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Gonzaga lost tonight

I know Gonzaga was #1 but I never really bought into that. They get good records but frankly they don't play anyone. Put them in the ACC and I think people would talk about them as much as Creighton. ;) They certainly are a good team and have talent but I don't buy them as a top tier team usually.
 
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they have a very talenred first 5, their talent is not deep though. They can make it to the 2nd weekend
 
I know Gonzaga was #1 but I never really bought into that. They get good records but frankly they don't play anyone. Put them in the ACC and I think people would talk about them as much as Creighton. ;) They certainly are a good team and have talent but I don't buy them as a top tier team usually.
Well.. They beat Arizona, Florida, Iowa State and Tennessee. I wouldnt call that playing nobody. Unless you think Arizona and Florida are nobody
 
Gonzaga had some defensive breakdowns late. BYU's big man, Mika, was carrying them throughout and helping them dig out of that early hole. He was able to limit Gonzaga's 2 big men at the other end, both of whom looked pretty pedestrian. Gonzaga's shots wouldn't fall...but they were still pretty much in control. Then with about 5-6 minutes left, Few got a technical and Emery, BYU's sharpshooter who hadn't scored the entire game, hit 1 of 2 free throws...his first points of the game. That seemed to wake him up as he hit 3s on the next 2 trips down the floor and got BYU tied. Then with under a minute left, Gonzaga inexplicably leaves Mika wide open at 12 feet and he hits the shot to give them the lead.

Where does this put the Zags going forward? I think they'll still get a 1 seed, provided they win the WCC title next weekend but if they get up against a team known for their defense that have competent big men, they're going to be in trouble. But on the flip side, maybe this is a great wake-up call for them as they haven't had to face a close game since the pre-conference season.
 
Well.. They beat Arizona, Florida, Iowa State and Tennessee. I wouldnt call that playing nobody. Unless you think Arizona and Florida are nobody


I think a schedule predominantly made of Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount, St. Mary's, San Francisco, Pacific, San Diego, BYU, Utah Valley, Bryant, San Diego St, Quinnipiac, Mississippi Valley State, Akron, South Dakota, Pepperdine, Portland, etc doesn't stand up to a typical grinding year through the ACC or other P5 conference. Iowa St and Tennessee aren't exactly P5 powerhouses in basketball.

Not saying they aren't a good team with the win over Arizona back in early December but they wouldn't be 28-0 and ranked #1 (IMO) if not for their conference.

If they make the final four I'll gladly give them all the credit but I think they get bumped relatively early again.
 
This is an East Coast Board so I get it, but the East Coast bias in this tnread is over the top. "Not an elite team." "Won't make it past the second game of the Tournament." LOL.

This Gonzaga team has a whole lot of talent and experience. They could lose in the first couple of rounds in the Tournament, but I really doubt it.
 
This is an East Coast Board so I get it, but the East Coast bias in this tnread is over the top. "Not an elite team." "Won't make it past the second game of the Tournament." LOL.

This Gonzaga team has a whole lot of talent and experience. They could lose in the first couple of rounds in the Tournament, but I really doubt it.

Mark Few has only gotten past the round of 16 once in 17 years. It's not an unreasonable assumption that they lose in the 1st or 2nd.
 
This is an East Coast Board so I get it, but the East Coast bias in this tnread is over the top. "Not an elite team." "Won't make it past the second game of the Tournament." LOL.

This Gonzaga team has a whole lot of talent and experience. They could lose in the first couple of rounds in the Tournament, but I really doubt it.


We will see soon enough. ;)

Around here we've also watched Villanova receive all kinds of praise and high rankings only to flame out in the tournament for many years (until they won it all last year).

Not saying Gonzaga is a bad team. It's just that it's tough to read them with their conference schedule.

If Gonzaga gets to the championship game I'll give them all the praise and credit they deserve but right now I'm in the 'I'll believe it when I see it' camp.

If Gonzaga loses before the final 4- does that mean the last few weeks we've been subjected to "West coast bias"? :D
 
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Mark Few has only gotten past the round of 16 once in 17 years. It's not an unreasonable assumption that they lose in the 1st or 2nd.
It's possible that happens, but this particular Gonzaga team is more talented and more experienced, by far, than any prior team Few has had. Totally agree that they would not have gone this long without a defeat had they been playing an ACC schedule this year, but they are better than a lot of people seem to think.
 
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If Gonzaga loses before the final 4- does that mean the last few weeks we've been subjected to "West coast bias"? :D
When bracketologists are putting 11-12 ACC teams in the Tournament and 3 Pac 12 teams in the Tournament, yeah, I think there is a tad of East Coast bias.

As for Gonzaga, I would say anything short of the Sweet Sixteen would be a profound disappointment, and getting to the Final Four would be a resounding success. The Tournament is, IMO, the most fun to watch in the early rounds, but the genuine cream rises to the top by the Elite Eight. Anything can happen at that point.
 
We will see soon enough. ;)

Around here we've also watched Villanova receive all kinds of praise and high rankings only to flame out in the tournament for many years (until they won it all last year).

Not saying Gonzaga is a bad team. It's just that it's tough to read them with their conference schedule.

If Gonzaga gets to the championship game I'll give them all the praise and credit they deserve but right now I'm in the 'I'll believe it when I see it' camp.

If Gonzaga loses before the final 4- does that mean the last few weeks we've been subjected to "West coast bias"? :D
Yeah, Villanova underperformed in a few recent tourneys. However, under Jay Wright their tournament record is 20-10. Also under Wright, six of the ten teams they lost to went on to win the NC.
 
Yeah, Villanova underperformed in a few recent tourneys. However, under Jay Wright their tournament record is 20-10. Also under Wright, six of the ten teams they lost to went on to win the NC.


True. I wasn't trying to pick on Villanova (I root for them in the NCAA tourney). It was more about a team that often had high expectations on them pre tournament that they didn't quite meet (and Nova was just a local example that came to mind).
 
When bracketologists are putting 11-12 ACC teams in the Tournament and 3 Pac 12 teams in the Tournament, yeah, I think there is a tad of East Coast bias.

As for Gonzaga, I would say anything short of the Sweet Sixteen would be a profound disappointment, and getting to the Final Four would be a resounding success. The Tournament is, IMO, the most fun to watch in the early rounds, but the genuine cream rises to the top by the Elite Eight. Anything can happen at that point.


Totally agree with your last paragraph.

I don't really pay attention to the 'bracketology' nonsense now because over the next 2 weeks you'll hear Lunardi (and others) tell you on Monday night how team X is a lock to get in and then on Tuesday they are suddenly on the bubble and Wednesday they are 'on the outside looking in' (and that team won't even have played much less lost during that time frame). They contradict themselves so much these last 2 weeks on bubble teams that it's often laughable.

I think 8 ACC teams are in with Syracuse, Wake, and GA Tech on the bubble depending on tournament upsets and spots available.

In the PAC I think 5-6 are likely in (Arizona, UCLA, Oregon, Cal, USC and maybe Utah- assuming none of them implode the next 2 weeks).
 
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