Gonzaga vs Northern Alabama Post Game thoughts and analysis

[Reborn]

Gonzaga 93
North Alabama 63
.
A nice 30 point victory for the Zags as they get ready for conference play. It wasn't a real good offensive night as the team shot only 48% for the night. They shot only 30% from behind the arch and only 58% from the foul line. However, one nice stat is that the team only had 9 turnovers, which is really good.

Strawther led the team in scoring with 15 points followed closely by Bolton with 14 and Timme with 12. Hickman led the reserves with 13 points off the bench and Watson scored 10 and had 10 rebounds for his first double double of the year. Sallis scored 8 points off the bench. The bench, once again played very well,

This concludes non-conference play. The Zags open up conference play on Saturday against LMU.

Go Zags!!!

I am going on vacation for 3 weeks and am not sure if I will be able to post an analysis of the games for those 3 weeks; so feel free to do that for me. Thanks!

[SorenTodd45]

I felt that the first half was sloppy by both teams. Still we raced out to a comfortable lead. The 2nd half, it was all GU. We maintained the lead (c'mon, let's get real here), we always have a 20 pt lead against weak sauce, don't we? We won't get tested until we play BYU, this upcoming game against San Fran is a home game. I watch all WCC games (thank U, WCC website), and we are head and shoulders above them. Feel free to disagree, but c'mon, most of this board is in the WCC footprint, we don't live under a rock.

[jazzdelmar]

I felt that the first half was sloppy by both teams. Still we raced out to a comfortable lead. The 2nd half, it was all GU. We maintained the lead (c'mon, let's get real here), we always have a 20 pt lead against weak sauce, don't we? We won't get tested until we play BYU, this upcoming game against San Fran is a home game. I watch all WCC games (thank U, WCC website), and we are head and shoulders above them. Feel free to disagree, but c'mon, most of this board is in the WCC footprint, we don't live under a rock.

Agree and I would include BYU in that group as well. Two months of extended garbage time, as Marv would say.

[TacomaZAG]

Only one of the three stats that matter was positive tonight, the TO's. The guys MUST shoot better from the line and behind the arc if they are going to be in the mix come the Dance. 30% from deep and sub-60% from the stripe is NOT going to get it done.

On a positive note, the team D has gotten a lot better. No one got hurt, and they actually played the game, so that's positive as well.

Go ZAGS

[krozman]

The FT percentage is terrible, but no one person missed an obscene amount.....everyone seemed to miss at least one tho

[zagzilla]

Once again good to see more even distribution of backcourt minutes. Nembhard again gets some rest while Nolan and Hunter get more experienced.

ZZ

[HenneZag]

It's nice for the starters to get rest, but we still have much to work on. I feel like the starters are not clicking like I thought they would at this point. Some good stretches, but this team is very inconsistent. The great thing is, if we can fix many things this team could be scary good. From what I see now is a sweet 16 ceiling.

Timme does not look like the same player, Sallis looked a bit lost tonight and several other bigs looked like they have regressed. I love GU, and love this team but my expectations are tempered.

[scrooner]

1st KenPom, 1st evanmiya, 2nd Barttorvik. 'sweet 16 ceiling' seems kind of harsh to me.

[GonzaGAW]

Only one of the three stats that matter was positive tonight, the TO's. The guys MUST shoot better from the line and behind the arc if they are going to be in the mix come the Dance. 30% from deep and sub-60% from the stripe is NOT going to get it done.

On a positive note, the team D has gotten a lot better. No one got hurt, and they actually played the game, so that's positive as well.

Go ZAGS

- my thoughts as well.

- will add, watson missed some free throws and a bunny or two, but overall you can only give him kudos for a double double in just 17 minutes of playing time.

[Hoopaholic]

It's nice for the starters to get rest, but we still have much to work on. I feel like the starters are not clicking like I thought they would at this point. Some good stretches, but this team is very inconsistent. The great thing is, if we can fix many things this team could be scary good. From what I see now is a sweet 16 ceiling.

Timme does not look like the same player, Sallis looked a bit lost tonight and several other bigs looked like they have regressed. I love GU, and love this team but my expectations are tempered.

Do enlighten me on Much to work on………….

Several bigs have regressed. So you mentioned Timme and that leaves Watson and Holmgren as the other several bigs to have digressed. Do expand on this

[GrizZAG]

It's understandable to be a bit concerned, but on the other hand we are seeing Chet becoming more comfortable at D-1 and increasingly getting more aggressive with similar signs in our freshmen players. What it seems like possibly is coach is maybe trying to make this bunch something perhaps they are not. Early on against superior competition the pony's were running loose and it was paydirt. Lately it's as if there is a script to follow that's dampened the fire somehow. Maybe it's just me, but at the same time seeing Watson rising to the occasion along with Hickman, Bolton and especially Strawther gives me a feeling this team will click at some point and amaze us. Not sure what's up with Timme, but I agree he's not the player we saw early on.

[HenneZag]

Do enlighten me on Much to work on………….

