Tonight the Bulldogs square off against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Spokane Arena.  The Zags are coming off of a victory over Eastern Washington, while Oklahoma enters fresh off of a bad 15 point loss to UTEP.  Read on for more on this match-up.

An extremely successful decade of Gonzaga basketball is coming to a close this week. Gonzaga has gone from "where John Stockton played" to a "Cinderella" team to one of the most respected and successful college basketball programs in the country, no matter the the size of the school or mid major status. A Few Good Zags thought it was a good time to reflect back on the past 10 years by coming up with a Top 10 Zags of the Decade list.

This is PART 2 of our list. Click here for PART 1. To qualify, the player must have played a season from 2000-2009. Share your memories of these players here, or if you agree or disagree with their ranking.

#5 Matt Santagelo

Gonzaga owes a great deal of its current success as a basketball program to the 98-99 Elite Eight team and 99-00 Sweet Sixteen team that put GU back on the college basketball map. The leader of those teams was PG Matt Santangelo, who comes in at #5 on our list.

Santangelo arrived in Spokane in 1995 but red-shirted that year. But for the following 4 years, he started nearly every game. In 96-97 he was the WCC Freshman of the Year, starting 25 of 27 games, while averaging 13 pts and 4.4 assists. The Zags had a winning record that year, but failed to make the postseason. Things would change the following year.

Santangelo is a guy you want on your side; he had great vision, he could score and he was a winner. He led his team to a state championship at Portland's Central Catholic his junior year in high school. At Gonzaga, he got the Zags back to the post season his sophomore year, with a trip the NIT. After that, we all know how things played out. Magical trips to the Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen in back to back years, forever made Matt Santangelo a Gonzaga legend.

But he also has the stats to warrant his spot on our list. At a school that has been known for its great point guards, Matt is the career assists leader with 668. His senior season was also the best single season assist total (225) for a Gonzaga player. Matt also ranks 4th all-time in scoring and 3rd all-time in 3 pointers made. Throw in 3 First Team All-WCC nods, and you have quite a career. A career that should be recognized by seeing #13 hanging from the rafters of the MAC someday.

#4 Blake Stepp

As a freshman Blake averaged 31 minutes per game and scored a season high 21 points two separate times. With Dickau as his back-court running mate they led the zags to the sweet 16 eventually losing to Michigan State, who continued on to win the championship that year. As a sophomore Blake played with nagging injuries most of the season averaging 27 minutes with a season high 26 points and losing out in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Wyoming. As a junior Blake averaged a career high 36 minutes per game and 18 points per game. He scored a career high 34 points against Washington State days after a previous career high of 33 against Washington. The 2003-04 season ended against Arizona in overtime in the second round of the NCAA tournament, in a game that is still played on ESPN Classic. As a senior Blake finished his career at Gonzaga on a high note. He was named to the 2004 All-American 2nd Team by averaging nearly 15 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists per game, while leading Gonzaga to its sixth consecutive NCAA appearance.

#3 Ronny Turiaf

Ronny Turiaf came to Gonzaga from France (via Martinique) as an athletic, but raw, power forward that instantly energized Gonzaga fans with explosive dunks his freshman season. Ronny averaged at least 15 PPG, 6 RPG, and 1.5 BPG during his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons as he transformed from an energy player to an offensive force down low for Gonzaga, and would leave Gonzaga as the fourth leading scorer and rebounder in school history.

In his junior season, Turiaf led the Zags to a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament. However, early foul trouble forced Turiaf to watch helplessly from the sidelines as Gonzaga was upset by Nevada. Despite rumors that he would be a first round pick in the NBA draft after his junior season, Turiaf decided to return to Gonzaga. "I am looking forward to finishing what I have started, both on and off the court. Having the opportunity to graduate next year and wear the Gonzaga uniform for one more season is an opportunity I cannot pass up" Turiaf said.

