3-19 H3: March Madness Preview, Jim Meehan Joins, Cross Talk

Jim and Tim look at the bracket and discuss some intriguing matchups, will Gonzaga make it through the 1st round, plus the guys discuss the Cougs as they can beat Drake. Gonzaga basketball beat writer for The Spokesman-Review, Jim Meehan joins Jim and Tim to preview Gonzaga’s first round matchup against McNeese State University. We close the show w/ Ian Furness as he shares what he has planned for his show.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Got your chance to win tickets.All you have to do is listen for
the sounder to play every hour,then call two oh six two eight six
ninety five ninety five. Will takethe tenth caller every hour to win a
pair of tickets to see the SeattleCrack and play on March twenty sixth against
the Anaheim Ducks. So give usa call two oh six two eight six

(00:22):
ninety five ninety five for your chanceto see the Kraken play and two days
after that game, Luis Castillo.The headline is brought to you by Buddies,
Goodies and Glass this hour it's alwaysfour to twenty at Buddy's. Luis
Castillo name the opening day pitcher forthe Seattle Mariners by Scott servis second year
in a row for Castillo to takethem ound on the opening day nine days

(00:44):
away. The Red Sox are goingto counter with Brian Bao to seven to
ten first pitch next Thursday at TMobile. And as I mentioned earlier,
Jared Kellnick three for forty two forthe Atlanta Braves. That isn't necessarily a
headline, but I wanted to makea point of that anyway. The kracking
last night losing to the Sabers sixto two. Joey Decord polled early,
Philip Grubauer coming in didn't matter,O four and one on the homestand Kracking

(01:08):
basically out of the playoff race.Seahawks signed a guard yesterday. Finally got
a guard. Tremaine Ankram Junior.You've heard of him. He had thirty
seven starts at Clemson. He's twentyfive years old. Played for the Rams
last year, a fifth rounder intwenty twenty thirty one games, one start

(01:29):
for the new Seahawks. Guard therewith the Rams last year. The Giant
signed Blake Snell two years, sixtytwo million dollars. There's an opt out
after the first season and the firstfour as we mentioned earlier, get under
way in Dayton, Ohio, Wagnerand Howard of three forty True TV,
Colorado State and Virginia the nightcap followingthat. We're still waiting to hear from

(01:53):
Ian McMillan. We appreciate Gary Hillcoming on. We had voicemails at eleven,
but Ian McMillan will be joining usshortly. He's the editor of the
Bacon Bets podcast and he's the senioreditor at Fan Side it will get his
thoughts. It's kind of interesting.I was going back and forth with Tim
Booth of the Associated Press today talkingabout the podcast I listened to, and

(02:16):
Ian was making all of his picksand filling out the bracket, and yeah,
he's got got some interesting upsets.He's got Gonzaga beating Purdue at some
point here. I think Gonzaga needsto worry about getting past McNeese State.
Macnise State is is a team witha whole bunch of Power five dropdowns who've
transferred there and will Wade, theguy who got in trouble for recruiting violations

(02:39):
at LSU, but as a damngood coach is the is the head coach
there. So that's that's a IfGonzaga gets through the first round, then
maybe maybe they can make a run. I mean, they've gone to I
think eight straight sweet sixteens, butgetting past that first round game is gonna
be really tough. We're gonna talkto Jim Mean, who covers the Gonzaga
Bulldogs. Twelve thirty covers them forthis Spokesman review. Gonzaga getting underway there

(03:04):
in Salt Lake City against McNeese State, But do you think that Gonzaga.
I was thinking about this this morning, you know, some deep thought coming
into work today. And you've gota lot of time to think when you're
out there on five to twenty.Yeah, sitting in traffic for a while,
there's a lot of time to think. Why do you pay a toll
to just sit in traffic? Idon't understand that. I mean, I
know everything narrows down to one lanewhen you're trying to get on nine five.
So I had time to think outthere Gonzaga. I mean I think

(03:30):
I would if I'm a Gonzaga playerand if I'm marked few. I'm talking
to my team and I'm saying,hey, look, fellows, you know
they think that we're overseeded here asa five seed. Why don't we prove
it to them? Why we deserveto be a five seed? Why don't
we take it out on McNee State. I understand that McNee State, a
thirty win team, is going tobe like something to be reckoned with here,

