AP Preseason Poll - Gonzaga ranked eighth

[sonuvazag]

https://collegebasketball.ap.org/poll

[FuManShoes]

https://collegebasketball.ap.org/poll

Pretty impressive for a WCC team that lost three guys to the NBA and its all time assist leader.

[ZagNut08]

Seems high with all the unknowns at key positions.

[StatZag19]

Pretty nice that we're respected enough to get a top 10 spot with a team full of unknowns. Fascinating time to be a Zag fan.

[JPtheBeasta]

It says something about the respect people have for Few as a coach.

[sonuvazag]

Meehan's take:
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/20...eason-ap-poll/

[Zagdawg]

Wonder how much the secret scrimmage came into play in AP voting-- I figured we would land somewhere in the 10-16 spots.

[Kiddwell]

Zags - 8th
SMC - 20th

Plus, here's what's on the plate for Zags:
*No. Carolina - 9th
*Seton Hall/Oregon - 12th/16th
*Arizona - 21st
*Washington - 26th




:]

[ConnZag3]

8th is probably a bit high to start given all the new pieces and the unknown if the 1 veteran in Tillie will be 100% when the season starts. That being said, Atlantis will be a heck of a measuring stick after the opener there against USM. That Seton Hall team might be a bit underrated at 12 with Myles Powell back for another year. If Seton Hall gets past Oregon, Gonzaga better have a heck of a game plan to control him in the semifinals.

[NotoriousZ]

Zags - 8th
SMC - 20th

Plus, here's what's on the plate for Zags:
*No. Carolina - 9th
*Seton Hall/Oregon - 12th/16th
*Arizona - 21st
*Washington - 26th




:]

If we want the Spokane pod I think we will need to put on a good showing against these teams. Not an easy task, but making to the championship game in Atlantis would help a ton. UW and Zona are back to back road games, gonna be tough. And our only home game vs. these teams is Carolina. Hoping SMC is as good as expected and we get a split or better with them also.

[DZ]

One is tempted to say 8th is too high, OTOH we just "more than hung" with Michigan State.

Look at the company we're keeping in the top 10. That is respect.

[jazzdelmar]

Cray-cray.

[jazzdelmar]

Meehan's take:
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/20...eason-ap-poll/

Pretty chesty for him....."Gonzaga handled Michigan State..."

[bdmiller7]

Seems high with all the unknowns at key positions.

Seems high until you try to come up with more deserving teams. Here's the teams currently behind GU.
UNC - One starter back who averaged 8 ppg, 2 transfers, good freshmen class.
Villanova - Lost their top 2 players, good freshmen class, finished 20th last year.
Virginia - Lost top 3 players to NBA, nobody returning averaged better than 7 ppg.
Seton Hall - Needs to make a big jump from unranked team that finished 9-9 in the Big East.
Texas Tech - Lost 4 starters from last years team, trying to piece together with transfers and freshmen.
Memphis - Combined 35 starts back from an NIT team last year with a great freshmen class.
Oregon - Pritchard is back with transfers and freshmen.

[willandi]

Pretty impressive for a WCC team that lost three guys to the NBA and its all time assist leader.

Most of the top teams last main players. Maybe not quite as many, but the front court, with Tillie healthy, is the best in the country, top to bottom, in my opinion.

[Zagceo]

One is tempted to say 8th is too high, OTOH we just "more than hung" with Michigan State.

Look at the company we're keeping in the top 10. That is respect.

looks like Michigan State is without Lanford until January...foot must be really bad.....

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...-least-january

[ZagsGoZags]

https://bustingbrackets.com/2019/10/...on-ap-poll/7/#

Brian Rauf of BUSTING BRACKETS argues Zags are over rated this year:

"So Gonzaga loses their four best players and is ranked in the top 10, but Florida State loses their two best and isn’t ranked at all? Why is that?"

"Those rankings will obviously change a lot once games are actually played, but look for Maryland, Gonzaga, and Saint Mary’s to fall down the rankings once that happens while Memphis, VCU, and Florida State rise."

[sittingon50]

Not sure why SMC will fall. They should roll.

[Kiddwell]

https://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaa.../coaches-poll/

SMC still at 20th; Washington at 28th; Arizona, 17th; Seton Hall/Oregon, 13th/14th; N. Carolina, 11th



Hope we're really this good. Hope Saint Mary's is.



:]

[MDABE80]

https://bustingbrackets.com/2019/10/...on-ap-poll/7/#

Brian Rauf of BUSTING BRACKETS argues Zags are over rated this year:

"So Gonzaga loses their four best players and is ranked in the top 10, but Florida State loses their two best and isn’t ranked at all? Why is that?"

"Those rankings will obviously change a lot once games are actually played, but look for Maryland, Gonzaga, and Saint Mary’s to fall down the rankings once that happens while Memphis, VCU, and Florida State rise."

lol because all 4 of ours went to the NBA ( Now 3) and yours didn't? He assumes all graduating scorers are the same. He needs a logic course! lol

[Goshzagit]

https://bustingbrackets.com/2019/10/...on-ap-poll/7/#

Brian Rauf of BUSTING BRACKETS argues Zags are over rated this year:

"So Gonzaga loses their four best players and is ranked in the top 10, but Florida State loses their two best and isn’t ranked at all? Why is that?"

"Those rankings will obviously change a lot once games are actually played, but look for Maryland, Gonzaga, and Saint Mary’s to fall down the rankings once that happens while Memphis, VCU, and Florida State rise."

He has a point, yet we replaced our "four best" with:

Admon Gilder (All Conference, grad transfer)
Ryan Woolridge (All Conference, grad transfer)
Killian Tillie (All Conference, Senior, former Top 25 player)
Combo of Drew Timme/Anton Watson/ Filip Petrusev (All Top 60, 4* recruits)

Florida St replaced their best three players with similar recruits & hoping others step internally.

But yes, the faith in GU & system, esp outside the programs is absolutely incredible

[Nevada Don]

SI TOP 10 "mid majors"
https://www.si.com/college/2019/10/2...review-gonzaga

[ZagNative]

Always nice to see you here, Nevada Don! Thanks for the juicy offering from SI.

SI TOP 10 "mid majors"
https://www.si.com/college/2019/10/2...review-gonzaga

[ZagsGoZags]

when you see someone arguing the zags might be really good this year does not mention Ballo while discussing noteworthy bigs, this is a clue that we are loaded.