In his senior season, Turiaf was named the WCC player of the year and led Gonzaga back to the NCAA tournament. Once again, however, Turiaf's season would end in the second round of the tournament, as the Zags would lose to Texas Tech.

Ronny ended up being drafted in the 2nd round of the NBA draft by the Lakers. Before his rookie season started, doctors found an enlarged aortic root in his heart, which required open heart surgery to repair. Ronny did not let this setback end his dream of the NBA. He recovered quicker than expected and ended up playing 23 games for the Lakers that year, proving how big of a heart he really has.

Ronny was a fan favorite and always will be. He was such a great ambassador for the school, showing up at all of the other sporting events and other campus events, with a great personality and energy. If you catch one of his NBA games, you can tell he is still the same lovable guy.

#2 Dan Dickau

Daniel David Dickau is our #2 Zag of the Decade, while only playing 2 seasons for Gonzaga. Dickau played his first 2 years of college ball at Washington. Things weren't working out for him at UDub, so he transferred to GU where he had to sit out a year.

DDD made an immediate impact in his first season for Gonzaga and became one of the all-time fan favorites. Despite an early season finger injury that kept him out of 9 games, Dan averaged 19 points per games and 6 assists per game while shooting 48% from beyond the arc. He had 10 games of 20 or more points including a 39 point effort vs Santa Clara. Dickau, teamed with senior Casey Calvary and a freshman Blake Stepp led Gonzaga to another trip to the Sweet 16, losing to eventual national champion, Michigan State.

It was the 2001-2002 season, Dickau's senior year, that Gonzaga became more than just a late season bracket buster, but started getting respect in the polls. The team went 29-4 and was ranked as high as #6 in the AP poll. Dickau had one of the best seasons in Gonzaga history, averaging 21 points, nearly 5 assists, and hitting a single season GU record 117 three pointers. The high ranking and regular season success did not carry over to the post season though. The #6 seeded Bulldogs were upset in the first round of the NCAA tourney by the Wyoming Cowboys. Dickau had 26 points, but it came on 7-24 shooting.

While his career at GU did not end the way he would have liked, he did have one of the best individual seasons at Gonzaga ever. He was named WCC player of the year and was also the second Zag ever picked as a First Team All American. Dan was then drafted with the 28th pick in the 1st round of the NBA draft, the first Gonzaga player this decade to be drafted. Dan Dickau definitely left his mark at Gonzaga in the 2 years he played in Spokane. If he would have went there to start with, he may have ended up #1 on this list.

#1 Adam Morrison

In his freshman year, Morrison quickly became the first player off the bench for the Zags and averaged 11.4 ppg on one of the best teams in Gonzaga history, that included Blake Stepp, Ronny Turiaf, and Cory Violette. Morrison's freshman season ended as the #2 seeded Zags were upset by Nevada in the second round.

As a sophomore, Morrison averaged 19 points per game and led Gonzaga in scoring. He finished the season blazing hot, scoring 25 and 30 points against San Diego and St. Marys respectively, to win the WCC tournament for Gonzaga, and then scored 27 and 25 points against Winthrop and Texas Tech in the NCAA tournament. Once again, however, Gonzaga lost in the second round, this time in a heart breaker to Texas Tech.

After his sophomore season, there were talks that Morrison could take his game to the NBA. But Morrison elected to come back for his junior year at Gonzaga to take care of some unfinished business.

Morrison's junior season was unquestionably the best single season by a player in the last decade of Gonzaga basketball. Morrison led the nation in scoring at 28.1 ppg. Highlights of Morrison's junior season include scoring 43 points in a thrilling triple overtime victory against Michigan State, a last second banked in game winning 3 pointer against Oklahoma State in the Battle in Seattle, and three other 40 plus point games during WCC play.

