Gonzaga-Houston key matchup: Milos Uzan toughens up, directs Cougars’ offense

WICHITA, Kan. – Milos Uzan had a tough job coming into Houston’s program, replacing do-everything point guard Jamal Shead, a first-team All-American now earning NBA paychecks with Toronto.

Uzan accepted the challenge when he transferred after playing two seasons at Oklahoma, but it was a rocky road at first. He had to learn how to meet coach Kelvin Sampson’s high standards, which center around toughness, defense and rebounding.

Sampson’s best one-liners regarding Uzan: “Milos was softer than Parkay margarine in the microwave when he got here” and “You need to get some mud in your blood.”

“I didn’t mention that (Uzan needed to be meaner) a couple of weeks ago. I mentioned that seven months ago … June, July, August, September, October,” Sampson said. “First thing I noticed about him when we first started in June and July, he never fouled. I said, ‘Son, we foul a lot. You got to learn to foul.’

“But, you know, sometimes the coaches get way too much credit when kids do well. I would give the credit for his development a lot to our players. This culture that we have has been here for a long time, since well before we started getting in the tournament eight years ago.”

Consider Uzan a graduate with honors of the Sampson’s tough love curriculum. The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder from Las Vegas was named second-team All-Big 12 Conference and made the Big 12 All-Tournament team.

“He told me that (more mud in his blood) from day one,” said Uzan, who played against former Zag Julian Strawther in high school and said the two remain pretty close. “Basically, he wanted me to be tougher, meaner, nastier. Basically, he was calling me soft every day. I definitely think it worked. I feel like I’ve been playing a lot better since conference play.

“Never met a guy like Coach Sampson. He’s a great dude, Hall of Famer. It shows in his wins and losses. “

Uzan stung Arizona, led by former Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd, for a career-high 25 points, four 3-pointers, four rebounds and four assists in 37 turnover-free minutes in the Cougars’ victory in the Big 12 championship.

Uzan averages 11.6 points and 4.3 assists. His numbers aren’t off the charts, but Houston is more of a balanced crew instead of star-driven. He’s eighth nationally with a 3.26 assist-to-turnover ratio, a category in which GU’s Ryan Nembhard ranks third at 4.11.

Uzan and fellow guards LJ Cryer and Emanuel Sharp combine to average nearly 40 points and 3.3 steals. All three are proven 3-point shooters, with Cryer the lowest at 42.3% and Uzan the highest at 43.5%.

That sets up a must-see matchup with Gonzaga’s guard line of Nembhard, Nolan Hickman and Khalif Battle. All three Zags average in double-figures scoring, Hickman has been red-hot behind the 3-point line and Nembhard leads the nation in assists. Battle is coming off four 3-pointers and a team-high 24 points in Thursday’s win over Georgia.

It’ll be interesting to see how both teams line up on defense.

Hickman is regarded as GU’s best defender and usually takes on the toughest perimeter assignment. That’s not easy to determine with Houston as Cryer averages a team-leading 15.2 points and Sharp isn’t far behind at 12.5, but Uzan is the facilitator.

GU could put Hickman on Uzan, Nembhard on Cryer and Battle, who has made noticeable defensive strides, on the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Sharp. Likewise, Houston figures to use Uzan’s length to defend Nembhard with Cryer on Hickman and Sharp facing Battle.

“He’s a really good point guard,” Uzan said. “I’m excited to match up against him and see what it’s like.”