Gonzaga Basketball

Although Gonzaga will lose Brandon Clarke and Rui Hachimura to the 2019 NBA draft, the men's basketball team will reportedly get a big boost with the return of forward Killian Tillie.

Jeff Goodman of Stadium reported the news Tuesday with a breakdown of what it could mean for Tillie:

Gonzaga’s Killian Tillie is expected to return to school, source told @Stadium. HUGE news for the Zags. If he can stay healthy, could be a guy who moves into first-round lock conversation a year from now.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 28, 2019

Tillie missed much of last season due to a foot injury, appearing in only 15 games. When he was on the court, he took a backseat to Clarke and Hachimura and averaged 6.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in 16.6 minutes per game.

The prior year, Tillie showed he can be an impact player.

The 6'10" forward averaged 12.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore, making a positive impact on both ends of the court. Perhaps most impressively, he has made 47 percent of his three-point attempts during his three years at Gonzaga.

His outside shooting ability combined with his height could make him an ideal stretch big man in the NBA. While he needs to improve his shot-blocking ability, Tillie can be a useful weapon in the meantime.

Unfortunately, he suffered a sprained ankle in workouts and missed the NBA Draft Combine, hurting his opportunity to potentially raise his stock in front of scouts.

Goodman previously reported Tillie's decision to return to school could "go either way," but it now seems as though he will play one more year with the Bulldogs.

Although Gonzaga will have to replace a lot of talent going into next season, Tillie, Filip Petrusev and Corey Kispert could form a quality frontcourt in 2019-20.

Gonzaga junior forward Brandon Clarke announced Wednesday he's declared for the 2019 NBA draft, but retains the option to return to the Bulldogs for his senior season.

Clarke, who spent the 2018-19 campaign with the Zags after playing two years at San Jose State, provided a statement about his decision:

"First, I would like to thank my family for their continued support of my basketball career. I would also like to thank coach [Mark] Few and the entire Gonzaga coaching staff for sharing their knowledge of the game. I transferred to GU to develop my game and learn as much as I could from the top coaching staff in the country. With their help, I am confident in the player I have become and I'm ready for the next step.

"My teammates, my brothers, I cannot thank them enough. These have been the best two years of my life. Lastly, I want to thank the best fans in the country, Zag Nation. I will always be proud to be a Zag! With the support from our coaching staff and my family, I have decided to chase my dream of playing in the NBA."

Clarke enjoyed a terrific season for the Bulldogs. Nationally, he ranked third in blocks per game (3.09) and fourth in shooting percentage (69.3 percent). He also averaged 16.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals across 37 appearances.

The 22-year-old Vancouver native was named the West Coast Conference's Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. He also earned First Team All-WCC and Third Team All-American honors.

He'll face questions about how his game would translate to the NBA level, though.

Clarke doesn't fit the mold of a modern stretch-4 because he attempted just 24 threes during his collegiate career, and only connected on 25 percent of those shots. But at 6'8'', 215 pounds, he also doesn't possess the size of a prototypical post player.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected the power forward would go No. 16 overall to the Brooklyn Nets in his latest mock draft, writing:

"Clarke averaged 20.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.8 blocks through four NCAA tournament games, further strengthening his case as a potential lottery pick. He won't win over every front office as a 22-year-old with a limited offensive game. But the Nets, now a playoff team, could value his motor and athleticism in an energy role right away."

The Desert Vista High School (Arizona) product does possess upside thanks to his athleticism and defensive skill set, but his ability to provide the value typically associated with a lottery pick will likely depend on him developing effective outside shooting.

Clarke will get a chance to showcase any progress in that area at the NBA Draft Combine, which kicks off May 14 in Chicago.

Gonzaga Bulldogs junior forward Rui Hachimura declared for the 2019 NBA draft Monday, according to Jeff Goodman of Stadium:  

Gonzaga junior Rui Hachimura has declared for the NBA Draft. According to most NBA executives, he’ll go in the 8-15 range. Improved his stock from a year ago, but more importantly: Far more prepared to make an impact in the NBA now than if he’d gone after last season.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 15, 2019

Hachimura has shown significant improvement in all three seasons. After playing sparingly as a freshman, he averaged 11.6 points and 4.7 rebounds as a sophomore.