(03:50):
but I flip it around and go, hey, we want to prove
that we deserve to be a fiveseed. Yeah they well, I think
this is the chance for Gonzaga toprove who they are because they've sort of
underachieved the entire season. I mean, they didn't have they had no good
wins until they went to Kentucky andwon at Kentucky in February. And this

(04:11):
is a this is a team thatit has a lot of you know,
it has some local connections. NolanHickman obviously played is a Seattle kid.
But they they just have not playedup to what everyone thought they were going
to be for most of the season. They had no they had no really
good wins in the non conference backin you know, when they're playing the
Malumitational, and back in November andDecember. They lost to Yukon when they

(04:34):
played here at Climate Pledge in December, a game where they weren't very competitive
for most of the second half ofthat game. So this is this feels
like Gonzaga's opportunity with the way thebracket sets up for them to prove who
they are and and maybe make alittle bit of a run because you know,

(04:57):
Kansas who the Kansas or Sanford whothey could end up playing in the
second round. I mean, Kansasis a beat up team right now.
They're dealing with a whole bunch ofinjuries. They seem like a vulnerable four
seed in the first round to beginwith. So if you get past McNee,
maybe you're playing a Kansas team that'snot you know, not a fully
loaded Kansas team. And then youget your shot at Purdue and they if
I remember right, they played Purdueout in Maui back in back in November

(05:21):
in a game that was that Ithink was close into the last like five
or ten minutes. So yeah,Gonzaga used to have the reputation of after
they you know, those early runsof not being able to get to the
second weekend and not being able toget past the sweet sixteen. This team,

(05:41):
because they've been devalued I guess throughthe season because they didn't play well
early. I think they have achance to maybe change change the narrative about
them, at least for this year, and it sets up for them to
make a little bit of a runhere. Yeah. I just you know,
Gonzaga all the years where they wereyou know, they reached a point
now they were Cinderella's when they firststarted out, but then they became one

(06:03):
of the favorites. I mean,they've gotten to the one seed before and
you know, it didn't work out. For him, but I kind of
and I haven't been following the teamthis year. I really haven't, but
I'm thinking, well, maybe thiswill be a year where they make a
run when no one's expecting it tohappen. Yeah, they the way this
team is structured, this isn't achampionship team. Now, that's that said.

(06:24):
There's a lot of championship teams thata lot of teams end up winning
the championship that you don't look atthem going into the tournament and say,
oh, that's a championship team rightthere. I don't look at this gun
Zaga team and go, hey,they're they're really constructed to make make a
championship run this year, because Idon't. I don't think they are.
But that being said, they area team that, based around what their
draw is, if they can getthrough this first round game, this first

(06:46):
round game might be the toughest gamethey play, you know, at least
early on in the tournament, basedaround some of the issues that that Kansas
Kansas has going on. But youknow, Gonzega's problem this year has been
the perimeter shooting. Honestly, onthe offensive end, they've just been very
inconsistent from the perimeter, and whenthey moved Ben greg into the starting lineup.

(07:10):
He's a kid from Portland, He'sgot some size, he can shoot
from the outside. He gives hima little bit more of a presence in
the middle to go along with AntonWatson. When they moved him into the
starting lineup in late January, that'swhen they kind of took off and they
started to play a lot better fromthat point forward. They obviously won it
can get at Kentucky. They wonat Saint Mary's to close out the WCC

(07:30):
regular season. I do wonder,if you know, if they had won
the WCC tournament and beaten Saint Mary'sagain, if maybe they would have somehow
ended up in Spokane. We hadmentioned that earlier today, But it just
it doesn't feel like it has themakeup of that team, like from a
couple of years ago that got tothe National Championship game like that, that
was a team that you looked atwas like, yeah, that team's got
a championships you know, pedigree toit or a makeup to it between what

(07:57):
they had with their guards and whatthey had on the interior. This one
doesn't feel like it has that.I think it's because they're not a very
good perimeter shooting team. But Ido think they're a team that could make
a little bit of a run here. Yeah, it's gonna be interesting.
We'll talk to Jim Mihan from TheSpokesman Review. He covers the team.
He'll be at their game in SaltLake City against McNee state. If Gonzaga

(08:20):
were to play Saint Mary's again,who do you think of doing that?
I mean, they seem like they'reso evenly matched well, and they're both
five seeds. The next time theycould play would be the Final four.
So if they're playing in Arizona,in Phoenix and Glendale in the Final four,
then both of them have made veryunlikely runs at this point. But
who's to say they couldn't because lastyear we had two five seeds who made

