Zags lose big man for 8 weeks, shouldn't return until after they play Vols

#3
#3
Unfortunate for the kid, hope he bounces back strong.

Unfortunate for us as well, I want to beat everybody this year at full strength! No excuses!
 
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#8
#8
They will be tough out with or without a key player. Mark Few has plenty of talent but he has more than that the ability to get the most out of whoever he has and not matter who he does not.
 
#9
#9
We live up here in the PNW and my wife is a die hard Zags fan. I've been able to watch them for the better part of 18 years now. Mark Few is easily the most underrated coach in college basketball. It's beyond impressive what he's done, and will continue to do with that program. He seems to be able to always get the maximum out of his players in addition to being a phenomenal X's and O's coach. I would expect them to be in the Final Four when it's all said and done.
 
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#11
#11
VolDaddy61 said:
We live up here in the PNW and my wife is a die hard Zags fan. I've been able to watch them for the better part of 18 years now. Mark Few is easily the most underrated coach in college basketball. It's beyond impressive that he's done, and will continue to do with that program. He seems to be able to always get the maximum out of his players in addition to being a phenomenal X's and O's coach. I would expect them to be in the Final Four when it's all said and done.
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I have always thought very highly of Mark Few's ability to recruit and coach. I was in Phoenix and was rooting for the Zag's 2 years ago. Now, who is the better fisherman, Few or Barnes? :)
 
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#13
#13
DeepSpringsVol said:
They will be tough out with or without a key player. Mark Few has plenty of talent but he has more than that the ability to get the most out of whoever he has and not matter who he does not.
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Should be a great college basketball game down in the desert next month. The linked article makes a casual reference to r/s Jr. Brandon Clarke. Clarke averaged 18 and 9 for San Jose State as a soph before transferring to Gonzaga and sitting out last season. It's true ... the Zags WILL miss Tillie (his 13-14 from 3 point range in the WCC tourney helped get his season average to 48 percent) .... but there are other shooters and the 3 man big rotation will have to do until his return. But it's a pretty good 3 man rotation (to go with the two 5th year Senior guards).

Good luck to the Vols. It'll be tough, but it'd be pretty cool if both squads were unbeaten when we meet in Phoenix.
 
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#16
#16
LittleCat said:
Yeah...because Gonzaga has such a long history of going deep into the postseason after beating all those cupcakes.

Oh wait.
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Good call. It's ALL about the cupcakes.

While Gonzaga doesn't come close to having Kentucky's history and pedigree, it's funny how the Zags happen to be in the midst of a handful of notable National streaks/achievements (achieved while playing league games in a non- Power 5 conference).

1. Here's the entire list of all NCAA D1 schools (out of 353) who have made it to the Sweet 16 and beyond the past 4 seasons: Gonzaga
(includes 2 Elite 8's and a Final Four ... National Championship game). Missing from this list ... Kentucky.

2. Here's the entire list of all NCAA D1 schools (out of 353) who have won at least one game in the dance the past 10 seasons: Kansas, Gonzaga
(includes 6 Sweet 16's, 2 Elite 8's and a Final Four .... National Championship game). Missing from this list .... Kentucky.

3. Here's the entire list of all NCAA D1 schools (out of 353) who have made it to the dance every year for the past 20 seasons: Duke, Kansas, Michigan State Gonzaga. Missing from this list ... Kentucky.

(Gonzaga with an average seed of 6.5 has gone "one and done" only 3 times in the 20 straight dances, winning their opening round game 17 out of 20 times)

4. Over those past 20 years, a grand total of 6 players have achieved the "Bill Walton Double/Double" (Top 5 Academic All American and Top 5 All American in the same season). Walton did it three times. Here is the list: Shane Battier - Duke (2001) Dan Dickau - Gonzaga (2002) Emeka Okafor - UConn (2004) D.J. Augustine - Texas (2008) Kelly Olynyk - Gonzaga (2013) Nigel Williams-Goss - Gonzaga (2017)
Thus .... half of these guys are Zags. Missing from this list ... anybody from Kentucky.

5. And finally, here's a headline from 2018 that will NEVER be associated with the Kentucky Wildcats. "Gonzaga Athletics No. 1 in the nation in APR" (Zags were actually tied with Holy Cross and Nova)

GU Athletics No. 1 in Nation in APR - Gonzaga University


But you are correct, "Little"Cat. It is ALL about the cupcakes.