But he took his biggest leap this year, leading Gonzaga with 19.7 points per game while adding 6.5 rebounds per contest. He also shot 59.1 percent from the field.

There's little question that Hachimura can score points, with the ability to get buckets in the midrange or near the basket. But in the NBA, there are some question marks about how much his current weaknesses could impact his game.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, for instance, noted, "Concerns about his fit are worth considering, being that he isn't a plus three-point shooter, passer or defender."

And one college coach told Sam Vecenie of The Athletic: "He's really strong, fast, good. But unless he can consistently stick the three and the jump shot, at the next level they're all just like him. So they'll gap him, and when he drives they'll body him and he won't get to the rim."

All three coaches that Vecenie spoke to had concerns about Hachimura's defense. But it's obvious Hachimura has serious upside.

"I've just heard the Kawhi [Leonard] comparison here recently. I think at this point, they are very similar," one coach said. "Rui may shoot it a little better at this stage of his career. He's extremely physical. He can play inside-out."

He added: "Defensively, I don't think he's that interested as Kawhi was. But I think his offense is further along."

It's a major comparison, and one Hachimura may never live up to. Leonard is a bonafide superstar, after all. But Hachimura has serious upside, and he should be a lottery pick this year. And if he can clean up some of his weaknesses, he could be an All-Star at the next level.

Gonzaga senior guard Josh Perkins told reporters that his technical foul late in the second half of his team's 75-69 loss to Texas Tech in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament will be on his mind "forever."

“Instinctively I reached at it. Bonehead play. Something I’ll think about forever.”

Gonzaga guard Josh Perkins explains his technical foul on the Texas Tech inbounds play. pic.twitter.com/6XiilBI5ZV

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) March 31, 2019

Texas Tech led 71-69 with 12 seconds remaining and was set to inbound the ball underneath its basket. However, Perkins accidentally knocked the ball from Texas Tech guard Matt Mooney's hands before it crossed the plane between the out-of-bounds area and the court.

Perkins with the technical foul on the inbounds... #MarchMadness https://t.co/36N9GGDDnd

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 31, 2019

The officials correctly called a technical foul, leading to two Red Raiders free throws and possession. Texas Tech then tacked on two more shots from the charity stripe after a Bulldogs foul, effectively sealing the Red Raiders' Final Four trip.

Perkins is not the reason Gonzaga lost this game, as 16 turnovers and a 26.9 three-point percentage were arguably the biggest culprits.

In fact, Perkins was the reason the Bulldogs had a chance to win.

The Bulldogs were down 69-62 with 52 seconds remaining, but Perkins scored five straight points to pull the Zags within two. He knocked down four three-pointers en route to his 16-point evening.

Perkins was also a four-year starter for the Bulldogs during an era when they went 130-19 and made the 2017 championship. He has nothing to be ashamed of as his collegiate career closes, even if Saturday's game ended in disappointment.

The Bulldogs end their 2018-19 campaign with a 33-4 record. Texas Tech will play the winner of No. 1 overall seed Duke and No. 2 Michigan State in the Final Four next Saturday.

After elimination at the hands of Florida State in last season's NCAA men's basketball tournament, No. 1 Gonzaga avenged its loss Thursday with a 72-58 win over the No. 4 Seminoles.

The two battled in the Sweet 16 last year, and Florida State came away with a 75-60 victory. But 12 months later, the Bulldogs responded with a win in the same round against the same opponent. 

Brandon Clarke was the star of this contest even without the scoring he had last game. He tallied 15 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Rui Hachimura helped out the scoring with 17 points to help the top-seeded squad reach the West region finals.

Trent Forrest was the leading scorer for Florida State with 20 in the loss, while Terance Mann was held to just five points on 1-of-8 from the field.

Coming into the game, the big discussion was about how Gonzaga's offense would fare against Florida State's defense. However, it was the Bulldogs' defense that shined to start the game.

