SB Nation - Will Foster

Postgame Reaction: Gonzaga falls to Michigan State; Leaves huge impression on nation

Zach B — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:58:40 -0000

Elias Harris meet the nation; nation, this is Elias Harris. Get to know him quite well. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

I struggled to write a headline for this post because I feel like, although it was a loss, there is so much to be proud of if you are a Gonzaga fan. While I don't believe in emotional wins, Gonzaga provided a look into the future tonight against Michigan State that has to make every Bulldog fan ecstatic about this team's prospects.

The Zags fell tonight 75-71 against the second-ranked Spartans of Michigan State in East Lansing after establishing themselves early on in the first half. In fact, Gonzaga jumped out to a double digit lead at multiple points in the first half and carried a lead all the way until the three-minute mark of the second half. The outstanding veteran play of Michigan State's dynamic trio of Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers, and Raymar Morgan proved to be too much for the young Gonzaga team. Durrell Summers gave the Spartans the lead 68-67 and the Spartans proceeded to go on a mini run which did Gonzaga in. Raymar Morgan and Kalin Lucas added buckets to make it a five point margin and by that time, the Breslin Center was rocking. Gonzaga gave a great effort in the closing minutes as Steven Gray had two looks at a three-pointer with 25 seconds left but missed both. The man who gave the Spartans the lead, Durrell Summers, iced it by hitting two free throws in the closing seconds to give Michigan State the slim four point win.

As I said in the intro, this post is a bit hard to write. Am I disappointed? Absolutely. I think Gonzaga was the better team tonight. They looked worlds better than the #2 team in the nation for a good balance of the night but just didn't have enough veteran brass at the end to drive the final nail in the coffin. I'm not at all upset with this team. The young guys were absolutely sensational. Elias Harris will be a freshman All-American, G.J. Vilarino has garnered Mark Few's trust early on, and Kelly Olynyk might be the hardest worker on the floor. The veterans were in and out all game. Robert Sacre turned in the most outstanding performance of the returners with 17 points on 7-12 shooting. Matt Bouldin and Steven Gray were...okay. Like we said at the outset of the game, they had to play their best for Gonzaga to win and Michigan State's vets outplayed Gonzaga's.

If I was to look at these stats and not see a score, I would have told you Gonzaga would have gotten smoked. Check these out:

--- Gonzaga shot 35% from the floor, MSU shot 44%
--- Matt Bouldin and Steven Gray were 8-29 from the floor.
--- Frontcourt starters outscored the backcourt starters 34-28.

Yeah these stats are not what we thought coming into the game but damn...Gonzaga can play with the best in the nation and not play their best game. That is very, very good news for such a young team.

I must also give special recognition to some of the bench guys tonight. Will Foster played enormous off the bench. In 12 minutes, Will came into the game and not only was serviceable but looked like he belonged. He made some good rebounds, came up with some big tipped shots and was generally in the right place at the right time. I have confidence in him now that he can be a valuable big on this team. Speaking of valuable contributor, Kelly Olynyk played 19 minutes tonight, the most of any bench player and was very good. You are always going to get Kelly's best effort and he is a very heady player. He played the passing lanes very well, made some big rebounds, and shot 2-4 from the floor. His hustle leads to some fouls which was obvious tonight as he fouled out but he really gutted it out tonight. Lastly, G.J. Vilarino. Talk about looking like a vet. G.J. played 13 minutes all in key moments and ran the offense well. He hit one shot from the floor and had a nice steal. What won't show up is that he played great defense as he spelled Meech. No doubt he is a big time player!

I realize I jumped around quite a bit but I'm just extremely excited about the future of this team. The next game is against IPFW and I expect them to be very confident heading into that game. There may be a slight emotional letdown but I expect the Gonzaga community to really rally these kids as they were the better team for 37 minutes of the game.

WSU vs. Gonzaga: A way-too-early comparison

Grady. — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:33:00 -0000

More photos » by Dean Hare - AP

"I drive a Dodge Stratus!"

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If you're looking forward to the showdown later this fall in the Kennel (and really who isn't?), we now have a reasonably worthwhile means to compare ourselves to the rival Zags. Granted, this doesn't tell us much about where the Cougs lie as a team, because the Zags are also young, unpredictable, unranked and untested.

We played MVSU in Pullman Friday. Gonzaga played MVSU in Spokane yesterday.

We won 94-66. The Zags won 92-74.

The Cougs had statistically ended the game with 7:23 to play. Gonzaga: 4:56.

Four factors?

NCAA Basketball Stats

I can't tell you how encouraging it is to see us completely blow out the Zags in offensive rebounding against the same opponent. GU shot a little better, protected the ball a little better, and got to the free throw line at a pretty astonishing rate. Our defense coerced the Delta Devils into more turnovers, however.

Now, the average fan would look at the game score and say: "OMGZ!! Teh Cougars are just as good as Gonzaga offensively and play just as fast!!!1!!1"

Of course, you, the intelligent readers of CougCenter, know better.

The Zags played their game a little bit faster, with 77 total possessions compared to WSU-MVSU's 74.

Against this particular opponent, however, the Cougs were superior offensively. WSU, even on a rough shooting night, had an efficiency rating of 127. The Zags: 119.5. The Cougs were also superior defensively, holding MVSU to an efficiency of 89.2. Gonzaga: 96.1. WSU rebounded better too: grabbing 67.1% to the Zags' 57.8%.

Remember, though, that this is just one game, and the stats are still close enough to where you'd be crazy to draw any definitive conclusions.

Still, two things stand out: one, that the Delta Devils were playing their second game in two days. Gonzaga was playing their first of the season. It seems to me that if the teams were dead equal Gonzaga should still have had the better performance based on the fact they were playing a tired opponent. Of course, getting those first game jitters out of the way may have helped MVSU keep the Gonzaga game closer than it should have been.

