Gonzaga big man making big strides

Now in his junior season, Gonzaga center Robert Sacre has emerged as an important scoring option and a team leader. I put together a feature article on Sacre, who has been GU’s most consistent player this season, that will run in tomorrow’s S-R.

Here’s a link .

Below, find a quick look at GU’s opponents this week and a pronunciation guide for the Zags’ two Mathis’s.

GONZAGA BULLDOGS

RECORD: 13-7, 3-2 WCC

COMING UP: Thursday vs. Saint Mary’s; Saturday vs. San Diego

OUTLOOK: For one of the few times in their run to 10 straight WCC titles, the Bulldogs are in pursuit mode. They’re tied for third, two games behind Saint Mary’s (17-3, 5-0). The Gaels, No. 24 ^th in the coaches poll, are one of the best shooting teams in the country, paced by guards Mickey McConnell (14.6 points, WCC-best 6.5 assists) and Matthew Dellavedova (13.2 points, 5.9 assists) and forwards Rob Jones (14 points, 7.3 rebounds) and Mitchell Young (10 points, WCC-leading 63.6% FG). The Gaels rank in the top eight nationally in six offensive categories, including third in field-goal percentage (50.6) and assists (18.6). Gonzaga, coming off two losses in the Bay Area, probably needs a win to stay in the title chase. “It’s huge,” senior guard Steven Gray said. “It’s going to be huge for the momentum of this team and how it finishes out.”

San Diego (4-16, 0-5) is struggling under ex-Bulldogs assistant coach Billy Grier. Guard Darian Norris averages a team-high 11.2 points. Former Mt. Spokane and CCS guard Matt Dorr averages 8.5 points.

GU STAT LEADERS

Steven Gray 15.2 points, 4.4 assists

Robert Sacre 13.9 points, 6.8 rebounds

Elias Harris 12.3 points, 5.5 rebounds

Demetri Goodson 3.3 assists

Kelly Olynyk 4.8 rebounds.

AND AN ITEM FOR THE NOTEBOOK

Name game

Now past the midpoint of the season, Mathis Mönninghoff’s and Mathis Keita’s names have been pronounced “about a million different ways,” estimated Keita, who doesn’t seem to mind. “It’s all right. It doesn’t really matter.”

Keita sounded out his name: Muh-tees Kay-tuh. It’s not Kie-tuh. Kay-duh is close, a smiling Keita said. “The American accent.”

Mönninghoff sounded out his name: Mat-tis Merninghoff. “It’s a German thing,” said the freshman forward, stressing the ‘err’. “The worst was probably Moooninghoff. It’s getting better, at the beginning of the year it worse, but it’s not a big deal.”

Mönninghoff said fellow German Elias Harris has no problem enunciating his name correctly. That’s Uh-leeus, by the way.