NCAA Basketball: Should Gonzaga, Houston, or North Carolina be No. 1 for 2022-23?

Gonzaga cons of being No. 1

The Bulldogs don’t really have many weaknesses on their roster, which is why they’re in contention for the No. 1 spot. But one area that isn’t a confirmed “strength” is at point guard after losing Andrew Nembhard to the NBA. The current projected starter is Hickman, a  6’2 guard that averaged over 5.0 ppg in 17 mpg as Nembhard’s primary backup.

Hickman played well in the first half of the season but his production, especially his shooting numbers, to drop in the second half. He ended up playing limited minutes in favor of Nembhard getting more time on the court.

If he’s not ready to give Gonzaga 25-30 as the lead ball-handler, that opens up some problems for the team. Even Smith, who was the lead guard at Chattanooga, struggled against the top-tier competition in the NCAA Tournament at Illinois, which may not be the best option to run point versus the best teams.

The open question at point guard alone could be what knocks the Bulldogs off the top spot, as Caleb Love (UNC) and Jamal Shead (Houston) have no question marks with them. The other question is defense, now that WCC Defensive Player of the Year Chet Holmgren is gone. The current roster projects to be “good” defensively but not “great” and that could be what costs them in March.