Second, my number one concern for this season is our rebounding ability without Aron Baynes in the picture. Our performance on the glass against MVSU is extremely encouraging. Especially when you consider that Gonzaga plays Rob Sacre (7'0", 247) and occasionally runs out Will Foster (7'5", 273!) and Andy Poling (6'11", 232). However, GU is a lot like us: Sacre is their Casto, Foster is their Bjornstad, and their other big men are on the slim side, minus Poling. Nevertheless, we outrebounded a program that is supposed to have superior size and talent. Not bad.

I officially concede to Craig. We do have a chance against Gonzaga this year. Few win in K2, but we have serious links to two of the teams that have: we won there in 2007, and have the coach that won there in 2008 (Ken Bone).

Postgame Reaction: Gonzaga defeats Mississippi Valley State in sloppy affair

Zach B — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:24:30 -0000

More photos » by Rajah Bose - AP

Elias Harris comes down with the rebound alongside Rob Sacre (00). The frontcourt tandem was the major bright spot in tonight's victory over Mississippi Valley State. (AP Photo/Rajah Bose)

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We all knew heading into this game that there would be plenty of "wow" moments and plenty of "ugh" moments. That is exactly what we got tonight as Gonzaga defeated the Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State. The score, 92-74, will look pretty in the papers tomorrow but there is obviously plenty of room for improvement before the Bulldogs board the plane to East Lansing to take on Michigan State.

It wasn't all bad. Obviously Gonzaga won the game and moved to 64-3 in the McCarthey Athletic Center and 1-0 on the season so there were positives abound. The first thing that jumps to mind was the play of Elias Harris. The nationally overlooked German freshman was outstanding from jump street. If this was Harris' first game, you would not have known it. Elias was 6-8 from the floor and 6-6 from the charity stripe for 18 points. He also added seven rebounds to his stat line for one of the most impressive freshman debuts I can ever remember. He continuously found new ways to get to the basket, handled passes well from guards, and honestly looked like a season vet when everyone else around him looked immature.

The frontcourt was also bolstered by the solid play of Robert Sacre. Sacre was probably the guy that most Gonzaga fans were looking at this game to see how much he has improved. If tonight was any indication, we should be in for a nice treat with Rob. Shooting 6-9 from the floor and 5-9 from the line, Rob ended up with 17 points and nine rebounds. He had three turnovers but also had three blocked shots so we'll just cancel those out. We'll judge Rob more after Michigan State but it was a solid debut.

The backcourt play was my biggest area of concern in this game which is odd because that is where our veteran leadership is. Matt Bouldin came out of the gates and looked absolutely lost. I believe he began the game 1-8 from the field. He got his act together in the second half and finished with a very glossy 22 points but his performance in the first half was something Gonzaga can't have this season. His play must be solid for the Zags to stay in game with teams like Michigan State, Duke, and Oklahoma. Shooting nine three-pointers is something that I hope Mark Few talks to Matt about. His strength is at the hoop and that is where he can kill opposing teams with his size. Steven Gray started out nicely in the first half but then kind of fell asleep in the second half. Shooting 5-8 from the floor, he finished with 16 points. Bouldin and Gray combined for SEVEN turnovers.

The point guard play was nothing to write home about. Demetri Goodson never got going and only turned in three assists. GJ Vilarino played a very good game in limited minutes and, besides Elias, was the most impressive freshman. He came off a screen and drilled a three early on and then drew a couple fouls to score six points in 12 minutes. The two will have to produce more assists but if you watched the game, it didn't behave like a game where assists would be really prevail.

Other tidbits from tonight's game...

-- Kelly Olynyk and Andy Poling's minutes surprised me. Poling played two minutes in his debut and it was all mainly in garbage time. Olynyk, obviously well ahead of him in the rotation, was the first man off the bench and played 17 minutes. The jury remains out on him. He played with a lost of hustle but looked pretty rattled early and didn't show a lot of poise with the ball in his hands.

-- Grant Gibbs and Manny Arop appear to be battling for minutes with Gibbs having the edge right now. Manny got a lot of minutes in clean up time and finished with 14 total minutes. Gibbs played a more meaningful 11 minutes tonight and looked solid. Both had two points, a few rebounds, and made nice strides. I liked what I saw out of both of the reserve guard/wings.

-- Will Foster is who you thought he was. Still buried in the rotation, Foster will eat up a few minutes, get a rebound or two and make you scratch your head on offense. He had a nice dunk and two blocks but, don't expect a wealth of improvement.

The pace of the game and Gonzaga's style tonight doesn't bode well for Tuesday's match up with Michigan State. Turning the ball over 17 times against an inferior opponent like MVSU is something that can't happen in East Lansing. They'll take those turnovers and convert every time down the floor. The team defense was nice as the Devils only shot 42% but they connected on 11-26 three-pointers. Perimeter defenese is always an issue at Gonzaga and it appears that it might continue to be.

Feel free to use this thread as your postgame reaction. If you were in the MAC, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Next game is Tuesday on ESPN against the Spartans of Michigan State.

Zags Around the Web - Former Bulldogs Making News

Zach B — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:05:49 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Former Zag Austin Daye is part of a very deep Detroit Pistons team and has been doing more learning than playing at this point. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

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Now that we've had the taste of real, live college basketball, it is difficult to sit here and realize we have to wait ten more days for the regular season to start. With that being said, it does give us an opportunity to sit back and judge Syracuse for their loss to D-II LeMoyne last night. The worst part about it is that LeMoyne is about four miles away for the Syracuse campus so as far as inner-city bragging rights are concerned, the Dolphins have got that down for the year. It seems like some sort of crazy exhibition upset happens every season and I pray that it never happens in Spokane but I can't imagine Mark Few being the victim of such an upset. Jim Boeheim, I can see that. With that being said, here are a few things going on in Zag-land today...

Spokesman.com | Blogs | SportsLink | Day-after Alberta

The Spokesman's Jim Meehan had a nice blog about a variety of topics yesterday and one bullet point was this blurb about Bol Kong. Obviously a topic of much discussion, it is good to hear he will be on the court and working with the team after Will Foster came down on his ankle.

Talked briefly with Bol Kong and he said he expects to be on the court again by today or Wednesday. He’s been sidelined by an ankle injury.