(08:41):
the who made it to the Finalfour. So it's not out of the
question that that could happen. ButI would think in that situation, I'd
probably lean with Gonzaga because I thinkthey have better I think they have better
overall talent than what Saint Mary's doys. I think Saint Mary's is a really
good team. I'm gonna get achance to see Saint mary up close for
the first time this year when I'mover in Spokane when they play Grand Canyon

(09:03):
on Friday night. But hell,really, Randy Bennet's is a great coach.
I mean, Randy Bennett has beenand should be linked with the Washington
job. I don't think he's Idon't necessarily see him leaving Saint Mary's because
he's a little later in his careerat this point, and he has created
something very special there where they knowthat they can compete every year and they

(09:26):
can get into the tournament every yearwithout always having to win the WCC.
So I don't you know, maybeif he wants to try to prove himself
at the next level, then maybethe Washington job or another job Stanford for
instance, might be of interest tohim. But he's done a terrific job
there. I just think I justthink if if they match up again,

(09:46):
I go, especially this time ofyear, I go with team that's got
a little bit a little bit moreathleticism to it, and I think gonzag
is a more athletic team. Haveyou been to a game there at Saint
Mary's. No, I've never beento a game, and it's pretty cool.
I covered the Huskies a long timeago for the PI and Bob Bender
was the coach at the time,and you drive through these these hills and
then I just there's something about andI know it's it's going to be a

(10:09):
come down for a lot of Cougarfans going to the WCC, But I'm
looking forward to games against Gonzaga andSaint Mary's and I like, I mean,
I like arenas, but I alsolike gym's and really Saint Mary's you
feel like you're at a gym.Well, yeah, which is kind of
cool. Saint Mary's, Jim.The one at USF was a War War
memorial gymnasium or whatever it is thatthat University of San Francisco has that they

(10:31):
play out. I can see wallson the on the end instead of stands.
So yeah, exactly, yeah,exactly, thats exactly the setup for
those for those places. I thinkthat'll be for Wazoo and Oregon State next
year. I think it's as muchas it sucks to lose the PAC twelve.
And you know, we've talked aboutthis, the you know, the
the history and the you know,everything that's come with having the PAC twelve

(10:54):
for them to land in the WCC. I think it's kind of a almost
a best case scening are because bothWazoo and Oregon State are going to have
a chance to come in play againstteams that they can compete with and probably
beat for the most part. Imean you look at it and for the
for the history of the WCC andthe teams that are in there now,
the only teams that could should bepotentially better than you or Saint Mary's and

(11:16):
Gonzaga. So right there, ifyour Wazoo in Oregon State, you need
to be expecting that you're going tobe a top four team in that conference.
And then if you can maybe beto Saint Mary's on the road or
be to Gonzaga in Spokane along theway, pick up some nice wins in
non conference, still have a strongnon conference schedule, you can still get

(11:37):
to the tournament. Being in theWCC, you might have an easier path
to get to the tournament. Beingin the WCC, then you do playing
an eighteen or twenty game PAC twelveschedule and then trying to make a run
in Vegas and win the conference tournament. That way it might be a better,
more better, easier path for boththose schools for the next couple of
years to find their way into intothe tournament. Yeah, that's one of

(12:01):
the things where I'm looking forward tonext year. Everything's going to be new,
and we know that the football teamwill be playing a majority of Mountain
West schools, but the basketball teamgoing to the WCC, I'm hoping because
the Cougars typically have had a crummynon conference schedule, and I understand you're
trying to build confidence and develop yourteam and all that stuff, but from

(12:22):
a fans perspective, you want tosee bigger games and it can hurt you.
It hurt the Kougs toward the endwhen they were trying to figure out
where they're going to make the tournamentand you measure them up with other teams.
But next year, I would thinkthat they're going to want to change
that with the WCC being supposedly quoteunquote lesser conference, and then have better

(12:43):
opponents in the non conference. Yeah, you're going to have to. You
got to figure out a way toget teams to pullman. That's that's the
number one thing that's always been thebiggest issue with them for their non conferences.
You're not going to get you know, Kansas, or you're not going
to get Oklahoma State. Are You'renot going to get some of these bigger
programs to come to Pullman for anon conference game unless you have some sort

