Defence in focus for Final Four matchup

Big man in the middle is key as Gonzaga takes on South Carolina today

GLENDALE, Ariz. — South Carolina and Gonzaga have a lot more in common than just being in their first Final Four.

Experience has been a key word around the two programs this week in advance of their national semifinal game today. A bigger word that applies is defence. They don’t play the same style, but they both are effective in holding down an opponent.

Guard Duane Notice is the defensive focal point for seventh-seeded South Carolina.

“Just as your point guard initiates your offence, your on-ball defender initiates your defence,” Gamecocks coach Frank Martin said Friday. “When your point guard’s good offensively, your team is good offensively. When your on-ball guard is good defensively, your team is good defensively. They go hand in hand.”

The man top-seeded Gonzaga (36-1) relies on to lead its defence is 7-foot-1 centre Przemek Karnowski.

“The rim protection that we have this year is different than anything we’ve been able to put out there,” said Bulldogs coach Mark Few. “We got the bulk, the strength, size of Karnowski which allows us to not have to double-team. So then we’re not forced into rotations. But then we also can combine that with the athleticism, the shot-blocking of Zach Collins and Killian Tillie helps.”

Ask the Gamecocks (26-10) about Gonzaga’s defence and rim protection is mentioned again and again.

“Their bigs are huge,” said South Carolina’s Sindarius Thornwell. “They rebound well and we are big on offensive rebounding. We are big on attacking the rim. They do a great job keeping you out of the rim and make you take pull-up jumpers. We must do a good job moving their defence so we can get easier shots.”

Freshman Maik Kotsar will have the main responsibility of handling Karnowski.

“They have huge bodies and they are tall,” the 6-10 Kotsar said. “Just the physicality of it, we have to guard and not let them get easy paint touches.”

Gonzaga, which has allowed 60.9 points per game, has kept three of its four opponents under 60 points in the NCAA Tournament, while South Carolina’s scrambling zone has kept its opponents off balance and out of sync. The Gamecocks allow 64.9 points per game.

“We have been working on it all week, just trying to find ways to exploit their defence,” Gonzaga’s Johnathan Williams said. “I feel like we’ll be fine. We just need to follow the game.”

Today’s other semifinal sees North Carolina (31-7) facing Oregon (33-5).