In the NCAA tournament, Morrison finally led Gonzaga back to the sweet 16 to face UCLA. In that game, Gonzaga found themselves up big early, and Gonzaga fans were already dreaming of a trip to the final four. Unfortunately, UCLA came out of nowhere to win 73-71, and Morrison was left crying on the floor. While this scene is painful for Gonzaga fans, it is indicative of Morrison's career at Gonzaga: his will and desire to win was second to no one.

Morrison was selected as a first team All American and was the National Association of Basketball Coaches co-player of the year with J.J. Redick. Morrison declared for the NBA draft after his junior year as the third leading scorer in Gonzaga history, despite playing only three seasons, and was drafted with the third pick overall in the 2006 NBA draft by the Charlotte Bobcats. While Morrison's pro career has been hindered by injuries, he is unquestionably the greatest Gonzaga player of the last decade, and his junior season will go down as one of the greatest seasons in NCAA history.

An extremely successful decade of Gonzaga basketball is coming to a close this week. Gonzaga has gone from "where John Stockton played" to a "Cinderella" team to one of the most respected and successful college basketball programs in the country, no matter the the size of the school or mid major status. A Few Good Zags thought it was a good time to reflect back on the past 10 years by coming up with a Top 10 Zags of the Decade list.

To qualify, the player must have played a season from 2000-2009. Here is the first half of the list, with the top 5 players coming later. Share your memories of these players here, or if you agree or disagree with their ranking.

#10 Jeremy Pargo

As a freshman at Gonzaga, Pargo's impact was felt immediately. Coming off the bench and sharing time with Derek Raivio, he impacted games in Maui, the WCC tournament and was always strong in limited minutes. His Sophomore season would be the real coming out party. He started every game for the Zags, scoring 16 points against #2 North Carolina, 18 points against #25 Texas, 21 points against #6 Duke, and 23 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals against Stanford. Pargo was a very productive player in big games and his future looked bright after averaging 12 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game his sophomore year.

His Junior year saw somewhat of a leveling off in productivity. His points per game and field goal shooting percentage didn't change, but 26% shooting from 3-point range and slightly increased assists per game indicated a new mentality. Many people believe Pargo was showcasing his skills for the NBA by trying to change his game. He was still the same big game player with serious production against UConn, Oklahoma, and Memphis. In the first round of the NCAA tournament against Davidson, Pargo added 18 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals- seemingly enough to entice an NBA team which prompted Pargo to declare for the NBA draft. That 2007/2008 team was somewhat of a disappointment. There were high hopes for the squad but Pargo seemed to mentally take a step away from the program. After deciding not to go pro, and returning to Gonzaga, his production really took a dive. Jeremy got too wrapped up in the future and lost track of his strengths. He is a scorer first, passer later. His ability to physically out-match any opponent, on any level, is what he did best at GU.

Pargo makes the top 10 Zags for a number of reasons. He was 3rd all-time at Gonzaga in assists for one thing. He was also always focused and determined against the countries best talent. His NBA physicality at guard was no match for most opposing point guards. His athleticism was also unmatched for being only 6'2". He could dunk on almost any player, even front-court players, and entertainment value always helps your popularity. 4 years and 103 games started gives Jeremy Pargo a strong case as a member of the Zags of the decade.

#9 Cory Violette

Cory Violette comes in at number nine on our list of Zags of the Decade.  Cory's career ran from 2000-2004.  He saw only sparse minutes as a freshman playing behind Casey Calvary but stepped up in a major way as a sophomore and was a force to be reckoned with for the rest of his career.

As a sophomore Violette really blossomed and paired with Zach Gourde to form a formidable frontcourt for the Zags.  He recorded 11 double-doubles on the season as he averaged over 8 rebounds per game and had 23 games where he scored in double-figures.  As a junior, Violette averaged 11 and 8 while being a part of a dynamic frontcourt with Ronny Turiaf and Richard Fox.  Violette posted 9 double-doubles as a junior bringing his career total to 20.  As a senior Cory averaged 14 and 8 while leading a very balanced team in rebounding.  With the emergence of Turiaf, Cory's scoring and rebounding burdens were diminished and he was able to play a more comfortable power forward position.

