#2 Gonzaga set to rematch San Francisco

Gonzaga will take on the San Francisco Dons for the second time this season on February 7.  In their first matchup back on January 8, Gonzaga prevailed 88-57.  The Dons will be looking for revenge, but may have a hard time getting it.

Gonzaga’s offensive attack is more balanced than ever.  Five players average double figures in scoring.  On any given night any player can step up and have a huge game as well.  It will be tough for San Francisco to shut down this high octane offense.

In Gonzaga’s last game, a 77-63 win over Santa Clara, Kyle Wiltjer had an uncharacteristic showboat dunk as time expired and the Zags had already secured the win.  Mark Few was furious with Wiltjer.  It will be interesting to see if this affects how many minutes he gets this game or not.  Wiltjer publicly apologized and the apology was well received among fans of both teams.  I think that Wiltjer’s minutes probably won’t change, but we’ll have to wait and see.

San Francisco continues to struggle with a 3-9 record in the WCC.  Senior

Jan 8, 2015; Spokane, WA, USA; San Francisco Dons forward Kruize Pinkins (15) puts up a shot against Gonzaga Bulldogs center Przemek Karnowski (24) during the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

forward, Kruize Pinkins continues to be a bright spot for the Dons.  He is averaging 15.2 points per game.  In the first matchup between these two teams, Pinkins had 20 points.  This is something that the Zags tend to do.  They let one player score a lot and shut virtually everyone else down.  If the Zags hope to play a perfect game this time around, they will have to shut Pinkins down.

The Zags have had their struggles in San Francisco.  A lot of people see this as a trap game historically.  I think the Zags will win, but they cannot take their opponent for granted.

The game is on Saturday, February 7 at 8:30 p.m. PT.  It will be broadcast on ESPN2.