Defenses could determine top 10 battle between high-powered Gonzaga, Kentucky

SEATTLE – Gonzaga players and coaches monitored Kentucky’s road loss to Clemson on television earlier this week with the Wildcats next on the Zags’ schedule.

Kentucky reminded senior guard Nolan Hickman of another team in blue jerseys that the Zags used to face in the West Coast Conference. Makes sense since Kentucky head coach Mark Pope spent the previous five years at BYU.

“He’s a great coach,” Hickman said. “What he’s done in his single year at Kentucky already starting off hot and bringing the same culture from BYU. That’s all I got watching Kentucky, I just really thought it was BYU in just a different jersey.

“They live and die by that 3, so we’re going to know that going into the game.”

Senior forward Michael Ajayi, a Seattle-area native like Hickman, noticed Kentucky lost the rebounding battle in the opening half and noted, “I feel like to win games you have to rebound and defend, and that’s what Clemson did.”

Both players’ assessments underline the key aspects in Saturday’s top-10 tussle at Climate Pledge Arena. The fourth-ranked Wildcats make 10.6 3-pointers and hoist nearly 29 per game, both ranking in the top 40 nationally.

Kentucky (7-1) is first nationally in defensive rebounding (33.6 per game) and rallied in the closing half to tie Clemson on the glass, but the Tigers were the more physical team Tuesday.

Both teams put up a lot of points – GU 90.4 per game, Kentucky 92.4 – share the ball (both average 19.9 assists) and hit essentially 50% of their shots, so the defenses will have their hands full.

Can No. 7 Gonzaga (7-1) deal with Kentucky’s perimeter shooting threats and contain Oklahoma transfer guard Otega Oweh, who does most of his damage inside the 3-point line while averaging a team-high 16.0 points?

Can Kentucky limit the effectiveness of post duo Graham Ike and Braden Huff, particularly in ball-screen actions with point guard Ryan Nembhard that were a major factor in GU’s 89-85 win last February at Rupp Arena?

Ajayi paid close attention to Kentucky’s starting frontcourt of Andrew Carr, a 6-foot-11 transfer from Wake Forest, and 7-foot Amari Williams, a Drexel transfer who is from Nottingham, England. The pair combine for 20 points, 16 rebounds and five assists per game. They’ve played in 238 college games with 207 starts.

“Very tough guys, really aggressive,” Ajayi said. “They can all shoot, we just have to be ready to guard. They’re a threat defensively and offensively, so bring your hard hat and be ready to play.”

Hickman kept an eye on the guard line, led by San Diego State transfer Lamont Butler, who helped the Aztecs reach the 2023 national championship game, Oweh and BYU transfer wing Jaxson Robinson.

The trio, along with 6-7 Dayton transfer Koby Brea, who is 26 of 43 from distance (60.5%), rank as UK’s top four scorers.

“They are real handsy on defense, especially Lamont,” Hickman said. “He took that tenacity from San Diego State over there. I feel like he’s brought a different energy to Kentucky’s guards in sitting down and taking pride in playing defense. All props to him. That’s my guy as well, so show him love when I can.”

Pope is 1-9 against Mark Few-coached Gonzaga teams in his past stops at BYU and Utah Valley. Few is 2-1 against Kentucky with wins each of the past two seasons against John Calipari and the Wildcats and an 80-72 loss at the 2002 Maui Invitational.

“We’re really looking forward to this,” Few said. “It’ll be a great atmosphere.”

Pope wasn’t certain of Butler’s status. The fifth-year senior guard battled an ankle injury vs. Clemson but still had 16 points and five assists in 19 minutes.

“We’re super hopeful we’ll get him back,” Pope said. “(Head trailer) Brandon Wells’ job depends on it. I’m kidding Brandon Wells.”

Pope called Gonzaga “a Final Four-type team.”

“How they get post entries, they can get you in transition, the 3-point line, incredibly explosive guards,” Pope said. “Those (Nembhard assist) numbers are crazy. (Khalif) Battle is playing super aggressive. Hickman is a terrific player. The young kids on the bench are pretty good.”

It’s a homecoming for Pope, who played at Newport High in Bellevue and two seasons at the University of Washington before transferring to Kentucky. Pope was team captain and averaged 7.6 points and 5.2 boards on the Wildcats’ 1996 national championship team.

“I don’t get to go back to Seattle that much, so I’m excited to go back,” said Pope, who anticipates numerous family members, high school teammates and Richard Belcher, his coach at Newport, to attend the game.