The new polls came out today and as expected Gonzaga is the new #1 team in the country. I’m having a hard time accepting that fact. Sure they own an impressive 29-2 record, but it was largely built by romping through a weak West Coast Conference. Gonzaga has racked up 17 wins against teams ranked 101st or lower in the RPI. Their two losses were against Butler and at home to Illinois.
They have ascended to the top of the polls not because of any impressive wins, but because teams that play in real conferences have been losing games. Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the last 12 games on the regular season schedule for Gonzaga and Michigan.
| Gonzaga | Michigan |
| BYU San Francisco Loyola-Marymount San Diego Pepperdine Loyola-Marymount St. Mary’s San Francisco Santa Clara San Diego BYU Portland |
Illinois Northwestern Indiana Ohio State Wisconsin Michigan State Penn State Illinois Penn State Michigan State Purdue Indiana |
Kelly Olynyk
That’s not exactly a killer stretch for Gonzaga. San Francisco was good once, back when Bill Russell starred for the dons. The San Diego on that schedule is not to be confused with San Diego State, a team that is actually good. St. Mary’s isn’t as good as they’ve been the last few years and last time I checked Steve Nash no longer plays for Santa Clara. Pepperdine has a basketball team?
Do you think the Zags would have run off 12 straight wins if they flipped schedules with the Wolverines? Do you think Michigan would have gone 3-4 in February with Gonzaga’s schedule?
Meanwhile Michigan State is about to wrap up this 4-game stretch: vs Indiana, at Ohio State, at Michigan and vs Wisconsin – all teams ranked in the Top 25.
I can’t help but wonder how many losses the Bulldogs would have if they played in the Big Ten. Instead they roll through a soft conference and get to claim a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament? That makes no sense. How would they fare if they were in the ACC?
They can have the #1 ranking, but it’s that top seed in the NCAA Tournament that I really can’t wrap my head around. It just seems to me that the teams in the power conferences are going to be punished for having to play tough conference schedules. Give Indiana Gonzaga’s schedule and I’m pretty confident the Hoosiers would be sitting at 31-0 right now. Instead they’ve gone through the grind in the Big Ten and dropped 3 conference games (they also lost to Butler in a non-conference tilt).
Unless something shocking happens in the West Coast Conference tournament, Gonzaga will be a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The problem is there will be a team more deserving of that seed, slotted as a #2 because they played in the Big Ten or ACC.
About Rob White
Good comments everybody. Good point as well that both Indiana and Gonzaga lost to Butler. My main point on the schedules is what would Gonzaga’s record be if they were in the Big Ten. There is no valid argument that the WCC is a good conference.
To me, rankings are really just a good source for debate. And this situation is as good as any. I like your take Rob. I doubt we see Gonzaga cutting down the nets in April but who knows. It’s all about getting a good seed and getting hot when it counts.
How can you say that if Indiana had Gozanga’s schedule they would be 31-0 yet they both lost to Butler? It seems to me that if Indiana had Gonzaga’s schedule they would be 30-1.
Can’t agree more Rob, Gonzaga has built a great program, but it’s conference should eliminate it from discussion of being ranked #1 and being the #1 overall tournament seed. The eventual big 10 conference champ will most likely have played 2 additional games against top 25 talented teams in addition to the regular season schedule. It just doesn’t compare to what Gonzaga will have faced.
Zags could lose to Penn St or anyone else. Give them a schedule that includes Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio State X2, Michigan State X2, