After dropping in polls, Gonzaga Bulldogs will try to rebound vs. Kent State

The No. 18 Zags will play at McCarthey Athletic Center for the first time in a month

The first quarter of the season hasn't gone quite as expected for the No. 18 Gonzaga Bulldogs.

Ranked No. 2 to start the season, it has been a game of survive and advance for Gonzaga. The Bulldogs have faced the second-hardest schedule in the country, according to KenPom's measurements, and their 5-3 record is the program's worst eight-game start in a dozen years. 

The Zags suffered a gut-wrenching loss on Friday night to the No. 12 Baylor Bears, who scored the final eight points of the ballgame to escape Sioux Falls with a 64-63 win. A slow start had Mark Few’s squad trailing for the majority of the night before taking the lead for the first time following a 7-0 run to start the second half. But the offense committed 18 turnovers and couldn't find its rhythm with Drew Timme in foul trouble, opening the door for Baylor to seize control down the stretch.

It was the third straight game the Zags shot under 50% from the floor, the first streak of its kind since the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Against three top-30 defensive units, according to KenPom, scoring the ball hasn’t been as easy as it has in previous seasons.

Now, the first home game in almost a month on Monday night against Kent State could present plenty of challenges for the offense.

The Golden Flashes (6-2), ranked No. 71 on KenPom, boast a stingy defense that has a knack for taking the ball away. Led by Malique Jacobs’ NCAA-best 28 steals on the season, coach Rob Senderoff’s squad ranks ninth in the country in turnovers forced per game, ninth in steals per game and fifth in turnover margin.

Defense alone nearly sparked an upset over No. 1 Houston last Saturday as Kent State held the Cougars to 32% shooting from the field while forcing 23 turnovers.

Taking care of the ball has been a thorn in the Zags’ side all season long, especially their starting backcourt. With a negative turnover margin, there’s plenty of room for the second-best offense in the country to be more mindful with the ball.

On offense, the reigning Mid-American Conference Player of the Year Sincere Carry has picked up right where he left last season off, averaging 18.5 points per game to lead Kent State’s scoring attack. The redshirt senior was also named to the conference’s all-defensive first team and is currently top-10 in the nation in steals. Though the Golden Flashes rely heavily on their star, he can impact the game in more ways than one.

The 104th-ranked offense on KenPom shoots 43.8% from the field and 36.4% from deep. Two other players average double figures in scoring; Jacobs at 12.9 ppg and Miryne Thomas with 10.9 ppg.

It’ll be strength versus strength when Kent State’s greedy defense looks to thwart Gonzaga’s efficient offense.

Responding to adversity has been the theme of the season though, particularly on offense following a poor performance in the prior outing. In the two games after a loss, Gonzaga averages 88 points on 53.2% shooting from the field. Drew Timme, Anton Watson and Julian Strawther have had chances to bounce back individually as well from their own struggles throughout the season.

As such, expect the Zags to come out laser-focused on Monday night to get back in the win column in a big way.

Prediction: Zags 92, Golden Flashes 66