Ballin' is a Habit: 2009-2010 College Basketball Season Preview: Shooting Guards

One of the best college basketball blogs bar-none is Ballin' is a Habit. Always up to date with great, relevant content. The guys over there recently laid out there rankings for top shooting guard this season and Matt Bouldin checked in at #6. Click on over to read what they had to say about Matt. The top three were Willie Warren (#1), James Anderson, and Isaiah Thomas.

Eastern rolls over Central | Spokesman.com | Nov 4, 2009

In a pretty shocking delivery to my inbox this morning, this e-mail came through with a stat line for Ira Brown. Gonzaga's "glue guy" and leaping extraordinaire has apparently hooked on with the Spokane Athletic All-Stars. I'm honestly unsure what the All-Stars are all about but it's good to see Ira still in the community playing ball.

New Look, Same Results vs. Orlando, 85-80 - Motown String Music

In a win over the Orlando Magic last night, here is what SB Nation's Detroit Pistons blog had to say about Daye's game:

Speaking of rookies getting (or lack thereof) their first points, Austin Daye played four minutes and scored his first career points on a nice breakaway slamma jamma.

Obviously the people of Detroit will need to be patient with Daye as he just needs a little time to develop but I know that EDZ and I are confident that he'll develop into a very sound NBA player. With Adam Morrison failing to get off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers despite "an outstanding summer" it looks like Austin, along with Ronny Turifaf, will be the primary flag bearers for Gonzaga in the NBA down the road. If Adam can't get off the bench and show other teams he can contribute, it's very likely that his time in the NBA is coming to an end.

Gameday! Gonzaga takes on Alberta tonight in Exhibtion Matchup

Zach B — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:15:34 -0000

It may not count officially in the record books and it probably won't have any lasting effect on the season but tonight marks the beginning of the 2009-10 college basketball season for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. There will be a great deal of excitement in the air this evening as this team is full of fresh faces, high hopes, and great enthusiasm. By now we have documented the eight newcomers; five true freshman, a sophomore transfer, and two redshirt freshman. Combine that with the two walk-ons who have never seen D1 time and you're probably looking at your team of the future two years down the road!

Tonight's match up with the University of Alberta is meant specifically as a tune-up game before the season starts. While it is pretty clear that there is an overall talent disparity between college basketball in the states and college basketball in Canada, the University of Alberta is a notoriously successful program that has gone through some major changes recently. The three-time national champions have had to cope with the resignation of their 26-year head coach, Don Horwood who left the program with a winning percentage of over 60%. Alberta did an outstanding job replacing Horwood as they brought in Greg Francis, who has been a force in the Canadian national program and even coach Mangisto Arop and Kelly Olynyk earlier this summer in the junior world championships. Coach Francis is a blog favorite because he gave us a great interview in August about Manny, Kelly, and Bol.

One of the benefits of being on the SB Nation network of blogs is that there is a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips. Ray Bala, who is the Canadian basketball writer for RaptorsHQ, a Toronto Raptors blog, was kind enough to put together a preview of Alberta for us which you can read after the jump...

Here is Ray's look at the Alberta Golden Bears...

The Alberta Golden Bears are looking to continue the success they had under former coach Don Horwood. Horwood stepped down last season and was replaced by Greg Francis, former head coach of Canada's National Elite Development Academy. Probably the best available young coach in Canada, the former star at Fairfield in the late 90s, Francis was able to bring in a good bunch of newbies to mix with the holdovers for his first season as head coach. There is a good set of guards and post players with any player seemingly able to carry the scoring load when needed. The Golden Bears will be relatively young across the board but should be able to able to compensate with key returnees in lead positions.

The team brings back some senior leadership in the backcourt with Scott Leigh and fifth year senior Harvey Bradford. Leigh, a point who can also swing to the two spot, is a major deep threat when he's on. Bradford has had a big scoring outburst this season already and can light it up if given the opportunity. Adding to the guard rotation is freshman Jordan Baker. Baker, a 6'7" swingman, is the prize of the new recruits. He can play inside or out at various positions and should be an impact player this year.

In the frontcourt, the Golden Bears will be anchored by 6'7" transfer Jamaal Bucknor in the middle. Bucknor averaged 13 points a year ago for Concordia College and should be a beast in the paint. By his side, Alberta will have six other 6'7" or taller options including freshman 6'10" Rob Dewar. Dewar, who played with Manny Arop on both the NEDA team as well as the U19 National Team in New Zealand this summer, had spurned offers in the NCAA to play for Francis and has the potential to be an inside/outside threat in the mold of a Dirk Nowitzki. Also returning is fourth year post Jeff Stork to bring experience.

You can see that Ray has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Canadian hoops so we greatly thank him for putting this together for us. Leigh, Bradford, and Bucknor appear to be the trio to stop for the Gonzaga Bulldogs tonight. As you can see by his breakdown, size is not a strength of the Golden Bears as their biggest solid contributor is 6'7''. This means that Andy Poling, Rob Sacre, Elias Harris, and Will Foster will probably be the biggest guys on the court most of the game as Alberta's big freshman Rob Dewar hasn't seen a whole lot of consistent action yet.

With that being said, here are a few things we'd love to see tonight:

1. Aggressive, confident play in the paint: Alberta isn't an overly big team. Michigan State and Wake Forest are. Gonzaga's key tonight is to establish guys like Rob Sacre, Andy Poling, and Elias Harris to get the ball rolling on their 2009-10 season early and often so that they are playing at a high level. This will take some effort by the guards as they'll have to give them passes they can handle in spots where they can be successful. Tune-up games like these are meant to work on areas in question and there's no doubt that the frontcourt for Gonzaga is that question.

2. Veterans make their minutes count: The last thing Gonzaga fans should want to see is a 15 point win loaded with turnovers and missed opportunities. If guys like Matt Bouldin, Steven Gray, Demetri Goodson, and Robert Sacre can get out there and play hard and bury Alberta from the get go, Coach Few will have a lot more time to work on things with the young guys. If they stick around because Matt is off the mark, or Steven decided not to show up, or Rob continues to struggle in the paint, it is going to be a frustrating evening for the Bulldogs.

