What an unexpected and important way for BYU to give tips on West Coast Conference play.
After having their first three WCC games postponed, the Cougars visit No. 1 Gonzaga on Thursday (18:30, MST, ESPN) in a clash that was set up earlier this week.
Of course, BYU will be a big underdog against the best Bulldogs.
“We are very excited to take a big hit on this and see where we are going to end,” said BYU coach Mark Pope, on his coach’s BYUtv program on Tuesday night.
Thursday’s game is a reprogramming of the February 6 meeting between BYU and Gonzaga in the Kennel and is not an additional game. What will happen to that February 6 game is yet to be determined.
WCC, BYU, Gonzaga and ESPN worked together to modify the schedule. BYU was originally scheduled to host Pacific on Thursday, while the Zags were due to play in Santa Clara.
Gonzaga (10-0, 1-0) has a streak of 14 consecutive wins, a streak of 44 wins at home and a streak of 22 consecutive wins at the WCC. This season, the Zags won No. 3 Iowa, No. 5 Kansas, No. 11 West Virginia and No. 15 Virginia.
Gonzaga became the third team to beat three opponents in the top 15 in their first four games. He beat San Francisco 85-62 at home at the WCC debut last Saturday.
“They are remarkable,” said Pope. “It could have been … UNLV with Larry Johnson and (coach Jerry) Tarkanian that there was a team that has been so completely, 100% dominant over everyone in college basketball. What they are doing now is extraordinary. “
When was the last time Gonzaga lost?
Well, that happened almost a year ago, on February 22 at an exhausted Marriott Center, where number 23 Cougars defeated number 2 Zags 91-78.
That night, BYU beat Gonzaga’s 19-game winning streak, as well as his consecutive 39-game WCC winning streak.
Meanwhile, no other team in recent years has been as successful in the Kennel as BYU.
The Cougars won there three years in a row from 2015-17. In 2015, BYU ended the sequence of 22 consecutive wins for the Zags and the sequence of 41 wins at home. In 2017, the Cougars shocked Gonzaga when he was ranked number 1 in the country and had a perfect 29-0 record. BYU fell behind by 18-2 in the first moments of the game and recovered to win by 79-71.
As for this year’s Gonzaga team, some say it may be coach Mark Few’s best. Some national experts predicted that the Zags could go undefeated and win their first national championship.
Gonzaga is very good.
The Zags have a star-studded line with Corey Kispert, who averages 21.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game; Drew Timme (18.4 points, 7.3 rebounds), Jalen Suggs (13.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists); Joel Ayayi (12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds); and Andrew Nembhard (9.8 points, 4.7 assists).
“Whenever you talk about the Zags, they are amazing in transition. One to five, they can push you out of the jump, ”said Pope. “This Drew Timme is really incredible because he is a focal point. You hear about advanced points all the time. But he’s not just pushing one, two or three dribbles in transition. He’s pushing the transition, making a move or two out of the jump and then tossing dimes like he’s totally downhill. “
Pope praised Few’s ability to recruit and develop talent through a pipeline that has flowed to Spokane over the years.
“This is a credit to their team, their team, their program and coach Few and everything they did,” said Pope. “They keep bringing in really talented players. What’s amazing is that they have guys who didn’t play freshmen, dressed like a sophomore and then they’re an All-American next season. “
Pope called Suggs, a five-star recruit, “probably one of the top 3 lottery picks” in the NBA draft. Nembhard is a graduate transferred from Florida.
The Zags are shooting 55% of the field and have an average of 95 points per game. They have scored at least 85 points in all 10 games.
BYU (9-2) has not awarded an opponent 80 points this season.
The Cougars have not played since December 23, an 87-79 victory over Weber State. Cougars say goodbye on Saturday. The next game scheduled is next Thursday at Saint Mary’s.
For now, BYU is happy to have a game to play.
“I am very grateful to the Zags. I say that now, ”said the coach. “We will see how I feel Thursday night after the game. I can’t say enough good things about them. “
Cougars in the air
BYU (9-2, 0-0) at No. 1 Gonzaga (10-0, 1-0)
Thursday, 6:30 pm MST
The kennel
TV: ESPN
Radio: 1160 AM, 102.7 FM