Gonzaga came into the tournament as an overwhelming favorite but they haven’t looked like a dominant team ala 2009 North Carolina.
The Bulldogs pulled away in the last 10 minutes in their first two games against Georgia State and Memphis.
Tonight against Arkansas, they’ll have a distinct, physical advantage.
Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren should have opportunities to imprint the outcome of the game.
Of the two, Holmgren is the one who can put up video game numbers because of his versatility. The 7’1″ has the ability to score inside-out and on the defensive end, he could be a dominant rim protector.
As for Arkansas, Eric Musselman and his crew have a dilemma.
On paper, the Razorbacks need to muck up the game a bit by forcing an aggressive, physical presence on the perimeter without the pace of the game getting too fast or they will have the same issues Memphis had in the second half of their game with the Zags.
The NCAA tournament is a “survive and advance” event but it’s hard to forget the struggles of Arkansas in the first two rounds against Vermont and New Mexico.
Keys:
Fast Start: The Zags haven’t gotten off to the best starts in the first two games of the tournament. A fast start would force to Razorbacks to play at an uncomfortable pace.
Pace: Speaking of pace, as I said above, Arkansas needs to be able to control it. That doesn’t mean to play slow. It means to pick and choose their spots where they want to play fast.
Paint Touches: This goes for both teams. If Gonzaga can get a foot in the paint, their entire offense is open. That can’t happen if you’re on the Arkansas side because they can’t win an offensively based game. For Arkansas, a foot in the paint can lead to much needed second shot opportunities. A must for the Razorbacks.
