Joe Lunardi has his 2016 predictions, April 7th Bracketology

[Reborn]

Joey Brackets is out with his predictions for next year (April 7,2016). He has Gonzaga seeded 5th in MidWest. No 1's are Villanova, Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina. #2's are Duke, Maryland, Iowa St., and Indiana. Arizona is a 3 seed in the West. If we take UCLA and Arizona at home things will certainly change.

[Bkzag]

I find it difficult to believe he has us as a five seed and doesn't have BYU in the picture at all!

[jazzdelmar]

Joey Brackets is out with his predictions for next year (April 7,2016). He has Gonzaga seeded 5th in MidWest. No 1's are Villanova, Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina. #2's are Duke, Maryland, Iowa St., and Indiana. Arizona is a 3 seed in the West. If we take UCLA and Arizona at home things will certainly change.

He is an idiot. That means he sees GU as about 20 in the polls. Nuts. Maybe the shoe polish went to his so called brain.

[DZ]

He is an idiot. That means he sees GU as about 20 in the polls. Nuts. Maybe the shoe polish went to his so called brain.

He also has us as a 5 seed playing in Spokane with a round of 32 game against a higher seed (4-Wisconsin), and, if I understand the rules right, a 5 and lower seed isn't supposed to be able to play a top 4 seed in its own area, especially its own city?

[CDC84]

I am not aware of any such rule, although they seem to try to avoid it. In 2004, I know that #3 Pitt had to face #6 Wisconsin in Milwaukee in the second round. There was a lot of griping about that, but the committee did it anyway. Fortunately for Pitt, they survived the game:

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=244000010

[Reborn]

You KNow? I kind of like the seeding, especially since it's so early. It takes the pressure off of the Zags and perhaps puts a little chip on their shoulder and will encourage them to work really hard this summer.

[rennis]

Seems fair to me. Graduating 60% of our starters and virtually 100% of our proven guards? From an outsider's perspective a 5 seed seems completely respectful.

:shrug:

[Mr Vulture]

I think a 5 seed is way off for what we have returning compared to other teams. Every "expert" has the Zags as a Top 10 team going into next season so anything lower than a 3 seed is off base. Then again, it really doesn't matter either.

[TheGonzagaFactor]

He also has us as a 5 seed playing in Spokane with a round of 32 game against a higher seed (4-Wisconsin), and, if I understand the rules right, a 5 and lower seed isn't supposed to be able to play a top 4 seed in its own area, especially its own city?

No rule against that. Look at G'Town traveling to Portland as a 4 seed to play 13th seeded EWU.

[thegloriousgoateeofKP]

We always start the season underrated. If I remember correctly, even with people talking about us as Final Four contenders this year, we still started out as 4-6 seeds in the early bracketology predictions.

So, no need to worry. All we gotta do is get in. If the young backcourt improves throughout the year, we'll be dangerous no matter what our seed.

[rennis]

We always start the season underrated.

Said nearly every Zags fan ever.

Said everyone else? Mostly the opposite.

[thegloriousgoateeofKP]

Said nearly every Zags fan ever.

Said everyone else? Mostly the opposite.

Well, without researching any data to support my claim....I think most years, we end up exceeding expectations. So that would lead me to believe we're underrated.

[gonzagafan62]

Well, without researching any data to support my claim....I think most years, we end up exceeding expectations. So that would lead me to believe we're underrated.

2014: Started #13: Ended #7 (I am using no last second AP Polls)
2013: Started #15: Ended NR
2012: Started #21: Ended #1
2011: Started #23: Ended #24
2010: Started #12: Ended: NR
2009: Started NR: Ended: #22
2008: Started #10: Ended: #10
2007: Started #14: Ended: #20
2006: Started NR: Ended: NR
2005: Started #9: Ended: #5

That's just the last 10 seasons or so.

[thegloriousgoateeofKP]

2014: Started #13: Ended #7 (I am using no last second AP Polls)
2013: Started #15: Ended NR
2012: Started #21: Ended #1
2011: Started #23: Ended #24
2010: Started #12: Ended: NR
2009: Started NR: Ended: #22
2008: Started #10: Ended: #10
2007: Started #14: Ended: #20
2006: Started NR: Ended: NR
2005: Started #9: Ended: #5

That's just the last 10 seasons or so.

Ok, interesting. So a mixed bag. Sometimes, we outperform expectations, sometimes we underperform. Like just about every other program in the country, I'd imagine.

This time around, though, I just don't think people realize how good Jenks could be. I saw EMC tweet about Jenks playing pick-up ball the other day. That's gotta be a good sign.

[seacatfan]

What in the world does Joey Brackets gain by doing this so insanely early? I can understand the "way too early" top 25 lists, but guessing at the field? Still a lot of underclassmen weighing decisions to go pro or stay in school, plus a whole lot of impact freshmen haven't announced where they are going yet. Not to mention every year players and teams come from nowhere to make big impacts. This is beyond pointless.