Gonzaga vs. Baylor: The Game We’ve All Been Waiting For

It’s finally here. Gonzaga vs. Baylor, the matchup we’ve all been waiting for. I haven’t been this excited for a college basketball title game since North Carolina vs Georgetown in 1982. Ewing, Fred Brown and Eric Sleepy Floyd vs. Worthy, Perkins and Jordan. I miss the old school introductions from those games. Remember how every player would run to half court after they were announced, band playing in the background, and shake the opposing player’s hand? Why did we get away from that model? It gives fans a good chance to gauge a player’s mindset heading into the game. Are they the friendly type who extends two hands and gives an almost familial handshake with one hand and a pat on the shoulder with the other? Or are they feeling a little surly and begrudgingly extend a fist bump that sends the I’m-not-here-to-make-friends message? Since we can no longer rely on the pre-game intros to let us know who will get the better of a matchup, we’ve got to break it all down on paper.

Jared Butler vs Andrew Nembhard

As a pure shooter with the ability to score off the dribble, Butler gets the nod on offense. Nembhard is a much better passer and facilitator with an underrated offensive game. Butler is a bit of an enigma wrapped in a riddle. If he’s knocking down step back 3’s, he can dominate. But he’s also been known to completely vanish. For example, against Villanova he scored 9 points on 4-14 from the floor and 1-9 from 3.  You’re just not always certain which Jared Butler will show up. Nembhard sees the whole floor and is brilliant at getting Timme the ball in his sweet spots. He’s also good at backing down smaller defenders and scoring on the block, much like Jalen Brunson did for Villanova a few years ago. Still, Butler has the ability to take over a game where Nembhard doesn’t.  Edge: Butler

Davion Mitchell vs Jalen Suggs

You can easily argue whoever wins this matchup wins the game. Mitchell is the best on the ball defender in college basketball and he’s arguably the better shooter at 48% from the field, 39% from 3 and 84% from the line while Suggs shoots 50% from the field (more layups and floaters), 33% from 3 and 76% from the line. To this point, no one has been able to keep Mitchell in front of them. His ability to break down a defense and either get all the way to the rim or draw help and kick to an open shooter is unmatched in the college game. Plus, he can step back and knock down a 3 in your eye hole. Suggs does pretty much the same things for the Zags and he’s more athletic than Mitchell. Mitchell has more experience. Suggs has what Mark Few referred to as ‘a magical aura around him.’  We like players with magical auras. Slight Edge: Suggs 

Macio Teague vs Joel Ayayi

They’re eerily similar. Both are long and terrific defensively. Both are capable three point shooters. Both finish extremely well on the break. Teague has a weird hitch in his shot that somehow doesn’t effect his accuracy. Ayayi is an inch taller, a little longer and a little better defender and rebounder. Teague can be more explosive simply because Baylor has needed his offense at times more than Gonzaga needs Ayayi’s. For example, Teague went off for 35 in March against Texas Tech whereas the most Ayayi scored all year was the 22 he just put down against UCLA. Still, Ayayi is the better defender and rebounder and his offense is underrated. Slight Edge: Ayayi

Flo Thamba vs Drew Timme

Timme has been the most impressive big man in the tourney. His old-school-Kevin-McHale-lite footwork on the block is poetry in motion. Plus his passing. And the stache. Huge Edge: Timme

Mark Vital vs. Corey Kispert

Both of these players are struggling. Mark Vital hasn’t been good for weeks. I know they don’t need him to score but he’s spent the last month mostly in foul trouble. The last time he had a double digit rebound game was March 12th vs. Oklahoma State. If he’s not grabbing rebounds, what is Mark Vital doing for you on the floor? Kispert is playing decently, he just hasn’t been quite the same knock down shooter during the tournament as he was during the regular season. Then again, as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz famously said, ‘We’re not in Spokane anymore.’ In his last two outings, against UCLA and USC, he’s 5-18 from 3 point land, where he shot 45% from during the season. He’s also a bit limited defensively because of Kyle Korver-like issues with lateral quickness. Edge: Kispert

Benches: Matthew Mayer, Tchamwa Tchtchoua, Flagler vs. Aaron Cook and Anton Watson

This is where Baylor has a huge advantage. Cook and Watson don’t do much on the floor other than help Timme and one of the guards get a quick blow. Mayer, Tchtchoua and Flagler are legit offensive threats that would start for most teams in America. And on any given night, Mayer can be the best offensive player on the floor. He’s that skilled. Huge Edge: Baylor

Prediction: Baylor is older but Gonzaga is special. Tonight, the Zags finally give Mark Few the national championship he so richly deserves.

Finally, let’s end with a few images from that classic 1982 final.

Look at MJ rockin’ the Converse.

Big Game James after the ball was mistakenly thrown right to him.