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No. 2 GONZAGA
Best Case: It is time for a breakthrough. Not just a Final Four breakthrough, but a national championship breakthrough. A program that has won by the ton until the NCAA tournament finally puts it all together – finally gets to the last weekend, and finally cuts down the last nets on a Monday night in April. Zags break the round-of-32 barrier for the first time since 2009 by rather easily dispatching Davidson. They break the Sweet 16 barrier for the first time since 1999 by taking down Iowa State on a Domantas Sabonis tip-in. They break the Elite Eight barrier for the first time ever by beating Duke Its Own Self on a Kevin Pangos runner. From Casey Calvary to Adam Morrison to Sam Dower, former Zags weep with joy. In a national semifinal in Indianapolis that evokes "Hoosiers," Gonzaga beats Northern Iowa on a Byron Wesley jumper. And in a poetic championship climax, Kyle Wiltjer shoots down his old team, Kentucky, with a 3-pointer at the buzzer from the top of the key. Mark Few is free to salmon fish in peace, knowing he's caught the big one, and declares that he'll coach at Gonzaga until he retires. Hope ripples through all the programs outside the Power Five that aren't syphoning millions off the football gusher. It can be done.
Worst Case: It can't be done. Not at Gonzaga, not by Few. Once again struggling in the round of 32, a program that has gone 3½ months without playing anyone in Ken Pomeroy's top 30 succumbs to the pressure and loses to No. 24 Iowa. Hawkeyes can neutralize Gonzaga's size, and they don't let Pangos or Wiltjer wiggle free at the 3-point line. Zags bow out early, again. Few disappears to salmon fish and can't land the big one there, either. Hope does not ripple through all the programs outside the Power Five that aren't syphoning millions off the football gusher.
Best Case: It is time for a breakthrough. Not just a Final Four breakthrough, but a national championship breakthrough. A program that has won by the ton until the NCAA tournament finally puts it all together – finally gets to the last weekend, and finally cuts down the last nets on a Monday night in April. Zags break the round-of-32 barrier for the first time since 2009 by rather easily dispatching Davidson. They break the Sweet 16 barrier for the first time since 1999 by taking down Iowa State on a Domantas Sabonis tip-in. They break the Elite Eight barrier for the first time ever by beating Duke Its Own Self on a Kevin Pangos runner. From Casey Calvary to Adam Morrison to Sam Dower, former Zags weep with joy. In a national semifinal in Indianapolis that evokes "Hoosiers," Gonzaga beats Northern Iowa on a Byron Wesley jumper. And in a poetic championship climax, Kyle Wiltjer shoots down his old team, Kentucky, with a 3-pointer at the buzzer from the top of the key. Mark Few is free to salmon fish in peace, knowing he's caught the big one, and declares that he'll coach at Gonzaga until he retires. Hope ripples through all the programs outside the Power Five that aren't syphoning millions off the football gusher. It can be done.
Worst Case: It can't be done. Not at Gonzaga, not by Few. Once again struggling in the round of 32, a program that has gone 3½ months without playing anyone in Ken Pomeroy's top 30 succumbs to the pressure and loses to No. 24 Iowa. Hawkeyes can neutralize Gonzaga's size, and they don't let Pangos or Wiltjer wiggle free at the 3-point line. Zags bow out early, again. Few disappears to salmon fish and can't land the big one there, either. Hope does not ripple through all the programs outside the Power Five that aren't syphoning millions off the football gusher.
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