Do the Zags have what it takes to claim another conference championship in 2016-17?

[strikenowhere]

After perusing ESPN - particularly their article regarding the best mid-majors next season - it seems like many people are going to be pegging the Gaels to be the top dog in the conference. Do the Zags have what it takes to keep the crown (or at least a share)? It seems a much more difficult proposition than it was supposed to be last year due to the huge roster changes that are occurring due to graduation/early entry while the Gaels have their entire roster back from a co-championship team.

[cggonzaga]

Talent wise I'd still give us the edge. Continuity wise they definitely have the edge. Hopefully our boys gel quickly.

[Zagdawg]

I like our chances -- some great players -- a solid schedule where we will be tested early. The main issue is the gelling --but with 2 of the top potential contributors as redshirts and having spent a year with the guys -- we have a good shot at it.

[thegloriousgoateeofKP]

Don't sleep on BYU, folks. The WCC is gonna be an absolute dogfight this year, and it's gonna be awesome.

[zagamatic]

If the conference season was at the beginning of the season, then I'd say that St Maries has the edge. However, they will likely play yet another weak non-conference schedule while the Zags will test themselves. Therefore I don't think that the Gaels will have the edge even though they should. BYU on the other hand, I am very worried about.

[MDABE80]

We lost 4 kids who made a huge difference. Also though, in those 4 kids, we lost a kid who finally got the team moving and saved the season ( EMAC) IMO, plus a lotto kid (led in rpg and 2nd in scoring @18 ppg) and another kid who led us in scoring (20 ppg). Put it like I just did and I cringe.
And this is this ##### I had in th emiddle to late part of the season. The numbers are things we chat about. They only matter in terms of who you're playing and how YOU play.

If, the new guys ( who simply will never replace the Wiltjer and Domas scoring) Even by 30, we have a shot . IF WE play lock down defense. Lots of ways to win any given game. That's where coaching and game plans come in. If you put Collins, WIlliamsIII and Goss together, surely we can come close. We've lost kids with credentials acquired during and after the season. We lost tough kids. Did we gain tougher or better players?

It's the challenge for the upcoming season. I don't know the answer.))

[gonzagafan62]

We are still the most talented team in the conference. Last year seems to be an anomaly compared to the upcoming season. Sure SMC beat us twice. Sure we lost a lotto pick, and a stud coulda been All American in Wiltjer.

But we gain more talented players than SMC has on their roster.

Perk
NWG
Melson
JWII
Collins

That's better than what Gaels have. And we haven't even gone into the bench or talked Karnowski. Are we better than SMC?

It's no contest. That high pick and roll won't work this time. It's all over film and they can't expose wiltjer

[gonzagafan62]

I don't think it's this upcoming season, but the next one that we will get back to having a shot at really taking complete control of this conference with zero doubt. SMC is still a great team, but we still were co-champs last year because they couodnt put Pepperdine away or sweep BYU.

This year will be some learning curve to this team but they will win the conference.

The following year we will be at peak again

[Coach Crazy]

Considering how much depth and talent we are adding, we'll win the regular season title and the tourney. With or without Karnowski. A healthy Karnowski makes us an Elite Eight or better team.

[Coach Crazy]

I don't think it's this upcoming season, but the next one that we will get back to having a shot at really taking complete control of this conference with zero doubt. SMC is still a great team, but we still were co-champs last year because they couodnt put Pepperdine away or sweep BYU.

This year will be some learning curve to this team but they will win the conference.

The following year we will be at peak again

It had as much to do with the Zags being very deep, or a truly cohesive unit until very late in the season. We saw them go through all of that...and we were still co-champs. SMC needed all of that to happen on our end just to share the title. If we improve by a few games, next season, we take the thing outright. But I do agree that the '17/'18 season is going to be ridiculous.

[BULLDOG#1]

With SMC returning everyone, it's hard not to peg them as conference favorites... but I'm not sure they can play much better than they did last year. It just seems like Rahon, Naar, and Pineau are at or near the ceiling of their potential.

GU on the other hand has a roster full of guys with much room to grow. NWG may be the best player in the conference and Collins may be the best big in the conference, even as a freshman. On paper, GU will likely have the most talent of any team in the league, but how all the pieces come together will be the issue. If Shem comes back, he will be a difference maker. JWIII may be an all conference guy, or just a supporting player. With so little known about the international recruits, one or more of them could make a huge splash, too.

With SMC, we pretty much know what we're going to get. Not so much with GU, but the ceiling is very high. BYU is a wildcard -- loads of talent, but losing KC and Fischer is going to hurt them badly.

If I had to bet, I'd take GU. Few always finds a way.

[Baseline]

I think there are some real questions.
Karno a big piece of the puzzle.
Goss - Has his foot healed?
Collins - How fast does he adapt to D1?
Who is the x break out, if any?

I personally think BYU is still the biggest conference threat.

[TheGonzagaFactor]

By the end of the year, BYU was showing themselves to be the best WCC team after GU. SMC played amazing all year long and eventually got exposed (13 points in second half at Valpo, luckily snuck by a weak NMSU team at home in NIT). I just don't see where SMC is going to improve, aside from possibly adding some mediocre depth players. I'd like to see them test themselves OOC, but I'm sure they won't. They are apparently above such behavior.

SMC and BYU will be good, as will the Zags. I think the Zags and BYU have the most potential to be a threat in the NCAA tourney by seasons' end. Should be a 3 bid league if SMC wins the WCC tourney.

[Mr Vulture]

Figured I'd type my thoughts BEFORE I read the thoughts above. My personal feeling is that we will be better than this past season as our depth alone will help play. Our backcourt, even with the loss of EM, should be better with Perkins having a year under his belt, NWG in the fold with plenty of experience, and Melson who came on at the end of the season. Losing Sabonis and Wiltjer are big losses but I fully believe that Karno will be back to ease some of that loss and that JWIII can provide very good minutes as well. In addition, I think Collins will be able to take up some of the slack as well. The biggest thing is whereas we were basically running six guys that should be playing high level college basketball, we should have the ability to go much, much deeper this year.

In any case, as far as the league goes, I think that Gonzaga is the best team in the conference with St Maries/BYU pretty good as well. I don't think we will be challenged in league all that much though.

[maynard g krebs]

SMC peaked in Dec/Jan last year, and wasn't as good down the stretch; not sure why. They'll be good again as a team, and should be good enough to make the NCAA's but I don't think they have near the talent level of the Zags.

For those worried about all the Zags lost, it's worth noting that SMC had a whole new starting 5 this year. Naar back as a soph, like Perkins; Rahon coming off a rs as a vet, like NWG. I expect the GU pair to have a better year than SMC"s duo did last year, and they were fabulous. It all starts with the guards, where the Zags were shaky last year for a large part of the season.

I'll go with the Zags going about 16-2 in league, w/ SMC a game or so behind. Don't know about BYU w/o seeing the newcomers/returners.