Coaching Career of B. Youngblood (CH2K8)

[Deuce2223]

BEAT #5 AND NOW #1 BUT STILL NO TOP-25

Coming off a National Championship run and 30 win season, Gonzaga has started the year 8-1, with now 2 Top-5 wins on the road yet Coach Youngblood and the Zag's are getting black balled in the Top-25 rankings.

Just how little respect does the media currently have for the Zag's. Well after their loss to GU, UCLA dropped from #1 to #13 and the Coaches? Well they have even less respect dropping the Bruins all the way to #16.

Even the Mid Major is trying to play Jedi mind tricks with Coach YB as they have (5-1) Middle Tennessee ranked #1, well Gonzaga is #2.


Coach Youngblood

Quote:

"I don't know what we have to do to get respect but I can tell you right now, we are playing with a chip on our shoulder, so guess what. If you are our next opponent, you might want to think about that.. We are coming for you because you are our next statement to the rest of the country"

So who is next on Gonzaga's radar?

Well they host (2-5) South Illinois in "The Kennel next before 6 straight road games including the Golden Bear Classic in which they are the defending champs.

Road trip includes #11 (6-1) Syracuse and Coach Few, #23 (5-3) Texas, (6-3) Arizona and #17 (8-2) Arizona State.

The Golden Bear tourney opens up against currently (2-6) Cal Poly and (1-5) Army/(1-6) IUPUI are on the other side.

GU then returns home for a game against current (7-1) Oregon State before starting WCC play @ Santa Clara.

[JJ4]

Quote: Originally Posted by Deuce2223

FINAL SCORE GU-79 DUKE-68

not cool, man.

[Deuce2223]

(2-5)

For just the 3rd time this season, the Bulldogs will host a team inside their "Kennel". The Kennel also know as the MAC or McCarthey Athletic Center was opened in 2004 and seats just 6,000 insuring that the Bulldogs sell out every game. (Truth is this place could seat 10,000 and it would still sell out). Gonzaga opened the building with a 38 game winning streak, and as of Feb 23 2013, GU has only been defeated 8 times on the court dating back to their last loss in 2012 to Illinois.

Today a different team from Illinois came to play with the Bulldogs..

GAME RECAP

With their matchup with #11 Syracuse and Coach Few just 3 days away, some wondered if GU would over look the Salukis of S. Illniois. The Answer? Not a chance.

The Zag's would dominate from start to finish on both sides of the ball. In the 1st half it was the offense leading the way as GU take as (48-32) lead into the half. In the 2nd half it was the defense as the Bulldogs hold SIU to just 19 2nd half points as they dominate.FINAL SCORE GU-85 SIU-51

KEY PLAYERS

SR D. Amerson led 5 players in double digits with 19 pts 8 rebs and 3 blks!

FR F. Mouton added 13 pts and dished out 4 assist well hitting 3/3 from 3pt and SO SF D. McKenzie scored 11 pts and grabbed 7 rebs for the starters.

S. Blackgrove (14 pts) and A. Olson (11 pts 2/4 3pt) led the way for the bench.

[Deuce2223]

#11 (6-1)

Coach Youngblood vs Coach Few. This would mark the first of what could be many matchup's between these 2 coaches.

For Syracuse they came into the game riding a 4 game win streak including 2 straight at home (W. Michigan and Saint Joseph). Their only loss of the season was a road game to TCU (83-62).

For Gonzaga this game was about respect. Playing their 3rd road game against a Top-25 opponent, the Zag's were looking to make this a statement game as well as pour a little salt in Coach Few's wounds for leaving GU without a Final 4 appearance or a chance to play for a National Title, something Coach Youngblood did in Year 1, with many of the same players.

GAME RECAP

Gonzaga looked to run away with it in the 1st half as the Orange shoot just 2/11 from 3pt, GU would build up a 10 pt lead and go into the locker rooms up (42-32).

But with SO SG E. Odia (5* AA #8 Ovearll Mr NJ BB) struggling (4 pts 0/4 3pt), Coach Few would make a lineup change in the 2nd half that turned out to be pure gold. JR B. Crumbley (5* AA Rated #18 Overall) would come off the bench and take over hitting 4/8 3pt and scoring a team high 20 pts for the Orange as they battle back to tie the game with just 18 seconds to play (83-83).

Looking to hold the ball for the final shot, Coach YB called the timeout after advancing the ball to half court. The play was drawn up and PG R. King would take the inbound. Holding the ball at center court until just 8 seconds remained on the clock. King would drive past his defender pulling the defense up toward the FT before dishing to Amerson in the post. Amerson would spin left looking for the shot in the low post, but the Orange recover as Amerson is double teamed. With just 4 seconds to play Amerson finds Mouton wide open on the wing. Mouton takes the pass and with hesitation fires the 3pt shot.. Nothing but net!!! as the clock hits zero... FINAL SCORE GONZAGA-86 SYRACUSE-83

KEY PLAYERS

Mouton is POG as he finishes with a team high 21 pts hitting 3/4 from 3pt.

Fellow FR C. Kelly has a season/career high 13 pts and 5 reb, well PG R. King has 12 pts and 7 assist well hitting 3/5 from 3pt.

Amerson finished with 10 pts and 9 reb just missing the double double but did manage 3 blocks as he continue to be a force on defense.