(13:05):
of home and home or two forone sort of arrangement with them. Being
that you're now Oregon is a nonconference game, Washington is a non conference
game, Cal is a non conferencegame. Being that that's now the case
with teams that are more in yourregion, you should be able to create
some agreements, some some partnerships therewhere, yeah, you're gonna get You're

(13:28):
gonna get Cal to come up toPollman next year and play a non conference
game, and you're gonna go backto Berkeley and play a non conference game
the following year, or you're gonnaget you know, you're gonna get a
non conference game at UCLA, You'regonna get a non conference game at Arizona.
Like you should be able to builda schedule in that way, and
yeah, you'll still have your CalBaptist or your Seattle you or your Eastern

(13:54):
or your you know whatever school comingin to fill out the rest of your
non conference because you still need someof those kind of games, even at
a power school, but you shouldbe able to put together a more robust
non conference slate that still has alittle bit of the feel of maybe what
you've had for generations playing in thePAC twelve by playing some of those schools,

(14:18):
and it should be probably easier thanit was when you were part of
the PAC twelve to put that kindof schedule together. Yeah, I'm hoping,
and Kyle Smith I think he recognizesthat, and that's one thing that
might end up keeping him in Pullmanlong term. We all know that Kyle
Smith that a lot of different programsare going to be coming after him,
but I just wonder if the playersare going to recognize that. It makes

(14:39):
it even more important that the Kougsdo well next year so that maybe the
players can see Okay, coach toldus, you know, if we play
in the WCC, we can stillmake the tournament. And that's our goal
anyway, is to make it tothe final. And there's two teams there
from the WCC that are in therethis year, so if you get in
that top two or three situation,you can still do it. I just

(15:01):
have a feeling though, that whenthat portal opens, the players are going
to pour into it because they wantto play for a Power five team.
I think the evidence that you haveof how successful Wazoo was and keeping its
football players because there wasn't really amass that was surprising. There wasn't really
a mass exodus after this season.So Wazoo, whether it was the message

(15:22):
Jake Dickard had or the Cougar Collectiveor whatever it is that they have over
there, however they they messaged it. However they convinced those players to stick
around. They did a really goodjob of it because they did not lose
a ton of guys to the portal. Now basketball is different. Obviously,

(15:43):
a smaller roster, teams can bevery much selective in who they're going after
and how much they're throwing at likeone player. So Miles Rice is obviously
going to be the biggest name overthere because everyone has seen, you know,
what he did this year, andcan he you know, obviously he's
got issues with this shot. Wetalked about that earlier. It was my
expert analysis on that. Yeah,I enjoyed it. But he's still a

(16:06):
really good player, and he wouldbe a really good player at a Pac
twelve school. He'd be a reallygood player at an SEC school, He'd
be a really good player at aBig twelve school. So how does Wazoo
message it. How do they convincehim to stick around? How do they
convince Jalen Wells to stick around?So I think there's evidence there because of
how the success they had in footballand keeping guys around that hopefully you can

(16:30):
keep your key pieces together if youare the Kugs moving forward into next year.
Yeah, I'm just I'm looking forwardto your objective analysis here of the
Washington State Drake game because I can'tpossibly do it. I'm thinking if the
Kugs play their A game, thatthey're going to handle Drake without any problems.
But I also understand after talking toMichael Admirer yesterday, the play by

(16:55):
play guy from Drake, I mean, this is a team that they're facing
that has all kinds of experience,tournament experience, playing in the tournament the
three of the last four years,and then that star player, the coach's
kid. I mean, it's goingto be a tough task there. But
I'm hoping that you, Tim Booth, with that expert analysis that you'd become
known for, will tell me thatyou like the Kook's chances. I actually

(17:15):
think it's a good matchup for Wazoo. I really do. I think the
thing that got undervalued at times thisyear, and maybe it's because they had
some games where they gave up alot of points, but I thought Wazoo
was actually a pretty good defensive teamthis year, and we saw it in
Vegas against Colorado. I thought,as bad as they were offensively that night,

(17:36):
they were pretty good defensively. AndI think the matchup allows for Wazoo
to use its strengths. I thinkit allows Isaac Jones to potentially have a
really big game because Drake has somesize on the inside, but I don't
think they have really dominant post guyson the inside. Their strength is Tucker
Devrees there the son of the coach, and he's a star. He's a

