Garden party
Storied venue has GU players excited
NEW YORK – Angel Nunez is coming home, or close enough that he’s being swamped with ticket requests.
“I’ve got to get 16 for sure; we only get four,” the Gonzaga forward said. “My mom, sister, brother and uncle for sure. If I really got one for everyone in my family, it’d be 45 tickets.”
Nunez spent a portion of his youth and even a few games during his freshman season at Louisville inside famed Madison Square Garden. This time, he’ll be accompanied by his Gonzaga teammates as the 10th-ranked Zags (4-0) take on Georgia (3-1) tonight in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off. Minnesota meets St. John’s in the other semifinal.
“I grew up on 171st Street, the Garden is on 34th so it’s maybe an 8-minute drive. In the city, that becomes an hour,” Nunez said. “I’ve been there a lot of times, but it’s an amazing feeling every time.”
The Zags, who are 1-4 at MSG since 2003, return to one of basketball’s legendary stages trying to build on an impressive start to the season. Nunez, Kevin Pangos back in high school and Kyle Wiltjer, who played three scoreless minutes in Kentucky’s 2011 win over Kansas, have experienced MSG but most Zags, like Gary Bell Jr., have only heard stories about the arena.
“I can’t wait,” Bell said.
Gonzaga was barely challenged in four easy home wins, but that figures to change in the NIT. Georgia tied for second last year with Kentucky in the SEC and returns 70-80 percent of its scoring, rebounding and assists.
Senior forwards Marcus Thornton (14 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game) and Nemanja Djurisic (13.5 ppg, 6 rpg), and junior guards Kenny Gaines (12.8 ppg) and Charles Mann (11.8 ppg, 6 rpg) anchor an experienced starting unit.
“Being on a neutral floor will be a challenge, and playing bigger, more physical teams will be a bigger challenge,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “Thornton is a very good player. The guards look tough and athletic and (Djurisic) looks like he really knows how to play.”
The Zags are the tournament’s only ranked team. Minnesota is 3-1 and St. John’s, which plays many of its home games at MSG, is 3-0.
“I think tests are great – the more the better,” GU freshman forward Domantas Sabonis said. “I really like testing ourselves to see if we’re at the level people say we’re at.”