St. Bonaventure (14-1) (NET: 51)
0-1 (Q1), 3-0 (Q2), 2-0 (Q3), 8-0 (Q4)
Right off the bat, the good news for the Bonnies is that this team has avoided any bad losses, won several games away from home, and has taken care of their own business. The Quad 2 wins are over Northern Iowa, Providence, and VCU and they were not favored in the latter of those two but got the job done anyways.
What’s unfortunate is the lack of opportunities for St. Bonaventure to have an impactful win. Their only Quad 1 contest to date was against Utah State at the NIT Season Tip-Off and obviously it didn’t go their way. However, that being their only loss keeps them in this very decent shape.
Another problem that crops up is that the A-10 isn’t as great this season, meaning Quad 1 opportunities will be few and far between moving forward. As resumes currently stand, a late January game at VCU is the only Quad 1 shot on their schedule.
As it currently stands, the record is great and there are no anchors on the resume, but the Bonnies just don’t have the big wins they need to feel safe. They really need to avoid pitfalls and keep winning games in league play.
Saint Mary’s (14-3) (NET: 49)
1-1 (Q1), 2-2 (Q2), 2-0 (Q3), 8-0 (Q4)
The Gaels went to South Dakota and got a Quad 1 win over Nebraska back in mid-November, though they haven’t quite matched that yet on their resume. They also beat a pair of solid power conference teams for Quad 2 wins, destroying USC in Palm Springs before surviving Utah on the road.
Saint Mary’s hasn’t been perfect, though none of those three losses are truly bad. They lost to Arizona State right after that big USC win and also lost to Boise State in Idaho for a pair of Quad 2 losses. At the moment, their home loss to Utah State last month is actually Quad 1, though that could change in the weeks ahead.
Thanks to an influx of talent and new teams in the WCC, the Gaels actually have a stretch coming up with five straight Quad 1 games in a row: four on the road and Gonzaga at home. If this team is going to make the NCAA Tournament then they need to make an impression during that stretch, even if those games don’t all stay at Quad 1.
Right now, it’s a tough call but the Gaels are looking like a Tournament team. They need to show it in the weeks to come, especially by avoiding any kind of letdown before that stretch that starts in a few weeks. Saint Mary’s has great potential but will they realize it?