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ZAGS TRACKER with STEVE CAMERON: A lesson in Moraga, but did the Zags learn?

| March 3, 2022 1:15 AM

It’s tempting.

You almost find yourself believing that Randy Bennett has the key, and that the Saint Mary’s coach has devised the precise tactics to frustrate Gonzaga.

Even when the Zags are No. 1 in the nation — as they were last weekend when the Gaels celebrated Senior Night by winning 67-57 — games between these two teams always seem to be closer and more fiercely competitive than the comparative talent level might suggest.

So, as the Zags (still No. 1 after a week of carnage at the top of the rankings) prepare for their semifinal date next Monday at the WCC tournament in Las Vegas, and the NCAA party after that, I suppose we need to ask that specific question …

Does Bennett know the secret?

Answer …

I don’t think so.

Or only part of the formula, at least.

HOWEVER …

The Saint Mary’s boss does start planning for the Zags with the assumption that he needs a snail’s-pace game that allows for as few total possessions as possible.

The Gaels will ALWAYS begin with that premise, because Gonzaga is among the top teams in the country in offensive efficiency.

Thus …

The more trips up and down the floor, the more likely the Zags will simply outscore almost any team.

Mark Few and his staff know that the Gaels’ slowdown is coming, and they prepare for it.

They stress ball security, shooting at a high percentage, staying patient on offense, and remaining focused for the full 30-second shot clock defensively.

This latest time around, though, the Zags failed at every one of those goals.

A Gonzaga team that ranks fourth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.61 somehow produced just four assists and committed 14 turnovers in Moraga.

Andrew Nembhard, who is on the shortlist for the Cousy Award as college basketball’s best point guard (and might win it), did not register an assist for the only time in 126 games.

It may be instructive, in terms of tactics, that Nembhard likewise only had one assist in the Zags’ victory over Saint Mary’s at the Kennel.

HOW DID all this happen?

Well, start with effort, as guard Rasir Bolton was quick to point out in the post-game media conference.

The Zags were out-hustled, out-worked, out-shot, out-rebounded, out-everything.

“We’ve gotta be tougher,” Bolton said. “They out-toughed us. They were definitely the tougher team, played harder, energy, momentum, the whole thing. We’ve got to get back in the lab, be who we are, become tougher as a team — and hopefully this never happens again.”

It was a meaningful assessment, because the Zags surely will need more grit if they’re going to reach their obvious target, the NCAA Final Four.

Few agreed.

“When you’re the most aggressive team and the most physical team,” he said, “probably nine times out of 10 you’re going to win the ball game.”

OK, the nightmare at Saint Mary’s proved that the Zags aren’t good enough to win tough games on cruise control.

They’ll need to fight and scratch.

Fair enough.

It’s also important, though, to note that there was a tactical side to this defeat — and that the Zags need to understand it and make the right adjustments.

Consider …

For the first time in Drew Timme’s three seasons facing Saint Mary’s, Bennett decided to throw the kitchen sink at him instead of playing one-on-one.

“(Timme) got his touches,” said Gaels center Matthias Tass. “But after three or four bounces, we had three guys surrounding him and knocking the ball out of his hands in the first half.

“That kind of ruined his rhythm. It was hard for him to bounce back from that.”

Indeed, Timme was hounded to the point that he was scoreless before halftime and missed all eight of his shots.

TIMME finished with just six points, the same as 7-footer Chet Holmgren.

Beyond that shortfall, however …

Gonzaga failed spectacularly at recognizing those double-and triple-teams in the paint, then quickly moving the ball to open shooters.

The tape of this Saint Mary’s game will become popular viewing for teams preparing to face Gonzaga in its two looming tournaments.

Even more important, the Zags will have to study it and come up with some fix-it plans.

They’ll have to learn to deal with slowdown games, obviously, and they surely will have to make quick decisions on moving the ball if Timme (or Holmgren) get swarmed in the paint.

The big guys can’t wait around until they’re completely trapped, either.

AS AN example of how that strategy can be countered, Texas Tech crowded around the basket, denied Timme the ball as best they could — yet lost 69-55 because Gonzaga moved the rock and made Tech pay with 3-pointers.

They hit 13 of 31, with Bolton and Nembhard combining for nine.

At Moraga, that might have worked again — since Bolton, Holmgren, Nembhard and Julian Strawther are all good 3-point shooters.

Unfortunately, the Zags inside-out game fell apart because passes, cuts and recognition all happened too slowly.

Gonzaga took only 15 shots behind the arc (plenty of them well-contested), and made just five.

Ugh.

You can bet Few has his troops working on that issue this week.

In fact, a third date with Saint Mary’s in the WCC tournament final might be a great tune-up for the Big Dance.

Let’s see what the Zags have learned, eh?

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. He also writes Zags Tracker, a commentary on Gonzaga basketball which is published weekly during the season.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”