Texas Tech basketball: 5 players to know from the West Region

Rui Hachimura – Gonzaga

After Culver, the most well-rounded prospect in the West Region may be Rui Hachimura from No. 1 seeded Gonzaga.  The 6-foot-8, 230-pound junior is widely considered to be a lottery pick this summer and it is easy to see why.

Scouts are in love with his 7-foot-2 wing span (which is what Culver’s is also reported to be) and his excellent athleticism.  He is explosive when attacking the rim, especially in the open floor which is a huge part of the Gonzaga offensive attack.

At 20.1 points per game, Hachimura is the leading scorer for the highest-scoring team in college basketball.  Overall, the Bulldogs average 88.8 points per game.  But it is fair to question how much their offensive prowess is enhanced by playing in the West Coast Conference where they overwhelm opponents on a nightly basis.  However, Gonzaga did put up 89 points on Duke and 90 on North Carolina earlier this year proving that they can play with anyone in the nation.

But Hachimura is more than just a scorer.  He is second on the team in rebounding at 6.6 per game and he is handing out 1.6 assists per game as well.

Making Gonzaga’s best player an even tougher matchup is his ability to shoot from outside.  He is a 46.9% 3-point shooter but he is averaging only one attempt from deep per game.  In fact, only once this year has he hit more than one 3-pointer in a game and he has attempted more than two in a game only twice.

If Tech faces Gonzaga in the Elite 8, the key will be to take Hachimura’s driving lanes away from him and make him a jump shooter.   But make no mistake, Rui Hachimura is fully capable of being the star of this year’s NCAA tournament, especially if he and the Bulldogs dictate the pace of play and can get going in the open court.