(17:59):
really good place you gonna play inthe NBA. He's that good of a
player. But he's six seven,not the quickest guy in the world.
And Wazoo's got guys who sort ofmatch up on him, whether it's Wells,
whether it's Jack of Mowski. They'vegot guys who size wise are comparable
to him and can maybe rotate throughwho's playing defense on them. Their guard
Drake's guards are pretty good, butthen I don't necessarily think they're faster than

(18:23):
what Rice Rice hat is on theperimeter. I think Rice Miles has a
chance to penetrate and get to therim against them. I think the matchup
actually favors Wazoo. Now they've gotto hit some shots. They got hit
some perimeter shots, whether it's Riceor Wells or our friend Isaiah Watts or

(18:44):
or Jack of Moowski. They've gotto hit some stuff from the perimeter to
open it up for Jones inside.But I do think overall the matchup is
favorable for the Kougs. Yeah,I was. I heard Matt chazin now
this morning talking to Chuck and Bucky, the play by play man for the
KUP, talking about the Colorado gamein the PAC twelve tournament, and the
Kuks narrowly lost that game. Ithink it was a six point spread at

(19:06):
the end, but he was theCooks had nineteen turnovers in that game and
they were still in that game.And so I think most of us that
have followed the team all year knowthat we played our C game maybe C
minus game that night, and ifthe Kuks can play a B game or
even an A minus game. Forsure, they're gonna, you know,
get past Drake. What I likeabout Washington State this year, one of

(19:26):
many things is just that the balancethey have. They can if one guy
has a bad night, there's somebodythere to pick it up, and if
all the kids are playing their Agame, then they're going to be tough
to beat. I mean, Mattwas talking course, He's like me,
he thinks they can they can handleanybody, even Iowa State if they face
them in the second round. Ithink the I think the concern with Iowa

(19:49):
State is Iowa State is so disruptivedefensively, and we saw that with what
they did to Houston in the BigTwelve title game. I mean, and
they made life miserable for the numberone team in the country and held them
to forty one points in that game. So I think that would be your
worry is is there enough offense outthere to compete with Iowa State? Can

(20:12):
you put enough offense out there tocompete with them? Because I think defensive
I don't. I don't think IowaState's a team that scares you offensively,
but defensively, can you get enoughcan you find enough points to stay in
the game. You know long enoughagainst them, but you got to get
there first. You got to getthrough the You gotta get through Drake first
and get to that point. Youhave that conversation on Friday when if they

(20:37):
get through that first round game,Gonzag has taken on McNee state. It's
another game on Thursday. It's fromSalt Lake City. It'll be on tbs
A four to twenty five tip offand Jim mc Jim mihan is there from
the Spokesman Review. He's in SaltLake City. He's going to join us
next to tell us all about Gonzagaand their first round matchup in the NCAA

(20:59):
Tournament. It's more with Tim Boothfrom the Associated Press and for Puck Sports
Radio ninety three point three KJRFM bythe Eagles in twenty twenty played his college
ball at Clemson. So Cavon Wallaceadded to that Seahawks secondary. Tim,
what's your breakdown on Cavon Wallace.Uh, he got cut by two teams
last year, so I don't knowif he's any good or not. He

(21:21):
started, he started, I knewyou didn't have anything, and I just
wanted to put you on the startbecause I'm a twelve game I'm basically a
jerk. Fine, it's fine.I should be able to respond and react
to whatever you threw at me.Joe Okay started twelve games last year for
Arizona and Tennessee. But he wascut by the Eagles in training camp and
then ended up in Arizona and thengot cut by the Cardinals. So I

(21:42):
don't know. He's He's a bodyto throw into the mix in the secondary.
He might end up being decent.He's a safety. He's played both
safety spots before, so it's anotheroption back there for them behind Rayshawn Jenkins
and Julian Love. Yeah. Soif you just missed the news, Von
Wallace, Tom Pelliserra reporting NFL Networkthe Seahawks have signed the safety to a

(22:04):
one year deal. Jim Meehan coversthe Gonzaga Bulletdog Bulldogs for The Spokesman Review,
and he's with us now, Hey, Jim Howard, things there in
Salt Lake City. I just gothere, uh four am wake up call.
Flew through Phoenix, hit the scenicroute and it is flatt gorgeous here,

(22:27):
probably sixty five degrees and clear's thebell. Oh perfect. And so
Gonzaga has got a first round matchupwith McNee State, and you know all
these all these guys that are onthe studio shows, you hear two things
about this matchup. Gonzaga shouldn't havebeen a five seed. What's going on?
I can't believe. You know,they were on the bubble a couple
of weeks ago, and now herethey are a five seed. And then

(22:48):
a lot of people are going mcneasestate. They won thirty games. Let's
pick a twelve seed in the firstround to beat Gonzaga. So are you
hearing all those kinds of things too? Oh yeah, yeah. From the
stone right after the names came upon the bracket, I think the crew
at CBS had picked McNee State andlook there, they're a very good team.