3. How good are the freshmen? We've heard all sorts of stories and tales about the six brand new faces of the 2009 recruiting class and it will be great to finally get some tape on these guys. Mangisto Arop, Kelly Olynyk, and Bol Kong will all be familiar with the University of Alberta and Greg Francis so you can bet that they will want to have a good game for their new team. I expect Elias Harris to start and set the tempo for the freshmen and also expect to see Manny and GJ get some quality minutes as well.

Prediction time: This is a tough one because I have literally no clue what the expect from Alberta besides box scores and what Ray Bala told us but I'll say 84-59 Gonzaga with Elias Harris as the leading scorer when it is all said and done.

Poll

What are you most looking forward to/nervous about as Gonzaga takes on Alberta tonight?

If Matt Bouldin and Steven Gray can be effective leaders.

21 votes

Robert Sacre and the rest of the frontcourt's abilities.

125 votes

The freshmen impact.

78 votes

Demetri Goodon taking sole posesion of the point guard spot.

7 votes

231 votes | Poll has closed

2009-10 Team Previews: Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Zach B — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:45:06 -0000

Former five-star recruit Tony Woods (55) will be expected to make a significant jump this season if Wake Forest is going to pose a serious threat in the ACC.

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Gonzaga's inability to attract big-time BCS college basketball programs to the Kennel has been well documented. Heck, the Zags have struggled to even get mediocre BCS programs into the Kennel (I'm looking at you, Washington). Before this season, Mark Few has basically been relegated to compromising with other programs and playing in the larger and less intimate Spokane Arena. However, this has all changed as Gonzaga fans will soon be spoiled with some excellent home and home series. Next season, Gonzaga will welcome Wake Forest into the Kennel and in coming years Michigan State and Xavier will venture into what has become one of the toughest places to play in the nation.

When we look at Wake Forest, it is hard to imagine a team the had as many ups and downs and Dino Gaudio's squad last season. We'll get into more detail about Wake's season last year later in the post but they became only the 2nd team in 25 years to complete a feat that no coach ever wants to have on their resume. To put it plainly, Wake entered the season with a bang and left with barely a whimper and things did not get any easier in the offseason. Wake Forest's top two players departed for a lucrative career in the NBA and they are left as a 2009-10 team that will take some time to locate their identity. Although Jeff Teague and James Johnson are now making buckets in the NBA, Wake Forest is not short in terms of size or talent. I can't imagine a physically more imposing team ever coming to the Kennel. Five players on the Wake Forest roster check in at 6'9'' or taller and they can all play. They have a player in Al-Farouq Aminu that passed up serious NBA $$$ by returning to school and he is a sure fire bet to wind up on someones All-American team by seasons end. With all that being said, the loss of Jeff Teague and James Johnson means that Wake has lost 34 points of production from a season ago and the two guys that were looked upon in big moments. There's no doubt that Aminu and Co. can make up for the lost production, but in the always competitive ACC, their game with Gonzaga could be huge for them in dictating their NCAA future.

Last Season: As I said in the introduction, Wake Forest became the second team in 25 years to be ranked #1 in the AP Poll and then proceed to lose their opening game of the NCAA Tournament. "Lose" is also a very nice way of putting what happened to Wake Forest in March Madness. After losing to Maryland in the opening round of the ACC Tournament, Wake entered the tourney as a three seed and still a pretty sexy pick to go to the final four. Before they could even get started, Cleveland State handed them an 84-69 whooping in the first round. By the time the game ended, I don't think anyone watching the two teams play felt that there was an upset happening. Looking back on a happier time for Wake fans, the beginning of the season was bliss. By no means did they play a difficult nonconference schedule but they were tested early in the ACC. Games against North Carolina and at Clemson in January gave Wake Forest two wins to hang their hats on and by mid-January, they were the top team in the land having won their first 16 games. The ACC slate was tough for Wake as they tended to play up and down according to the skill of their opponents. Case in point, they only lost one conference game to a ranked opponent (Duke) but suffered painful back to back losses at the hands of Georgia Tech and Miami. This makes their confusing losses in late March to Maryland (ACC Tourney) and Cleveland State (NCAA Tourney) a little more understandable but it is safe to say that Wake Forest fans are anxiously awaiting the 2009-10 season to get that taste out of their mouths.

New Faces: I feel like no matter what happens in my life, I'll always remember the 2008 Wake Forest recruiting class. Skip Prosser was one of the most well-respected coaches in all of college basketball but he had never recruited a class like the one he did in 2008. When Prosser suddenly passed away in July of 2007, basketball was the farthest thing from the minds of college basketball fans but many wondered what would happen with the unbelievable 2008 recruiting class he had scheduled to come to Wake. The administration at WFU decided to promote from within basically guaranteeing stability in the program and the 2008 class honored their commitments to the program. Now those three players, Aminu, Tony Woods, and Ty Walker will be central to the program as they welcome a very solid 2009 class. The gem of the recruiting class is four-star small forward Ari Stewart. Like I mentioned earlier, Wake's frontline is loaded with outstanding height and length and I think that Stewart will provide a little more versatility to that literally enormous frontline and he could work his way into the starting lineup because of it. Junior college transfer Konner Tucker and freshman CJ Harris will probably be called upon at some point this season as the Deacons are very thin in the backcourt after Teague's departure. While Wake Forest would like to nurture Harris with a redshirt season, the odds of that happening are unlikely.

