Injuries, schedules and praise from SI

GONZAGA, MORRISON WATCH

This one slipped through my fingers like so many perfect passes, but better late than not at all, right?

The Gonzaga front line, not the deepest its ever been going into the season, just got a little shallower for a while. Theo Davis, a 6-foot-9 recruit who was expected to help, injured his shoulder and underwent surgery this week. He is expected to be out a couple of months.

With Davis out and transfers Micah Downs and David Burgess also hurt, the Zags will have to tread water a little bit up front until December, when the two transfers were to become eligible and Davis should be back. Until then, look for David Pendergraft, who played inside a lot last year, to return to the role again.

The final Zag schedule for the upcoming season was released Friday, and it’s a tough one. Here are some of the non-conference teams: Eastern Washington, Texas, Rice, Washington State, Washington, Georgia, Duke, Nevada, Virginia, Stanford.

There’s more on both of these developments on Steve Bergum’s blog .

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Sports Illustrated’s basketball preview issue is on newsstands now, and the magazine thinks Adam Morrison will be the Rookie of the Year. According to its 5-minute guide “Sweet-shooting Gonzaga alum will lead class in scoring -and survive a challenge from Bulls forward Tyrus Thomas.”

The magazine also devotes most of its Bobcat preview to Morrison, including the scouting report saying he was a great pick for them.