Busting Brackets
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Bracketology 2019: Most likely bid thieves heading into March Madness

By Tristan Freeman

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 10: The Villanova Wildcats celebrate their overtime win over the Providence Friars during the championship game of the Big East Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 10, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 10: The Villanova Wildcats celebrate their overtime win over the Providence Friars during the championship game of the Big East Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 10, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 09: Zach Norvell Jr. #23 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts with teammates Josh Perkins #13 and Corey Kispert #24 during the second half of the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 9, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Volunteers defeated the Bulldogs 76-73. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 09: Zach Norvell Jr. #23 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts with teammates Josh Perkins #13 and Corey Kispert #24 during the second half of the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 9, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Volunteers defeated the Bulldogs 76-73. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

7. WCC

Safe at-large teams: Gonzaga

Most likely bid thieves: San Francisco and Saint Mary’s

To a strong degree, the WCC may be on the same terms as the ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12 when it comes to the odds of a bid stealer winning their conference tournament. But the small rays of hope provided by a pair of bubble teams allowed the WCC to crack the list.

Gonzaga has been dominant all season, going 16-0 in conference play. The margin of victory was no less than 13 points and the Bulldogs won half of their WCC battles by 30+ points. Ranked No. 1 in the country with the top scoring offense in the country (89.8 ppg), Gonzaga is the heavy favorite to win the conference tournament.

But there were times where the Bulldogs had to sweat it out. In January at San Francisco, the WCC powerhouse was trailing under four minutes to go, before going on a run to win at the end. And rival Saint Mary’s went back and forth with the Bulldogs in the first half this past Saturday until Coach Few’s team pulled away in the final 20 minutes.

Because of a three-game losing streak to end the regular season, the Dons fell to the four seed and if lucky, would face Gonzaga in the WCC Tournament semifinals. The Gaels also cashed their ticket to the semis as a two seed on the other side of the bracket.

Neither San Francisco or Saint Mary’s are projected to be on the right side of the bubble, meaning that they have to beat Gonzaga at some point to win the tournament. Both teams have shown the ability to hang with the top team in the country for a while on their own court but can they do it in Las Vegas?

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