12. Gonzaga (25-2)
The world of college basketball was shocked when Gonzaga was upset by Portland at the beginning of February. A brutal loss like that was stunning but clearly didn’t destroy Gonzaga’s season. It was instead evident of the struggle that the Bulldogs have in WCC play, especially after building a very solid resume in nonconference. Regardless, Mark Few’s team got right back on the horse this week when they needed to most.
Perhaps the season’s best defensive effort came Tuesday in an 83-53 win over Washington State. Graham Ike had 20 points, Davis Fogle had 17 points, and the Bulldogs smothered the Cougars in another fine showing. Saturday’s performance was even more important, with Gonzaga winning 94-86 to reclaim first place in the WCC. Ike and Adam Miller had 21 points apiece while Tyon Grant-Foster added 20 points off the bench.
What’s evident is that Gonzaga has largely done enough and remain the big favorite in the WCC. One concern is a lack of long-range shooting recently, though at least the defense has made up for that at times. Few won’t like giving up more than 85 points twice in the last two weeks, but this team has the talent to be a top-notch contender when the games matter more in March. They take another interesting trip to San Francisco in just a few days.