At the top of the WCC basketball conference, the undefeated Gonzaga Bulldogs face off with the Saint Mary’s Gaels.
TV Schedule: Saturday, Feb. 11, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN
Arena: McKeon Pavilion
Prediction: Gonzaga 68, St. Mary’s 55
This is it. This will (likely) be the last chance for a team to upset the No. 1 ranked, undefeated Gonzaga Bulldogs.
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The No. 20 ranked Saint Mary’s Gaels sit just one game behind Gonzaga in the WCC regular season standings and have had a phenomenal season so far. Their defense is one of the best in the country, and Jock Landale is a game-changer at the center position. This team should make the 2017 NCAA Tournament as an at-large despite their questionable strength of schedule, and a win over Gonzaga would solidify their spot in the Big Dance.
Gonzaga has rolled over opponents all season long, with their three closest games coming in non-conference play to the Arizona Wildcats, Florida Gators, and Iowa State Cyclones. Their closest conference win was by 10 points against the BYU Cougars on the road, and it looks like there is no stopping this team en route to entering the 2017 NCAA Tournament undefeated.
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Unfortunately for Saint Mary’s, they were defeated easily at the hands of the Bulldogs earlier in the season. Sure, the game was on the road, which usually counts for something in college basketball, but it wasn’t even close. Gonzaga stomped the Gaels by 23 — yes, 23 points. They put up 79 points on the No. 2 defense in college basketball. Saint Mary’s is a great team, and I expect to see them in March, but this upset is not happening barring some kind of miracle.