NCAA Tournament: Gonzaga is a Number One Seed
By Ben Renner
The NCAA Tournament starts next Tuesday, and anything less than a number one seed for Gonzaga is lunacy. Just stop.
The NCAA Tournament is next week. Tomorrow, the Selection Committee conducts its highly-publicized board meeting to determine who’s in and who’s out of the Big Dance. Gonzaga, with a 32-1 record–best in the country–should be a shoo-in for a number-one seed.
Yet, even now in 2017, the same old doubt of the Bulldogs smolders underneath the more sensible, positive waves of support throughout the Internet, like lava flowing under a Hawaiian sea. Put simply by Ryan Fagan of Sporting News in his March Madness Preview:
"Home loss to BYU team not in the at-large picture. Weak conference means not as many top 100 wins as other No. 1 seed contenders."
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And that pretty much sums up the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee’s attitude towards Gonzaga. Head Coach Mark Few’s system consistently produces quality teams, and the Zags haven’t missed an NCAA Tournament since the roarin’ 90s. But they play in the West Coast Conference.
This year, Gonzaga is better than ever. They are ranked in the top 10 of master basketball statistician Ken Pomeroy’s Adjusted Offensive and Defensive Efficiency ratings, the only team in the nation that can boast that honor. They have the makeup of a team that can reach the Final Four. They have size, scoring ability, versatility, and the defense to match up with any team in the nation.
Against RPI top-25 teams this season, Gonzaga is an impressive 5-0, including three wins over their WCC rivals, St. Mary’s College. They got caught at home by a hungry BYU team for their only loss.
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A number-one seed for Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament will give them a clear path to their first Final Four in Few’s tenure. It seems unlikely they’ll be denied the top seed in a regional bracket tomorrow.