Violette finished his career at 16th on the Gonzaga all-time scoring list, 3rd all-time in rebounding with 880 and 6th all-time in blocks.  Violette was a member of an impressive senior class that led the Bulldogs to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

#8 Richie Frahm

Richie Frahm is another one of those Zags who really got the decade started, and provided the foundation for everything we know about Gonzaga today. His sniper-like accuracy from beyond the arc helped balance Gonzaga and lead them to national prominence in 2000.

Frahm was one of those first really good recruits Gonzaga picked up as they tried to make an impact in college basketball. He averaged only 14 minutes a game as a freshman but highlights included playing in every game and scoring 20 points against St Mary's. His sophomore season of 1997/98, he helped Matt Santangelo guide Gonzaga to a 24-10 record. Frahm had season highs of 25 against St. Mary's and 24 points in an upset of Tulsa in Alaska. Gonzaga did not make the NCAA tournament that year, but it was just a building block in what would become a bright future.

Richie's junior year was when everything changed, for him and Gonzaga. He had a career high of 37 points against Memphis early in the year, hitting 8 of his 11 3-point attempts. But it was the improbable NCAA run that helped put Frahm and the Bulldogs in the hearts of America. Richie had 26 points in the first round against Minnesota, then 15 against Stanford, 17 in the win over Florida. Frahm was huge from long range in those 3 victories, and Gonzaga eventually lost to Connecticut in the Elite 8. It was this run that started the whole Gonzaga revolution and got many of us to attend Gonzaga. Richie Frahm is one of those guys etched in the minds of all Zag fans.

In his senior season, Frahm stepped his game up once again. He averaged 17 points, 2.5 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game. He was lights out once again from 3 and helped lead Gonzaga to the Sweet 16 with a 31 point effort in the win over Louisville and 10 points, 6 rebounds in the win over St. John's. Even after he graduated, Richie could be found in the field house working tirelessly on his game. It earned him a couple stints in the NBA. Highlights included 31 points at Denver while playing with the Seattle SuperSonics.

Richie Frahm was just one of those talented, hard working Zags. He played hard, spent 4 quality years in Spokane, and helped build the University's basketball program. Every Gonzaga fan or alumni owes a lot to these guys and we are all very appreciative, Frahm takes #8 on our list because he earned every bit of it.

#7 J.P. Batista

J.P. Batista was a two-year wonder-child for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.  Plucked out of the junior college ranks by the Gonzaga coaching staff, after growing up in Brazil, Batista made an instant impact and became an immediate favorite of Zags fans.

As a junior, Batista was named WCC Newcomer of the Year as he averaged 12 points and 6 rebounds per game.  The Bulldogs front-court was not as deep as in previous years, and the impact of J.P. as a legitimate low-post scorer helped balance out the Gonzaga offense attack that was led by Adam Morrison.  Boasting an array of low post moves including turn-around jumpers, baby-hooks and the ability to finish at the rim with either hand, Batista has become the modern-day standard of what Gonzaga fans want to see out of a center.  As a senior, Batista and Morrison led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament and into the Sweet Sixteen.  Posting impressive averages, scoring over 19 points per game and pulling down more than 9 rebounds per game, in addition to shooting 83% from the free throw line, Batista helped cement his position among all-time Zags despite only being a two year player.  J.P. finished his Gonzaga career with 996 points and 490 rebounds helping to place him 7th on our list of Zags of the Decade.

#6 Casey Calvary

Casey started his career as most freshmen do, not getting much playing time and averaging only 4 points a game, and scoring a season high 12. As a sophomore his playing time and production both increased as he became a bigger threat on the court. He averaged 24 minutes a game, 10 points/ 7 rebounds, and scoring a season high 17 against Portland. Casey's junior year began his emergence as a star at GU; he averaged 27 minutes and 13 points per game. This season ended on a high note in the Elite Eight with the aforementioned tip-in against Florida and the loss to the eventual champion Michigan State. As a senior Casey really shined, he averaged career highs of 30 minutes and 19 points. Casey became known as a tough, physical player, he loved to dunk the ball with authority and played extremely hard on the defensive side of the ball.

