Listening to the Wildcats

Last Sunday: this buttery deliciousness before flying back to Florida. This Sunday: brunch in St. Pete with Kilgo on the computer.

Pretty place out there

More from yesterday

At DavidsonNews.net:

SEATTLE -- Nationally ranked Gonzaga outlasted Davidson, 103-91, in a high-scoring game Saturday afternoon in the “Battle in Seattle” at KeyArena. Six Wildcats scored in double figures.

Forward Jake Cohen had 16 points, guards Brendan McKillop and JP Kuhlman each had 15, Will Archambault had 11, and Ben Allison and Nik Cochran added 10 apiece.

Times. McKillop: “We’re in the process of working through getting some experience.”

Before I head out into the Seattle cold ...

Worth pointing out: McKillop after the game called Will’s showing this evening “his best performance” -- “as perfect as he’s been in his four years at Davidson.” His line: 11 points, six assists, one turnover, 28 minutes. McKillop: “He played within the system. He screened people. He distributed the ball. He didn’t force shots.”

Why Landry didn’t make the trip

Emergency appendectomy on Tuesday.

Coverage from tonight

AP:

SEATTLE -- Freshman Elias Harris scored a season-high 27 points and No. 21 Gonzaga overcame the absence of leading scorer Matt Bouldin to beat Davidson 103-91 on Saturday night.

Robert Sacre dominated the smaller Wildcats inside with a career-best 23 points and the Bulldogs (8-2) won for the first time in four tries in their annual game across the state in Seattle.

Bouldin sat out three days after he was cracked just below the temple by an opponent’s forehead and said he was knocked out briefly early in a win over Division III Augustana of Illinois on Wednesday.

PI: Davidson was able to stick around thanks to sizzling shooting from behind the three-point line. The Wildcats finished 14-for-23, but it wasn’t enough.

At the half at KeyArena

After a cross-continental flight in the middle of exams, playing a team in the Top 25, and with seven guys with two fouls already, and considering Gonzaga had a 17-0 run mixed in there -- I’ll take 47-45.

My view

Local media: Stephen’s not here!

Bud Withers in the Times:

When the 2009-10 college basketball season began, Gonzaga’s string of 11 straight NCAA tournament appearances looked vulnerable. The Zags had lost four of their top five scorers from last season, and had 10 freshmen or sophomores expected to contribute.

Four weeks in, though, Gonzaga appears on track to sustain that long streak. Today, fans can judge for themselves at KeyArena in the seventh annual Battle in Seattle at 4 p.m. as the Zags (7-2) entertain Davidson (2-6), otherwise known as the school that spawned Stephen Curry, who isn’t there anymore. A crowd of about 12,000 is expected.

PI: This is not the same potent Wildcat team as the past two seasons. Spokane: Curry’s absence has been felt by the Wildcats, whose dominance of the Southern Conference might have left with the departure of the two-time All-American. AP: The Zags who remain are disappointed Curry isn’t here for this “rematch,” which came together about the time Curry got drafted early last summer. The Sports Network: Many wondered how the team would respond this season without superstar guard Stephen Curry, who has moved on to the NBA. Clearly, the transition has been rough to say the least. Slipper Still Fits: Where is Stephen Curry?

Davidson-Gonzaga

John McGrath in Tacoma: It was one of those NCAA tournament games that compel you to remember where you were and what you were doing.

Here in Seattle

To the Pacific Northwest

TPA --> ORD --> SEA.

Reading the Gonzaga game notes

Some things I underlined:

1. Davidson is 13-76 when playing a ranked opponent and has lost its last six.

2. The loss last Saturday at C of C broke a 30-game Southern Conference regular-season road winning streak.

3. Davidson’s bench has outscored its opponents’ bench in every game this season. Five Wildcats are averaging six points a game or more. No Davidson player is averaging more than 11.3 shots a game. No player has taken more than 15 shots in a game. Nine guys are averaging nine or more minutes a game.

Getting ready in Seattle

The PI:

On Tuesday at 10 a.m., premium courtside seats will be made available to the general public. And they’re not cheap -- expect to pay close to $200 for an unobstructed courtside view.

The Zags’ opponent is a Stephen Curry-less Davidson team -- not exactly the caliber opponent Seattle fans have grown accustomed to. Then again, Gonzaga has lost three consecutive games at KeyArena, falling to Nevada, Tennessee and Connecticut in the past three Battles, so maybe a lesser foe is a blessing this year.

The last time these teams played was was in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament, when Curry lit up the 7th-seeded Zags for 40 points in a 82-76 win. This year, the 2-6 Wildcats don’t quite have that much firepower.

Last time. TV.

Dec. 12 in Seattle

Gonzaga. Tickets.

Seattle’s Pike Place Market