I just looked at their schedule. They have played three good teams and two ok teams all season. They haven’t played a power five team sense December 18. Of those five games they played they lost two of them. How much does it irritate you did they get so much favor when it comes to rankings and seeding at the end of the year. It honestly pisses me off and I don’t understand how they do not get punished for playing in a crap conference. At most I look at their schedule and I would give them maybe a three seed. It’s not fair to good power five teams that have to play good teams night in night out in there conference. This is the same way I felt about putting Cincinnati in the college football playoff but that’s another story for another day.
Gonzaga
- Thread starter USARMYWILDCAT
- Start date
They just wind up hurting themselves in the end as they're not battle-tested enough for March/April.
I understand what you're saying. However, I've watched them play a few times and they are damn good. I feel they are easily one of the best few teams in the country and personally, I'd rather play any other team.
The metrics say they are one of the best. And computers aren't biased, although they may spit out head-scratching data.
The metrics say they are one of the best. And computers aren't biased, although they may spit out head-scratching data.
Computers aren't biased? No, but the people that write the programs in the computers are, and the way the algorithms work can be fluffed by blowouts they get in their weak conference. If San Fran has a win over a Quad 1 team back in November, Gonzaga reaps the benefits in the computer metrics if they blow out San Fran twice by 20+ points in conference play.
Gonzaga was undefeated last year and had some upsets in their bracket all the way to the national title game...and then played a really good team in Baylor and got their asses kicked. I think being challenged matters.
All I know is if they were a 3 seed, I'd be pissed if my team was the 1 or 2 seed in their bracket.
Same song different album. At least they actually played a game or two this year as opposed to years past. Gonzaga does have a great team by my calculations they are the clear favorite. Houston actually is playing a far weaker schedule IMO. They are the Cincinnati fb of basketball this year. They even play in the same sorry *** conference that doesn’t give them any challenge. The had 2 quad 1 wins as of yesterday. One vs net 49 Oregon and one vs net 74 Cincinnati. Those will likely go away pretty soon. Zags otoh are 5-2 vs quad 1. Houston is a big time head scratcher to be ranked where they are
I think the computers are great at comparing apples to apples, but Gonzaga’s strength of schedule is just on another planet as other tournament teams (49th out of top 50 teams in kenpom). They rocket up kenpom every year once they start dominating their conference games, but I just don’t think beating Santa Clarita by 30 has any bearing on how they will perform against a battle tested tournament team.
They basically played 5 good teams, and maybe.. maybe.. 2 more against St. Mary's (but they're another team feasting on the same **** conference). They went 3-2, which is decent. But not "#1 team in the nation" type of good.
But man... IF SMC could knock off Gonzaga, just once.. that should be enough to drop them behind us (assuming we stay the course). We REALLY need St. Mary's to pull an upset for 1 of the likely 3 times they will play each other..
But man... IF SMC could knock off Gonzaga, just once.. that should be enough to drop them behind us (assuming we stay the course). We REALLY need St. Mary's to pull an upset for 1 of the likely 3 times they will play each other..
Not a chance, zero is too big of a number for the chance SMC has.
To be fair, if they would have gotten a better whistle down the stretch in 2017 against UNC in championship game, Mark Few would finally have his ring. And as mentioned earlier in this thread, they were runner up again last yr.
In any event, they have a really good team this year, as does UK. Seeding aside, if UK is playing the Zags in the tourney this year, that most likely means the Cats are in the Final Four, which I will happily take.
In any event, they have a really good team this year, as does UK. Seeding aside, if UK is playing the Zags in the tourney this year, that most likely means the Cats are in the Final Four, which I will happily take.
Gonzaga doesn't bother me, although their fans last year were obnoxious, trying to get a back-door undefeated season with no true road games and a shortened season.
I also really think they need to start getting dinged for continuing to play in the lowly WCC. Gonzaga should need to go undefeated or, at most, have 2 losses.. or else the 1-seed can't go to them. That's not to say they can't get a 1-seed.. but the criteria for them seems to now be the same as other power programs, and it shouldn't be (a few years ago, different story). Schools like Gonzaga and Wichita of yesteryear, really need to be that much closer to "perfect" to be deserving of a 1-seed.
