Will Gonzaga Win the National Championship?

[Jerry1714]

S16 and E8 in the last two years. The E8 was a tough game against eventual champions Duke, and then lost by 3 in the S16 to Syracuse, who went to the Final Four--and they had beaten the 6 and 3 seeds by double figures.

I'm not convinced they'll win the title (the field is almost always the best best), but the last few years they've done quite well in the tournament.

Before that they lost to Wichita State who went to the F4 in a game in which Wichita made 14 3s.

Funny thing is Gonzaga has only lost to a team with a higher seed twice in the last decade, one was a 7 10 game and the other was the example above, yet people are under some assumption they choke every year. Getting to a F4 is really hard, especially when you have been seeded better than 4th only twice in the last decade.

 

[B1GEast]

Nope

 

[junglehusky]

I'll take Cincy and SMU in the final 4 to create some buzz for the American, but Wisconsin or another random non-blueblood to win it all, please. Of course if UConn wins the AAC tourney and gets in the big dance, it's UConn vs. the world.

 

[rip7774]

Committee will screw them the way they do AAC and non P5. Death, taxes and NCAA Screwing Non p5!

Someone can remember better than me about their entire bracket, but obviously Wichita State got Kentucky in Round 2 in 2014. I'm sure the rest of their bracket was really hard.

 

[ConnZag3]

Before that they lost to Wichita State who went to the F4 in a game in which Wichita made 14 3s.

Funny thing is Gonzaga has only lost to a team with a higher seed twice in the last decade, one was a 7 10 game and the other was the example above, yet people are under some assumption they choke every year. Getting to a F4 is really hard, especially when you have been seeded better than 4th only twice in the last decade.

And that 7/10 game you mention was against a Davidson team with some kid named Steph Curry who turned out to be pretty good in that NCAA tournament and beyond...

I watch almost every Gonzaga game and this is the best defensive team Gonzaga has had in the last decade and combined with the strong guard play from Williams-Goss, Perkins, and Melson they can most definitely get to Phoenix and then it's always a bit of a crapshoot from there in my opinion. We all know defense wins championships here . The biggest concern would be having to face a UNC or other team that crashes the boards hard, an area Gonzaga struggles in even with 3 guys 6'10 and above.

 

[Travelman6]

Win the championship? I don´t know. Doubt it. Final four? I think this could be the year depending on matchups. The zags are very likely to get a 1 seed but it depends on what happens on the other side of the bracket. I think if you see a 2 seed go down to a 7 or 10 seed the zags will be 90% sure for the FF. If they run into a skilled 2 seed, likely the 5th best team in the country, they will lose in the elite 8. If the zags are unlucky (again) and get a tough bracket as a 1 seed (again), I can picture them losing to a 4 seed like Duke in the sweet 16. Although duke is trending upwards and I would not be shocked to see duke (gifted?) a 2 or 3 seed in zags bracket but I still think the zags will see a 4 seed ACC team. In fact I am certian Gonzaga will see an ACC team in that 4 seed slot. I just feel it.

It really depends on so much...

....But I am pulling for the zags to make the final four, new blood...and pulling for nwestern to make it and maybe even get a few wins (sweet 16). they played very well vs. Wisconsin on the road, I was impressed. This could be a s16 sleeper team.

 

[ktuck911]

I say they Gonzaga makes it to the Final 4 then falls..I can see (and I hate to admit this) UNC, Duke, KU, or maybe Nova again... sleeper teams to make it to the Final 4: Cincy, SMU, Kentucky (not really a sleeper but they are constructed to always get there), and UCLA (my biggest sleeper team.. Lonzo Ball is a beast.. Hope he some how ends up with my Philadelphia 76ers in the upcoming NBA Draft)....

 

[ctchamps]

Alright. I'll be the dude who says no because UConn wins number five.
Is it likely. Of course not. But I don't expect KO and the players to quit so the last thing I'm going to do is start thinking brackets and other winners until UConn is definitely out. As long as they have a punters chance, I'll wait.

 

[Jaker]

I give the Zags even money, this is probably Fews best team.

 

[Jerry1714]

I give the Zags even money, this is probably Fews best team.

Even money? They are currently 10-1, you be a fool to take anyone even money against the field.

 

[TheChamps990411]

No

Dont be so quick to write them off. Theyre the new Uconn in a sense. We went through about a decade of success and disappointments before we finally won one. Many felt the same way that many do about the Zags now. That being said i think they have as good a chance as anyone.

 

[IMind]

I know this is a common theory... but I happen to agree with it. I just think they face so little competition for basically the last couple months of the year that it works against them once they hit the tournament. They play some solid non conference games early but other than St Mary's they really coast most years. Even if they win it all I'm not sure I'm wrong.

I also think (this year aside, if they win out or even lose to St Mary's in a conference tournament they should be a 1 seed) that they are treated a little bit like the Duke of the west and get overseeded.

 

[champs99and04]

Last year at this time people were asking the same questions about Villanova.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned West Virginia. This epic meltdown against Kansas notwithstanding, they seem to me to be a good candidate to be America's darlings.

 

[QDOG5]

Last year at this time people were asking the same questions about Villanova.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned West Virginia. This epic meltdown against Kansas notwithstanding, they seem to me to be a good candidate to be America's darlings.

Not after that game last night. The old adage that pressing teams don't like to press came true. Also, they didn't have a "go to" scorer down the stretch or in overtime. Besides giving future opponents ideas on how to beat them I think a loss like that will stick with them for awhile. I really enjoy watching them play because I enjoy pressure defense but I can only see them making it to the elite 8.

 

[pj]

Even money? They are currently 10-1, you be a fool to take anyone even money against the field.

I'll take Gonzaga at 10 to 1.

