8. Gonzaga (8-1)
As they have normally done across recent memory, Gonzaga is spending the early weeks of the season showing why they’re basically a power conference program in a mid-major league. While they won’t be regularly challenged in the WCC in the coming months, the Bulldogs beat teams like Alabama, Creighton, and Maryland (all by double-digits) before a tough showing against Michigan in Las Vegas last week.
That showdown told us a lot about the Wolverines, but Gonzaga ensured that it wasn’t going to crater this season. They bounced back in a major way this week with a 94-59 blowout win over Kentucky in Nashville on Friday night. Graham Ike continued his strong season with a 28-point, 10-rebound performance, Braden Huff added 20 points, and Gonzaga shot 57% from the field in the win.
Last week showed us Gonzaga at their worst, run out of the gym by an elite Michigan team, but this week revealed again their best. When on their game, this Bulldogs lineup can hang with anyone and has a flurry of big wins to prove it already. Though that unimpressive stretch of WCC play nears, the Bulldogs do have another big game this weekend against UCLA and it’s hard not to expect another double-digit win with the way they’ve been playing.