THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: A little excitement the closer the games get

Isn’t this more fun?

You know, sweating out Zags games to see if they get that big call or fortunate bounce in the last minute or two.

Honestly, it’s been kind of boring for the last decade or so, with Gonzaga brutally boat-racing its WCC foes — and even a few Pac-12 schools that sign up for a depressing rout.

There are all sorts of obscene streaks in progress, like the Zags approaching a hundred consecutive wins against unranked opponents.

Seriously, now …

What kind of enjoyment can you get from conference games with the Zags routinely up 30?

Oh, I suppose students can work on term papers with the game rattling along in the background.

Truly, you can close your eyes and remember ALL the close games the Zags have played in the past several years.

They’ve actually lost a couple — to Saint Mary’s and its deflate-the-ball tactics, or to BYU’s endless squadrons of 3-point shooters — but those events have been so rare, they pop up in the first couple segments of SportsCenter.

THE REST of the conference?

Yikes.

They’re just been volunteering for yearly alley muggings.

Or, at least …

They HAVE been, back when the Zags would come to town, run off to a 22-4 lead and wind up with a gang of walk-ons finishing up a 40-point romp.

This year, however …

Not so much.

Gonzaga has a mix-and-match roster with some true defensive holes, and now that ALL opponents know they can triple-team Drew Timme and dare the rest of the Zags to adjust, a lot of WCC games seem like they’ll turn into thrillers.

Last weekend, the Zags snatched a 77-75 victory from San Francisco that the Dons clearly deserved to win, then clawed their way back from 14 down to escape Santa Clara with an 81-76 win that wasn’t exactly a laugher.

Rasir Bolton exploded down the stretch in San Francisco, and point guard Nolan Hickman — the target of serious frustration from the fan base — played a flawless game (adding 20 points in the process) to slap aside Santa Clara.

That one could change the Zags’ fortunes the rest of the way, assuming Hickman — a great natural shooter — also has found the feel of playing point guard effectively.

EVERYTHING …

And I mean everything the Zags hope to accomplish, depends on whether Hickman can continue to follow the advice of the immortal coach John Wooden …

“Be quick, but don’t hurry.”

Hickman’s teammates not only believe he can become an all-everything point guard, they’ve gotten a little testy over some of the outside criticism.

Immediately after the Santa Clara game, Julian Strawther pretty much raced to get on Twitter.

Not even taking the time for capital letters or punctuation, Strawther tweeted …

“nolan hickman haters pls come out of hiding we miss u.”

Despite the Zags’ objection to some strong fan sentiment, it’s a fact that the difference between this year’s team and so many of the squads that have preceded it comes down to two things …

1. Point guard play keeping the offense in sync.
2. Defensive work near the basket.

By the way, there is another side to handling the point, whether it’s Hickman, Bolton or transfer Malachi Smith.

Whoever plays that position is generally responsible for the opposition’s most explosive outside threat.

So far, locking down those quick and deadly guards has only come in spurts.

Couple that with difficulty defending the post (Timme is cautious because he MUST avoid foul trouble, and Anton Watson is neither nimble, quick, nor a leaper) and we find Gonzaga buried well outside the top 50 nationally in defensive efficiency.

That’s not a recipe for any kind of run in the NCAA tournament.

IN FACT, unless Gonzaga cleans up its act on the defensive end, there will be enough trouble in the WCC.

We’ve seen it already at San Francisco and Santa Clara, and there’s another dose coming tonight, as the Zags face the howling mob at BYU’s Marriott Center.

The Cougars are playing a different style this year, due to the rare absence of 3-point marksmen.

BYU has had truckloads of amazing outside shooters over the years, but this time around, they’re relying more on physical play around the hoop.

That won’t be any shock to Timme, who is averaging 21.8 points per game despite being gang-tackled relentlessly (with very few whistles for his trouble).

The Zags, incidentally, haven’t done very well against teams that want to hit the offensive glass — one of BYU’s strengths.

In San Francisco last weekend, the Dons had 16 second-chance points at halftime, while Gonzaga managed NONE!

That lack of effort and positioning will be fatal going forward, unless the starters get better in rebounding battles — or subs like Smith, Ben Gregg, perhaps even 7-footer Efton Reid — get to throw some weight around.

BYU almost certainly will try to make this an unpleasant evening, what with around 15,000 partisans screeching non-stop.

The Zags have begun to show some evidence that they’re growing up together — the key word there being “some.”

Meanwhile, Provo has always been a place for Gonzaga teams to test their progress — and bravery.

So …

Let’s see.

Email: [email protected]

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”