An ugly win is still a win, and last night, the Bulldogs picked up another W.  Eastern Washington struggled mightily from the field and never really had a chance.  The Eagles have lost 22 straight to Gonzaga, and are currently suffering through a five game losing streak this season.

The Eagles were led by forward Glen Dean who scored 13 points, but the Eagles were atrocious from the field shooting 16% from three and just 28% overall.  The Eastern program is just barely keeping its head above water at this point, and it would be surprising if this game is scheduled again next season unless the Eagles can get things turned around in a hurry.

Now to the Zags, the boys did what they were supposed to do last night, and that was to dominate and overwhelm a far inferior team.  Every eligible member of the squad saw action last night and points were spread out all over the board.

Elias Harris again carried the torch for the Bulldogs, as he posted 22 points and 7 rebounds, continuing his impressive freshman campaign.  What we failed to see out of the frontcourt was anything out of Robert Sacre.  After looking like a world-beater in the first few games of the season, Rob has suffered through foul trouble, and now an inability to adapt to the double-team that every team is sending at him whenever he touches the ball.  This must be corrected prior to conference play or the Zags will be in trouble.  This team needs Sacre to be a threat on the block, and at this point he is not; he was the most talented center on the floor last night and had 3 points and 5 rebounds.  The Zags need more.

Gonzaga's wings put together a very solid performance last night.  Steven Gray was 3-5 from the three-point line and his stroke looked like it was back.  It will be interesting to see how he shoots against Oklahoma in the Spokane Arena, as historically the Arena has been death to Gonzaga jumpshooters.  Bol Kong came off of the bench to pull down 7 rebounds and score 4 points.  He is very smooth, but his offensive game still looks a little out of sync, his jumpers are on-target but he has struggled getting to the rim this year against NCAA talent.  Finally, Manny Arop had a huge game, with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, just stuffing the statsheet.  Manny's a great all-around talent and the Gonzaga fans finally saw him use his perimeter game to score.  His ability and willingness to attack the glass, especially on the offensive end should be inspirational to the rest of the team.  Expect to see more and more of both Bol and Manny as the season continues.

Box Score

Tonight the Gonzaga Bulldogs attempt to bounce-back after picking up their third loss of the season last week in New York against Duke.  Don't expect to see anything groundbreaking tonight, as Eastern Washington is a far inferior team; now onto the preview!

After-Effects: Will Gonzaga suffer the same let-down that afflicted them last season at roughly the same point in the season?  The students are all at home, and despite having the regional rivalry with the Eagles, don't expect to see a lot of energy in the building.  This will be a difficult game for almost anyone to get excited about.  Watch to see whether or not the post-Christmas/Duke hangover has worn off and the Zags look like a well-oiled machine.

Individual Efforts: There are three important players to watch tonight for the Zags.  First of all, will Demetri Goodson settle down and get the Zags into a good offense flow?  There is no doubt that Meech will be able to blow-by whomever is guarding him tonight and get to the rim.  This will not help Gonzaga develop as a team in the long run.  Goodson needs to push the tempo when the opportunity is there but settle for good offense and an open look for teammates more often.  Will the much talked about Steven Gray shooting stroke return from wherever it has been hiding?  Any positive shooting performance out of Steven Gray will be helpful for both his confidence and everyone's belief in him being the best shooter on the team.  Will Bol Kong get extended minutes and be integrated into the offense?  Kong has shown that given time and the ball, he can be a special player.  Watch for Bol to put up points in extended action tonight, and continue to make a case for himself to play more as conference play arrives next week.