 

[HooperScooper]

Zags' top scorer wants title to silence doubters

"I want it bad, I want the national championship bad, to kind of put to rest all the naysayers," Williams-Goss said.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Last year at this time people were asking the same questions about Villanova.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned West Virginia. This epic meltdown against Kansas notwithstanding, they seem to me to be a good candidate to be America's darlings.

I was asking that question about Nova. They proved me wrong.

 

[jcp33]

^ Nigel Williams-Goss is quietly one of the best players in the country, could put him in the conversation as best PG in America behind Lonzo Ball and maybe that kid Fultz from Washington.
In my opinion you need to have a great balanced team on both sides of the ball AND that 1 special player to put you over the top (i.e. Kemba, Shabazz) in order to win it all (and a little bit of luck of course), but I believe Williams-Goss can be that guy for them after watching him play. They're top 5 in both Offense and Defensive efficiencies this year (#3 and #4 respectively) as well, something they weren't in 2013 (#3 OE, #30DE) and 2015 (#5 OE, #18 DE) when both those teams won 32+ games.

I'm not saying at this moment they're going to win it all, but it seems like this year they have the best shot on paper for them to pull it off, all the pieces are there.
Also I'll be routing for them because i don't want any blue bloods winning if it isn't going to be us..

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Zags' top scorer wants title to silence doubters

"I want it bad, I want the national championship bad, to kind of put to rest all the naysayers," Williams-Goss said.

The guards are bigger now and can defend better. Pangos was a defensive liability. He couldn't create his own shot. The Zags can withstand foul trouble in the back court and proved it at St. Mary's. I think if Karno gets in foul trouble up front they are in trouble even though Zach Collins is a super young talent and future pro. Karnowski is arguably the MVP in college hoops this year. As a matter of fact against Duke the year the Zags made the E8 it was foul trouble for Karno that was a huge factor in that game.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Who will Gonzaga play for the National Championship on the evening of April 3, 2017? The other side of the bracket is still stacked.

 

[mauconnfan]

Who will Gonzaga play for the National Championship on the evening of April 3, 2017? The other side of the bracket is still stacked.

WVU's defense made them look pretty bad they can be thankful the Mountaineers couldn't shoot worth a lick or even make lay ins. No one will play that type of defense again but there will be some really good man defenses thrown at them if they move on 2-3 more games. Should be interesting, at this point I do hope they win it all.

 

[HuskyHawk]

WVU's defense made them look pretty bad they can be thankful the Mountaineers couldn't shoot worth a lick or even make lay ins. No one will play that type of defense again but there will be some really good man defenses thrown at them if they move on 2-3 more games. Should be interesting, at this point I do hope they win it all.

In view in the sweet 16 they are at the level of their talent. Yesterday was an evenly matched game. The got lucky with Xavier winning, so they should make the final four. I have a hard time seeing them beat KU or UNC though.

 

[tzznandrew]

In view in the sweet 16 they are at the level of their talent. Yesterday was an evenly matched game. The got lucky with Xavier winning, so they should make the final four. I have a hard time seeing them beat KU or UNC though.

T0 be fair, though, that West Virginia team as exactly the sort of team that sometimes looks great (KU in Lawrence) but then can't get out of it's own way in winning time (KU in Lawrence). They're a weird team that's hard to gauge, I think. Because of their style and talent, they'd play with anyone, but good teams find a way to beat them.

That said, I don't think they'll win the title. I do, though, think they'll beat Xavier. But it will be rough. This game has a feel, ironically, of the 1999 UConn team. #1 seed who has made runs but never broken through despite good showings (vs. Duke in 2015). They get a huge upset in the lower half, and it looks like a cakewalk, but then it's a dogfight (UConn vs. Gonzaga; Gonzaga vs. Xavier).

The analogy isn't perfect (Gonzaga has been upset a number of times, and has been knocking at this door for about 15 years), but I'm rooting for them. Get the monkey of your back.

I'll do the same in a few years with Sean Miller.

 

[HuskyHawk]

T0 be fair, though, that West Virginia team as exactly the sort of team that sometimes looks great (KU in Lawrence) but then can't get out of it's own way in winning time (KU in Lawrence). They're a weird team that's hard to gauge, I think. Because of their style and talent, they'd play with anyone, but good teams find a way to beat them.

That said, I don't think they'll win the title. I do, though, think they'll beat Xavier. But it will be rough. This game has a feel, ironically, of the 1999 UConn team. #1 seed who has made runs but never broken through despite good showings (vs. Duke in 2015). They get a huge upset in the lower half, and it looks like a cakewalk, but then it's a dogfight (UConn vs. Gonzaga; Gonzaga vs. Xavier).

The analogy isn't perfect (Gonzaga has been upset a number of times, and has been knocking at this door for about 15 years), but I'm rooting for them. Get the monkey of your back.

I'll do the same in a few years with Sean Miller.

If not Kansas I'll go for South Carolina as a real underdog (that I have some connection to), but aside from them, I'd like to see Gonzaga finally pull it off. If for nothing else than showing a mid major winning again.

My point was more along the lines of Gonzaga is a very well coached team (Few has never won less than 23 games there) but doesn't have the sheer talent of the top teams. So they usually run through the bottom of the tournament cleanly and then start facing teams that are lower seeds, but with equal talent (WVU). Agree WVU is unique on D, but had the Zags drawn Arizona, I think they might be in trouble. Instead they get a fairly weak Xavier team, then another team that won't be more talented than them. Against Florida or Baylor it's about a push. In the final, they likely will need to beat a better team.

 

[UCweCONN]

I hate to see one of the big boys winning it but I think it's going to be Kansas. Did you see what they did to a good Purdue team? They are on another level.