Gonzaga-Saint Mary’s key matchup: Drew Timme, Matthias Tass renew acquaintances

Drew Timme is chatty on and off the basketball court. He can be seen talking to opponents while teammates attempt free throws. Before a December game, he visited with an opposing head coach on the sideline for 15 minutes during pregame warmups.

So it comes as no surprise that Timme knows Saint Mary’s counterpart Matthias Tass beyond just a customary pregame handshake.

“He’s a good player,” Timme said of the Gaels’ senior center. “He’s a buddy of mine. We have fun going at each other. It’ll be fun. Love seeing him do well. He’s a great guy, but hopefully he doesn’t do too good against us.”

Timme is referring to Saturday night when Saint Mary’s makes its annual visit to Spokane. The 6-foot-10, 245-pound Tass has emerged as leading scorer (12.8 points) and rebounder (6.2) in the Gaels’ balanced attack. He’s one of the main reasons Saint Mary’s has cracked the top 25 in the NET rankings and has a strong chance of making the NCAA Tournament.

Tass, who operates effectively on the low block, hits nearly 60% of his shots inside the arc and 78.9% at the foul line – both career highs. His streak of 17 consecutive games scoring in double figures ended Tuesday, but he played just 19 minutes in a rout over San Diego.

He’s proven to be a reliable interior scorer and defender while generally staying out of foul trouble. He’s surrounded by a solid group of perimeter shooters and guards Tommy Kuhse and Logan Johnson are capable of creating with dribble penetration.

The 6-10 Timme and 7-foot freshman Chet Holmgren are defensive options on Tass. Holmgren and wing Julian Strawther will probably open up against Kyle Bowen and Alex Ducas, both stretch forwards with 3-point-shooting ability, much like their Gonzaga counterparts. Anton Watson also will see time defending SMC forwards.