Gonzaga can play a little defense too, it turns out

— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) March 28, 2019

Florida State looks totally lost going against a set Gonzaga defense. That's where Gonzaga is winning this game. Don't let the ball go through the hoop and you don't have to deal with their fullcourt defense.

— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) March 28, 2019

Florida State struggled to get anything going in the halfcourt and finished the first half with nine turnovers and just 10 made baskets. 

The half was summed up by a steal from Josh Perkins in the final seconds:

What a sequence from Perkins before the half 😤#MarchMadness https://t.co/FVVFkjbnpU

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 29, 2019

With Gonzaga playing as well offensively as we have come to expect, the No. 1 seed was able to go into halftime with an 11-point lead.

This margin was a pretty good sign for the favored team:

(1) Gonzaga leads (4) Florida State 38-27 at the half.

Gonzaga has won 43 straight games when leading at the half dating back to last season. pic.twitter.com/MKGavJf8pw

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 29, 2019

Under Mark Few, Gonzaga is 264-1 (.996) when leading by 11+ points at halftime. pic.twitter.com/EBeipqplyY

— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) March 29, 2019

Mark Few was able to add to these marks thanks to a defense that held its opponent to 3-of-20 from three-point range.

The Seminoles certainly made things interesting after picking up the defensive intensity in the second half, with turnovers leading to offense:

TERANCE. MANN. 🔨 #Sweet16#MarchMadness | @FSUHoops pic.twitter.com/NU4pIljM9P

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2019

THE SEMINOLES CUT IT TO 6! 👀 #Sweet16#MarchMadness | @FSUHoops pic.twitter.com/VFle7bfN9v

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2019

This helped the No. 4 seed climb back into contention, cutting the lead down to four with less than four minutes remaining.

However, seemingly every time Florida State got momentum, Gonzaga was there with a big dunk to get energy back on their side:

SHEESH 🤭#MarchMadness https://t.co/2PhOjAapqV

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 29, 2019

Perfect cut. Big finish. 💪#MarchMadness https://t.co/gdoxL0lfNw

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 29, 2019

A clutch Zach Norvell three-pointer with 3:02 remaining then helped kickstart a 7-0 run to pull away and seal the victory.

It wasn't always pretty, but the Bulldogs matched their opponents' intensity and won the rebounding advantage 45-36 to get within one win of the Final Four. 

Christ Koumadje being in foul trouble most of the game certainly helped in this regard.

The squad will advance to the Elite Eight Saturday to take on the winner of No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 Texas Tech.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZR8688C-MA

Adam Morrison, the former Gonzaga star, reflects on his legacy—from his "Dirk Diggler" hotel alias to his Larry Bird mustache, to infamously crying after Gonzaga's 2006 Sweet 16 loss.

Top-seeded Gonzaga defeated ninth-seeded Baylor 83-71 to advance to the Sweet 16 of the 2019 NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Brandon Clarke led the Zags with 36 points—a school record in the Big Dance—on 15-of-18 shooting, while Rui Hachimura finished with six points and five boards.

A 22-point effort from Makai Mason helped propel the Bears into the second round with a win over Syracuse, but the senior guard was unable to provide similar heroics Saturday. Mason shot 5-of-16 en route to 17 points.

Hachimura often grabs the headlines for Gonzaga. He's the team's leading scorer (20.1 points entering Saturday) and is widely considered the Bulldogs' best pro prospect. Against Baylor, Clarke showed why he was just as important to Gonzaga's success this season.

Two years ago, Clarke averaged 17.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists for a San Jose State team that finished 14-16. On Saturday, he enjoyed arguably the best performance of his college career in his biggest game to date.

I know Gonzaga’s lauded redshirt development is a factor in why Brandon Clarke is Brandon Clarke, but seriously, how did he slip through the cracks and end up at San Jose State in the first place? Dude is such a stud.

— Scott Phillips (@phillipshoops) March 24, 2019

In addition to his gaudy point total, Clarke had eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and five blocks. According to ESPN Stats & Info (h/t ESPN.com's Jeff Borzello), he's the third player in tournament history with at least 35 points and five blocks—Shaquille O'Neal and David Robinson being the others.

