Former Gonzaga All-American Dan Dickau breaks down the Bulldogs' next two road games at Pepperdine and San Diego
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 Hey everybody, it's Christian Pedersen joined by Dan Dickow for take two of proving that I'm just
00:04 a really subpar podcaster producer. We had a great podcast, didn't hit record on it. We're going to
00:09 try and rehash all the same jump scares and genuine interactions. Dan, thank you very much for joining
00:15 us. Look, we're two big wins and a loss removed from our last podcast and I want to not be bore
00:24 people and know that we will eventually get into Q1 this sub 500 there and like there's a lot of
00:29 numbers flashing on the screen. I want to just try and talk a little bit more basketball, a little
00:33 more gut reaction-y type of stuff with you because sometimes you just got to talk hoops. You just got
00:39 to got to pontificate about what you see. You got a recording with Adam coming up in a little bit.
00:45 You're going to dive more specifically into the Santa Clara game so maybe I just want to talk
00:49 big picture. Since we had last talked you said you were really curious about some of the different
00:55 lineup permutations, some of the different combinations, playing time, lineups,
01:01 rotations, subbing in and out this and I'm curious your thoughts. We've seen a couple guys go full
01:05 40 minutes. Are you happy with that? Do you still think change needs to come? Is this all just
01:11 because Steele Venters hurt his knee and the perfect formula doesn't exist this year with
01:17 the rotation? What's going on? Well, that's a loaded question. I mean, I do think the perfect
01:23 combination doesn't exist with how the roster was set up for this season to have success because of
01:30 Steele's injury. He was going to provide depth. He was going to provide a launch pad for Dusty
01:36 Strohmer to grow into a role and get used to the college game. And then the injury to Luka
01:43 Krinovich I think has impacted things as well. I think for me, you look at this team is still
01:50 very talented. The depth isn't what it quite needs to be or they thought it would be or wants it to
01:56 be. But, you know, it's hard to play three guys 40 minutes in a game. You got to find ways to
02:05 generate a four minute stretch of rest for guys. You know, that's why I think the Krinovich
02:11 injury and, you know, maybe his lack of taking advantage and taking that possibility of a role
02:18 early in the season is a little bit of a frustration. Same thing with June. I mean,
02:22 if you look at Krinovich, who he's been out about four weeks, they said his injury was four to six
02:28 weeks. So hopefully we'll get some news on that in the next week or so about when his return will
02:33 be. But if you look at if he could have carved out a nice four minute stretch in the first half
02:38 in June, in a four minute stretch where he really built on it, grew some confidence in himself
02:44 and in the staff to give those guys opportunities, you give him a four minute stretch in the first
02:48 half. They play well, they get another three to four minute stretch in the second half or maybe
02:51 even more. Then you're not being forced or pressed into playing Anton Watson, Nolan Hickman and Ryan
02:59 Nembhardt 40 minutes a game. Now, you know, they're young enough, I think on occasion they can,
03:04 but that's a lot to ask a player or players to be in high level situations where it's physical,
03:12 it's a grind, it's an uptempo, fast paced game physically, but not to mention, you know, mentally
03:17 having to make those decisions time and time again, knowing if you look at it from the opponent's side
03:24 is, hey, let's make this a decision making game, let's grind it out. So then, you know, they're
03:29 they're worn down mentally as the game goes on, because sometimes that little break that you can
03:34 get when you sub out, you see the game from a different perspective. Maybe the team changes
03:38 their coverages in a pick and roll or changes their coverages in something where all of a sudden
03:45 you see something that you want to take advantage of as a player or as a staff. And, you know,
03:50 those guys don't get that break right now. So sky's not falling. You know, I've said it before,
03:56 I'd like to see those guys get a little bit of an opportunity. It's not the worst thing in the
04:00 world that they haven't because, because, you know, the three guys I mentioned are really talented.
04:06 But you want to see the ability to give those guys a break, but you haven't because Ventures
04:14 injury, Kranjovic's injury now, but then Kranjovic and June haven't been able to fully take advantage
04:20 of opportunities that have come their way. We dig into the vault, Dan, you tend to be pretty
04:23 rock solid on your memories here. Do you remember your playing time averages, Ed Gonzaga?
