Color Scheme

Subscribe now
Gonzaga Basketball

Brett Bailey, Olin Carter lead Toreros

San Diego forward Brett Bailey (32) leads Toreros in scoring (15.9), but he was limited to five points in Spokane on Jan. 26, 2017. (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)
San Diego forward Brett Bailey (32) leads Toreros in scoring (15.9), but he was limited to five points in Spokane on Jan. 26, 2017. (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)Buy a print of this photo
By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5585

No. 1 Gonzaga (28-0, 16-0 WCC) can clinch an outright WCC championship with a road win over San Diego (12-16, 5-11) on Thursday.

Gonzaga will try to replicate its defensive efforts from the first meeting with San Diego, a 79-43 victory in Spokane.

The Zags’ focus will be three-fold. Olin Carter III struck for 10 points in the first 5 minutes of the first meeting, but the sophomore guard cooled off when GU’s Silas Melson entered the game. Carter finished with 12 points.

Senior forward Brett Bailey, a standout at University High, leads the Toreros in scoring (15.9), but he was limited to five points in Spokane.

Junior forward Cameron Neubauer (6-foot-7, 220 pounds) scored just seven points in the initial meeting. He’s a streaky 3-point shooter who could stretch Gonzaga’s defense if he gets hot. The tradeoff comes at the other end, where the Zags’ frontcourt of Przemek Karnowski, Johnathan Williams and Zach Collins has an edge inside. Gonzaga enjoyed a 50-16 advantage in paint points against USD last month.