The Gonzaga Ladies’s workforce play two video games this week at residence. The primary comes towards Santa Clara on Thursday at 9pm EST and the second comes towards USD on Saturday at 5pm EST. Thursday’s sport will characteristic on SWX and each matchups can be proven nationally on ESPN+. Let’s bounce into the primary of those two groups and spotlight some areas that may very well be key to a contented homestead.
Santa Clara got here into convention play wanting like actual contenders with their spectacular protection complemented properly by an efficient offense. Since publishing this mid-season evaluate of the workforce on 9 days in the past, the Broncos have solely performed one sport the place they emerged victorious in a barn burner towards the Pacific Tigers that ended 80-77. This marked solely the third time this season Santa Clara has given up 70 or extra factors and the primary of which they’ve received.
Star junior guard Tess Heal prolonged her streak to 5 video games with of 20 or extra factors by dropping 30 factors (7-14 FG and 15-17 FT) whereas additionally including 6 assists and 4 rebounds. The opposite notable performances embody the workforce’s second main scorer, Olivia Pollerd, stepping up for 20 factors (9-18 FG), 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and a pair of blocks together with their third main scorer, Marya Hudgins, contributing 12 factors (4-9 FG, all threes), 4 rebounds, and a pair of help. Whereas the workforce solely managed to shoot 43% from two, they shot a formidable 41% from deep on 27 makes an attempt, which represents about 7% greater than their season common.
The principle key to this victory for the Broncos appears to be like to have come from two details. First, Tess Heal received the foul line 17 instances and made 15 of her makes an attempt. Whereas this didn’t result in anybody from Pacific fouling out, it did kill a few of their momentum at instances and compelled the teaching workers to make use of lower than superb substitution patterns. Second, Pacific dedicated 14 turnovers, which was under their season common of practically 18, however these led to 17 factors by the Santa Clara. These errors have to harm for a Tigers workforce that shot 54.5% general from the sector, matched the Broncos in complete rebounds whereas efficiently making all of their second likelihood alternatives, and exceeded their season scoring common.
As you possibly can most likely inform from the person statistics famous above, Santa Clara doesn’t characteristic the deepest workforce with reference to level manufacturing so determining the right way to restrict certainly one of both Heal or Pollerd will probably dictate how Gonzaga fares tonight. On the subject of Heal, I feel one essential issue can be limiting her journeys to the foul line as a result of she’s averaging 6.5 makes an attempt per sport and making 91% of her makes an attempt. For some perspective, Yvonne leads all Gonzaga gamers in free throws and she or he averages simply over 3 per sport. Simply based mostly on watching the Pacific sport and her season averages, Tess desires to drive the ball the place she’ll both draw the foul, take it to the ring, or kick it outdoors for a fringe shot. She tends to make use of her agility and studying of the defenders’ positioning to make well timed cuts reasonably than outright velocity so positional self-discipline can be essential as a result of nearly all of Santa Clara’s three pointers look to come back from spot-up makes an attempt due to inappropriate assist protection from drivers.
Whereas Hess clearly leads her workforce in factors, Santa Clara is stuffed with pretty good shooters at quite a lot of positions and so they sixty fourth nationally with an almost 35% clip from three level vary with 7 gamers averaging a minimum of 1 per sport. For comparability, Gonzaga has simply 4 gamers averaging greater than 1 per sport. Pollerd presents an fascinating matchup for the reason that ahead contributes her scoring pretty evenly from each inside (6.4 2FG/g) and out of doors (6.1 3FG/g) so her defender will have to be versatile with their project. Marya Hudgins leads her workforce in rebounds with 7.6, however she’s not simply going to post-up inside as evident by her 38% three level capturing on three makes an attempt per sport. Jayde Cadee might solely play 14 minutes per sport, however she’s chucking up 4 three pointers per sport and changing just below 39% of these makes an attempt. Lara Edmanson averages simply over 7 factors per sport and whereas she’ll primarily be a menace inside together with her 53% 2FG, she will be able to additionally step outdoors and knock down the occasional three as she’s averaging practically 43% from vary.
One factor I observed whereas watching the Pacific sport was that when Heal wasn’t initiating the offense, she would typically slot down into the correct nook and mainly simply camp out whereas her teammates ran the offense. Given her utilization price (31% on the season), this might current a chance for Gonzaga to play nearly 5 on 4 since Heal doesn’t look to take many spot-up three pointers and didn’t present a lot off-ball motion towards the Tigers
Gonzaga’s capturing towards Portland was not nice, however they nonetheless managed to put up 74 factors. As famous above, Santa Clara has solely received one sport wherein they’ve given up 70 factors and in video games after they’ve given up 60 factors, they’re solely 2-3 with a type of wins coming towards lowly Sacramento State (340th NET). Should you have been to inform me proper now that the Bulldogs rating 80 factors, I’d really feel immensely assured in sending the Broncos residence with a loss as a result of outdoors of their prime three scorers, I simply don’t suppose Santa Clara has the wanted offensive firepower to maintain up provided that they’ve solely carried out it twice this 12 months towards D1 opponents. That’s to say this received’t be a troublesome matchup provided that the Broncos have crushed Oregon and Arizona State to gas their 61st NET rating, but when Gonzaga performs on the stage we’ve seen this 12 months, I feel they win.
Individually, I’m actually hoping one, or each, of the Truong sisters get away of their droop. For the reason that Stanford sport, Kaylynne is averaging simply 7.5 factors (25% 2FG and 35% 3FG) and she or he’s eclipsed 10 factors simply twice. Over the identical time-frame, Kayleigh has carried out nicely with practically 12 factors per sport, however she’s solely shot above 40% as soon as and is coming off a 1-7 efficiency towards Portland. It’d even be superb to see Eliza hit a few of her three pointers as a result of it provides a complete different dimension for this offense and, it ought to go with out saying, Yvonne has to keep away from foul bother as a result of she’s a star and the driving force of the bus.
What do y’all consider this matchup? What are you on the lookout for tonight?