I also really think they need to start getting dinged for continuing to play in the lowly WCC. Gonzaga should need to go undefeated or, at most, have 2 losses.. or else the 1-seed can't go to them. That's not to say they can't get a 1-seed.. but the criteria for them seems to now be the same as other power programs, and it shouldn't be (a few years ago, different story). Schools like Gonzaga and Wichita of yesteryear, really need to be that much closer to "perfect" to be deserving of a 1-seed.
Especially with their injuries...beating up on cupcakes means they will be the 2/3 with Duke.
They don't annoy me. They're a good team and are well coached. Do they play in a weak conference? Yes, but there's absolutely nothing they can do about that.
So let me get this straight…they were battle tested enough to get through Power 5 teams in Oklahoma, USC, and UCLA, but weren’t battle tested enough when they lost to Baylor. Do you realize how absurd that argument sounds on its face?
Cal did the same thing at Memphis. They would play their crap conference games and get highly ranked. But what can you do? I mean Gonzaga can’t help their conference sucks. The SEC for the most part sucked for years.
I hear this crap about Gonzaga every year. They have been to at least the sweet 16 for 6 straight years and the only reason it wasn't 7 is because there was no tournament 1 year. They also have been to the championship game 2 of the last 4 tournaments. There must be a lot of jealous people on this board or they are trying to convince themselves that Gonzaga isn't any good. Well guess what, they are good, and what Few has built at this small school out in the middle of nowhere is truly amazing. If you din't think they are any good, you must either haven't watched them, or you know nothing about basketball. As far as their conference being awful, how would you know ? I would be willing to bet most of you don't even know who plays in their conference much less if any of those teams can play or not.
I don't think anyone thinks Gonzaga isn't any good. They're very good in fact. And I wouldn't be shocked at all if they won it all. I just think their poor conference hurts them in the end and is a factor in why they still haven't won it all.
I guess it is what it is but I always roll my eyes when I look down and see Gonzaga playing a conference game and the line is Gonzaga-32.5, Gonzaga-28, Gonzaga-32. LOL How much fun is that when there is that much imbalance?
Gonzaga is ranked and will be seeded where they are because they are that good.
It's 2022. We have ways to compare teams that maybe don't play the greatest schedules in the world. People can disagree with the SOS metric and the rankings. They can make an argument that being in that conference "doesn't prepare you" enough for the tournament or whatever. But they are deserving of it.
Seriously there is no one that can watch that team play basketball and conclude they aren't deserving of the ranking they get. Especially last season and this one. They were one of the two best teams last season and they got to the title game. Who knows what happens this season but they are definitely one of a handful of teams that can cut down the nets.
It's 2022. We have ways to compare teams that maybe don't play the greatest schedules in the world. People can disagree with the SOS metric and the rankings. They can make an argument that being in that conference "doesn't prepare you" enough for the tournament or whatever. But they are deserving of it.
Seriously there is no one that can watch that team play basketball and conclude they aren't deserving of the ranking they get. Especially last season and this one. They were one of the two best teams last season and they got to the title game. Who knows what happens this season but they are definitely one of a handful of teams that can cut down the nets.
6 straight sweet 16s and 2 championship games. It must not hurt them to bad. They will never be allowed to win it all, because the ncaa will never allow a team from a small conference to win it all. There is so much more money to be made from one of the big boys winning that a little guy will never be allowed to win it all. No conference lower than the big east will never be allowed to win it all. Just let me know when I am wrong. If their conference hurts them so bad, how come no team from any of the big conferences has matched Gonzaga's record in the ncaa tournament these last 7 years ? Your argument about Gonzaga doesn't even make sense. I guess you guys are trying to convence yourselves that Gonzaga can't play.
I can agree that Gonzaga is a really good team.
