Gonzaga-Cal State Bakersfield key matchups: Taze Moore, Shawn Stith challenge Bulldogs’ backcourt, frontcourt

The key matchup – or matchups – might take a few minutes to materialize.

Taze Moore and Shawn Stith, CSU Bakersfield’s top two scorers, both come off the bench. In fact, three of the Roadrunners’ top-five scorers aren’t in the starting lineup as coach Rod Barnes uses a 10-man rotation.

Moore, an athletic 6-foot-5 junior guard, averages 15 points on 57.7% shooting. Stith, a 6-9, 265-pound junior post, averages 12 points on 60.7% shooting.

It’s tough to forecast the matchups since both come off the bench, but Filip Petrusev and Drew Timme are options on Stith, a good finisher inside who is tied for 20th nationally with 26 made free throws. The Zags haven’t faced many interior post threats aside from Texas A&M’s Josh Nebo and North Dakota’s Filip Rebraca.

Admon Gilder, Joel Ayayi, Corey Kispert and perhaps Anton Watson could see time defending Moore, who has hit six 3-pointers and leads the Roadrunners in steals (10), turnovers (10) and blocks (five).

The flip side is Moore and Stith will likely defend Gilder (13.6 points) and Petrusev (16.6), respectively, key parts of a Zags offense averaging 90.6 points.