The Big Picture

[GonzagasaurusFlex]

Is Ohio State gonna be Zags’ signature win of the season? They better handle their business in the WCC or its Selection Sunday bubble team time baby. No signature wins, no show vs Villanova = anything more than 1 loss in a dreadful WCC year makes Zags a bubble team without earning the auto bid. Cite all the prior years when Zags got an at-large that you want, the WCC is AWFUL this year, so I’m calling it now. Anything more than 1 conference loss means Zags gotta win WCC tourney or else be firmly on the bubble. .

[bartruff1]

Gonzaga is already in...the Gaels have to win the automatic bid...

[bigblahla]

Is Ohio State gonna be Zags’ signature win of the season? They better handle their business in the WCC or its Selection Sunday bubble team time baby. No signature wins, no show vs Villanova = anything more than 1 loss in a dreadful WCC year makes Zags a bubble team without earning the auto bid. Cite all the prior years when Zags got an at-large that you want, the WCC is AWFUL this year, so I’m calling it now. Anything more than 1 conference loss means Zags gotta win WCC tourney or else be firmly on the bubble. .

The sky is not falling....

Go!! Zags!!!

[GonzagasaurusFlex]

The sky is not falling....

Go!! Zags!!!

I don’t think it is either, but objectively speaking Zags have one win vs a Top 25 opponent (Creighton at home) then what? Blown out by Villanova, what we thought was a “good loss” vs Florida is no longer that. To sit back and say Zags are a lock for an at-large bid is ridiculous. They have to win every conference game, except say on the road vs St Mary’s or BYU, to be lock to get in. Thinking otherwise is Dukie level arrogance.

[GoZags]

Is Ohio State gonna be Zags’ signature win of the season? They better handle their business in the WCC or its Selection Sunday bubble team time baby. No signature wins, no show vs Villanova = anything more than 1 loss in a dreadful WCC year makes Zags a bubble team without earning the auto bid. Cite all the prior years when Zags got an at-large that you want, the WCC is AWFUL this year, so I’m calling it now. Anything more than 1 conference loss means Zags gotta win WCC tourney or else be firmly on the bubble. .

Please step back from the ledge. As blahla has mentioned, the sky is NOT falling. The WCC is now ranked 13 (out of 31). They've been as low as 16 in previous years.

Not sure if you've noticed, but Ohio State has reeled off 4 in a row (including wins over Michigan and Wisconsin). And they may not even be in our "Top 5" for "signature" wins when all is said and done. At this point (and looking at the numbers) the Zags would need 4-5 additional losses to start approaching "bubble" territory. What I WILL say is that "anything more than 1 conference loss means" the Zags could lose "protected seed" status. 2 or 3 conference losses probably puts the Zags' metrics (RPI/KenPom, etc) in the 25-35 range .... well within the dance field.

But they aren't anywhere NEAR the bubble.

[Reborn]

I AGREE with you GoZags. I don't see anything to worry about yet. There are areas in the Zag's game that needs a lot of growth and a lot of work, but they have great coaches and as time goes on the team will improve a lot. It's good to remember how young this team is, and as we know it's mostly like to be a roller coaster ride this year. I think the fact that the Zags won last night says a lot about the team. It wasn't all bad last night. Only the first half. The game really reminds me of the Creighton game. I was impressed with North Dakota last night. They played a great game, even better than the way Creighton played against us. The Zags pretty much shut one of the players down the second half. Zags didn't shut anyone down last night. Those guards for ND were fantastic. That game was a dog fight last night and we won. I'm certainly happy.

[bartruff1]

It has nothing to do with arrogance.... Duke is also in ...it is the beauty of being in the WCC....if history is any guide, the Zags will continue to win and as other teams lose they will move up in the rankings and finish with something like 30 wins.... and the committee....... being human...... will give the Zags every benefit of the doubt....

Players come here because Gonzaga has been in the Tournament every year of their lives...why should this year be different, they are 9-2 and already in the top 15 and will improve as the season goes on...

[Zagger]

I'm with the 9-2 bunch. I feel the Zags are doing fine. Wish I had videod the team circle before the game started. These guys really like one another - great team chemistry. Yeah, they are rough around the edges alright while in games. I think that goes with 18-20-ish guys who are full of piss and vinegar. I also feel Few is really pushing them to try things outside their comfort zones and that it will all come together as the team goes through the WCC. They're surely exciting to watch - on a variety of levels! Can't wait to see if my score prediction for the next game is spot on - or on a UFO to who knows where!

[FuManShoes]

We're not in danger of missing the Dance, but we have the look of a team that will get bounced after just a game or two, especially if we get pitted against a squad that can hit threes and doesn't turn it over.

[MontanaCoyote]

I'm with the optimists on this one with two caveats. 1. Sans a key injury, 2. + Killer attitude from the get go every game.

[LongIslandZagFan]

Is Ohio State gonna be Zags’ signature win of the season? They better handle their business in the WCC or its Selection Sunday bubble team time baby. No signature wins, no show vs Villanova = anything more than 1 loss in a dreadful WCC year makes Zags a bubble team without earning the auto bid. Cite all the prior years when Zags got an at-large that you want, the WCC is AWFUL this year, so I’m calling it now. Anything more than 1 conference loss means Zags gotta win WCC tourney or else be firmly on the bubble. .

So what you seem to be saying is a team with 4 losses (assuming 2 losses in WCC and wins in next two games) is a bubble team? Ummm... no.

[zagamatic]

Unless something drastic happens, I believe that this year's Zags will get into the tournament based on nothing more than the fact that they CAN win a game or two in the tournament that they're not supposed to and vice versa, which makes for good tv.

[WallaWallaZag]

Is Ohio State gonna be Zags’ signature win of the season? They better handle their business in the WCC or its Selection Sunday bubble team time baby. No signature wins, no show vs Villanova = anything more than 1 loss in a dreadful WCC year makes Zags a bubble team without earning the auto bid. Cite all the prior years when Zags got an at-large that you want, the WCC is AWFUL this year, so I’m calling it now. Anything more than 1 conference loss means Zags gotta win WCC tourney or else be firmly on the bubble. .

the wcc is awful every year...but it's not bad for a mid-major conference. this year is probably right around an average wcc year for the conference as a whole, maybe a tad worse...the wcc doesn't crack the top 10 all that often.

[Once and Future Zag]

the wcc is awful every year...but it's not bad for a mid-major conference. this year is probably right around an average wcc year for the conference as a whole, maybe a tad worse...the wcc doesn't crack the top 10 all that often.

2003-2017, The WCC has averaged as about the 12th best conference (per KenPom), with a high of 8th and a low of 14th.

It's a respectable non-P5 conference.

[gonzagafan62]

2003-2017, The WCC has averaged as about the 12th best conference (per KenPom), with a high of 8th and a low of 14th.

It's a respectable non-P5 conference.

Pretty sure that's what he said lol