I'm definitely going to look forward (to it) and take on the challenge. – Utah's Jakob Poeltl, on facing Gonzaga's Domantas Sabonis
DENVER — When No. 3 Utah matches up with No. 11 Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday evening, all eyes will be on the front-court battle, highlighted by a pair of potential NBA lottery picks.
Utah center Jakob Poeltl (17.6 points per game, 9.2 rebounds per game) will battle Gonzaga's Domantas Sabonis (17.5, 11.7) in the post. Poeltl finished with 16 points and 18 rebounds in Utah's 80-69 victory over Fresno State on Thursday, while Sabonis helped lead Gonzaga to a 68-52 win over Seton Hall with 21 points and 16 rebounds.
"I'm definitely going to look forward (to it) and take on the challenge," Poeltl said. "He's very aggressive. He looks to run the court. He can drive and shoot a little midrange. He's a very versatile player. Got to do my best and take away whatever I can. I know I'm going to get some help from my teammates."
Sabonis and Poeltl, each European talents, faced off over the summer in an international friendly. Sabonis scored 8 points and pulled down four rebounds as Lithuania defeated Austria, 86-71, that day; Poeltl scored 27 points in 28 minutes, on 11-of-15 shooting from the field.
"He's a very, very talented big man," Sabonis said, recounting that game. "He had a great game against us that summer. I know (Saturday) night's going to be very tough. It's going to be tough to stop him. I'm going to have my team to help me out. I'm just really excited to play."
However, the battle of the front courts doesn't end at Poeltl vs. Sabonis. Gonzaga forward Kyle Wiltjer leads the Bulldogs this season with 20.7 points per game. Krystkowiak said he's watched Wiltjer for some time and that the Gonzaga forward "has done a lot of damage."
"He's a tremendous 3-point shooter with range that you don't find very often in college basketball," said Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak, who also praised Wiltjer's ability on the post. "With that length, he can get a shot off over a lot of defenders on the perimeter."
Krystkowiak added the game plan is to try to rotate around looks in attempt to slow down Gonzaga's leading scorer.
"It's not going to be on any one person. We've got to have a multitude of guys that are locked in and focused in on trying to stop him," Krystkowiak said. "I think it's a little bit like the game of baseball, where if you keep throwing the same pitch, you're probably going to get yourself in trouble. We'll try to switch some things up from time to time and give him some different looks."
It's partly the reason Gonzaga guard Josh Perkins is as confident as he is about his teammates in the post.
"I know who to get the ball to every time. I have the best front court in the country with Domas and Wiltjer," Perkins said. "It's my job to get them the ball. They trust us well. If they're not open, they'll kick it to us and we'll make the right decision for them."
With a front court as strong offensively as Gonzaga's, forward Jordan Loveridge said the attack plan starts with the front court before limiting the guys around them.
"We're trying to figure out ways to limit their touches then making sure guys that aren't scoring as much — we can (drop a defender) off them, try to make them beat us and not let those guys just be comfortable and do the things they like to do," Loveridge said.
Meanwhile, Utah forwards Dakarai Tucker and Loveridge lead the Utes in 3-point percentage, averaging 42 and 41 percent respectively from beyond the arc this season. Loveridge, the team's second-leading scorer, averages 2.6 3-point makes per game to help stretch out a front court that also features third-leading scorer Kyle Kuzma.
However, Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said he admires Utah's defensive approach in the front court as much as the offensive approach.
"They double, switch up their doubles, do different things with the zone that they run and things like that that I think protects Poeltl," Few said.
A look at the back court: It's easy to focus attention on two highly productive front courts, but the back courts figure to play a factor on Saturday as well.
Gonzaga guards Eric McClellon and Josh Perkins have combined to average 20.7 points this season — the same as Wiltjer. McClellon averaged 20.3 points in the West Coast Conference tournament, but wound up with just 9 points and five turnovers in Gonzaga's win over Seton Hall.
That's not the aspect of the game that impressed Utah guard Brandon Taylor.
"He was an excellent defender (in the game)," Taylor said. "You just know you have to be as poised as possible and you have to be tight with the ball at all time."
Conversely, Utah's guard tandem of Taylor and Lorenzo Bonam average 19.9 points combined and seven assists per game.
"They've got good guards," Sabonis said. "They find their big men in the post. Hit them in with the pocket pass. It's going to be a fun match. It's going to be a tough battle."
Lots of turnovers: Both Utah and Gonzaga committed 20 turnovers in first-round wins Thursday.
"I don't think any of that sits well with either of us. I can't speak for Larry, but it doesn't (sit) with me," Few said, cutting off a reporter before the reporter could finish a question about it.