S. Blackgrove led the bench with 11pts and 6 reb.

[Deuce2223]

MAYBE THE VOTERS ARE RIGHT?

So after a 10-1 start now and now with their 3rd win over a Top-25 program (all on the road), the Gonzaga Bulldogs are still unranked in both the Coaches and Media Top-25, however as great as the season had been up to this point, the Zag's proved this week that maybe they just were not ready for a spot in the polls, as they drop 3 straight on the road including 2 against Top-25 opponents.


GAME 1 @ #23 (6-3) TEXAS

Trailing by just 2 at the half (39-37), Gonzaga didn't have a answer for SO SG Y. Okosa (former 5* Rated #2 Overall/#1, AA, Mr BB TX, and lottery pick) went off scoring 20 of his team high 29 points in the 2nd half as he hits 5/8 3pt. Okosa also finished with 10 reb 6 asst 5 stls and 2 blks as he proves why he is consider among the nations best players.FINAL SCORE TEX-76 GU-62

D. McKenzie led the Zags in the loss with 16 pts and 8 reb.

GAME 2 @ (8-3) ARIZONA

Arizona like Gonzaga came into the game unranked but they sure played like a Top-25 program.

Leading (51-28) at the half beyond the backcourt duo of JR PG G. Maldonado and FR SG H. Callans. (Maldonado is a former 4* Rated 93 Overall and was the MR BB AZ of his class and is considered a 2nd round pick at this point, Callans was a 5* AA Mr BB CA, and Rated the #3 Overall player in last years class and he too is considered 2nd round talent just 11 games into the season).

Gonzaga would turn things around in the 2nd half outscoring Arizona (41-33) but it just wasn't enough. FINAL SCORE ARZ-84 GU-69

Maldonado finished with 18 pts hitting 4/5 from 3pt. Callans finished with 17 pts hitting 4/8 from 3pt. As a team Arizona was 14/26 beyond the arc.


S. Blackgrove led the Zags with 15 pts as C. Kelly misses PT with a dislocated finger. Kelly is listed day to day for the next 5 days.

D. Amerson has a double double in the loss with 12 pts and 15 reb.

SO SF D. McKenzie also goes down with a injury as he goes out with a broken toe. The injury limited McKenzie to just 6 minutes in the game. He is expected to be out for the next 27 days (really a broken toe takes almost a month to heal?)

GAME 3 @ #12 (10-2) ARIZONA STATE

SR "Walk On" A. Olson would take McKenzie's spot in the starting lineup as would JR S. Blackgrove moving to Center for C. Kelly who would play less minutes off the bench because of the injuries.

GU would actually lead at the half (44-41) as JR PG R. King scores 13 pts including 2/2 from 3pt, well D. Amerson added 8 pts and 6 reb along with 2 blks.

In the 2nd half ASU would catch fire from beyond the arc as SR SG K. Curtis (former 4* rated #27 Overall/#8 SG) shows why he is considered to be a top pick in next year's draft. Curtis hit's 3/3 from downtown as he scores a team high 16 pts. 5* AA FR PG M. Ibekwe (#14 Ovearll/#8 PG) added 13 pts and 6 assist, as the Sun Devils come from behind to win the game. FINAL SCORE ASU-88 GU-83

King finished with a team high 21 pts in the loss. D. Amerson added 17 pts and 9 reb and ended up with a season high 4 blks.

Z. Urbutis led the bench with 10 pts.

NEXT UP THE GOLDEN BEAR CLASSIC

[Deuce2223]

ZAG'S REPEAT AS GBC CHAMPS.

For the 2nd straight year Gonzaga has won the Golden Bear Classic played as Haas Pavillion. This marks the 5th straight year that Coach Youngblood has guided his team to the championship (won 3 in a row well at UCD).

OPENING ROUND VS (2-5) CAL POLY

One had to wonder how Gonzaga would respond after losing 3 straight on the road as they play their 2nd game in a row with 2 new starters in the lineup. GU would lead (37-27) at the half and with a huge 2nd half in which they outscore the Mustangs by 15 cruise to the victory.FINAL SCORE GU-83 CAL POLY-56

D. Amerson led the way with 23 pts and 9 reb hitting 7/10 from the FT line.

S. Blackgrove making his 2nd start or the injuried C. Kelly had a double double with 14 pts and 12 reb

FR SG F. Mouton had 16 pts 7 reb and 5 asst.

SO R. Angounou had a season/career high 12 pts off the bench.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME VS (2-8) ARMY

GU would shoot just 2/12 from 3pt but still manage to lead (41-28) at the half as D. Amerson dominated the post scoring 12 pts to lead the Zag's in the 1st half.

In the 2nd half, the Bulldogs continued to be cold from the outside and so they just fed the hot hands of D. Amerson as Amerson scores a season high 25 pts well grabbing 9 rebs to lead GU to the win. FINAL SCORE GU-75 ARMY-58

Amerson was named tourney MVP as he Avg 24/9.


NEXT UP GONZAGA CLOSES OUT NON-CONFERENCE PLAY AT HOME IN THE KENNEL VS (11-3) OREGON STATE

[baccVols]

IT Appears SIU is as bad on your Legacy as they are in mine!!!!!

[Deuce2223]

Probably my last update for the day.. Will probably post the OSU game in the morning along with a Recruiting update and a look at the WCC before Conference play starts, as well as a Mid-Season Top-25 and Mid-Major Poll