Players to Watch: Many are predicting this season to be one of the most topsy-turvy and inconsistent seasons in ACC history. With so much lost production and star power from a season ago, no team is safe from implosion but most teams in the conference could make team tournament runs as well. Wake Forest, in particular is an interesting case study as they will be relying on a number of unproven kids to bring them back to the tournament. Leading the charge for Wake Forest will be Al-Farouq Aminu. Draft experts were stunned and Wake Forest fans were celebrating when Aminu decided to return to Winston Salem for his sophomore season. Aminu has star potential written all over him and he was ridiculously efficient in his freshman year. He shot 52 percent from the field, averaging 13 points and 8 rebounds a game, a statline which landed him on basically everyone's Freshman All-American list. He really does everything well on the court and as long as he continues to add strength, he will develop into one of the tougher match ups in the entire nation. After Aminu, there is a number of players vital to Wake's success. The three most important players besides Aminu will be Ish Smith, Ty Walker, and Tony Woods. Ish started his freshman and sophomore seasons at Wake before getting injured and clearing the path for Teague. He is an assist machine and will have to provide a calming force for the Demon Deacons in the backcourt. Ty Walker and Tony Woods are kind of a package deal as they made up the rest of the 2008 recruiting class with Aminu. They were both five-star recruits and will have to make huge strides in their game as they were very inconsistent a season ago.

Concerns: Gonzaga has rarely welcomed a team with as much talent to the Kennel as Wake Forest will bring. I know for a fact that no team ever to come to Gonzaga will be physically as imposing. With five players over 6'9'', they are going to test the mettle of the Bulldog's frontcourt. Aminu and Chas MacFarland are both proven scorers in the paint for Wake and will be a tough test for whoever Mark Few decides to put out there. If Walker and Woods are able to contribute more consistently this season, it could be a long night for the Zags. The key for Gonzaga will be to stay out of foul trouble. This could be a tough task as it will be one of the first real front court tests for inexperienced guys like Andy Poling, Elias Harris, and Rob Sacre. This could really turn out to be one of the first games where Will Foster will be expected to contribute in a noticeable way.

What we are watching for: As I outlined in the concerns, the battle for Gonzaga will be the frontcourt but they should have the advantage in the backcourt. Ish Smith is joined in the backcourt by LD Williams and neither are really outstanding scoring guards. I'd expect the pair to average about 20 points a game combined but they really do make up for it in other ways. Smith is a tremendous assist man and LD Williams is one of the better defenders in the ACC. With that being said, Gonzaga will have to win the battle of the backcourts to win this game. I doubt they have enough to stop Aminu, MacFarland will get his points no matter what, and the rest of the Wake front court will contribute but if Matt Bouldin and Steven Gray can establish themselves early and Demetri Goodson can frustrate Ish Smith defensively, it could be a favorable outcome in Spokane for the home team.

Gonzaga Practice News Compilation & Thoughts

Zach B — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:11:41 -0000

As much as we'd like to be in the McCarthey Athletic Center watching every practice before the season started, it is just not possible. If you've noticed the coverage (or lack there of) that Gonzaga has gotten in local press, you can bet that it is because Mark Few and the staff run things very close to the vest. EDZ and I in years past have tried to walk through the MAC using different paths only to be removed from viewing distance before things got physical! The good thing is that everyone, at least in Spokane, that wants to see the new look Gonzaga Bulldogs will be able to this Saturday at Kraziness in the Kennel. For now, we'll keep you going with everything we have learned about the players thus far from various reports.

Matt Bouldin: Matt's the least of our worries right now but will probably be the most of our worries when the season starts. Various reports with the Spokesman Review have shown Matt taking on a new leadership role with this team being that he is the elder statesmen of the bunch. He'll probably be, along with Steven Gray, the guy relied on to take the big shot during games and it'll be interesting to see how he goes about handling that pressure.

Will Foster: It feels like we have been saying the same thing throughout Will's career but it remains a mystery whether or not he'll be able to play quality minutes this season. Obviously you can't coach the type of size that Will brings to the table and his impact on the defensive side is impressive. However, with a team as young as this, Will can't continue to be as inept offensively as he has been throughout his career and expect to have a major role on this team. It's going to be very, very interesting to see when/if Coach Few trots will on the court against Michigan State.

Steven Gray: Rumors and tidbits we have heard about Steven Gray is all revolving around his leadership this season. Gonzaga fans know that Steven's demeanor on the court is best described as stoic and reserved and Coach Few has been quoted as saying that he is hoping to force Steven into a more active leadership role. Obviously a lot can be read into this but I don't think any Gonzaga fans expect to see Steven become more demonstrative on the court. As long as he leads by example and shows some consistency this season, that's all the leadership we'll need.

Rob Sacre: Rob has garnered probably the highest amount of praise in this short stint of practice and press coverage. He benefited from his first completely healthy summer and fall and Coach Few has been raving about him saying that if he stays healthy, he's bound to have a "great" season. EDZ and I are split on our expectations of Rob but no one can doubt that he is going to have to be darn near excellent for Gonzaga to get back to the tournament.

Meech Goodson: For taking over Jeremy Pargo's position for so many years, there hasn't been much discussion about Goodson and his progression from his freshman to sophomore year. Personally, I view this as a good thing because it means that his play has been steady and smooth which is exactly what is required from a Mark Few point guard. EDZ and I are not split whatsoever on what we expect from Goodson. Expectations are high for Meech after his heroics last season and I think he'll answer the call.

find out more about the new guys after the jump...

Andy Poling: Andy really benefited from his redshirt season a year ago. He was healthy for the entire year, he had his gluten allergy in line and was able to put weight on and more importantly, keep it on. The more and more I think about it, it appears that the staff is planning on using Andy off the bench as a slow down, fundamental type guy. Coach Leon Rice recently told the Spokesman that Andy is just a very smart player that always seems to be involved when good things happen and I think he'll provide a nice change of pace to this very athletic and hectic team.

Grant Gibbs: Grant has been practicing while dealing with a tweaked back so far in the fall. He has received little press other than discussions of his injury issues but I noted in a fanpost that Grant is going to be a solid back up probably at the shooting guard spot. Bouldin and Gray probably won't leave the game much but Grant should be able to provide a nice edge to this team with his brand of physical play. He's got great size and feel for the game.

Elias Harris: Elias appears to be taking Gonzaga U by storm. Andy Katz and the Spokesman Review both noted that he has been the most impressive youngster thus far in practice and that is thanks to his work with the German national team. Before arriving at Gonzaga, Elias was playing against some of the top competition from around the globe so playing college ball in America might be a culture shock but once he gets on the court, the game should really slow down for him. As we have kind of hinted at all summer long, it appears that the starting power forward job is his to lose.

