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The most important and impactful game of the varsity hoops season will be in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Saturday as No.1 Gonzaga and No.3 Iowa meet in a morning with a lot on the line. Neither team has lost yet so far this season and adding to the intrigue, Iowa ranks first in adjusted offensive efficiency this season, just little in front of Gonzaga. So please prepare yourself accordingly for all the offense you can handle.
Leading the charge for Iowa is all-round superstar Luka Garza, the preseason player of the year who has so far held the role. He averages 29.2 points per game – among the best among all players in the top seven conferences – and comes out of two innings against northern Illinois and Iowa State in which he amassed 57 points. on 24 shots and scored 8 of 10 3 points. extent.
For Gonzaga, the power of the star has been shared between the quartet of Drew Timme, Corey Kispert, Joel Ayayi and Jalen Suggs. But it’s Timme and Kispert who punctuate the Zags through three action games, averaging 23.3 points and 22.3 points per game, respectively. The two could end up drawing the unenviable mission of trying to slow Garza down and match him in production, which at this point in the season seems like a futile endeavor.
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Storylines
Gonzaga: How rusty – or ready – that Gonzaga team will look on Saturday remains the bigger question. The Zags have been on hiatus from testing positive for COVID-19 for two weeks, and they last played a game on December 2. When we saw them open the season, they looked undeniably worthy of the sport’s No.1 ranking – – with victories over Kansas, Auburn and West Virginia on neutral pitches to open the season – but Iowa presents the biggest test to date after an extended stopover.
Iowa: Everything this season has gone through Garza for Iowa, and for good reason: he’s the second-leading scorer in all college hoops this season with hilarious efficiency to boot. Against the Zags and their fierce frontcourt, it will be hard for him to feast on how he has done so far. But he’s widened his game beyond the 3-point line this season, making him a threat to score from anywhere and anytime. Garza’s sidekick Joe Wieskamp is also set to play a big role in this one. He’s just won a record 20 points against northern Illinois and he continues to play an important role in big games as the non-Garza team’s main shooter.
Information display
- When: Saturday December 19, noon ET
- Or: Sanford Pentagon – Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- TV: CBS | Direct: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports app (free)
- THE: CBS Sports app (Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast)
Gonzaga vs Iowa prediction
I have little doubt that Iowa can put up a large number on offense, but consider me skeptical that his defense could give him a chance to stay in the mix to the wire. The Hawkeyes have the second-worst defense in adjusted efficiency among any Big Ten teams this season as measured by KenPom.com, and against the stacked roster of Gonzaga who managed to place in the top 20 at the level. domestic this season in points per possession – despite two of its games being against ranked opponents – I expect the Bulldogs to have a big scoring day that Iowa can’t keep up with. To choose: Gonzaga 90, Iowa 83
So who wins every college basketball game today? And which outsiders are causing staggering upheavals? Visit SportsLine now to get picks for every game, all from the unbiased model that simulates every game 10,000 times, and find out.
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