Gonzaga Game - NIT Season Tip Off Championship

Anyone else feel like this is just as big a game as vs Duke/Cuse this season?

And as a fan Gonzaga embarrassed us twice in 2001 and 2011 which I will never forgive or forget. Buying tix asap hope to see you at the Garden for this rivalry game!

Will be there. Should be a home game. We owe them!

I was there and watched that game. 
They have huge players upfront that are very skilled and not clunky.  Not uber athletic, but very very skilled.
smart.   Sabonis Jr is the only real athelete... but then again you don't have to be athletic when you have 7' 6'10'' and 6'9"
Their guards are highly skilled and athletic.

Their floppy-haired PG, Pangos, reminds me of the PG from Baylor.  He's quick, has a great shot and is very smart.

Very tough match-up.

We have to hope we can do what Georgia did against them: Get them into foul trouble early and often.

The only time we'll be bigger underdogs in a game this year is at Cuse and at Duke. Steal a W here and people will start to take notice

The only time we'll be bigger underdogs in a game this year is at Cuse and at Duke. Steal a W here and people will start to take notice

I don't think Syracuse is as good as Gonzaga. I don't think they are as good as Minnesota either. Duke on the other hand. Yikes.

I've had a man crush on Pangos for a few years. Love his game.

Win this and SJU has a chance to head into Cuse ranked top 25. However I have flash backs to St. John's vs St. Mary's

Even though it was a different roster and different opponent I'm having flash backs to this game - http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=303202608

St. John's can't over trap/rotate on defense against this team. Need to use their length and athleticism and win defensively 1 on 1.

I've had a man crush on Pangos for a few years. Love his game.

Win this and SJU has a chance to head into Cuse ranked top 25. However I have flash backs to St. John's vs St. Mary's

Even though it was a different roster and different opponent I'm having flash backs to this game - http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=303202608

St. John's can't over trap/rotate on defense against this team. Need to use their length and athleticism and win defensively 1 on 1.

That boxscore is extremely strange.

I think Gonzaga will be best team we play all season, and that includes Duke.  Few will look to attack our lack of depth up front.  Tough matchup got us.   

Not sure what is more to our advantage ,  run like hell or muck it up...aka, a good old fashion rock fight.   What say you?

Quote from: goredmen on November 27, 2014, 12:55:30 AM

The only time we'll be bigger underdogs in a game this year is at Cuse and at Duke. Steal a W here and people will start to take notice

I don't think Syracuse is as good as Gonzaga. I don't think they are as good as Minnesota either. Duke on the other hand. Yikes.

I agree, however that game being in Syracuse will drive that line up a few points. I think that line will probably be similar to the one on Friday

I've had a man crush on Pangos for a few years. Love his game.

Win this and SJU has a chance to head into Cuse ranked top 25. However I have flash backs to St. John's vs St. Mary's

Even though it was a different roster and different opponent I'm having flash backs to this game - http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=303202608

Why?  They have very little in common besides conference affiliation.  That was a road game...this is at MSG.  That St. Mary's team was  tiny (6'6 and 6'9 starting up front...small guards) and this Gonzaga team is gigantic (7-1, 6'10 up front).  We actually won the rebounding margin in that game and that looks very unlikely Friday. 

I hope St. John's fans pack MSG on Friday. MSG is our home court.

I think Gonzaga will be best team we play all season, and that includes Duke.  Few will look to attack our lack of depth up front.  Tough matchup got us.   

Not sure what is more to our advantage ,  run like hell or muck it up...aka, a good old fashion rock fight.   What say you?

St.John's should play to their strengths. Run like hell. The Zags are exceptional in the half court set. They will eat our zone alive. If we're going to have a shot we need force them to play our game - which will be to run them out of the gym.

Gonzaga freshman Josh Perkins suffered a broken jaw when he was kicked by Georgia's Kenny Gaines in the second half of the Zags' 88-76 win on Wednesday night.

Gonzaga coach Mark Few told ESPN that Perkins will have his jaw wired and will be out indefinitely.

Very tough game obviously. We seem to do well generating offense with pressure and aggressive play. I 'm not sure Zags' guards will succumb to that. That said, they will kill our zone with their inside out game. So all in all, I would still try to make it a ratty game by pressuring and trapping occasionally & hope for best. On offensive end, we need to limit turnovers, continue solid passing & rebounding , finish those agonizing interior shots (Chris tomahawk, ugh), improve three point shooting & for goodness sake make FTs.

All in all, I suspect we lose to this talented, deep & well coached squad, but make a good showing. Certainly a squeaker win is not out of question, but I think our lack of depth and spotty shooting catches up with us.

I don't think we will play much zone unless forced to.

Confident

Tough game, and would be surprised if we win. But I expect us to keep it close and have a shot at winning late in the game. Few is a great coach and will probably exploit our weaknesses very easily.

Reading the Zags boards and seeing game last night 2 things stand out as weaknesses
1) have trouble guarding athletic guards penetrating
2) their bigs get in foul trouble alot.

stay out of zone, drive the ball right to their bigs and dish seems to be the way to go.

Lavin should show the team a video of VCU's defense. We can't by with a fake press. We need to press like we mean it.

If we stay out of foul trouble and play tough man defense we can win. Also we have to make all of our easy baskets. Obekpa played great but he missed to easy shots and dropped 2 passes that should have been dunks.