Gonzaga is Dancin' Again

Alright, as a Zag fan, I’ve had a night to sleep on it. Yes, I am frustrated with the 8-seed draw, especially with Purdue & Memphis getting much higher seeds. BUT there’s nothing we can do now—it’s time to just sink into the draw we’ve been dealt. And with nine straight years of a Sweet 16 or better tourney run on the line, the 10th may be the toughest yet.

With Gonzaga as the 8-seed, they are starting against the 9-seed Georgia Bulldogs, which is just cruel by the committee. I mean, really? We have the Gonzaga Bulldogs playing the Georgia Bulldogs… WTF. Anyways, this is not a complaint blog! It’s all about facts now.

There are some really good storylines in this one too. Freshman sensation Asa Newell chose Georgia over Gonzaga, and of course, we have the classic power conference vs. mid-major leader matchup. Those two stories alone should get you pumped for this one. But a third storyline that I DO NOT LIKE is that 9-seeds have had a huge advantage in recent years—covering or even beating 8-seeds at an alarming rate.

Well with all this going on, we still have to play the game. So, let’s look at who has the advantages on the actual court.

These are 4 game changing stats for tourament play

I played around with the feature on NCAA brackets for this one, this is fun feature I recommend checkin out with about 20 different stats you can use. So in the tournament, you need to be able to defend, make shots, hit free throws, and not turn the ball over. The good thing for Gonzaga—they have the advantage in all of these over Georgia. Player-wise, though, it's huge to have X-factor guys as well. So who has that?

Georgia has the NBA guy in Asa Newell, so I’ll give them that much. Still, when it comes to depth, experience, and size, it’s Gonzaga. With Graham Ike, Ben Gregg, Braden Huff, and Michael Ajayi all over 6'8"—and three of them over 6'10"—this is something the Zags will need to exploit. Yes, Georgia is athletic, and Newell will create issues, but if he gets two quick ones, there is a huge drop-off from there.

Now, when it comes to guard play, this one is tough. Talent-wise, I do believe Gonzaga has the advantage, with Ryan Nembhard being one of the best point guards in the nation. Though Georgia’s guards are big and long—6'5" each—so the smaller Nembhard & Nolan Hickman are going to have to be smart. Neither team shoots a great percentage from three. Gonzaga will need Hickman to hit some, while Georgia will want Blue Cain(what a name) to get hot. Both have had games where they’ve knocked down four or five threes, yet also games where they’ve shot 1-for-7.

I think overall, Gonzaga holds a slight advantage over Georgia. Neither team will be shocked by the level of play, with each having faced tough schedules both in and out of conference.

Now, IF Gonzaga can get out of this tough matchup, an even harsher one awaits in with Houston. This is a team that will frustrate you and lock you up in a cage for 40 minutes. I’m not going to go too in-depth on this one, as right now, the focus is only on Georgia. One game at a time, boys.

Let’s go ZAGS!

Bet Recap: Michigan ML cash!! Love it

Bet of the Day:

03-17

N/A - focused on the slate in march madness, will be putting out full cards this week!