Dan Dickau: Gonzaga must execute 'right off the bat' against McNeese State in 2024 NCAA Tournament

Bulldogs look to avoid an upset against a stingy Cowboys team in Salt Lake City

The 5-seed Gonzaga Bulldogs can't afford a slow start on offense against 12-seed McNeese State in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Thursday.

The Cowboys' (30-3, 17-1 Southland) full-court zone press and 2-3 zone defense in the halfcourt caused havoc for their opponents this season. They forced 16.45 turnovers per game, the ninth-most in the country, and boasted a 14.0% steal rate according to KenPom, the sixth-best mark in college basketball. Fifth-year guard Shahada Wells was active on the defensive end with 2.97 steals per game, second-most in the nation.

Turnovers were an issue early on for Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference Tournament championship against Saint Mary's, though for the most part taking care of the ball hasn't been a great concern. The Zags have the 16th-lowest turnover rate in the country and have had less than 10 turnovers in five of their last six games. 

Former Gonzaga All-American Dan Dickau broke down the importance of valuing each possession against the Cowboys, and much more regarding the 2024 NCAA Tournament, on a new Gonzaga Nation episode.

Produced by Christian Pedersen.

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