This will be a showing that NBA scouts and team executives look at frequently whenever the time comes for Clarke to enter the draft.

Brandon Clarke is, as they say, making himself (more) money tonight.

— Dana O'Neil (@DanaONeilWriter) March 24, 2019

As great as he was, Baylor might have made this more of a game were it not for the team's dreadful offensive start. The Bears shot 8-of-27 from the field and 1-of-10 from beyond the arc over the first 20 minutes.

#Gonzaga has:
-Taken away Baylor's 3-point game
-Dominated defensive rebounds
-Dominated offensive rebounds

-And, Brandon Clarke.#GoZags #GonzagaExists #ZagUp

— Gary Horcher (@GaryKIRO7) March 23, 2019

Baylor’s defense has held Gonzaga without a field goal for 2:34 and nothing to show for it. Still trail by a ton.

— Nick Canizales (@NickCanizales) March 23, 2019

Compounding matters, Clarke was scoring at will inside. He made eight of his 10 shots and dropped 18 points on Baylor in the first half. At 6'8", the junior forward doesn't possess overwhelming size, yet he feasted on a Bears defense that has struggled with rim protection for much of the season.

On occasion, Gonzaga turned its suffocating defense into quick points. Geno Crandall capitalized on an errant pass to get a steal and then find Clarke for a breakaway two-handed jam to put the Bulldogs ahead 23-11 with 9:48 left in the half.

The Zags also used ball movement to get Baylor out of position and open up a lane to the basket for Clarke.

Baylor stormed out of the gates to open the second half, going on a 10-0 run and trimming its deficit to six points.

It's a 10-0 run!!!! Bears needed only 1:52 of game time to cut the deficit from 16 to 6. Gonzaga timeout, Bears trail 39-33, 18:08 left. Let's goooooo!!!!!#SicGonzaga 🐻 | #1TGF 🏀 | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/CpQBL03qYg

— Baylor Men’s Basketball (@BaylorMBB) March 24, 2019

Shortly after the Bears' blistering run, though, Mark Vital, who had 17 points and eight rebounds, picked up his third and fourth fouls of the game, thus necessitating his move to the bench. The sophomore guard returned and tried to stem the tide by getting three points the hard way as Baylor trailed 55-44.

Although putting Vital on the floor with four fouls made sense for Baylor, he had to hold back a bit, lest he get his fifth and foul out. That was a clear problem when Gonzaga switched Clarke onto Vital on defense.

Vital had to statue against Clarke on defense because he has four fouls. Even yelled to the bench, "I've got four fouls!"

— John Marshall (@jmarshallap) March 24, 2019

The Bears continued to hang around throughout the second half but couldn't get within striking distance. Their 10-point run gave the fans some hope, but once that fizzled out, Gonzaga regained control.

For the Zags, Clarke essentially represented two automatic points on offense. As long as they funneled the ball inside to him, their possessions generally ended with a bucket.

By looking at Hachimura's stat line, one would've expected Gonzaga to be in serious danger of a second-round exit. Instead, Clarke stepped up, and the supporting cast did its part as well. Corey Kispert and Josh Perkins had 16 and 11 points apiece, and Killian Tillie's six rebounds helped the Bulldogs own a 39-27 edge on the glass.

        

What's Next?

Gonzaga will play No. 4 Florida State in the West Regional semifinals. The Seminoles beat Murray State 90-62 on Saturday.

Brandon Clarke halted Baylor's second-half momentum with a massive putback dunk for the No. 1-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs. 

After Killian Tillie was unable to finish an alley-oop pass from Josh Perkins, Clarke was waiting to put Gonzaga back up nine points. 

The Bulldogs led by as many as 19 points in the first half before Baylor made a run to get back into it. 

While casual college basketball fans might not have seen Gonzaga play much during the year, the No. 1 seed is doing its best to show what it can do on the national stage.

Brandon Clarke sent a message early in Saturday's game against No. 9 Baylor with a huge windmill dunk less than seven minutes into the game.

The big play started with a steal by Geno Crandall, who tossed it ahead to Clarke for the thunderous jam.