Really looking forward to seeing the Vols in Phoenix. Had a blast at the game in Nashville a couple of years ago. It's too bad Kentucky won't agree to playing the Zags home and home (or neutral/neutral) ... since schools like Tennessee, North Carolina, UCLA, Michigan State, Indiana, Arizona, Virginia, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, UConn, Missouri etc etc etc have.



And my Buddy's Grandson donning a Vols jersey and taking the floor at halftime .... Big "D" was awesome in the kid's dunking contest

 
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#17
#17
GoZags said:
Good call. It's ALL about the cupcakes.

While Gonzaga doesn't come close to having Kentucky's history and pedigree, it's funny how the Zags happen to be in the midst of a handful of notable National streaks/achievements (achieved while playing league games in a non- Power 5 conference).

1. Here's the entire list of all NCAA D1 schools (out of 353) who have made it to the Sweet 16 and beyond the past 4 seasons: Gonzaga
(includes 2 Elite 8's and a Final Four ... National Championship game). Missing from this list ... Kentucky.

2. Here's the entire list of all NCAA D1 schools (out of 353) who have won at least one game in the dance the past 10 seasons: Kansas, Gonzaga
(includes 6 Sweet 16's, 2 Elite 8's and a Final Four .... National Championship game). Missing from this list .... Kentucky.

3. Here's the entire list of all NCAA D1 schools (out of 353) who have made it to the dance every year for the past 20 seasons: Duke, Kansas, Michigan State Gonzaga. Missing from this list ... Kentucky.

(Gonzaga with an average seed of 6.5 has gone "one and done" only 3 times in the 20 straight dances, winning their opening round game 17 out of 20 times)

4. Over those past 20 years, a grand total of 6 players have achieved the "Bill Walton Double/Double" (Top 5 Academic All American and Top 5 All American in the same season). Walton did it three times. Here is the list: Shane Battier - Duke (2001) Dan Dickau - Gonzaga (2002) Emeka Okafor - UConn (2004) D.J. Augustine - Texas (2008) Kelly Olynyk - Gonzaga (2013) Nigel Williams-Goss - Gonzaga (2017)
Thus .... half of these guys are Zags. Missing from this list ... anybody from Kentucky.

5. And finally, here's a headline from 2018 that will NEVER be associated with the Kentucky Wildcats. "Gonzaga Athletics No. 1 in the nation in APR" (Zags were actually tied with Holy Cross and Nova)

GU Athletics No. 1 in Nation in APR - Gonzaga University


But you are correct, "Little"Cat. It is ALL about the cupcakes.

Really looking forward to seeing the Vols in Phoenix. Had a blast at the game in Nashville a couple of years ago. It's too bad Kentucky won't agree to playing the Zags home and home (or neutral/neutral) ... since schools like Tennessee, North Carolina, UCLA, Michigan State, Indiana, Arizona, Virginia, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, UConn, Missouri etc etc etc have.



And my Buddy's Grandson donning a Vols jersey and taking the floor at halftime .... Big "D" was awesome in the kid's dunking contest

Click to expand...
Mic drop
 
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#18
#18
GoZags said:
Good call. It's ALL about the cupcakes.

While Gonzaga doesn't come close to having Kentucky's history and pedigree, it's funny how the Zags happen to be in the midst of a handful of notable National streaks/achievements (achieved while playing league games in a non- Power 5 conference).

1. Here's the entire list of all NCAA D1 schools (out of 353) who have made it to the Sweet 16 and beyond the past 4 seasons: Gonzaga
(includes 2 Elite 8's and a Final Four ... National Championship game). Missing from this list ... Kentucky.

2. Here's the entire list of all NCAA D1 schools (out of 353) who have won at least one game in the dance the past 10 seasons: Kansas, Gonzaga
(includes 6 Sweet 16's, 2 Elite 8's and a Final Four .... National Championship game). Missing from this list .... Kentucky.

3. Here's the entire list of all NCAA D1 schools (out of 353) who have made it to the dance every year for the past 20 seasons: Duke, Kansas, Michigan State Gonzaga. Missing from this list ... Kentucky.

(Gonzaga with an average seed of 6.5 has gone "one and done" only 3 times in the 20 straight dances, winning their opening round game 17 out of 20 times)

4. Over those past 20 years, a grand total of 6 players have achieved the "Bill Walton Double/Double" (Top 5 Academic All American and Top 5 All American in the same season). Walton did it three times. Here is the list: Shane Battier - Duke (2001) Dan Dickau - Gonzaga (2002) Emeka Okafor - UConn (2004) D.J. Augustine - Texas (2008) Kelly Olynyk - Gonzaga (2013) Nigel Williams-Goss - Gonzaga (2017)
Thus .... half of these guys are Zags. Missing from this list ... anybody from Kentucky.

