What The Gonzaga Bulldogs Need To Do To Advance To The Final Four—And Win It!

This weeks Sweet 16 game against the North Carolina Tar Heels is the second meeting between these two teams.

The last time the Zags and Tar Heels met was in the semi final of the NIT in 2006. Gonzaga won that game 82-74, with a championship game on the line.

Many of this year’s superstars, for both teams, were freshman in 2006.

Today, these same players are experienced, polished, aggressive, and highly touted by pro leagues everywhere who are waiting on this season’s championship and graduation.

The Tar Heels are not the same team they were when these two teams met before. North Carolina is a fine-shooting, fast-operating team who averages about 90 points a game.

The Bulldogs are not the same team either. This years Bulldog team is big and very tough to penetrate on the defensive side of the ball. The Zags offer size from center to guard.

The Bulldogs are also extremely fast. Gonzaga mostly loves to run and shoot. The fans love their Bulldogs because they know how explosive they can be when they’re on their game.

This season the fans for the Gonzaga Bulldogs are pressed with the question: What do the Zags need to do to advance to the Final Four?

The answer is relatively simple, Gonzaga must pressure defense and make the higher percentage of their shots.

One problem Gonzaga has is their awesome shots. Each and every player is dangerous at anytime when left open.

Therefore, it is not uncanny to see this seasons Zags haul it down the court and let fly from (way out) three-point range.

Thus, when those shots hit, the Zags are Gods. But when they do not, the opposition can come back and the end result is on the line.

That was the scenario when Gonzaga met the Huskies of Connecticut earlier this year.

The final went into the loss column for Gonzaga.

You win some, you lose some.

But this years Bulldogs are fearless. They will continue this style regardless for that is how Coach Few has trained them.

Also, Gonzaga is one of the best defensive teams in the run for the NCAA college basketball title.

The game against the Tar Heels must be aggressive to assure a Bulldog victory.

Heytvelt and company must let their size take precedence, forcing North Carolina to shoot from outside.

The Zags need to intimidate on “D” and by all means run-and-gun. If the Bulldogs are on they may blow the Tar Heels out of the gym.

Still by the time Gonzaga reaches the Final Four, they most likely will come across bigger teams equally as physical. When this occurs Gonzaga’s Bulldogs must be able to ascertain run or slow down.

The saying "live by the sword, die by the sword" is more than a saying.

The greatest swordsmen know to keep the signature kill always available, but the opponent must need to know his best work has been observed and is not a threat.

Defensively, Gonzaga has no equal.

A champion can be crowned in Spokane Washington, but for that to occur the Bulldogs are going to have to get physical and not just be but stay relentless.

Go Bulldogs!