SAN FRANCISCO — No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 4 seed Arkansas in the Sweet Sixteen is quickly approaching with tip-off set for 4:09 PM.
So, it's time to break down this game with our three keys for Gonzaga to get the win and advance to its fourth Elite Eight in the past five tournaments.
Stop/Slow JD Notae
Arkansas Razorbacks guard JD Notae is one of the most talented guards Gonzaga will have faced this season.
Mark Few called him "a handful" and the stats back it up.
The senior guard is averaging 18.4 points per game this season, but it's his defense that makes him stand out even more, ranking 14th in the country with 2.3 steals per game.
Notae will likely make things tough for senior Andrew Nembhard in this matchup, but Nembhard can return the favor. If Gonzaga is able to slow Notae down offensively it will bode well for the boys from Spokane.
It's worth noting that Notae has found himself in foul trouble in each of the Razorbacks NCAA Tournament games. If Gonzaga is able to attack him and get the senior in foul trouble, it makes it all that much easier to make him a non-factor in the game.
Make Free Throws
It's no secret Gonzaga has struggled from the free-throw line in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Ask any college basketball expert and they'll tell you a key to a run in the big dance is converting on trips to the charity stripe. Something the Bulldogs have yet to do, something a team looking for a championship NEEDS to do.
Gonzaga rolled over Georgia State in the first round 93-72, but shot 53 percent from the free-throw line going 16-for-30.
In the second-round scare against Memphis, Gonzaga shot 54 percent on freebies going 13-for-24 from the line.
At this point in the tournament, that won't cut it.
The good news on this front is that it has been an uncharacteristic stretch for the Bulldogs as they shot 73 percent from the free-throw line as a team this season.
The Dynamic Duo
Unlike the round of 32 matchup with Memphis, Arkansas lacks talent and size in its frontcourt.
6'10" forward Jaylin Williams certainly is a threat. The sophomore averaged 10.5 points per game this season and 9.8 rebounds per game.
Aside from Williams, the Razorbacks don't offer much to combat Drew Timme or Chet Holmgren.
Arkansas does have a rarity in a player that matches Holmgren's size with 7'3" junior Connor Vanover. But Vanover only averaged 7.5 minutes per game this season and hasn't played since January 18 due to Eric Musselman wanting his team to play an up-pace tempo.
This is a game handed over on a platter for the dynamic duo of Timme and Holmgren to take over.
With Timme finding his stride in the second half against Memphis scoring 21 points, it's fair to assume he can keep that momentum going.
WATCH MORE: Zag dads take social media by storm with shirts