Several bigs have regressed. So you mentioned Timme and that leaves Watson and Holmgren as the other several bigs to have digressed. Do expand on this

No problem. Yes Watson and Chet both have found some footing..especially Watty he's been our best player. I should've clarified a bit more on where I was going. My opinion on Timme will rub people the wrong way and that's fine, he just looks a bit out of sync to me. The other 2 are Gregg and Perry. I know both small sample sizes and Perry is dealing with a back issue. With that said, I thought we would get a bit more out of them both, again my opinion.

It seems many on this board think that this team is clicking and loves the progression. Some even talking Natty caliber talk. I've been following the Zags nearly 30 years now and hope that I am allowed opinions without the claws coming out. Something with this team seems off to me, we have high level talent no question but lack chemistry. I still don't know who the leader is. I'm not talking who has been here the longest, but who is the guy when crap goes south will be the vocal leader. It seems like alot of players are playing for themselves and not the system. This team is young, talented, and still has plenty of time to gel but I feel we will have more headaches before that happens. I love the Zags, love this team, something just seems a bit off.

[Reborn]

I expected the Zags to be off. They haven't played in about 8 days and went home for Christmas. They HAVE gotten out of rhythm or sync. I predicted theyd only score 82 tonight because I knew they'd be out of sync, and that their shooting would be off because of it. Not playing Thursday does not help this out. but im glad we DID PLAY tonight/ Even if we we rusty and out of character.

The last Big game against Texas Tech the Zags looked great, imo. And they will be back to playing in sync, inrhythm, and with good chemistry. The chestry was great agaisnst Tech. It's going to get back to that by the BYU game when they will need it. Try to understand that the lay off does hurt, especially shooting,,,,,I thought overall the defense was good, and layoff do not hurt defense like they do the offense. The Zags would have score 115 tonight if they had shot good. That's the truth.....

Just thought I'd share my opinion and observations with you all who have doubts.

Go Zags!!!

[ZagsGoZags]

Homgren is showing signs of the beast he will become in the NBA, good to see that starting now
cuz we could get the natty on his back if he chooses (or coach asks him) to be dominant, in the way he gave the green light to ammo, or even NWGoss, KO his last yr, and Suggs. He may be extremely successful in the NBA being the only zag to reach the lofty clouds that John S. did.
So nice to see Sallis working so hard to fit in, of all our freshmen he is having the hardest time to find his offensive home with us. Defense is already there.

Hickman shows the calm under pressure I had hoped and really fits our offense. our guards of him, sallis, andrew, and bolton are all top, what a corps of guards, without one standout. I am hoping this temperament will help us advance deep into the Dance.

kind of amazing we don't have one serious injury at this point (knock on wood) with Perry's back and Anton's shoulder seemingly not preventing them being valuable.

I hope Nembhard still has a big growth curve, cuz sometimes I worry he is playing close to his max potential

Anton's attitude is light's out. It was not in his nature to play risky with a super aggressive posture. he has always laid low and let the game come to him. Not now. He is doing what the team needs from him, offensively, to push hard, and create his own shots. Some players, like Wiltjer, could barely create shots when there wasn't one there, and it seems to me a lot of d1 college basketball palyers cannot do this.

so much fun to watch our bench go after the opponents!

[GonzagasaurusFlex]

Interesting postgame thread as many posters seem generally happy with the Zags performance despite some understandable rust in first game following Christmas break while cautionary notes about Timme, team chemistry and what this team’s ceiling may be have also been raised. I did not watch the game as the livestream via watchstadium was terrible. Hoping WCC website posts replay soon…not showing there as yet.

Reading articles and reviewing the box score leaves me sort of in the middle / leaning more on the side of lowering my expectations for this team rather than the all is well just some minor issues to iron out camp. Agree w HenneZag that this team seems to not have a clear identity / definitive alpha leader. I would not go so far as to assign motives like “a lot of players are playing for themselves and not the system” but definitely think there is a struggle between letting Timme in the post be the go to, bread and butter ID of this offense AND getting consistent shooting % and scoring from 2-3 of Holmgren, Strawther, Nembhard, Bolton.

Timme is trying to be the stud go to low post scorer he is and this team needs him to be AND at the same time not force shots but do pass out of double teams and get others involved etc etc. Hard to be the alpha and team first guy on offense and also hard for all these talented players to turn down their own alpha mindsets (which they all have to some degree or they wouldn’t be D1 scholarship players). Likewise, hard to tell players to be aggressive, look to score and take pressure off Timme to carry the scoring load AND remember the go to, bread and butter ID of this team on offense is to let Timme do damage underneath.

On the whole, my gut worries this team is missing a sort of keystone player/personality who allows everything to click and flow. More of an intangible thing I guess. The Alabama game has caused me to pump my breaks on my expectations for this team (not my hopes) as I realize they could just as likely lose in the Round of 32 or gel all the way to New Orleans… but right now if I had to bet I’d unfortunately put my money on the former rather than the latter.