The Better of the West gives followers a candid evaluation of the highest groups within the western third of the nation — a group that features the Mountain West and the previous Pac-12 faculties now scattered throughout the ACC, Huge 12, Huge Ten and West Coast Convention.
The rankings shall be revealed on the Hotline every Monday by means of the rest of the common season.
The breathtaking beatdown unfolded three months in the past: Gonzaga 101, Baylor, 63, and oh-my-goodness did the Zags seem like a title contender.
The offense, the protection, the starters, the reserves, the trouble and execution, the ball motion and rotations — each facet of Gonzaga’s debut efficiency urged its No. 6 rating within the AP preseason ballot was 5 spots too low.
Then got here an sudden loss to West Virginia within the Bahamas and some high-profile December stumbles. The Zags misplaced to Kentucky, Connecticut and UCLA by a grand complete of 10 factors.
Nonetheless, the calendar turned and there was zero cause to assume historical past wouldn’t repeat in West Coast Convention play, with the Zags ripping by means of the league, staring down Saint Mary’s within the convention event and getting into the NCAAs with a top-four seed.
However with the stretch run approaching, the script has flipped, the losses are mounting and the outlook has turned grey.
The Zags (16-7) are usually not a lock for March Insanity.
We repeat: It’s Feb. 3, and Gonzaga shouldn’t be a lock for the NCAAs.
If the event have been seeded as we speak, the Zags could be a No. 8 seed in response to BracketMatrix, which aggregates 91 NCAA Match bracket projections throughout the web, together with a number of the most revered.
ESPN’s Bracketology lists them as a No. 8 seed; CBS Sports activities reveals them as a No. 9; so does USA At present.
In that vary, the Bulldogs aren’t on the bubble, however they’re perilously shut.
The Zags have eight video games remaining within the common season. Half are towards the highest groups within the WCC: Saint Mary’s, San Francisco and Santa Clara. A fifth is down the highway at Washington State.
It could not take a lot to slip onto the NCAA bubble. Their event profile is as wobbly because the protection that has confounded coach Mark Few for weeks.
The Zags have simply two Quadrant I victories — one lower than Saint Mary’s.
Even worse, seven of their 16 wins are of the Quadrant IV selection.
And they’re fiftieth within the Wins Above Bubble rating, which measures how Gonzaga has carried out towards its schedule in comparison with how a median bubble crew would have fared towards the identical lineup of opponents.
In WAB, the Zags are simply behind three groups, Brigham Younger, Arizona State and Pittsburgh, which are on the bubble.
This could possibly be shut, people.
It’s not unreasonable to examine the Zags dropping two or three extra video games and getting into the WCC event with their destiny doubtful on Choice Sunday.
Gonzaga hasn’t missed March Insanity for the reason that Nineteen Nineties. Its streak of 25 consecutive NCAA appearances is second solely to Michigan State (26).
And we aren’t projecting the Zags to overlook the occasion this yr. However that very situation — a crew on the brink by means of the stretch run — has morphed from unthinkable to believable in 4 brief months.
To the newest energy rankings …
1. Arizona (15-6/9-1 Huge 12)2. UCLA (16-6/7-4 Huge Ten)
Final week: 4Results: received at USC 82-76, beat Oregon 78-52NET rating: 28Next up: vs. Michigan State (Tuesday)Remark: We misplaced monitor of Mick Cronin’s meltdowns over the Huge Ten schedule however are pretty sure the Bruins’ five-game successful streak started after certainly one of them. Which was so predictable that even the Hotline predicted it.
3. New Mexico (18-4/10-1 Mountain West)
Final week: 6Results: received at Utah State 82-63NET rating: 46Next up: vs. Colorado State (Wednesday)Remark: The beautiful victory in Logan didn’t simply assist the Lobos; it was helpful to the Mountain West, as effectively, by bolstering the resume of what had been an NCAA Match bubble crew. More and more, it seems the convention will ship at the very least three to the NCAAs.
4. Saint Mary’s (20-3/10-0 West Coast Convention)
Final week: 5Results: received at Santa Clara 67-54, beat Gonzaga 62-58NET rating: 22Next up: at San Francisco (Thursday)Remark: With a three-game lead (within the loss column) over Gonzaga and San Francisco, the Gaels are about two weeks away from locking down the No. 1 seed within the convention event.
5. Utah State (19-3/9-2 Mountain West)
Final week: 1Results: beat UNLV 76-71, misplaced to New Mexico 82-63NET rating: 39Next up: at Wyoming (Tuesday)Remark: There have been a number of beautiful weekend outcomes, together with Arkansas successful at Kentucky, USC toppling Michigan State and Kansas State thumping Iowa State (in Ames). However the Aggies dropping at dwelling to New Mexico by 19 was not on our Mountain West bingo card for February.