04:30 I think my junior year was probably around 32 minutes a game. And I think my senior year was
04:37 probably around 34, if I'm not mistaken. 33 and 34. So yeah, Dan knows, Dan knows,
04:45 hey, we laugh, but there's not a lot of places where you get analysis from somebody that actually
04:49 knows what it's like to run high 30 minutes in a college basketball game for an extended amount
04:53 of time and knows that, hey, those extra couple of minutes can actually end up being a huge
04:58 amount of, even if it's not physical focus, it can be mental focus. It can just be a chance to talk
05:03 with coach and make some quick adjustments. Speaking of making adjustments, we're looking now
05:07 at Gonzaga gets another crack at Pepperdine and USD, but then has a while until their next
05:17 step at Santa Clara. I mean, is this time for is Gonzaga? I know that you've kind of slated the WCC
05:24 is theirs to run the table on. They can't run the table on it, but do they still have
05:28 enough cushion right here to get into a rhythm or is it time to, hey, maybe on the USD game,
05:35 we try a little different permutation or like no dramatic changes, just more growth.
05:41 I don't think there's going to be any dramatic changes. You know, when Cranovich is healthy,
05:46 I think you got to try to find him a minute, a couple of stretches to see what he can do.
05:51 I still think you got to find that for June and see what he can do. But I know it's so valuable.
05:57 These wins right now. And if you're not playing as well as you would like, it's hard to, you know,
06:04 still put the unknown out there on the floor. And so I think that's part of it. But you're going on
06:10 the road for Pepperdine USD. When you look at Gonzaga's schedule so far, they've really only had
06:16 two true road games at University of Washington, which they lost at Santa Clara, which they lost.
06:22 So the team as a whole together hasn't been tested on the road yet and come out with flying colors.
06:31 So this is a chance for them to get out on the road and play a road game,
06:34 two road games in settings where they absolutely should win.
06:37 All right. So then what are we doing if we are WCC or Gonzaga fans coming now post-college football,
06:46 post-ish NFL? Like it's time to start actually really paying attention to Gonzaga and college
06:54 basketball. Are you saying, hey, you know, yes, watch your Gonzaga games on a daily basis, but
07:00 also please USF and Santa Clara or St. Mary's USF Santa Clara or like who else in the WCC do,
07:08 you know, the casual basketball fans that are migrating over now need to pay a little bit of
07:13 attention to the next couple of weeks? Well, I mean, yes, you're exactly right. The fact is,
07:20 you know, the diehard college hoops fan has been watching everything from start to finish.
07:25 They've probably been watching and listening to our podcast. We're going to start generating,
07:29 you know, the casual observer and just the seasonal college basketball fan to our show
07:35 and to watching Gonzaga. And that's normal. But if you just look at the record and see
07:41 Gonzaga at 11 to 5, they might not be in the AP poll when it comes out later today,
07:46 as we're recording here on a Monday at around 830 in the morning.
07:49 And it usually comes out, you know, just before noon our time. So if you're looking at the record,
07:57 you see they might not be ranked. You're probably wondering what's going on. Well,
08:00 the thing for Gonzaga is all new roster, all new guys. You know, they lost Timmy, lost Strother,
08:05 lost Malachi Smith. They lost Rizer Bolton, Salas, Efton Reed, Dom Harris in the transfer
08:11 portal. They reloaded pretty well, but things haven't quite gelled as well as hoped or anticipated.
08:17 You know, a lot of it has been due to uncertainties with, you know, playing time,
08:24 you know, because the three guys we mentioned in the previous question are playing so many
08:28 monstrous minutes. There's been injuries. Steel Ventures, their sniper shooter from the outside,
08:34 they got in the transfer portal, injured his knee before the first regular season game of the year.
08:39 And, you know, now you're looking at how do you replace him. Luka Kranjovic, who was a freshman
08:44 with high hopes, broke his hand. He's been out about four weeks. So they're still working through
08:48 some things. But again, the table is not, the cupboard is not there. The table is set to have
08:55 another good season here at Gonzaga. Just a little need to shoot the ball better from the outside.
