Fatigue won’t be a factor for GU
RALEIGH, N.C. – When No. 7-seeded Gonzaga steps on the floor against No. 10 Davidson on Friday, it will mark 10 days between games for both teams – the longest break of GU’s season.
Davidson will have fonder memories of its last contest. The Wildcats wrapped up their third consecutive Southern Conference tournament title with a win over Elon. Meanwhile, Gonzaga lost to San Diego in the WCC tournament championship on the Toreros’ home floor.
“We basically went to the cafeteria and got slapped by the bully in the face,” GU forward Austin Daye said. “I think we’ll get back on track with the rest we’ve had and the extra practice (time).”
The Bulldogs, having won the previous four WCC crowns, usually are packing momentum from the tournament into the NCAAs. This time, Gonzaga is packing an attitude.
“We just have to play hard and not play like we did in San Diego,” GU forward Abdullahi Kuso said. “It was obvious from our reactions that we were all sad. We came out in the next practice and everybody came with aggression. Hopefully, we’ve seen the last of that (performance against San Diego).”
Gonzaga lost back-to-back games once this season, to Tennessee and Oklahoma. Other than that, GU has followed setbacks with wins by 18, 26, two, 38 and 42 points, respectively.
By Friday, Gonzaga will have played twice in 18 days.
“We can get rested as much as we want but one of the key things, and this happens to some teams, is they come out not as sharp and their timing might be off,” GU guard Micah Downs said. “But we’ve been doing things together to keep our cohesion and chemistry going. If we keep after it in practice, we’ll be pretty good.”
Gonzaga was better than good closing its home season with impressive wins over Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara to wrap up the WCC regular-season title. But the Bulldogs slipped in San Diego, barely defeating Santa Clara before falling to the Toreros.
“We kind of went back to some of the old ways and the youngness came out of every one of us,” guard Jeremy Pargo said. “The coaches will have a plan for us. All of us are seeing the road ahead and how much brighter it can be.”
Zags coach Mark Few agreed.
“We’re just getting back to what we were successful with here, and over the years,” he said. “By and large, we’ve rebounded the ball pretty well. We’ve moved it and shared it and we moved our bodies better than we did at San Diego. Also, we had a chance to look back and see how many conference champions won their tournaments. A lot of teams got beat – that happens in those tournaments – and sometimes it’s hard to match that desperation (of an underdog opponent). I know we’re going to have to play with some desperation Friday, and we will.”
Desperate driving
The Bulldogs have rested up over the last week or so and they also spent some idle time playing paintball. The paintball was great. The trip to the facility was, uh, long.
“It took us 21/2 hours to find the place,” said Daye, who pinpointed junior forward Ira Brown for faulty navigation. “We went down Division, took a right on Francis. We were supposed to take a left, so we went in a circle for about 45 minutes. All in all, it was a really good team-bonding session – in the car.”
The return trip was just about as smooth.
“An hour and a half to get back,” Pargo said. “Ira, again.”
Notes
Gonzaga has never played Davidson or any other member of the Southern Conference. .. The last time Gonzaga lost in the WCC title game, it won a first-round NCAA matchup against Cincinnati before losing to Arizona in a double-overtime classic. … This is only the second time the Bulldogs have been sent out of the West for the first and second rounds of the tournament. … The Bulldogs have never been a seventh seed in the NCAAs.