(23:11):
I think there's four teams so thirtywins in the country, Yukon,
Houston, James Monison and McNee Andyou know the way they've done it.
They outscore people by about nineteen agame. I think that might lead the
country. They can really guard holdpeople to pre low percentage in the thirty
nine and themselves they score eighty agame. They shoot it very well.

(23:36):
Thirty nine from three, so there'sprobably easier matchups out there for him.
But you're right, there was alot of a lot of thought that the
Zags would be in the seven rangefor seeding, but to get a five
seed to be sent to Salt Lakewhere they're fans, they do have some
fans, they can make it there. I don't think they're can play and

(24:00):
much about any of it. Jim, how would you go about defining this
season for Gonzaga. It felt likeit was lacking a lot early in the
year. There wasn't that sort ofsignature win that we normally see in the
in the non conference until they wentto Kentucky in one. So maybe what

(24:21):
was going on with them early inthe season and then what switched to where
they got pretty hot there in midJanuary through the end of the regular season.
Yeah, they did have a lotof bumps in the road. I
think for a Gundagas fan base,they're just not used to that. They're
used to a team that kind ofcomes out is you know, in mid

(24:41):
season form, right, and theget Go does well in a Thanksgiving tournament,
you know, gets two or threemore Quad one wins along the way.
None of that happened. Just theopposite happened. They lost every big
game they played, and they lostat Washington. They kind of left that
and slip away after leading for alot of the game, they got handled

(25:03):
pretty good by Yukon produced a coupleof number one seeds now that obviously are
among the best in college basketball,but they also lost at home to San
Diego State. So all that talkright around the turn of the calendar year
about, you know, no quadone wins, are they in the tournament
or not, there was a stretchthere where they were within they weren't within

(25:26):
ten or twelve teams. That's allfor out the bracketologists. You know,
they got a first four, nextfour, and the next next four they
were in that area. So itall kind of started to change. Really
the season flipped when they went toKentucky and won that game over a ranked
team. A quad one went onthe road the way they did it,

(25:48):
and I mean that's a that's anincredible building, incredible fan base, and
an NBA offense on Kentucky runs inscore like an NBA team. But the
Zags done that one out and reallyfor about the last month and a half
they've been playing their best ball.So they've done it opposite of what most

(26:11):
Gonzaga teams have done. They have, you know, had to tinker with
the lineup, They've had to getbetter along the way. Actually one of
Mark Few's better jobs if you lookat it over his twenty five years,
and they've got to a point wherethey're they're there. They've got a chance
here to do some damage. Probablynot as as gifted as some of their

(26:34):
teams in the past. The teamshave gone to the Elite Eight, to
the title games. But a teamthat if they're on, I don't think
people will like lining up against them. Well, that's the thing we're talking
to. Jimyhn from The Spokesman Review. Gonzaga had taken on McNee State in
a five to twelve matchup Thursday onTBS a four to twenty five tip off.
How unlikely would run to the Finalfour b for Gonzaga or do you

(26:57):
think I mean you saying, Imean you cover the team. It looks
like it's it wouldn't be out ofthe question. No, I don't think
it is out of the question.It would be improbable. I mean they
are a five seed. You know, the seeds in their region. Produe's
the one they've run into Purdue thelast two years and it has not gone

(27:19):
well that he has been very hardto stop, like he is for everybody.
But you know, I think they'vegot Tennessee in their bracket. They've
got Creighton in their bracket, whichwould be really interesting with Ryan Memhart a
two year starter there before he transferredto Gonzaga. Kansas is before Kansas has

(27:41):
got a couple of injuries that toDickinson and Tim McCuller. That those are
great players, all American players,but if they're not a full strength you
know, who knows how if they'rehealthy by now or if they're just going
to play through things. So it'sit would be very improbable. But I

