GU in ‘huge one’ vs. Duke
Zags have date with No. 7 Devils at Garden
Elias Harris grew up in Germany, but certain U.S. collegiate sports teams, arenas and cities are recognized worldwide.
“Duke, North Carolina,” said Harris, Gonzaga’s talented freshman forward. “UCLA, Kansas, Kentucky… the big-name teams are famous over there, too.”
Same goes for Madison Square Garden and New York City. Put the three together and you have Gonzaga’s assignment today when the 15th-ranked Bulldogs (8-2) tangle with No. 7 Duke (8-1) in the Aeropostale Classic.
“It’s a huge one,” Bulldogs coach Mark Few said. “They’re one of the greatest programs over the last 20-30 years in college basketball. We’re playing at Madison Square Garden, that’s kind of the mecca of college basketball. It’s a great opportunity for us. Not many programs have the chance to play in this game with Duke, so we welcome that. And we know we have to play probably close to great to be able to get it done.”
Gonzaga is accustomed to these types of showdowns, having played a rugged non-conference schedule this decade. Since 2003, the Bulldogs are 1-3 at MSG, including a 61-54 loss to Duke in 2006. The name on the opponent’s jersey and the famed arena aren’t GU’s biggest worries. It’s the players wearing the uniforms.
“They’re very smart, that just sticks out. How they take care of the ball, their intelligence, their skill level,” said Bulldogs assistant Tommy Lloyd, who put together the scouting report on the Blue Devils. “They’re maybe not the most physical or athletic team, but if there’s a loose ball, they’re on the floor. If there’s a charge to be taken, they’re rotating over and taking the hit. Their effort is off the charts. That’s the No. 1 challenge for us, matching that, and we’re capable of it.”
Or, as Harris put it, “We have to stay focused on offense and defense. We have to watch out because Duke is a very good team.”
The Blue Devils defeated Arizona State and Connecticut to win the NIT Season Tip-Off last month at MSG. Wisconsin, behind guard Trevon Hughes’ 26 points, handed Duke its only loss, 73-69, in Madison, Wis., on Dec. 2. Gonzaga limited Hughes to 10 points in a 74-63 win in the Maui Invitational semifinals.
Lloyd essentially considers versatile 6-foot-8 Kyle Singler a guard, though he’s listed as a forward, because of his play-making ability. Singler and guards Jon Scheyer, Nolan Smith and Andre Dawkins account for 61.3 points of the team’s 85.4 per game.
“Nolan is really athletic, fast, can shoot it and take it to the rack,” said GU senior guard Matt Bouldin, who is expected to play after missing last Saturday’s game against Davidson. “Scheyer had a great night (with 36 points and nine assists against Gardner-Webb on Tuesday) and Singler is one of the best players in the country. His size gives them a lot of options against other guards and he has the ability to shoot. We’ll have our hands full.”