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NCAA Basketball: Top transfer, Gonzaga running the table among top questions

By Tristan Freeman

Dec 2, 2020; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Andrew Nembhard (3) rebounds against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the first half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 2, 2020; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Andrew Nembhard (3) rebounds against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the first half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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NCAA Basketball Gonzaga Bulldogs James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
NCAA Basketball Gonzaga Bulldogs James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Will Gonzaga go unbeaten until the NCAA Tournament?

Zinkula

Per KenPom, Gonzaga has a 49.2% chance of going undefeated the remainder of the regular season, so it certainly appears to be a coin flip. While the 49.2% suggests “no” is the correct answer, I don’t see the Bulldogs losing the remainder of conference play. Not only are Saint Mary’s and BYU not the same caliber of teams as seasons past, but the lack of intense road environments (due to fan restrictions) should make a road loss less likely.

Tineo

No.

It is extremely rare for any College Basketball team to go undefeated through a grueling 34+ game schedule. The toll of conference games twice, sometimes three times a week. A lot of the WCC this season consists of Thursday matchups, then play again on Saturday. That quick of a turnaround could take a toll on some teams.

Gonzaga is a phenomenal team, but have had slip-ups over the years in conference play. Whether that be to BYU or Saint Mary’s. Gonzaga will dominate the conference but will slip up in at least one game in conference play.

Zacher

I am sold on Gonzaga going unbeaten until the NCAA Tournament – and they might ultimately win the NCAA Tournament undefeated.  It took last year’s San Diego State until their 27th game to finally lose – and this is a more talented Gonzaga team in, arguably, a weaker WCC than what SDSU nearly ran through in the MWC last season.

The Zags will have close games in the WCC, and a couple of teams have the talent to threaten them, including St. Mary’s, BYU, San Francisco, and Pepperdine.  But the Bulldogs put on a second-half clinic against USF on Saturday and beat them by 23 – against a team that lost to the Zags by four twice last year.  There is just so much talent on this Gonzaga roster, and it is hard to see them dropping a game in the coming months.

Heiser

Gonzaga is an extremely impressive team. They are very deep and have a ton of guys who can beat you. My thought is that they will go undefeated before the tournament. The only two teams in the WCC that have an outside chance of beating them are St. Mary’s and BYU. St. Mary’s hasn’t done anything to inspire confidence this season, and BYU doesn’t have the three-point shooting that made them potential giant-killers last season. While conference play always manages to produce some surprises, the hardest part of Gonzaga’s schedule is behind them.

Schmelzer

Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 27th. Of course, the game could get moved, canceled or postponed at any time, but I think the Zags go down to BYU in Provo in the last game of the regular season. Don’t hate. Gonzaga is elite, but the grind of an undefeated season is brutal (especially in pandemic times) and not only the Cougars but the rest of the WCC has been pretty good.

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