(28:03):
think this tournament has some of thesame deal as last year. He had
pie seeds in Florida Atlantics and youhad a lot of upsets along the way,
and I think we're about to seea bunch more coming starting Thursday.
Jim, what's the weakness of thisof this Gonzaga team. It's me watching
from afar, it seems like they'renot a very good perimeter shooting team,

(28:23):
which is seems out of the normfor what most Gonzaga teams have been in
the past, but you're watching itup close day to day, what stands
out as sort of the the areasthat if they are going to struggle,
whether it's against MacNeice or later inthe tournament, those are the those are
the areas that are going to standout. You hit it on the head,

(28:45):
maybe not shoot the ball as wellas most gun Zaga teams of the
past, And for a while itwas it was pretty frightful from three.
They were they were shooting at Ithink around thirty percent or even under.
And there's a stat somewhere in theirrelease every week that in all the games
that they've lost, they're shooting somewherearound twenty percent from the three line.

(29:07):
So the rest of the time they'vebeen pretty decent from three, but when
they've played the better teams, they'vehad trouble in that area. They've got
trouble with scoring droughts. That caughtup to them at the U dub when
they lost that game. Saint Mary'sheld them to their two lowest point totals
sixty and sixty two. That's that'sbeen another issue. And then they've got

(29:33):
they've got handled on the boards lasttime out by Saint Mary's by seventeen,
usually in an area that the Zagsare pretty get in. So they do
have some things that they have todeal with. Another one, obvious one
is a kind of a seven manrotation, and those two that come off
the bench of freshmen. So likeany freshmen, they have ups and downs

(29:56):
and good stretches and uh so they'renot the beat this team as well,
but you know they have. Theyhave gotten it together offensively a little bit
more. They've been shooting the ballbetter till Saint Mary's and they scored a
pretty high rate. We've got akid in the middle gram ekh. They
really come on and if he hadseven games in a row twenty straight points,

(30:21):
that hadn't been done at Conzaga sinceAdam Morrison. You know that that's
Timmy esk for for them and verybig for them because he draws a lot
of attention. He's a willing passerand those shots they're a little easier on
kickouts when he's drawing attention. Hey, Jim, Saint Mary's playing and spoke
in and you're you're from there.You worked there for the Spokesman review,

(30:44):
what kind of a reception do youthink they're going to get? When they
played Grand Canyon in the regional,one of the players was joking that there
would be a lot of purple inthe crowd from Grand Canyon and thought that
it might be a little chilly forthe Gales, But I don't think it
will be too bad. There isa very good rivalry. There has been

(31:07):
for close to fifteen eighteen years sinceRandy Bennett got that going down there,
and I think there is pretty deeprespect between the programs. Maybe that wasn't
there fifteen years ago, but ithas grown to where I think they both
appreciate what they've done, and nowthey've done it, and Saint Mary's is

(31:29):
just no fun to play. Theywill they will exhaust the shop clock,
they will guard you. They arevery physical. They will try to score
it in the fifties or sixties,just kind of the Virginia feel to how
they play. But they do itextremely well. They have a style.
They don't vv eight from it,and if you're not hitting shots, if

(31:56):
you're not willing to guard for twentyfive thirty seconds and get on the glass,
they're going to beat you because Theywill do all those things, and
I think they'll probably have a mixedreaction when they come out onto the floor.
Dan Kenyon's the one they really travel. They have a student section that
goes with them at a lot ofplaces. The Zags played them in a

(32:19):
tournament a year ago, and theywill bring some fans up here, so
the Gails might be outnumbered. Butkeep in mind they beat on Zag in
Spokane in a tight game, beatthem in Vegas with about five six thousand
Zag fans in the Portland's arena,so that stuff doesn't seem to bother.
Hey, Jim, really appreciate yourtime. Enjoy your time there in Salt

(32:39):
Lake City, Gonzaga facing McNee stateThursday at four to twenty five. We
can catch a game on TBS andlook forward to your coverage in the Spokesman
interview. You bet, Timmy,you got games this weekend. I'll be
I'll be over in Spokane starting onThursday, all right, I figured,
okay, all right, Jim,take care there he goes Jim Meehan from