Bol Kong: Once again complete rumor from the great sources of message board and Facebook but it appears that Bol was recently injured in practice. We are 100% sure on what happened so we won't speculate but it was an ankle injury that doesn't appear to be season-threatening or anything of that nature. In the same Andy Katz blurb that praised Elias Harris, he told Gonzaga fans to cool it on the hype of Bol saying that he will be a player down the line but it will take some time. An odd comment, but it is probably true that most Gonzaga fans have insane expectations on Bol. Going from not playing organized basketball for a year to running a Mark Few structured offense will take time.

Mangisto Arop: Manny's publicity has been cautioned with the reports that he has been wearing a protective boot on his foot outside of practice. Gonzaga's history with stress-related fractures is well documented and I think it is a wise move to put him in a boot considering all the basketball he has been playing over the past summer. Coach Leon Rice said that Manny is practicing at full-capacity so that is great news. He also commented that the great thing about Manny is that his best basketball is played when the pressure is on in game situations. Sounds like exactly what this team needs.

Sam Dower: Sam is currently my biggest question mark on the team because I am not sure if he will play this season and in what capacity. I feel like depending on where you look, people project that Sam will be a key contributor but then when you see some of the coaches comments about Sam's best basketball being down the line and how he and Kelly have been on again off again, you never know. The more I read from the Spokesman and other sources, I can imagine a scenario where Sam contributed quite a bit this season. Behind Elias it seems like he has been the more impressive youngster and maybe the most surprising. When Sam signed at Gonzaga he was still very raw and slender but from all indications, he has bulked up considerably.

GJ Vilarino: Much like Demetri Goodson, GJ's overall press has been limited. I think that he will step in nicely and fill the backup role at point guard and give Gonzaga some continuity at the position. Both Meech and GJ have an extra gear that should make the players on the court feel more comfortable no matter who is on the court. If Grant or even Matt was forced to play point this year, you have to think that the inexperience of the bigs would show because it would be hard to adjust from Meech's quickness and Matt/Grant's more restrained style of basketball.

Kelly Olynyk: Kelly is another guy that hasn't gotten a whole lot of press except when the coaches say that his best basketball is probably a few years down the line. I have swung and missed before when trying to analyze coachspeak but I feel like a redshirt season is coming down the pipe for Kelly Olynyk. Obviously this is based on Rob's health, Elias' progression, and whether or not they feel Will Foster can eat up minutes but I think many would agree that the best option for KO would be a year to add strength.

Player Previews: What will be the legacy of Will Foster?

everydayezag — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:24:32 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

Will this be the year that Will Foster is finally able to grab a regular spot in the Gonzaga rotation?

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It seems that every season there is one player that causes derision and debate among the Gonzaga fanbase. Most recently, that player has been Austin Daye. However, ever since he arrived on campus four years ago, Will Foster has been an intense topic of debate for Gonzaga fans. There is a large percentage of fans that feels that the "Foster experiment" has long run its course, and that the program would have been better served with having that extra scholarship open the past couple of years. On the other end of the spectrum, there is a group of people that feel that Will has never been given the proper opportunity by the coaching staff to excel, and that he can be a game changing type of force on any given night for the Zags. With there being so many question marks about how the post rotation will look, this season should give Will the chance to earn the consistent playing time to try and prove his supporters correct. However, if Will can't play his way into the rotation, then it appears that those who have long called for his spot on the team to be vacated would have been correct.

Perhaps the greatest example of the impact that Will can make was seen in the game at Tennessee last season. Although his stats were nothing to write home about (2 points and 4 rebounds), Foster made an immediate impact on the defensive end when he entered the game. Tennessee, which had aggressively attacked the rim the entire game, no longer entered the paint with the same reckless abandon. In only eight minutes of action, Foster was able to totally disrupt the attack that had made the Vols so successful, and helped give Gonzaga the momentum that saw the team comeback and win in OT. While he went on to have success in a couple different WCC games, Foster was never able to earn a regular spot in the rotation, and seemed to continue to fall out of favor with the coaching staff.

The main factor that has stopped Foster from gaining a spot in the rotation is the fact that he is a gigantic liability on the offensive end. He has not been blessed with a good pair of hands, and it is nearly impossible for any of the guards to enter the ball to the post with confidence when he is in the game. Even when he is able to gather the ball in the paint, Will has not developed any semblance of a post game during his time at Gonzaga. His one move typically seems to be to turn and throw the ball over his shoulder, but because of his lack of touch, this isn't the type of move that helps to make Will an asset on the offensive end of the court. As we all saw with Larry Gurganious, the coaching staff will not give any player regular rotational minutes if they can't contribute on the offensive end of the floor.

Even if you are not a fan of Will as a basketball player, it's nearly impossible to deny the natural impact he makes on the defensive end when he is on the court. Will immediately can change any game plan and strategy that a team might have on the offensive side of the ball. However, I feel that this season, the impact that Will might have been able to make on the defensive end could be slightly nullified. I say this, because for the first time in years, Gonzaga has guards that are elite level defenders. Over the past couple of season, it would not be a surprise to see Pargo or some of the other guards get beat off the dribble. When this was the case, it was a huge advantage to have a force like Will waiting in the paint. This season, Coach Few will have athletic and quick defenders like Meech, GJ, and Arop on the perimieter, and these are the type of the guys that won't get beat off the dribble very often. If this proves the case, then it might not be necessary to sacrifice the offensive production for the strong defensive presence that Foster can provide.

One of the most interesting battles during this preseason will be between Sam Dower and Foster, as they should be battling for the 4th spot in the post rotation. I would argue that it's nearly set that Elias Harris and Rob Sacre will start at the PF and C positions, with Andy being the first big off the bench. With that said, I think it will come down to performance in practice and in early season games in order to determine who will be the second big body off the bench. In reality, it would be highly beneficial for Sam if he were to have the luxury to redshirt. Dower could use the year to build his body and continue to get comfortable in the Flex offense. However, some of the early reports that have surfaced suggest that Sam is developing very quickly, and it may be hard to keep him off the floor this year. If that is indeed the case, then I don't see Will being able to have the opportunity to play regular minutes this season.