Post-Dominance: Will Elias Harris and Robert Sacre put up performance similar to those earlier in the season that had everyone so excited for this season? On paper, Harris and Sacre appear much more talented than the Eagles front-court; look for them to establish themselves in the paint and have big nights.  Sacre needs to continue to work on his low post moves and learn to look opposite for an open teammate when he is doubled in the post.  Harris must show that he realizes he's no longer in the Euroleague and cannot take five steps on his way to the rim before he puts down a dribble.

Don't take too much out of a big win tonight.  Tonight will be a good primer for Oklahoma on Thursday and will hopefully get the Bulldogs back on the right track as the big games keep coming for Gonzaga.  This one looks like a gimme, and that is frightening.

In a highly anticipated rematch with the Duke Blue Devils at Madison Square Garden, it was hardly an even game as Gonzaga accumulated their lowest point total in a game since 1984, losing 76 to 41.

Based on the impressive showing earlier in the season at Michigan State, many Gonzaga fans thought the Zags would put up a similar fight, and maybe even pull off the upset. But this was a completely different game. Gonzaga kept the game close early, mostly due to offensive futility all around, including not a single made three pointer in the first half combined by both teams.

It was very apparently early on that Gonzaga would struggle. Steven Gray was barely hitting the rim on his shots, Robert Sacre's slow and deliberate post moves ended up as 6 foot fade aways instead of easy buckets, and Matt Bouldin was seemingly nowhere to be found in this game(probably due to the concussion).

In order to beat a team like Duke, you have to be running on all cylinders, almost no one had a good game for Gonzaga and it showed on the big stage.

I think Mark Few summed up the loss quite succinctly:

"We got throttled in every aspect of basketball, their physical play bothered us as far as finishing shots around the rim. They out-rebounded us. We turned the ball over more and they took more free throws. They beat us in every aspect. It was an old-fashioned take you out to the woodshed and beat you down."

So what really happened? Was the stage too big for our young Gonzaga team? Not a single guy scored in double figures and I saw more isolation and one-on-one play from our offense then I can ever remember. It seemed like Gonzaga just needed to run a play to free up Bouldin from three, or look to back-door cut in the paint. As opposed to slow, monotonous passes into the interior. The Duke defenders were relentless, killing Gonzaga on the defensive glass as well.

The Blue Devils are a very talented team as well. Scheyer was able to not only run the offense, but Gonzaga kept fouling Duke's best foul shooter. Scheyer finished with an impressive 20 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Nolan Smith caught fire in the second half and ended up torching Gonzaga for 24 points including 3 for 3 from deep.

There was a complete lack of offense in this contest for Gonzaga. From lazy passes to poor execution, everything was bad. With Bouldin struggling and Gray spraying threes all over the place, no one could score. So why didn't Manny Arop and Bol Kong get more run? Kong was 2 for 2 in his 17 minutes, he seems like the type of offensive weapon that could snap Gonzaga out of a horrible shooting slump, especially as the only reliable threat from deep. Few should figure out a way to better utilize Kong as the season goes on, but that was tough to watch yesterday as a whole.

To put it in perspective, it's just one game. Teams have these bad performances sometimes and it's nothing more than a learning experience at this point. It's important now for our guys to put it behind them and concentrate on Eastern Washington, Oklahoma and Illinois.

Despite the brutal performance, every Zag fan knows they'll bounce back. First things first, let's make sure Matt is healthy, relax on the holiday vacation, and get back to basics in Spokane.

Box Score

Spokesman Review Recap

Andy Katz Reaction

Slipper Still Fits Reaction

Photo: AP

This afternoon the Bulldogs get reacquainted with the Duke Blue Devils in Madison Square Garden.  This is the same event where Duke handed the Zags a 61-54 loss in December 2006.  These are two very different teams at this point, so lets find out what to watch for.