09:00 Defense has been solid, but not great. I think this team has a chance to really improve on that
09:06 end of the floor. Offensively, if they start making shots with a little more consistency
09:11 from the outside, you're going to see another great offensive attack because Graham Ekay,
09:16 the transfer from Wyoming, you know, he's put up some really good numbers. I believe he's leading
09:20 them in scoring. If not, you know, he's jockeying one, two for scoring with Anton. But, you know,
09:28 they've got the pieces. It's just kind of putting them all together at the same time right now.
09:33 You talk about steel ventures, you talk about the transfer portal, we.
09:36 Gonzaga isn't loading up on a mercenary army of five star guys every single year, rinse and repeat,
09:44 but it's still like the transfer portal has become so sneaky, sneaky, important that someone like a
09:51 steel ventures who was just supposed to be that perfect steam valve of like, he can be over here
09:56 shooting threes and it sets up everything is a transfer portal piece. Like it's just it's crazy
10:01 to me that we're at the point where you just you can dig into this magical, just amorphous bag of
10:08 college basketball and pull out anything you need. You need a five star guy. You need a shooter. You
10:12 need a three and D. You need something like that. Eventually, Gonzaga will find that right piece.
10:17 And, you know, maybe down the road, a mixture, like you said, of guys becoming themselves this
10:22 year and growing plus some transfer pieces and support pieces and getting healthy like it can be
10:27 a from this year to next year, they're back in the national championship game. So you just hope
10:30 that this year, yeah, like it's people that need the time to soak it in and start playing and start
10:35 growing a little bit. You've mentioned the growth over a couple of different episodes. So hopefully
10:39 as we are back here next week, hitting record on the better of the episodes, we will we will
10:46 continue to see that little kernel of growth. So I like to close it as always with we are not
10:51 panicking. We're telling fans just, you know, keep your eyes on the horizon. Anything that we missed
10:57 this week in Gonzaga basketball, anything that I think you're pretty spot on with a lot of that.
11:02 I mean, I think the big thing is, is there's only been two road opportunities and they were in both
11:09 of those games, the game against you. They faltered down the stretch last six minutes. They couldn't
11:15 make a bucket and they had too many turnovers. They were up in the final minute against Santa
11:20 Clara and then it took a game winning layup, I think, with about four seconds left for Santa
11:25 Clara to come out on top. Those are the only two road games. And to really learn as a college
11:31 basketball player, as a young player, or to kind of galvanize as a team, many times you need to go
11:35 into a tough environment and get a win on the road. And so now I'm not saying Pepperdine and San Diego
11:41 are tough environments, but at least they're road environments. And so I think what you're you have
11:46 a chance to see this week is a lot of growth and they come out 2-0. There's no worries. There's
11:52 no concern. It's just half a game behind St. Mary's or whatever it may be, whoever, because
11:59 of St. Mary's, San Diego or excuse me, St. Mary's, San Francisco, Santa Clara are all sitting in
12:04 towards the top right now, just ahead of Gonzaga. You go out on the road, you win both. You're now
12:10 looking at that showdown. The showdown's coming up soon with San Francisco and St. Mary's.
12:15 And then you win those, all's right in the world again.
12:20 Yeah. Just looking at this first off, you're never going to be accused of fake news or
12:25 journalistic malpractice. If you say that the Jenny Craig pavilion is a quiet and easy place
12:30 for Gonzaga USD will, there are a lot of things. They will never be a ruckus basketball school.
12:36 And then, yeah, you look at that and I, it's kind of interesting
12:39 back half of the schedule. They're going to be at USF at St. Mary's to close. So ultimately you're
12:46 right that this narrative of home versus road is going to end up maybe being the biggest
12:51 determining factor to follow along with Gonzaga. And, you know, I would want some of those home
12:59 games at the end road games at the first, but maybe this will be the baptism by fire that they
13:03 needed to start it off. Dan, thank you as always for joining us folks, check out everything. Dan's
13:08 putting in a holiday weekend right now where he's recording with me. He's going to record with Adam.
13:11 He does not stop. No holiday is, is capable of stopping college basketball junkies like ourselves,
13:18 getting you guys the content that you need. Thank you as always everyone for checking in.
13:21 We'll talk to you guys soon. Cool.