Avalanche of talent at Shootout
It’s business as usual for Eastern Washington. Business is about to pick up for Gonzaga.
Both men’s basketball programs are in Anchorage for the Great Alaska Shootout. EWU, continuing a difficult pre-Big Sky Conference schedule, faces 2007 NCAA tournament qualifier Virginia Tech at 10:45 PST tonight at Sullivan Arena.
Gonzaga, which has thumped three opponents by an average of 32 points, faces its toughest test of the young season against Western Kentucky at 8:30 p.m. Thursday. The Hilltoppers, preseason Sun Belt Conference East Division favorites, are off to a 3-0 start with an average winning margin of 31 against overmatched opponents.
EWU and GU are on opposite sides of the bracket. Depending on first-round outcomes, the Eagles (1-3) will face the Michigan/Butler winner/loser, while 14th-ranked Gonzaga’s opponent Friday will be Texas Tech or host Alaska-Anchorage. The title game is Saturday.
No. 22 Butler, which defeated Gonzaga in the NIT Season Tip-Off last year, is the only other ranked team in the tournament.
“The tournament as a whole has a bunch of really good teams that nobody’s taken note of yet,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said.
Western Kentucky certainly fits that description. The Hilltoppers have won 67 games the last three years, resulting in two NIT appearances.
“They remind me of our team 10 years ago that burst on the scene with everybody back and the type of talent and experience they have,” Few said. “I was able to see Courtney Lee this summer – he and Jeremy Pargo were at the Nike Elite camp together – and he’s an NBA prospect. The point guard (Tyrone) Brazelton is a heck of player.”
WKU coach Darrin Horn countered with unsolicited praise of Pargo: “Is he something else or what?”
Lee, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound senior, is averaging 24.3 points per game. He’s made six 3-pointers, gets to the foul line (13 of 16) and has an impressive midrange game for the guard-driven, up-tempo Hilltoppers.
“He can make a lot happen and he’s very active on both ends of the floor,” Horn said.
GU will probably use a combination of players to defend Lee. Pargo, Matt Bouldin, Larry Gurganious and Micah Downs, who drew the starting assignment on UC Riverside’s high-scoring guard, Larry Cunningham, are likely options.
WKU received a boost recently with the return of 6-9 Jeremy Evans from an ankle injury. He had eight points and six boards in an easy win over Murray State.
Gonzaga’s balance presents problems, Horn said. “They’re the most difficult defensive preparation we’ve seen because they’re so balanced and interchangeable. It’s like they have five guys and they all play different spots. I’m still trying to figure out what position Austin Daye plays.”
Virginia Tech (1-0) starts two freshmen, including 6-7, 258-pound Jeff Allen, who had 19 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Elon. Freshmen played 89 of the 200 total minutes in the Hokies’ opener. Senior forward Deron Washington averaged 12 points and 5.3 rebounds while junior wing A.D. Vassallo chipped in 11.1 points a year ago.
EWU, which has already faced road games against Washington State, New Mexico and Washington, has increased its point total in each game – from 41 to 57 to 59 to 68.
“Virginia Tech is a lot like Washington,” EWU coach Kirk Earlywine said, “but they may even be a little longer and more athletic.”
The Hokies were 4-1 against nationally ranked teams a year ago, defeating Duke and North Carolina en route to a No. 5 seed in the NCAA tournament. They won their opener against Illinois, and then lost to Southern Illinois.