[ad_1]
Creighton coach Greg McDermott cringed as he glanced at the box’s score at halftime.
The Bluejays held Gonzaga’s first All-American team Corey Kispert to two points in the first half on Sunday, but they again dragged by 10.
“There are so many ways they can beat you,” McDermott lamented.
It is the challenge of choosing your poison that Gonzaga poses. With a patient and selfless approach, three of the top 15 college basketball players, and a wealth of complementary talent, the Zags always seem to have an answer no matter what their opponents try to pull out.
Gonzaga’s 83-65 rout over Creighton was his 26th straight win by double-digit margin. Only West Virginia have reached nine points or less from the Zags this season, and it was one night that future top-five draft pick Jalen Suggs injured his ankle and had just four points. .
The question hanging over the Elite Eight is whether a remaining team can prevent Gonzaga from winning his first national title in historic fashion. The Zags are now three wins away before becoming the first undefeated national college basketball champions since Bob Knight’s Indiana Hoosiers in 1976.
What’s the biggest threat left in Gonzaga? Yahoo Sports ranked the other Elite Eight teams from most to least likely to knock down the Zags.
1. Baylor (25-2)
In early December, a highly anticipated showdown between Gonzaga and Baylor was called off due to COVID-19 concerns within the Bears program. Four months later, this remains the best potential domestic title game college basketball can produce this season. Baylor has a lot of the ingredients needed to push Gonzaga, from tight defense, to guards who can attack the dribble, to the mental toughness not to wither in the face of a deficit. You saw a glimpse of what makes Baylor special on Saturday when the Bears shot 3 for 19 from behind the arc and still pulled away from Villanova in the home stretch. The same fierce defense on the ball and aggressive rim forays that Baylor displayed in this second half is what he would need for a full 40 minutes against Gonzaga.
2. USC (25-7)
One of the biggest threats for Gonzaga could be the opponent standing between the Zags and a return to the Final Four. USC is long, terribly athletic, and peaks at exactly the right time. Within a week of handing Kansas its worst NCAA tournament loss, USC stifled an Oregon team that claimed their own one-sided victory. The final margin of 82-68 doesn’t tell the full story of Trojan horse domination as well as Is. USC can’t match Gonzaga’s backcourt, but the Zags also don’t boast a presence like Mobley in their frontcourt or four starters 6-7 or taller. Tuesday’s game is a game between the two NBA top prospects remaining in the NCAA tournament and the nation’s No.1 offense and defense at 2 percentage points from field goals. Cancel your other plans. It should be fun.
3. Michigan (23-4)
As the NCAA tournament started, it was fair to wonder if the loss of injured forward Isaiah Livers knocked Michigan out of the national title contention. Since then, the Wolverines have emphatically responded to that question by dismantling Florida State and avoiding a thwarted offer from the talented LSU. Michigan play hard, share the ball and have the discipline to follow a game plan. The Wolverines could slow down a game, put the ball to work inside and try to get Drew Timme in trouble. Where Michigan would be at a great disadvantage, it would be their guard game. Could 5ft 11in Mike Smith and 6ft Eli Brooks do much to limit Gonzaga’s larger weapon range in the backcourt?
4. Arkansas (25-6)
The main threat Arkansas could pose to Gonzaga are the waves of long, athletic perimeter players Eric Musselman can deploy. Allow Jalen Tate, Justin Smith and Moses Moody to attack downhill, and perhaps the Smallball Razorbacks could find some favorable clashes and exploit Gonzaga’s lack of rim protection. The problem is, Arkansas is prone to questionable shot selection and giving up bushels of transition opportunities, which you can’t do and have no hope of beating the Zags. The Razorbacks also got used to starting slow in this NCAA tournament, falling behind Colgate, Texas Tech and Oral Roberts in double digits before rallying.
5. Houston (27-3)
Houston shouldn’t apologize for its pro-NCAA tournament run so far, but it’s certainly fair to wonder how the Cougars would fare against a team of Gonzaga’s caliber. If they beat Oregon State on Monday, they’ll be the first team to reach the Final Four without defeating a single-digit seed. Texas Tech is the only KenPom top 25 team to face all season. Houston would be able to throw a group of capable perimeter defenders at Gonzaga and limit the chances of a transition, but could the Cougars score enough? They rely heavily on second chance points, which hasn’t been easy to get against the Zags.
6. UCLA (21-9)
UCLA has lost its best G-League newcomer, its returning top scorer to a knee injury, and its most athletic tall man on personal leave. Despite all of this, Mick Cronin has the Bruins within one win of the program’s first Final Four in 13 years. The mental toughness UCLA displayed in their overtime victory over second-seeded Alabama on Sunday night was a reflection of their coach. The Bruins never flinched after giving up a 3-point draw at the end of the rule, edging front-runner Tide by 10 in overtime. That resilience would come in handy against Gonzaga, but UCLA would be overwhelmed everywhere. If a rematch of Adam Morrison’s famous game did occur, the Bruins would be a double-digit underdog this time around.
7. State of Oregon (20-12)
There’s no logical reason to think the State of Oregon can challenge Gonzaga, but there was also no logical reason to think the Beavers would always play this deep in March. This is a team that three weeks ago were 14-10 and ranked outside the top 100 in most efficiency ratings. Since the start of the Pac-12 tournament, the state of Oregon has won six straight wins, each against a tournament-caliber NCAA competition. Wayne Tinkle confused opponents by switching between man-to-man and a showdown zone. And in each of the first three games of the Beavers NCAA Tournament, Ethan Thompson was the top guard on the field.
Learn more about Yahoo Sports:
[ad_2]
Source link