The issue I have that I feel cannot be in dispute is the fatigue and injury factor. Could Gonzaga be this good playing in the physicality of the SEC without the whistle they get in their conference. I don’t believe so. You see it every year in the SEC, the best teams have to overcome the road games suited for the WCW as well as find ways to stay on top without their best players for stretches. Gonzaga doesn’t have that problem.
You mean someone on here has actually watched Gonzaga, and knows enough about basketball to know that they can play.
two of the Best teams Gonzaga has faced they lost both. I don’t think Gonzaga would make it through the SEC without 4-7 losses. And that depends on injuries.
The league helps them. They’ve had some recent tournament success, but it helps when everybody is healthy because you play in a mid major with no physicality.
Gonzaga doesn’t need to be given top seeds unless they move conference. It’s not fair to teams that have to go through hell to earn it.
Having said that they are damn good. They’d do well anywhere, but the issue I have is with the seeds.
I cannot stand Gonzaga but they have looked as much like a top 5 team as anyone to me. Played a pretty strong non conference schedule and a terrible conference schedule. I guess their only other option would be to try and get in another conference but without Football that seems unlikely. Maybe they could talk the Pac into taking them for basketball only. I would guess they will be a one seed. Probably deserving of a low one or high two seed.
They don’t want to be in another conference. Few is chicken sht and wants to stack wins and get top seeds in that league. It’s been brought up, Gonzaga wants easy street.
And it’s because of that I say stop giving them top seeds. Gonzaga most times shouldn’t see above a 3.
There is nowhere for them to go. Where would they go? The best fit is the Big East, but geographically, it’s just not happening.
Over the past four seasons Gonzaga has had non conference games scheduled against:
1 Duke - win
2 UCLA- win
2 Baylor- cancelled
3 Iowa- win
5 Duke- loss
5 Texas- win
6 Kansas- win
7 Tennessee- loss
11 Oregon- win
11 WVU- win
12 UNC- loss
15 Arizona- win
16 UVA- win
16 Bama- loss
22 Washington- win
25 Texas Tech- win
If they really wanted to stack easy wins, why schedule difficult non conference games? Listen, I don’t like them. Not even a little. But they don’t have an option on their conference. If you think they wouldn’t move to a power 5 if it were an option you are crazy. They play their conference schedule and dominate, which they should. They schedule difficult out of conference and have done as well as anyone I would guess. No need to hate a team for dominating their conference. They are doing that because what they have built has been better than anyone else in their conference and most anyone else in the country at this point.
I'll never understand why some people on here are so invested in arguing that a two-time NCAA finalist is unworthy. They have been to the championship game in 2017 and 2021. That is a legit program. Putting them down does nothing to make us better.
Did you really go out of your way to actually type "Baylor - Cancelled" and totally forget to mention "Baylor - *** beating two months later"?
They’ve played for the championship twice since we’ve been to the Final Four.
I do think it’s hard to quantify the difference between drilling a poor team, and being challenged by a physical, athletic team. Once you get to the Elite Eight, all bets are off.
But they’re really good, and have been for a while. It isn’t a fluke.
I do think it’s hard to quantify the difference between drilling a poor team, and being challenged by a physical, athletic team. Once you get to the Elite Eight, all bets are off.
But they’re really good, and have been for a while. It isn’t a fluke.
I thought several conferences had reached out and Gonzaga wasn’t interested. If I’m wrong I’ll accept that, but I thought they had someone gauge interests.
Teams are moving all over. The geographical stuff isn’t as big of a barrier as it once was.
There have been rumors for a long time of the Big East expanding to include Gonzaga. But the problem is the massive geographical disparity of having all those East Coast teams having to travel three time zones to play at Gonzaga.
If Gonzaga was centrally located, they'd have a lot more options for conferences. As it is, they have the PAC-12 (who won't take them for lots of academic/athletic reasons) and the Mountain West. With the latter, I'm pretty sure Gonzaga's lack of a FBS football program hurts their resume relative to other acquisitions.
The rumblings of them moving, though, will increase this year and next with BYU leaving for the Big 12 in all sports.
Gonzaga will be #1 now for rest of season no chance anyone beats them in that conference