and a lot of fried food. All the good stuff.”

Samhan said he won’t be the only one talking tonight.

“Austin Daye talks the most in our league, and I love him for it. He’s trash-talking, I’m trash-talking. I can get (Santa Clara’s) John Bryant going if he scores one or two, he talks back.”

Gonzaga has improved since a year ago, Samhan said. “They’re a lot better. I don’t know if they’re as good as when Adam (Morrison) was there. That was a matchup that was hard for everyone -- Morrison, (J.P.) Batista.”

Samhan said he’s in a sports journalism class, but that hasn’t changed his approach with the media. He routinely fills tape recorders and notebooks.

“I’ve learned how hard it is to interview people who are boring,” Samhan said.

Samhan on Bennett’s success building a program: “He believes that we can be good. He believes in the guys he recruits and he works hard. Anytime you believe and work hard you’re going to be successful. I would like to take credit and say it’s the players, but it’s not. It’s him and he has great assistants. When we leave I’m sure he’ll be successful.”

--Asked if he could boil down tonight’s matchup to one or two keys, Gonzaga coach Mark Few said that was too simplistic.

“You can’t sit there and point at just ‘this is what we have to do well.’ They do a lot of things well. We do a lot of things well. I don’t think you can say if we just rebound well we’re going to win it.

“They have incredible experience across the board, the way they shoot ball, rebound the ball, the way they defend. I don’t think you can just say this (one thing). That’s why they’re 18-1.”

--Saint Mary’s, much like Arizona, has a talented ‘Big Three’ in point guard Mills, forward Simpson and center Samhan. The Wildcats, who beat GU in mid December, have standouts at the same three positions in Nic Wise, Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill.

“Hill is a first-five (draft) pick in the NBA. We’re not going to face anyone like him on too many teams,” Gonzaga’s Micah Downs said. “(Mills) is probably a little better than Nic, no knock on Nic. Budinger is a 3, 4 man who can step out and shoot it. Simpson plays more inside and doesn’t shoot long-range jumpers. They (Gaels) play hard and rebound the ball. We have to keep them off the boards.”

--Matt Bouldin said Saint Mary’s is more than just the big three.

“They have a great team,” he said. “Patty had a great summer. He’s been a (problem) for us every time we’ve played them. They have great post players, Samhan and Simpson. (Ian) O’Leary is tough. They have a really well-rounded team with a lot of weapons, something we haven’t really faced so far in league.”