Gonzaga Basketball: Why Bulldogs can reach the Final Four in 2019

SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 25: Head coach Mark Few of the Gonzaga Bulldogs cuts down the net after their 83 to 59 win over the Xavier Musketeers during the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional at SAP Center on March 25, 2017 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

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SPOKANE, WA – JANUARY 17: Fans for the Gonzaga Bulldogs cheer for their team in the game against the Loyola Marymount Lions at McCarthey Athletic Center on January 17, 2019 in Spokane, Washington. Gonzaga defeated Loyola Marymount 73-55. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /

3. Tournament Locations

If you have followed the NCAA Tournament at all before, you know that location of games can be crucial for the success of a team. With its opening round, and likely appearance in the round of 32, games in Salt Lake City, the Zags have an upper hand with the fan base factor. From Gonzaga’s campus in Spokane, Washington to the Vivint Smart Home Arena, the Bulldogs will be about 700 miles from home. As for the Bulldogs’ first round opponent, Fairleigh Dickinson, the Knights will be more than 2100 miles from campus. Gonzaga’s two potential round of 32 opponents have quite the trek as well.

From the famed Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York, the No. 8 seed Orange will travel just over 2000 miles to take the court in Salt Lake. No. 9 seed Baylor, from Waco, Texas, have the next shortest journey behind Gonzaga, which is still nearly twice as far as Gonzaga’s at nearly 1300 miles.

If the Bulldogs advance to the second weekend, they will find themselves in Anaheim, California, which will be another geographic advantage. Their four potential opponents in the Sweet 16 would be making near cross-country trips in contrast to Gonzaga’s 1200-mile journey. While this is still quite a distance to travel for the Zags, between Murray St. (over 1900 miles), Marquette (over 2000 miles), Florida St. (over 2200 miles) and Vermont (nearly 2900 miles), Gonzaga has the shortest journey by far.

At last, if Gonzaga can push on to its third Elite Eight appearance in five years, geography will again be somewhat on its side. Of all the top seeds (2, 3, 6 and 7) in the West region, two campuses are closer to the Honda Center than Gonzaga’s; Nevada’s and Texas Tech’s. Not even 500 miles from Reno, the No. 7 seed Wolf Pack have the smallest journey of the group, with the No. 3 Red Raiders’ 1100 mile trip beating the Bulldogs’ by 100 miles. The No. 2 seed Michigan will journey over 2200 miles to Anaheim, while Buffalo will truly travel across the country for a nearly 2600 mile trip.

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But what is the importance in all this? That is that the Gonzaga faithful travel extremely well. Go back and watch the Maui Invitational and the crowd will be full of Zags fans. Or the Tennessee matchup in Phoenix, which roared like a game at the McCarthey Athletic Center. The Zags have had immense success with their fans loud, as they have not lost a home game since Jan. 18, 2018. Since then, Gonzaga has won 21 straight home games. Of course these tournament games will not be home games, being on the West Coast, the crowds will be littered with Spokane natives doing what they can to push the Bulldogs to Minneapolis.