14. Gonzaga (27-2)
This season has largely been business as usual for Gonzaga. What’s strange this year is the two losses. The record in itself is very indicative of a typically strong Bulldogs squad, but this team lost by 40 points to Michigan back in November and was somehow upset at Portland just a few weeks ago. When on their game, they’ve shown they can handle some great competition but can they maintain their footing and still win the WCC?
They made their early action this week look pretty easy, getting an 80-59 win on the road against San Francisco. Graham Ike was brilliant with 22 points while Mario Saint-Supery continued to be a bright spot with a 14-point, 6-assist effort. On Saturday night Gonzaga played Pacific much closer than expected but still came away with a 71-62 win. Ike again led the charge with 20 points while Davis Fogle came up clutch with 18 points off the bench.
Nobody is really questioning that Gonzaga is the best team in the WCC; after all the record is great and their place in the metrics is undeniable. What we have wondered is just what the ceiling is for a Bulldogs team that can be knocked down by Portland and almost pushed around by Pacific. Nevertheless, March is when we really understand what Gonzaga can be, but there’s one more regular season week left, featuring a really tough finale at Saint Mary’s.