Gonzaga Basketball: What makes the Bulldogs a national title favorite?

Gonzaga basketball will enter the NCAA Tournament as a top-2 seed. What makes this team special and worthy of being a national title favorite?

Gonzaga basketball was shocked in the WCC Tournament final earlier this week when they fell to St. Mary’s by double-digits. Even with that said, though, it is not time to panic about the Bulldogs as they still clearly belong among the top national title contenders in the country. Any team in the nation should be allowed to lay a few eggs over the course of an entire season and still be deemed “elite.” Gonzaga laid one egg all season. Just one.

Are they still a No. 1 seed? Maybe, maybe not – that depends on who you ask, but the main point is that they will be one of the favorites to win the national title and for good reason. They are, like every good team, flawed in some ways and beatable, but are one of the most complete teams in the nation. The Zags feature top-tier talent, experienced leaders, excellent coaching, and now a major chip on their shoulder for not cutting down the WCC nets.

Just one performance does not dictate a season and it would be a mistake to ignore Gonzaga’s play over the course of this entire season. Even with the loss to Saint Mary’s, the Bulldogs are arguably the best team in the nation and their title hopes are still very much alive. So, now that only the NCAA Tournament remains for Gonzaga, let’s take a dive into why they are one of the top title contenders.