Mark Few was in the last levels of preparing a match prepare for Merrimack when Gonzaga’s coach acquired term the Bulldogs’ ensuing sport versus Washington had been cancelled owing to ongoing COVID-19 troubles within the Huskies’ software.

Understandably, Couple had minimal time to approach the information, let by yourself sketch out a revised routine for the up coming week when he was requested Thursday night about how the Bulldogs would cope with a 9-working day layoff wedged concerning the Merrimack recreation and Saturday’s neutral-site contest in opposition to Texas Tech in Phoenix.

“What do you do for the future nine times?” one particular reporter requested.

“That’s a great problem,” Handful of stated.

When one more claimed posed a comparable question – “How substantially time will be put in concentrating on your personal team vs . preparing for Texas Tech?” – Several shipped an similar response.

“Yeah, which is a fantastic question,” he stated.

For the second consecutive calendar year, the Zags are facing an unusually extensive pause in the coronary heart of their nonconference season as a outcome of COVID-19. In 2020-21, nine Gonzaga players came down with the virus at different factors, causing the Bulldogs to terminate the five games they have been scheduled to engage in amongst Dec. 5-14.

By the time Gonzaga usually takes the court docket towards Texas Tech, the Bulldogs will have absent 8 whole days devoid of a video game, have played just a person match (Merrimack) over a 14-working day stretch and only two game titles (Merrimack and Alabama) involving Nov. 29 and Dec. 18.

Gonzaga can not automatically use past year’s circumstance as a model for how to handle the layoff this period, even though. Due to quarantine laws, the Bulldogs had been unable to exercise as a whole group last time until finally a handful of days prior to they resumed enjoy against No. 3 Iowa.

This time, Gonzaga has 8 prospects to get on to the follow floor right before its past significant check of the nonconference slate. It is a precious window the Bulldogs will use to self-reflect and get a head start on preparations for an additional hugely-anticipated match against Texas Tech, which enhanced to 7-1 right after a 57-52 acquire about No. 13 Tennessee.

Specifically how Couple and his fellow coaches are divvying up the time and power concerning those people two…