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Bracketology 2020: Examining mid-major basketball at-large profiles

By Joe Weidenburner

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 8: The NCAA Basketball Tournament Selection Committee meets on Wednesday afternoon, March 8, 2017 in New York City. The committee is gathered in New York to begin the five-day process of selecting and seeding the field of 68 teams for the NCAA MenÕs Basketball Tournament. The final bracket will be released on Sunday evening following the completion of conference tournaments. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 8: The NCAA Basketball Tournament Selection Committee meets on Wednesday afternoon, March 8, 2017 in New York City. The committee is gathered in New York to begin the five-day process of selecting and seeding the field of 68 teams for the NCAA MenÕs Basketball Tournament. The final bracket will be released on Sunday evening following the completion of conference tournaments. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) /
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SPOKANE, WASHINGTON – JANUARY 16: Drew Timme #2, Killian Tillie #33 and Corey Kispert #24 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON – JANUARY 16: Drew Timme #2, Killian Tillie #33 and Corey Kispert #24 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /

Gonzaga Bulldogs

30-2 | NET: 3 | KPI/SOR Avg: 7 | BPI/POM/SAG Avg: 2.7

The Zags remain in the thick of the West Coast Conference tournament having survived a tough test from the USF Dons. Another tough test awaits in a rematch of last year’s conference tournament championship with St. Mary’s. If Gonzaga fails to capture the WCC tournament championship, the question is obviously not whether Gonzaga makes the NCAA Tournament, but rather, whether it stays on the top seed line.

Make no mistake, Gonzaga has once again had a stellar season for Mark Few, particularly having lost four starters to the NBA or graduation. Coupled with ongoing injury issues for star Killian Tillie, no one would have faulted the Zags for taking a step back this year, but that did not happen. Corey Kispert prospered as a returning starter, Tillie has been exceptional and mostly healthy, and sophomore Filip Petrusev took the jump of all jumps on his way to capturing WCC Player of the Year honors, supported by a three-headed monster at the guard position in Admon Gilder, Joel Ayayi, and Ryan Woolridge.

Gonzaga’s at-large profile is excellent, being one of only five teams in the country without a loss outside of Quad 1 and posting a 10-2 record in combined Quad 1 and Quad 2 games. Its record of 14-2 in road and neutral-site contests is excellent. Its best wins are very good (vs. BYU, neutral-site over Oregon, at Arizona and St. Mary’s) and each of its losses are within Quad 1A. Gonzaga could lose by 30 in the WCC finals and still be a lock for the 1-seed out West.

Bracketology Prediction: 1-seed, West Region

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