5. And finally, here's a headline from 2018 that will NEVER be associated with the Kentucky Wildcats. "Gonzaga Athletics No. 1 in the nation in APR" (Zags were actually tied with Holy Cross and Nova)

GU Athletics No. 1 in Nation in APR - Gonzaga University


But you are correct, "Little"Cat. It is ALL about the cupcakes.

Really looking forward to seeing the Vols in Phoenix. Had a blast at the game in Nashville a couple of years ago. It's too bad Kentucky won't agree to playing the Zags home and home (or neutral/neutral) ... since schools like Tennessee, North Carolina, UCLA, Michigan State, Indiana, Arizona, Virginia, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, UConn, Missouri etc etc etc have.



And my Buddy's Grandson donning a Vols jersey and taking the floor at halftime .... Big "D" was awesome in the kid's dunking contest

Click to expand...
😂😂😂😂 love it
 
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#21
#21
C/O said:
1 decent football season in the whole time since the death of our Lord and Savior, and Kentucky fans have become even more a joy to deal with than they were before.
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I was always like this though.
 
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#22
#22
LittleCat said:
Sweet 16s: 9
Elite 8s: 3
Final Fours: 1
Title Game: 1
Titles: 0

Overrated.
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I started my last post with the caveat "While Gonzaga doesn't come close to having Kentucky's history and pedigree ....." and they don't. It's not even close. That being said, let's take a peek at where they started from, as half of Kentucky's 8 National Championships (Men's Basketball) came while Gonzaga University was still an NAIA school for sports.

When Gonzaga's "cute little run" began a couple of decades ago, GU's recruiting budget ($8,000 a year) ranked dead last in the West Coast Conference. And it wasn't until the 3rd of Gonzaga's back to back to back Sweet 16's ('99-'01) that GU even purchased a high speed recorder/machine for scouting purposes. Those babies cost $25,000 and the old fashioned VHS/Beta worked just fine. And speaking of '99-'01, only three schools ... Duke, Michigan State and Gonzaga made it to the Sweet 16 (and beyond) those three seasons. Of course Duke and MSU won National titles during that stretch, but the closest Gonzaga came was 33 seconds and a possession away from the Final Four in the Elite 8 game against eventual National Champion UConn. Note .... that was when Gonzaga's recruiting budget still ranked last in the WCC. Oh ... and their back to back to back Sweet 16's (including the down to the wire Elite 8 game) came from 10/10/12 seeds in the dance.

You've used the term "Overrated". I'm sure you're aware that during the course of Gonzaga's "cute little run" of 20 straight NCAA Mens basketball dances, the Zags have had a grand total of 1 (one) Top 25 recruiting class (per 247sports formerly Scout.com). 1. Ever.

So your accurate summary of GU's 9 Sweet 16's, 3 Elite 8's, 1 Final Four/National Championship game and 0 National titles has been accomplished with 1 Top 25 recruiting class. 1. Ever.

Gonzaga isn't Kentucky. But I'm pretty sure a few of the 353 schools that play NCAA Division 1 Basketball would enjoy having Gonzaga's success on the hardwood. Many certainly have higher profiles and bigger budgets.

And speaking of Kentucky, that was a tough loss yesterday for the Top 10 football squad. I was rooting for them. Speaking of football, I find it interesting that the University of Kentucky and Gonzaga University have the exact same number of members enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hall of Famers by College - Hall of Famers | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site The Vols (we ARE "visiting" in their living room here btw) happen to have the same amount, although that will soon change. Gonzaga's football program is undefeated since 1941 (football was dropped after Pearl Harbor).

As for hoops, there's only one Zag on the NBA's alltime Top 50 greatest list. But he DOES hold 2 different alltime NBA records (assists and steals).

Overrated? Yeah.
 
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#24
#24
I kid Brotein shake. When it comes to basketball your program can say whatever it pretty much wants. And sadly the last couple of years you have more right to football props than we do
 
#25
#25
C/O said:
I kid Brotein shake. When it comes to basketball your program can say whatever it pretty much wants. And sadly the last couple of years you have more right to football props than we do
Click to expand...

I'm painfully pessimistic so I don't do much trash talking. But plenty of fellow UK fans are acting like this is the start of a dynasty or something. In reality it's just the stars aligning for a great season. Hard to see us getting used to 7+ wins.

I like Gonzaga though. I have my opinions but I still like them at the end of the day.
 
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