6. Gonzaga (16-7/7-3 West Coast Convention)
Final week: 3Results: beat Oregon State 98-60, misplaced at Saint Mary’s 62-58NET rating: 13Next up: vs. Loyola Marymount (Thursday)Remark: Powerful end at Saint Mary’s with Graham Ike on the bench with the gimpy leg for 2 essential possessions within the remaining minutes after which, in our view, not having his regular explosion for the decisive sequence that resulted in a blocked shot. Frankly, it’s a credit score to the Zags that that they had an opportunity to win whereas capturing 3-of-17 from 3-point vary.
7. Brigham Younger (15-6/6-4 Huge 12)
Final week: 9Results: beat Baylor 93-89, received at UCF 81-75NET rating: 33Next up: vs. Arizona (Tuesday)Remark: The Cougars have performed larger dwelling video games than the one awaiting them Tuesday evening. Given just a few hours, we’d even consider one.
8. Oregon (16-6/5-6 Huge Ten)
Final week: 7Results: misplaced at UCLA 78-52 and to Nebraska 77-71NET rating: 37Next up: at Michigan (Wednesday)Remark: Zero relaxation for the weary: The Geese head again throughout the Rockies for 2 brutal video games in Michigan, return dwelling for 10 days, then schlep to Iowa and Wisconsin. They’d finest discover their early-season type quickly, or a middle-rung seed within the NCAAs awaits.
9. San Diego State (15-5/8-3 Mountain West)
Final week: 8Results: beat San Jose State 71-68 and Wyoming 63-61NET rating: 48Next up: at Colorado State (Saturday)Remark: The Aztecs wanted an 18-0 run to fend off SJSU and a 20-0 surge to beat again Wyoming — to which we are saying: By any means essential in convention play.
10. Boise State (15-7/7-4 Mountain West)
Final week: 12Results: beat Nevada 66-56 and Fresno State 82-60NET rating: 49Next up: at UNLV (Tuesday)Remark: The Broncos preserve successful the video games they’re imagined to win, which actually counts for one thing. However till they safe one or two sudden victories, their NCAA possibilities will stay at room temperature.
11. Colorado State (14-7/8-2 Mountain West)
Final week: 13Results: beat Air Pressure 79-58NET rating: 76Next up: at New Mexico (Wednesday)Remark: The Rams couldn’t have requested for higher timing for an upset in Albuquerque than catching the Lobos off their large win at Utah State and stuffed with confidence having overwhelmed CSU within the first matchup.
12. Stanford (15-7/7-4 ACC)
Final week: 10Results: beat Syracuse 70-61, misplaced at SMU 85-61NET rating: 72Next up: vs. Wake Forest (Wednesday)Remark: The Cardinal have unofficially completed a baseline purpose for his or her inaugural season within the ACC: Alone in sixth place, they’re monitoring to qualify for the convention event, which — for individuals who didn’t know — excludes the underside three groups within the standings.
13. UC Irvine (20-3/10-1 Huge West)
Final week: Not rankedResults: received at Lengthy Seaside State 80-75, beat UC Davis 73-66NET rating: 56Next up: vs. UC San Diego (Saturday)Remark: The Anteaters’ present seed projection on Bracket Matrix (No. 12) suggests a bubble place in the event that they don’t win the Huge West event.
14. USC (13-8/5-5 Huge Ten)
Final week: Not rankedResults: misplaced to UCLA 82-76, beat Michigan State 70-64NET rating: 68Next up: at Northwestern (Tuesday)Remark: Some Better of the West love for the Muss Bus after the spectacular win over the Spartans, who have been unbeaten in Huge Ten play till their loss within the Galen Heart. As has been the case with so many Eric Musselman groups up to now, February ought to carry a surge within the Trojans’ high quality of play.
15. San Francisco (18-6/8-3 West Coast Convention)
Final week: Not rankedResults: beat Washington State 75-51NET rating: 67Next up: vs. Saint Mary’s (Thursday)Remark: The Dons maintain a half-game lead over Gonzaga within the race for the No. 2 seed within the WCC event, which carries a bye into the semifinals. The scenario ought to kind itself out with each head-to-head video games looming within the remaining weeks of the season.
Additionally thought of: Arizona State, Grand Canyon, Montana, Northern Colorado, Oregon State, Santa Clara, UC San Diego, UNLV, Utah, Utah Valley and Washington State
