Tip-off time is set for 1:35 p.m. PT on TBS this Thursday, March 20th in Wichita, Kansas.
The Georgia Bulldogs out the loaded Southeastern Conference was battle-tested all season long (14 of the 16 programs were invited the NCAA Tournament field). The Bulldogs finished with a 20-12 overall record, 8-10 in conference play. Key non-conference victories for coach Mike White’s crew include the Big East Conference Tournament champion Saint John’s Red Storm as well as the Western Athletic Conference Tournament champion Grand Canyon Antelopes.
During league play in the top conference of all college basketball, wins over the Kentucky Wildcats, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns as well as the SEC Tournament champion Florida Gators speak to how prepared this group is. Georgia has played more Top 10 teams on the road this season than anyone in the country which bodes well for this group in a neutral environment.
Out of high school, five-star freshman Asa Newell picked Georgia over Gonzaga. The 6’11 forward leads his team in both points at 15.3 per game and rebounds at 6.8 per game. Newell does it all as he also puts in both a steal and block each time he steps on the court. He looks like a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
In conference play, Georgia ranks No. 5 in offensive rebounds at 11.8 per game. Gonzaga has had their struggles throughout the season when it comes to blocking out, crashing the glass. Georgia also puts up 5.2 blocks per game which is the third highest in the SEC.
Sophomore guard Silas Demary Jr. leads in steals at 1.7, while freshman center Somto Cyril leads in blocks at 1.6 in just 14.0 minutes per game. A lot of young guns and March Madness inexperienced players for Georgia compared to a veteran-driven group for Gonzaga. The depth that the Zags possess in both the backcourt and especially the frontcourt look to be too much for the other Bulldogs to deal with at the first gander.
Similar to the game plan in the previous 58-51 victory over Saint Mary’s in Las Vegas, controlling the tempo is how the Gonzaga will end up moving the on to the Round of 32. Dictating the pace led by senior guard Ryan Nembhard is where it all starts with this offense that is one of the best in all of college basketball.
The floor general for the Zags leads the nation in total assists at 325 (9.8 per game) as well as second in the country with an assist/turnover ratio of 4.28 (76 turnovers total in 33 games played).
The matchup down on the low block between Newell and senior forward Graham Ike is going to be a battle at the rim all night long. Ike leads his team in scoring at 17.1 points on a 59.6 field goal percentage to go along with 7.5 rebounds. The West Coast Conference Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player has been a menace as of late when he gets good positioning in the post and given the chance to back down his defender one vs. one.
Senior guard Khalif Battle will be the x-factor all tournament long. When he’s consistently being aggressive yet smart with his shot selection, no one can seem to beat this team. After a rough three-point shooting performance from the entire group in the West Coast Conference championship game (1-for-15, 6.7 percent), the Zags need Battle to hit some shots from deep.
On the season, Gonzaga ranks No. 155 in the country in three-point percentage at 34.4.
The Zags are looking to extend their Sweet Sixteen streak to 10 straight appearances. Coach Mark Few knows what it takes and makes the right adjustments during March. Take a look at the positive team rankings for one of the best offenses in the entire tournament:
19.7 assists per game – No. 1 in the country
86.6 points per game – No. 2 in the country
50.0 field goal percentage – No. 4 in the country
80.1 free throw percentage – No. 4 in the country
9.4 turnovers per game – tied for No. 12 least amount in the country
38.6 rebounds per game – tied for No. 28 in the country
Georgia has won four of their last five games, Gonzaga with nine of their last 10 matchups heading into the NCAA Tournament. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Zags are the favorite over the Bulldogs at a -6.5 spread. Money line is set at -295 for Gonzaga, +235 for Georgia. The over/under is set at 151.5.
Since 2018 in the Round of 64 results, the No. 8 seed has a losing record to the No. 9 seed, 8-16. Something to keep in mind.
Tip-off time for the matchup of the two Bulldogs is set for 1:35 p.m. PT on TBS this Thursday, March 20th in Wichita, Kansas. Tom McCarthy and Debbie Antonelli will be on the broadcast call.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on Twitter @a_cravalho