1) DEFENSE - The Dukies are all about in your face tough man-to-man pressure defense.  How will the Zags be able to handle the pressure and intensity of the Blue Devils?  On the other end of the court, will the Zags be able to match-up with Duke?  When you look at the projected starting line-ups, you have 4 natural match-ups and then a problem.  We'll likely see Jon Scheyer be guarded by Steven Gray, Goodson and Nolan Smith, Plumee and Sacre, Singler and Elias Harris, leaving us with Lance Thomas, a strapping 6'8" power forward and Matt Bouldin.  There's no way that Bouldin can keep up with Thomas in the key, but there's no way that Thomas can step out and contain Bouldin on the perimeter.  Watch to see what each coaching staff does as they try to find the best match-ups.  Despite Duke's shooting ability, don't be surprised to see the Zags fall back into their 2-3 zone and challenge the Blue Devils to shoot it over the top.

2) SHOOTER, SHOOTER - For the Zags to have a chance they must find not one, but two perimeter threats, I'm looking at you Steven Gray and Matt Bouldin, who are going to knock down open shots.  Gray has struggled with his stroke since Maui, watch to see if he can literally find his form today in New York. In Duke's last game, Jon Scheyer was light's out with the ball in his hands, knocking down 7 of 9 from the three point line on his way to 36 points.  Watch to see whether the Zags get out to contest perimeter jumpers and get a hand up on defense, especially if and when they move to a zone defense.

3) BIG MEN AND BENCHES - In the last decade and a half, Duke has relied on perimeter play and had serviceable big men.  This year is no different with Brian Zoubek.  Zoubek's a 7 footer with a limited offensive skill-set.  He's a capable center, but he's not going to dominate the offense by any stretch.  Look for him to cause disruptions in the middle and collect rebounds.  Off the bench, watch for an impact from the two Plumlee brothers for Duke, the 6'10 Plumlees are athletic and could cause problems for the Zags who lack front-court depth.  For GU, it's all about Elias Harris and foul trouble.  Watch for Harris to come ready to play tonight on this big stage.  In order for him to have any freedom on offense, Rob Sacre must stay out of foul trouble and be an offensive threat on the block.  Watch to see whether the Zags get production out of their front-court and whether or not the Duke young bench players can make an impact.

A look at the starting match-ups:

To get some insight on Duke Blue Devil basketball before the big game tomorrow at Madison Square Garden, we had the pleasure of doing a short Q & A with JD of the Duke Basketball Report. We answered some Q's for them too, so check out their site later today for the other half of the Q & A.

AFGZ: We've followed Kyle Singler's career because he's from the Northwest. Has he lived up to your expectations so far, and do you think this will be his last season with the Blue Devils?

DBR: Singler has been an excellent player for Duke. It's hard to imagine how he could be much better. He has played just about every position for Duke except for point guard. He's about as versatile player as there is in the country. My personal guess is that he will go pro, but that depends on the draft position.

AFGZ: The Blue Devils have kicked off another season with a tremendous 8-1 record and the 7th spot in the polls. But recently they've underachieved in the NCAA tournament. What will it take for Duke to get back to the Final Four or win the National Championship?

DBR: I am not sure they've underachieved in the postseason as much as they have overachieved in the regular season. For various reasons, Duke hasn't had as much talent lately, as they are used to. The fact that they maintained a high regular-season standard is very impressive, considering the key players missed in recruiting, especially in the back court.

AFGZ: Duke seems to have the skill players to compete against anyone, but is Zoubek talented enough to get it done against bigger teams in the front court? Who will bang with other bigs in the ACC and during the NCAA tourney?

DBR: Zoubek is a tactical weapon. And he's never going to be a tremendous offensive force, but he's an excellent rebounder, a fair defender, and a surprising passer. He is a very alert player who can surprise. He has no vertical to speak of and is not very fast, but he's effective. He is very useful against bigger players, although he at times gets into foul trouble. He is capable of double-figure rebounds in limited time. Don't dismiss him because he looks slow and can't jump.

