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Preview: Bulldogs (24-0) at Lions (11-12)
Date: February 09, 2017 10:00 PM EDT
Gonzaga's leading scorer Nigel Williams-Goss did not play last Saturday against visiting Santa Clara and the top-ranked Bulldogs still won 90-55.
Williams-Goss, who sprained his ankle in the first half at BYU last week, is questionable to play Thursday night when Gonzaga (24-0, 12-0 West Coast Conference) plays Loyola Marymount (11-12, 4-8) in Los Angeles.
The junior guard, a transfer from Washington, still played the remainder of the game against BYU and scored 24 points in the second half in the Bulldogs' 85-75 win. He was kept out of the Santa Clara game for precautionary reasons, although coach Mark Few realized he still had plenty of firepower to subdue the Broncos.
"His ankle was really, really sore," coach Mark Few said. "It was sore Friday, and then we tried to put him through as much treatment as we could. He worked out again (Saturday) afternoon and it was just really sore. We're just trying to be safe with it."
Not only is Williams-Goss the leading scorer (15.6 points per game) for Gonzaga, he is also one of the team's top defenders. If he can't play, Silas Melson is expected to again start in his place.
Melson did not turn the ball over in 33 minutes and helped slow down Santa Clara's Jared Brownridge, one of the top scorers in WCC history. Brownridge finished with only 13 points, making 3 of 9 shots from the field.
The absence of Williams-Goss also opened up time for Bryan Alberts, who has averaged just 6.3 minutes and has not played in five games. Alberts finished with three points and three assists. He played turnover-free for 16 minutes and also helped defending Brownridge.
"Our best player sitting out, just goes back to the depth and guys are ready to step up at any time," guard Josh Perkins said. "Obviously we're a better team with Nigel and we need him out there, but the team played really well defensively and offensively."
Loyola Marymount, which lost at Gonzaga 93-55 on Jan. 12, comes into Thursday's game with four losses in its last six games.
Only two of coach Mike Dunlap's players average scoring in double figures -- guard Brandon Brown (13.7 points per game) and forward Buay Tuach (11.9).
In the first matchup, Tuach scored 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field. His teammates were a combined 13 of 48 (27.1 percent). Gonzaga shot 53.1 percent as a team with center Przemek Karnowski (7 of 10 from the field) dominating the paint.
"The biggest issue was our inability to take care of the ball," Dunlap said of his team's 22 turnovers in the game, which resulted in 25 points for the Bulldogs. "Those turnovers gave them easy baskets."
Gonzaga has won 15 consecutive games against the Lions and hold a series advantage of 68-21. The Bulldogs have won six consecutive games at Gersten Pavilion on Loyola Marymount's campus.
Date: February 09, 2017 10:00 PM EDT
Gonzaga's leading scorer Nigel Williams-Goss did not play last Saturday against visiting Santa Clara and the top-ranked Bulldogs still won 90-55.
Williams-Goss, who sprained his ankle in the first half at BYU last week, is questionable to play Thursday night when Gonzaga (24-0, 12-0 West Coast Conference) plays Loyola Marymount (11-12, 4-8) in Los Angeles.
The junior guard, a transfer from Washington, still played the remainder of the game against BYU and scored 24 points in the second half in the Bulldogs' 85-75 win. He was kept out of the Santa Clara game for precautionary reasons, although coach Mark Few realized he still had plenty of firepower to subdue the Broncos.
"His ankle was really, really sore," coach Mark Few said. "It was sore Friday, and then we tried to put him through as much treatment as we could. He worked out again (Saturday) afternoon and it was just really sore. We're just trying to be safe with it."
Not only is Williams-Goss the leading scorer (15.6 points per game) for Gonzaga, he is also one of the team's top defenders. If he can't play, Silas Melson is expected to again start in his place.
Melson did not turn the ball over in 33 minutes and helped slow down Santa Clara's Jared Brownridge, one of the top scorers in WCC history. Brownridge finished with only 13 points, making 3 of 9 shots from the field.
The absence of Williams-Goss also opened up time for Bryan Alberts, who has averaged just 6.3 minutes and has not played in five games. Alberts finished with three points and three assists. He played turnover-free for 16 minutes and also helped defending Brownridge.
"Our best player sitting out, just goes back to the depth and guys are ready to step up at any time," guard Josh Perkins said. "Obviously we're a better team with Nigel and we need him out there, but the team played really well defensively and offensively."
Loyola Marymount, which lost at Gonzaga 93-55 on Jan. 12, comes into Thursday's game with four losses in its last six games.
Only two of coach Mike Dunlap's players average scoring in double figures -- guard Brandon Brown (13.7 points per game) and forward Buay Tuach (11.9).
In the first matchup, Tuach scored 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field. His teammates were a combined 13 of 48 (27.1 percent). Gonzaga shot 53.1 percent as a team with center Przemek Karnowski (7 of 10 from the field) dominating the paint.
"The biggest issue was our inability to take care of the ball," Dunlap said of his team's 22 turnovers in the game, which resulted in 25 points for the Bulldogs. "Those turnovers gave them easy baskets."
Gonzaga has won 15 consecutive games against the Lions and hold a series advantage of 68-21. The Bulldogs have won six consecutive games at Gersten Pavilion on Loyola Marymount's campus.
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