(33:02):
the Spokesman Review Ian Forness is comingup. Next is shim More with Tim
booths In for Puck Sports Radio ninetythree point three KGRFM. We won't go
through every game. We will hopefullybe a little more entertaining. We'll try
to pick some teams that you needto know, and yeah, I get
ready for to fill out your brackets. Almost sixty million people filled out at
least one bracket last year you starteddoing the math, we're pretty close to

(33:25):
about eighty plus million brackets, billionsof dollars. Spence March Madness is here.
Let's go. Huh, let's go. Yeah, let's go. You
got a dark Horse or a Cinderella. You got the Koogs going to the
Sweet sixteen? Any any surprises youcan tell us about. I had a
guy that's in the know just walkedby us a moment ago and say he
says, what do you think howfar are they going to go? And
this guy knows this stuff. Isaid, well, I think they'll beat

(33:49):
Drake and lose Iowa State. Andhe's like, yeah, I think I
might different. Go you think Drake'sgonna beat him? And goes, no,
I think they'll beat Iowa State.So now I'm all, Now I'm
giddy happy here because this guy kindof knows what he's talking about. So
I'm i don't know. We'll seewhat Gary says. I I don't know.
It's just just beat the Drake andmove on. Huh, let's just
do that the Drake. It's justthe Drake. I don't need the a
Drake. I played a home game, for God's sake. So so we

(34:10):
can't play in Spokane, but theycan play in the equivalent of Spokane.
Okay, all right, that makessense. I don't I don't think.
I don't think Des Moines and Omahaare quite the same distance as Pullman and
Spokane. I just want I justwant to point that out. It's only
a couple hours though, right,it is only it was only I think
two two and a half hour orsomething like that. Right, But and

(34:30):
now listen, like like like Iget it, like win more games and
you're fine, and the fact thatwe're in I'm okay with. But like,
if I'm Iowa State, I'm nothappy because if Drake wins, it's
gonna be their their advantage goes awayto right, that's true. How that
goes? So I think there's myconspiracy, guys, is this. I
know the NCAA Tournament Committee is notaffiliated with the College Football Playoff. People

(34:54):
but it's all made up of athleticdirectors and so and so forth across the
country. I just wonder if therewas a little bit of little litt'll lit'll
get back at Kirk Schultz a littlebit here. Oh for the college football
playoffs stuff? Interesting? Yeah,yeah, yeah, because they didn't do
was who's in the toughest region?There are seven seed Gonzaga is a five.

(35:16):
Uh, you can make an argumentthey can flip flop those. And
then on top of that, you'replaying, like I said, you're playing
two teams are playing almost at home. So yeah, yeah, I think
you agree with me though, thatwe want to see all the PAC twelve
teams go as far as possible.Oh two million a win, buddy,
that's like rooting them all on,like every one of them. Go,
Ducks, Go Boffs. Does thatCats all day? Man? That's two
bill that's two mill every win,man, Yes, all time? Go.

(35:39):
Does that include the first four aswell as of Colorado beats Boise State?
I don't think so. I don'tthink that's don't get a million?
Is that half a half a share? I don't know. I don't think
that's a unit. I think theunit's all started in a round of six.
Yeah, I believe that's the case. So yeah, so we kind
of need them to win their littleopening game coming up to visit tomorrow,
right tomorrow against Boise State. Sopeople State, we beat Poisey State,

(36:00):
we'll beat boys. Yeah they probablywill. Yeah, Yeah, they look
good going into the tournament. There. So you got Gary Parrish and you
got all kinds of bracketology for us. I got a little we'll have some
fun at the very start of theshow. I tell y'all what what March
Badness really is about. Else,I fun with that in the first segment,
and then yeah, I get intowith Gary. So if you are
filling out a bracket, doing asurvivor pool, any of those things,

(36:22):
hopefully we'll get you a little bitof information, some things to think about,
and have some fun. And I'msure most of our listeners are doing
just that getting their brackets ready togo, so we'll help you out with
that. Today. That's the Invernesswith Jessman McIntyre live from the Snow Quality
Casino with the Bracketology broadcast. Mythanks to Tim Booth who will be filling
in again tomorrow. Chris Kid,thank you Tim, and I'll rejoin you

(36:43):
tomorrow at ten. No shirt,no shoes, no anybody about to smoke
some punk. I went bum.I was Robbie when you were born to
rubbs. What do you mean mybest friend? We like the song out

(37:05):
of Baber Mother of Mercy. Idon't stick up my name.