AFGZ: Which Gonzaga player do you think will give Duke the most trouble in this match-up?

DBR: To be honest I am not as familiar with the match-ups as I would like to be. I have seen Gonzaga once and was very impressed with Bouldin and Kong. But the reason both programs are solid are the coaches. Mark Few is a great coach. We have a lot of respect for what he has accomplished. Gonzaga has become a great program, despite being remote from the eastern media and to an extent the West Coast media too, and in spite of being in a lesser conference and having to compete with the Pac-10. There's no organic reason why Gonzaga should be great. Duke has the ACC to build on. Gonzaga has done it on sheer grit and determination. It's one of my favorite programs and for all the right reasons.

AFGZ: From your perspective on the East coast, how do you view Gonzaga? Are they a legitimate opponent or a pretender come tournament time? What are your thoughts on this MSG game?

DBR: From an East Coast point of view, I'm never sure why Gonzaga seems to underachieve in the tournament. With so many players having departed from last year's team I'm not nearly as familiar with this year's. But I do know that Gonzaga is never a walk in the park. You guys have a great, clean, highly respected program. That said, I hope we kick your butt :)

Good luck!

Thanks to JD for taking the time to chat with us. Make sure you check out DukeBasketballReport.com for all your Duke news.

From an NBA perspective, Gonzaga has never been more on the radar than the last 5 or so years. From success stories like Ronny Turiaf to the struggles of Adam Morrison, NBA scouts and writers always have an eye on GU.

On Saturday, Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus took some time to not only watch Gonzaga closely, but he put together a solid scouting report for our young Gonzaga team. He talks specifically about Harris, Sacre and Goodson. Here's some of what he had to say:

On Elias Harris who is currently projected as a first round pick in the 2011 NBA draft:

Against Davidson, Harris could do pretty much whatever he wanted, and he had plenty of options. Inside, Harris drew fouls at a prolific rate. While it got out of hand when he was ejected for throwing an elbow against Wake Forest, his physical play has been a strength thus far, and Harris is certainly not afraid of contact.

On Robert Sacre who is currently projected as a late second round pick in the 2011 NBA draft:

The Wildcats, who play skinny 6'10" centers, had no prayer of stopping Sacre, and it was no coincidence Davidson's best stretch of basketball came after he picked up two fouls midway through the first half and was forced to the bench. In his 25 minutes of action, Sacre ended up with an inconceivable 18 free throw attempts.

On Demetri Goodson:

That certainly had much to do with facing a Davidson team that simply had no athletes able to keep with him on the perimeter, but I also think Goodson responded to having the ball in his hands with Bouldin sitting out. Placed in the role of creator, Goodson made a lot of things happen with the speed he memorably showed off in going coast-to-cast to beat Western Kentucky in last year's NCAA Tournament.

It's nice to get a perspective on our Zags from an "next level" stand-point. In my opinion, a guy who is on the NBA radar is someone who is more likely to improve throughout the year, especially for underclassmen. Harris probably has the most potential but I like Gonzaga's starting five to continue to improve thoughout the season.

Keep an eye on Kevin Pelton's blog, he does great work for both college basketball and the NBA.

Basketball Prospectus

Gonzaga picked up their first Battle in Seattle win in four years tonight against a poor and overmatched Davidson team.  Despite most indications otherwise, Matt Bouldin did not dress for the Zags and was replaced by Grant Gibbs. Gonzaga appeared to sleep walk through most of the affair while the crowd seemed to just flat out sleep through it.

This was a back and forth contest through the first half and only a two-point Gonzaga lead at the midpoint.  The Bulldogs poured it on in the second half with Steven Gray hitting three pointers, Harris doing whatever he wanted offensively and Goodson driving to the rim with reckless abandon.  Davidson had no answer for the Zags depth and fouled themselves out of this game as Gonzaga shot a school record 54 free throws.