#1 Gonzaga @ Pilots

I was especially frustrated by Fahrensohn only getting two 3PT attempts given he's just outside the top 50 in the entire nation in 3PT percentage (on an aside, Taki's outstanding development into a good contributing player at this level has almost completely flown under the radar around here).

I looked into some stats this morning assuming that the Pilots' percentage of 3PT shots taken would be on the low end of any team with elite 3PT percentage, but that's not the case. Of the 24 teams shooting 38% or better from 3PT range, 12 of them shoot the three even less frequently than the Pilots do.

So don't mind me, just again proving I know nothing about basketball. Carry on.

Dean Murdoch wrote:I was especially frustrated by Fahrensohn only getting two 3PT attempts given he's just outside the top 50 in the entire nation in 3PT percentage (on an aside, Taki's outstanding development into a good contributing player at this level has almost completely flown under the radar around here).

Others, including some in the administration, share your frustration...

Yes, GU is #1 in the nation, and they may go undefeated during WCC play (the big tests will come in Moraga and Provo), but last night they did not look like a team that could go deep into the tournament.

Without the oft-injured Killian Tillie, the Pilots could have pulled off the upset of the 2-day old decade, but Tillie's leadership and terrific shooting from close-in and long range made the difference.

This was only the second time this season I've seen them play, but GU is going to have to do a lot better from the foul line (11-23 last night) if they have any hope of going staying in your bracket in post-season play.

They're a young team that was supposed to be rebuilding this season, but Few's pipeline of transfers and European players has not only kept them afloat, but put them at 1 out of 353 in the nation...can it last if Tillie's ankle doesn't last?

(BTW, Tillie is a wonderful representative of GU and basketball in general.  I had the opportunity to talk to him last evening and to watch his demeanor on the court as he not only showed leadership and skill, but showed genuine concern for his teammates and the Pilot players when they were injured or knocked to the ground.  He also showed a genuine sense of humor and concern when he knocked a ball into the glitterati at courtside spilling wine on a least a few fans, and he was in a kidding mood as he helped wipe it up...even though it was not French wine!!)

No doubt, Tillie is top of the line. I've seen Gonzaga enough that I'm confident they'll do well in the tournament. Pilots played very well last night, Zags will always get teams' best shot. FT are a concern for sure, reminiscent of Syracuse teams in the 80s.

I didn't see this kid at the game on Thursday, but Coach Few grabbed his highest-ranked recruit in program history on Friday when five-star recruit Jalen Suggs committed to the Bulldogs on live TV.
 
Suggs, a 6-foot-4 point/combo guard out of Minneapolis, made his commitment on ESPN2 on Friday afternoon, selecting Gonzaga over Florida, Florida State, Iowa State and Minnesota.

One and done?  

Overseas as a professional and then the NBA?  This hasn't become a trend yet, but several top prospects have opted to play professionally overseas instead of in college in recent years, most notably LaMelo Ball, who is widely considered to be a lottery pick in the draft in June.