Clarke has been one of the most underrated players in the country this season as the Bulldogs' second-leading scorer. Those watching him for the first time are getting a show in Round 2 of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. 

The Gonzaga Bulldogs may have been one of the original Cinderellas, but they have no time for underdogs anymore.

The West Region's top seed in the 2019 NCAA men's basketball tournament defeated No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson 87-49 on Thursday in Salt Lake City. Gonzaga is now one victory away from its fifth consecutive Sweet 16 appearance.

Rui Hachimura led a balanced attack with 21 points and eight rebounds, while Killian Tillie (17 points and four assists off the bench), Brandon Clarke (14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks) and Zach Norvell (11 points, seven dimes and five boards) provided effective support.

Elyjah Williams spearheaded the losing effort for the Knights with 10 points and nine boards.

              

Consistent Defense Key to Unlocking Gonzaga's Championship Potential

Nobody plays offense better than Gonzaga.

The Bulldogs led the country in points per game at 88.8 and check in at No. 1 in KenPom's offensive efficiency rankings. They used pace early and often in the victory, overwhelming the New Jersey school with a drastic talent difference and not leaving a single doubt.

Gonzaga can turn toward a number of options, including Hachimura, the West Coast Conference Player of the Year. He scored 20.1 points a night with the ability to find the basket in the lane, slash into openings when defenders collapse on ball-handlers and hit from the outside.

While the go-to scorer doesn't shoot from deep often, he connected on a blistering 46.9 percent of his triples this season.

Rui Hachimura is leading the charge for the Zags with 14 first-half points! 🔥#MarchMadness | @ZagMBB pic.twitter.com/Q3R4sGxQX5

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 22, 2019

Gonzaga hung 53 on FDU at half 😳#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/ks3lFbdZOE

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 22, 2019

The Bulldogs also have Norvell (15.3 PPG) and Josh Perkins (11.0 PPG) as capable playmakers on the outside, and second-leading scorer Clarke (16.5 PPG) to light up the scoreboard. It is nearly impossible to effectively double Hachimura with so many other players who can capitalize on the openings he creates.

That type of offense means Gonzaga doesn't have to play shutdown defense every night, but it will win the national championship if it does.

For as excellent as the offense was against the Knights, the defense was suffocating when the game was still hanging in the balance. FDU shot 5-of-26 from the field (20 percent) with 10 turnovers in the first half, struggling to create any open looks against the Bulldogs.

Darnell Edge and Jahlil Jenkins were unstoppable in their victory over Prairie View on Tuesday with a combined 55 points but were a mere 1-of-9 from the field in the opening 20 minutes and never had a chance. 

Gonzaga is absolutely annihilating FDU on defense. Four possessions by my count that the Knights have had to take a shot with the clock within single digits.

— Brenna Greene (@BrennaGreene_) March 21, 2019

The Zags have no real weaknesses—hence the No. 1 seed and 30-3 record—but the defense was not as effective as their offense during the regular season. It was 16th in KenPom's rankings and struggled in a handful of high-profile games outside of the WCC.

Gonzaga allowed 103 points to North Carolina, 92 points to Creighton and 87 to Duke, although it is a testament to its offensive brilliance that it won the latter two games. Cameron Johnson, Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Ty-Shon Alexander all scored more than 20 points against the Bulldogs.

That could be a problem for the West's top seed if it faces Murray State's Ja Morant in the Sweet 16. The NBA-ready point guard notched a triple-double in a win over Marquette on Thursday and is talented enough to turn small openings into game-changing plays in a pressure-packed tournament setting.

JA JAM! 🔨#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/aNiZCNwFah

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 21, 2019

The Bulldogs will need to play better defense than they did against North Carolina and others, and the fact they turned on the postseason switch and played so well on that end in a game they could have easily overlooked Thursday bodes well for their chances in the later rounds.

This is a Final-Four-or-bust season for the No. 1 seed that has established itself as one of the best programs in college basketball. The offense will be there all tournament, so the defense holds the key to cutting down the nets.

         

What's Next?

Gonzaga faces either No. 8 Syracuse or No. 9 Baylor in the round of 32 on Saturday.