To be honest, it's quite difficult to get excited for this upcoming road trip. Gonzaga should head down to Southern California and dominate the next 80 minutes of basketball. With the way Gonzaga played against USF and Santa Clara, it's vital that Coach Few has the guys focused and playing at a high level, because the biggest week of the season awaits.
As I have written before, Pepperdine might be one of the worst teams in the country. Of their 4 victories, only 2 have come against DI opponents. One of their victories was a 2 points win over LMU, while their other was a 2 points win over Coppin St. The last game Pepperdine played was an embarrassing 96-46 loss to St.Mary's. While this season looks bleak for the Waves, they do have an exciting foundation of young talent. In Keion Bell, Pepperdine has one of the more explosive freshman guards in the country. At 10.9 points per game, Bell is one of only two Waves to average double figures. The leader for the team is Mychal Thompson. Thompson is averaging 11.3 points per game, but in my opinion, his season has been a disappointment. Thompson has a lot of individual skill, and if Tom Asbury can surround him with more talent, he could emerge as one of the top players in the WCC.
This game will be as close as Gonzaga allows it to be. If the Zags play to dominate, this game may be over in the first 10 minutes. I believe tha this team has a will to dominate that not many Gonzaga teams have had. Look for the Zags to send a message to St. Mary's and USD, as they should cruise to a 88-40 victory.