100% Cotten: Deacs' Win at Gonzaga Up There
12/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 10, 2009
By Stan Cotten
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - At times I thought the Demon Deacons' trip to the Pacific Northwest to take down highly regarded Gonzaga was all done at 30,000 feet. I flew to the Middle East almost three years ago now, but the recent flight from Winston-Salem to Spokane seemed longer than that overseas jaunt all the way to Jordan. Perhaps it was the much smaller plane. Maybe it was because we had to stop in Oklahoma City to refuel. Or it could have been that my chronically less than good back was not cooperating. Whatever. It was a long trip.
It was one of those trips where you start during the day, head west and chase the sun. We never caught it, and it gave us an "I win wink" as we landed before dropping behind the horizon. Before you knew it, the short turnaround was over and we were back in the air headed home.
And all for one game at the Kennel against the Zags where only three visiting teams had ever won in the history of the building.
"Who does our scheduling?" quipped Dino Gaudio on his weekly radio show prior to the trip. "We need to look into that."
I'm guessing he's OK with it now. Gonzaga has now lost four games in its home arena.
Was Wake's performance perfect? Of course not. None ever is. But it was awfully good. Especially in retrospect and considering what usually happens to teams who go to Spokane.
The worst thing the Deacs did was shoot the ball inside the three point arc: 16 for 48. Thirty three percent usually won't get it done. Perhaps the best thing Wake did was shoot the ball from outside the arc: 8 for 15. That's very good, and that kind of performance usually will get it done.
But Wake didn't win it from the three point line. Gonzaga matched the Deacs with eight field goals made from long range. The Deacons didn't win it from the free throw line either, even though they made a terrific 21 of 28. The Bulldogs made exactly 21 free throws, too. Both teams were stingy, each only committing ten turnovers.
It was a fight to the finish, and somehow Wake managed to make one more field goal than the home team. It was that simple. And it was simply a great win. Who knows how the season will turn out for either team? But, for the Deacs, a win at Gonzaga is a good one to have in the quiver. Make that a great one.
So with win number five in the books, the Deacs packed up and readied for the long trip home. But nobody cared. There was no complaining. Besides, Oklahoma City is gorgeous this time of year. Especially at night.
No, the ride home was fine. For many reasons it was a lot shorter than the ride out. Victory tailwinds blow hard, and time flies when fun is had.
"That was an ACC-caliber win," Gaudio said after the game. "This one will help us down the road, there's no question in my mind."
And off we went, heading east above the clouds for the short sprint back to Winston-Salem.
And this time the Deacons were chasing the moon.