SPOKANE, Wash.— Evan Closky was feeling pretty confident in a few NCAA Bulldog predictions he had in mind.
His first bold prediction was that Silas Melson will to have a monster game in the Sweet 16 or Elite 8.
He said he thinks that because the Zags are 39-2 all-time when the senior drops 10 or more points. He talked about that stat ad nauseam, but it's so telling. Besides being a defensive threat, Melson will be able to put a stamp on his legacy at Gonzaga.
Closky also said he predicted Zach Norvell Jr. will have two or more games with 20 or more points. His reason: Norvell, also known as Snacks and also known as the microwave just loves the big stage. Fans saw him have a couple of big games out in Vegas, we saw him deliver in big moments with a 3-pointer or tough layup here and there.
“He's just a freshman, but he's so smooth and not phased by any significant moment,” Closkt said.
We all know him well in Spokane, but he's going to earn some national notoriety after his tournament is over, according to Closky.
For Evan’s third and final bold prediction he said he thinks Johnathan Williams will record a double-double throughout the March Madness tournament.
“He's recorded 12 straight games of double-digit points and in nine of those ballgames he's had at least 10 rebounds as well,” said Closky,
While Williams didn't record a single double-double in 2017, he still won the West Regional MVP award.
Closky said Killian Tillie was a close second, but Closky argued J3 is the most important player on this Gonzaga team.