9. Gonzaga (7-2)
Living life in the WCC, Gonzaga has become a prominent basketball program because they frequently are playing significantly difficult nonconference schedules. This is certainly the case so far in a season that’s seen them beat Baylor, Indiana, and San Diego State by double-digits in the first month of play. It’s another season with great talent for the Bulldogs, though this week’s challenge ended in an unexpected way.
Coming off a strong finish at the Battle 4 Atlantis, Gonzaga headed to Seattle to play Kentucky late Saturday night. Despite grabbing a 16-point halftime lead, the Bulldogs fell 90-89 in an overtime thriller, suffering their second loss of the season. Graham Ike had another impactful performance with 28 points and 11 rebounds while Ryan Nembhard had another double-double with 13 points and 10 assists in defeat.
The 3-pointers were not falling in Seattle, and despite a great opening the Bulldogs faltered in this major opportunity. Still, there’s no reason to panic for Gonzaga, as this strong lineup still has the potential for great things this season. They’ll certainly be pushed again next week against UConn, but that’s what Mark Few is all about with this lineup. We’re going to learn a lot about this team before WCC play begins, though opening night’s rout of Baylor already taught us that Gonzaga is for real.