NCAA Basketball: Kansas and Baylor rise, Tennessee falls in latest top 25 power ranking
By Joey Loose
18. Gonzaga (19-5)
Drew Timme remains an important part of this Gonzaga roster and he’s surrounded by other talented pieces, but something is just off about the Bulldogs this season. This isn’t to say that this team can’t cause damage in the postseason, especially if they figure things out, but they’ve struggled much more in WCC play than in seasons past. Thankfully, the Bulldogs avoided further struggle this week.
Thursday saw them deliver with a 99-81 win over San Francisco, bouncing back nicely after last weekend’s loss to Saint Mary’s. Rasir Bolton led the team with 23 points while Drew Timme was dependable as always with 21 points. The Bulldogs then avoided upset, hanging on for an 88-81 home win over BYU, a game in which Julian Strawther was excellent with a 26-point performance.
Gonzaga’s offense remains one of the best in the nation, even if there are more close calls with their conference foes than ordinary. This Gonzaga team isn’t broken, but there’s something slightly off about the team. Then again, they’re getting the best effort from their opponents in every game. The question is if they can climb back and nab another WCC title, starting with revenge at Loyola Marymount next Thursday.