Zags Rely on a New Core of Players as Practice Begins Tonight

Zach B — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:00:29 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

Even though Mark Few has facilitated the rise of Gonzaga basketball since 1999, this year might require his most outstanding effort as the head man in Spokane.(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

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In the race that is the college basketball offseason, we have now finally reached the home stretch. It has definitely been an offseason to remember. We started off the summer months with a bang as a few members of our incoming 2009 class made a name for themselves on the international stage. Recruiting news, which is typically our bread and butter, was remarkably scarce. The 2010 will reportedly only carry at most one person and although rumors have been rampant about who that player might be, nothing definite has been confirmed. The story of the summer was obviously Bol Kong and his arrival at Gonzaga. His story and, in particular, the ending made the summer go much faster and now that we are well into October, it's time to focus on basketball and nothing else.

When practice starts tonight, Gonzaga will be about two-and-a-half weeks away from their first and only exhibition game against the University of Alberta. If you have been following the path the 2009 class has traveled to get to Spokane, you'll know that these two weeks will have to be loaded with outstanding coaching to get all the youngsters familiar with the system. Bol Kong and Elias Harris arrived on campus less than a month ago, and Mangisto Arop and Kelly Olynyk weren't here all summer because of their duties with the Canadian basketball team. Everyone will be watching these newcomers especially when you consider that their are really only four established returning players.

To get you ready for the start of official practices, we've compiled a brief primer to get you through the next few weeks as we look forward to the beginning of the season. Included in this preview will be a brief look at the rankings that are starting to leak out and a detailed look at what should be a very intense two weeks of preseason practice.

Let's take a quick glance at the rankings that are spilling out. So there are really only three preseason rankings I put much stock in before the AP and Coaches Poll come out. I know that these preseason rankings are supposedly don't matter to the team but as fans, they do. Gary Parrish (CBSSports), Jeff Goodman (FoxSports), and Luke Winn (SI) are the best general college basketball writers in the business right now and they have all weighed in on how they view Gonzaga and the rest of the Top 25ish.

Jeff Goodman has Gonzaga just outside of his Top 25 in the Twenty more to Watch section.

Gary Parrish slated the Zags 25 in his Top 25 (and one).

Luke Winn also put Gonzaga 25th in his preseason power rankings.

While these rankings are not as glamorous as last year's basically consensus top-10 ranking, it shows the national respect Gonzaga gets now. When you think about Pargo, Downs, and Heytvelt all graduating and Austin Daye going to the NBA early, it is pretty clear that these national writers are putting plenty of faith in Mark Few's coaching and Matt Bouldin's ability to be a star.

Rotation, Rotation, Rotation. The past few years, Gonzaga has not bee forced to rely on their new players to make an immediate impact. Sure, some guys like Matt Bouldin, Meech Goodson, and Austin Daye have made immediate impacts but the veterans have always historically been the majority. This year that isn't the case. Six brand new players, three walk-ons,and two redshirt freshman make up a sizable piece of the roster. What this means is that Mark Few will probably spend a lot of nights burning the midnight oil trying to figure out a solid rotation. We all know that Meech, Matt, and Steven will be roaming the backcourt at the start of games. Also, Rob Sacre will be the rock in the middle but aside from that, nothing is really set in stone. We'll get to the battle at power forward in a bit but the rest of the bench should be very interesting to watch. Backing up Meech will probably be GJ Vilarino. Behind Steven Gray and Matt Bouldin will probably be guys like Grant Gibbs and Mangisto Arop. The interior guys will be Rob Sacre, Andy Poling, Elias Harris, and Will Foster. I'd expect the first three guys to get pretty equal minutes down low with Will's minutes still being a mystery. That leaves Bol Kong who should be up there on the rotation and I left him out because he can play both the small and power forward at times. What is my best guess as far as the rotation? I'd guess the minutes will go something like Bouldin, Meech, Gray, Sacre, Harris, Kong, Poling, Arop, Gibbs, Vilarino. Obviously, this is a tough thing to call as we are only in mid-October.

The battle to watch is at power forward. As I said, the backcourt is all but set in stone. Meech Goodson will be the director of this offense, Steven Gray might be the most talented player on the team, and Matt Bouldin is by far the most decorated Zag on the roster. Rob Sacre is the de facto center and it should be his time to shine barring unforeseen injuries. That leaves one spot up for grabs, and from all indications, it is completely wide open. The Spokesman-Review's Jim Meehan recently caught up with Leon Rice and this is what he had to say about the two guys vying for the job at "4"

Elias Harris: "His game has a maturity about it, he doesn't look like a normal freshman. He's a ‘4', maybe a 3. He's got perimeter skills, a savvy about him. He can have the ball in his hands."
...
Andy Poling: "He made great physical gains from his freshman to sophomore year, put on a lot of weight and got a lot stronger. He's making steady increases. He's one of those smart players; he can really make things go right and he knows where to be. Something good happens and you look up and hey, Andy's involved."

It breaks down pretty simply. Andy seems like a very fundamental, solid player that you know what you'll get game in, game out. Elias Harris, on the other hand, is a wild card. He'll have growing pains but he has that potential to explode if he is given enough minutes right off the bat. He has size and has played against players much older than him on the international stage. I think it'd be a huge confidence booster if Elias came out and beat out Andy for the job. Having a freshman in that starting line up who can change the game with the athleticism would be huge for this team coming out of the gates. Just because Andy doesn't start, it doesn't mean he won't get plenty of minutes and there will be some games where he fits better in the rotation of the game. In the long run however, I'd love to see Elias get the nod to start the season.

