PROVO, Utah — Gonzaga’s past three trips to the Marriott Center have produced one victory, two losses and an indeterminate number of bruises.
“It’s always one of the most physical games we play all year,” coach Mark Few said.
The eighth-ranked Zags (11-1) have had a couple of days off and a couple of days to prepare for BYU (10-3) in the West Coast Conference opener for both teams. Gonzaga hasn’t dropped a conference opener since falling at Santa Clara in 1996.
Recent history indicates Gonzaga should have its hands full with the Cougars in the 20,900-seat Marriott Center. The 2012 Zags, ranked 24th, had 15 first-half turnovers, showed little poise and lost 83-73. In 2013, GU spent an 11-point lead but held on 70-65, helping the team reach No. 1 in the polls the following week. No. 25 Gonzaga lost 73-65 last season, with Few noting afterward, “You had to have your helmet on and a couple of our guys didn’t.”
Teams change every season, but the guard-driven Cougars continue to play fast and drill 3-pointers (9.2 per game). They lead the nation in scoring offense (88 points per game), but rank 314th in scoring defense (74.2).
BYU senior wing Tyler Haws’ streak of 60 consecutive games in double figures ended against UMass on Tuesday. Haws sprained his ankle Dec. 13. He hasn’t missed a start, but his mobility was limited against UMass. The 2014 WCC Player of the Year averages 22.3 points.
BYU guard Anson Winder doesn’t start, but he’s second on the team at 14.2 points. Of Wake Forest transfer Chase Fischer’s 59 field goals, 41 have been 3-pointers. He’s averaging 13.6 points. Kyle Collinsworth, a 6-6 junior guard who tore his ACL in the WCC Tournament title loss to Gonzaga last March, checks in at 13.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists. He had a triple-double against Hawaii, believed to be the first one by a WCC player since Pepperdine’s Doug Christie in 1991.
Cougars forward Nate Austin tore his hamstring during pregame warm-ups Dec. 10 so freshman forward Isaac Neilson has started the past three games.
The Zags seemingly have a big frontcourt edge with Kyle Wiltjer (16.8 ppg, 56.1 percent FG), Przemek Karnowski (10.1 ppg, 53.5 percent) and Domas Sabonis (10.9 ppg, 72.5 percent).
“They come at you with such a pace,” Few said. “They play so fast and so free. The shots they take, it just takes a while to get used to. They also come at you different ways on defense, kind of never guarding you straight up, collapsing on you, reaching, poking. They play extremely hard.”
Coach Dave Rose has led BYU to nine consecutive 20-win seasons and nine straight postseason appearances (seven NCAAs, two NITs). Under Rose, the Cougars are 137-13 (91.3 percent) at home.
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