Zag Fan Coming in Peace: Looking at the Gaels

by Zach Bell on Mar 16, 2009 8:31 PM PDT

Hey guys, being that our Gonzaga blog, The Slipper Still Fits, has a monopoly over SBNation's coverage of the West Coast Conference, I thought I would stop by and give you guys a taste of what to expect in your opening round match up against the Gaels.

Listening to all the pundits (Dickie V) complain about St. Mary's not getting into the tournament really makes it clear to me that West Coast basketball is still relatively unwatched. I have had the distinct pleasure of watching Patty Mills and the rest of the Gaels this season and while they have an argument to be in the tournament, they better watch out for the first round of the NIT or else they'll have plenty of time to piss and moan from their couches.

Every serious college basketball fan knows who Patty Mills is. The kid is definitely a cool story as he is the only collegiate player that made a big splash in the Summer Olympics as he dazzled Coach K and the rest of the USA squad. Patty Mills in college basketball can be described as one word: streaky. If you look at his stats this season, you'll notice that he has games where he lights it up and he has had just as many games where he goes 5-20 or 4-19 and really hurts his team. The problem with Mills is that he can get hot, and Gonzaga saw it first-hand in the two team's first match up of the season. He was running circles around the Gonzaga defense and making every shot in sight before getting hurt. Is he 100% healthy for the NIT? No clue, but I do trust in the Cougar defense to be in his face for 40 minutes and really take him out of his element.

The rest of the backcourt for St. Mary's is pretty average. Carlin Hughes can make some big shots and Mickey McConnell has been improving but they are not the type of players that can go out and dominate a Pac-10 squad. Their guards, like the rest of their team, are very shallow and do not have a lot of depth. Aside from their big three of Mills, Samhan, and Simpson, there is not a whole lot going on.

The front court for the Gaels is impressive. Omar Samhan is a very serviceable center with a mean streak. He's had games where he has stolen the show from Patty Mills but he can counter that with being nearly invisible on the court. The guy to watch out for and my pick (like it matters) for WCC Player of the Year is Diamon Simpson. This guy is not going to wow you with his measurables. He's not that tall and not that bulky for a power forward but he has one of the largest motors in the nation. Simpson is tremendous around the hoops as well. He has got a great ability to absorb contact and create and-one situations. He has consistently torched the Zags because Austin Daye could just not match his intensity and will to win. For WSU, I like the idea of having Casto on him. Casto has got quite a bit of bulk and offers five fouls that will be necessary because Simpson is awful from the foul line. The Baynes/Samhan match up will probably be a wash.

The game will probably come down to the play of guys like Carlin Hughes and Ian O'Leary for the Gaels and the supporting cast for the Cougs. The key is to keep a hand in Mills face often if you can and try not to let guys like Hughes get off and score 10-15. If that happens, I don't like the outcome for you all. It will be interesting, I haven't seen St. Mary's beat a good, not mediocre, team this season (not counting Utah St. because they are not a good team). It'll be a fun game to sit back and watch as the teams run contrasting styles. I pick the Cougs in a tight one, but most of the reason for that is that I can't stand St. Mary's.

Good Luck! The NIT should be a great tourney to watch!

This FanPost does not necessarily reflect the views of the site's writers or editors, who may not have verified its accuracy. It does, however, reflect the views of this particular fan, which is just as important as the views of our writers or editors.

Tweet Comment 25 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Thanks for the post.

by displacedcoug on Mar 16, 2009 8:55 PM PDT reply actions

Baynes/Samhan matchup

It will shock me if Samhan is able to defend Baynes straight up. I have seen a bit of Samhan and he is solid. I don’t see how he stops that little hook from Baynes. He doesn’t appear nearly as strong as Baynes and looks much slower. He has size though and if Baynes gets in foul trouble then who knows. When Baynes exits for Casto I would send Casto to the offensive boards hard. I think Samhan will have trouble with Casto’s quickness.

Forrest/Casto is an interesting matchup against Simpson. He will have his hands full with both. If Forrest is hitting his shot that will pull him away from the basket. Casto will match his energy although Simpson obviously has the experience edge.

Who picks up Patty Mills? Rotchestie or Capers? I think I would start out with Rotchestie initially and then rotate Capers over to keep Rotchestie fresh.

As BuffZag posted, I just haven’t seen much after those three for the Gaels. In all honesty, WSU has beat a much better “3-headed monster” in Wise/Budinger/Hill for Arizona who also has a superior supporting cast or even Harden/Pendergraph/? for ASU.

Come out focused and this could end up an easy win. Mills will have to play lights out for St. Mary’s to say the same. I know it sounds like I’m discounting St. Mary’s but I just haven’t seen a reason this isn’t a game WSU can win even on the road.

by BornCoug on Mar 16, 2009 9:37 PM PDT reply actions

It seems the only one to beat Baynes

will be Baynes. That little hook of his can be deadly, but if it is going up like a J Locklier knuckleball, the Cougs could be in trouble. I don’t expect that to happen though.

I’m about to say something here that has probably never been written, spoken, heard or read anywhere … Baynes will beat Samhan with his superior footwork.

by HitKing69 on Mar 16, 2009 9:47 PM PDT reply actions

Baynes has improved so much over the last four years that his foot work is now very solid.

He has the ability to go both ways on his post moves and his fundamentals on defense are perfect.

This is where per game statistics go to die.

CougCenter

by Craig Powers on Mar 16, 2009 9:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Think about how many times

Baynes got into foul trouble last year… I think he might have done so once this season. I love the improvement in his game every single year. Real mark of a hard working dude.

by TiltingRight on Mar 16, 2009 10:08 PM PDT up reply actions

A key, though, is going to be how the game is officiated

If Baynes or some of the other guys pick up some cheapies with St. Mary’s being aggressive out of the gate, it could be a very difficult night. What you don’t want in a game like this is something taking you out of your gameplan before you even really get going. It happened against Washington, and we definitely don’t want this to be one of those games where you end up looking back and wondering where it all went wrong.

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Mar 16, 2009 10:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Only Donaldson

improved more as a big man. Think about it if Baynes didn’t get the ankle injury? He would have progressed even better.

We will miss him a ton next year.

by BornCoug on Mar 16, 2009 10:12 PM PDT up reply actions

I have thoughts as to how much we'll miss him

And sometimes I think it won’t be as much as we think. He’s an incredible defensive rebounder, but the motion offense functions more fluidly with more mobile big men. It’ll be interesting to see how the offense takes shape next year without him. We will most definitely be a more perimeter oriented team, that’s for sure.

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Mar 16, 2009 10:14 PM PDT up reply actions

That's why we will miss him

being perimeter oriented. How bad would the last UCLA game have been if we didn’t have Baynes to dump it down to? Not to mention Baynes was the only starter with a good FTR.

This is where per game statistics go to die.

CougCenter

by Craig Powers on Mar 16, 2009 10:16 PM PDT up reply actions

It's the contrast between the stationary/mobile big man

The motion offense is more fluid when the big men aren’t stationary. And don’t forget that Casto’s FTR was best on the team, even in his limited minutes.

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Mar 16, 2009 10:19 PM PDT up reply actions