Final redshirt thoughts before practice starts. I think I'd elect to redshirt Kelly Olynyk, Sam Dower, and David Stockton this season. Based on Coach Rice's comments with Meehan, I would say that it seems like that is the way the staff is leaning. Rice said both guys are still really growing into their bodies at this point and are still in adjustment mode. I think one of them will still suit up just in case injuries or fouls become an issue but, best-case scenario, I'd expect to see Kelly and Sam both redshirt. A lot of this will hinge on if Will Foster can provide quality minutes. Going four deep with Sacre, Poling, Harris, and Foster would be huge. When you pepper a little bit of Kong in with those four, it is pretty clear that Olynyk and Dower don't HAVE to play this year.

Now all we can hope for is that these guys all stay healthy. Manny Arop has been hampered a bit by a nagging foot injury and Grant Gibbs is struggling with a bad back but so far, so good as they will both be practicing full bore tomorrow. The Zags have typically suffered a major injury in preseason practice but this is a new team, hopefully they start a new trend.

Poll

What storyline are you most interested in as practice gets going?

Who will emerge as the starting power forward?

33 votes

How will Mark Few sort out the rotation?

80 votes

Which freshman will have the greatest impact?

123 votes

Who will redshirt?

37 votes

Don't care about storylines, just keep the injury bug away!

72 votes

345 votes | Poll has closed

Player Previews: This is Matt Bouldin's Team

Zach B — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:29:21 -0000

Matt Bouldin has definitely developed into a fan favorite at Gonzaga but does he have what it takes to become "great"?

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Ahhh...it feels good to be back on a computer! I'd like to apologize to our readers for the past week's activity (or lack there of). I have literally just gotten home from Dallas after a week of traveling around the vast state of Texas and EDZ just kicked off his new job so it made for the perfect storm for all of you! This is the first time since last Tuesday that I've sat in front of a computer and now that I'm back, I might as well blog about something. The good news is that it was a pretty quiet week as far as Gonzaga basketball is concerned. That will all change quickly here as practice begins on Friday...that's right folks, college basketball is right around the corner. With that being said, let's get right to it...

For the past few years, many players have come through the Gonzaga basketball program and have made tremendous impacts. This is particularly true when you think about last season's graduating class. Jeremy Pargo, Micah Downs, and Josh Heytvelt all have their own individual legacy that will live on in Spokane, Washington. While those players were all excellent in their own way, there is one player that now has the opportunity to benefit from their departure and build his own personal legacy and can perhaps have the word "great" attached to his name when it is all said and done. That player is senior guard Matt Bouldin. Bouldin, who has been an instrumental component of this Gonzaga program since his arrival in 2006, will have to deal with the pressure of being the go-to man this season and while he has been looked upon as a leader the past few years, he has never had to be THE guy.

While I think most Gonzaga fans would agree that Bouldin can fill that role, there is no doubt that he must avoid and grow out of some of the pitfalls that have plagued him for the past three years. With that being said, he's on the Wooden Player of the Year watch list for a reason and he is going to be a player that the whole nation has their eyes on this season.

Like we've been saying all summer, leadership is going to be huge this season. Not that it hasn't been important the past few seasons, but it is particularly important this year because their is a wealth of youth on this team and only two seniors. While both seniors have been at Gonzaga for all four years, it is pretty safe to say that a majority of the on-court leadership will have to come from Matt Bouldin. Will Foster has been a nice role guy for Gonzaga but has struggled to get on the court. Bouldin on the other hand, has played about 32 minutes per game the last two years and has always been reliable to eat up quality minutes. He has rarely been dinged up and typically plays with a high level of energy. It will be very interesting to watch the way Matt handles leading this team. The past three years, we have seen him take on a more laid back on-court demeanor but he has always been a calming force under pressure. I think that kind of attitude will really go a long way with this young team. There is no doubt that guys like Manny Arop, Bol Kong, Elias Harris, and the rest of the class have tons of talent but they can't understand the pressure that comes with playing in East Lansing against a very good Michigan State team. That is where Matt will come in and he'll be able to put this team on his back emotionally, the question is if he can do it with his play on the court.

There are a number of games that you know Matt is going to play well in. He has historically been fantastic during the West Coast Conference slate. He is obviously going to play well against the cupcakes on the schedule as well. The key for Matt, and it has been something we have stressed for a long time, is that he must be more consistent in the big games for the Bulldogs. As good as he has been the past three years, Matt has caused Gonzaga fans plenty of frustration during that time. The main reason for this frustration is because of his inconsistent play during those five or six important games on the nonconference schedule. This did improve a bit last season as Matt put Gonzaga on his back in both Tennessee games, and played well against Oklahoma St., Arizona, and Indiana but there were those few games where he completely disappeared. His play against Memphis has never been good. The last two seasons against Memphis, Matt has had identical stat lines: 2-9 from the floor with six points. Whether it is the freakishly athletic ability of Memphis or just their talent in the past, it has always been a tough match up. But last season he was also bad against Maryland, Connecticut, and Utah to the point where many Gonzaga fans thought Steven Gray and Micah Downs should be starting over Matt. This inconsistent play has always been a point of contention with fans of Matt and the program and it really raise a lot of question marks about what to expect from him now that the pressure is on.

His abilities as a basketball player really can't be questioned and he has been a favorite of many Gonzaga fans since he came to Spokane as a freshman. One of the best performances I have ever seen from a Gonzaga freshman was Matt's against a top-10 University of Washington team. He scored 21 points that night against the Huskies and ended the year playing about 28 minutes a game which is huge for a freshman in Mark Few's program. Now that we are nearly four years removed from that game, Matt's role in his final season as a Bulldog is to be a consistent force every game. He doesn't have to be Adam Morrison and score 30 points and shoot the ball 20 times but he does have to linger around the 15 point mark all season or else it might become a long season. The key for him to be consistent is for the offense to run though him early in the game. If he can hit a few backdoor screens for easy buckets and rattle in some mid-range jumpers, Matt can score 20-plus points. If he doesn't get out of the gate fast, especially in big games, he tends to struggle mightily. The good thing as far as this team is concerned is that the offense kind of has to run through him as a majority of last season's offense graduated in May. Mark Few has to find ways to get him going early and I think that he will realize that pretty quickly. Steven Gray and Demetri Goodson will provide him some help in the backcourt but make no mistake, Matt's going to take this team as far as his play can.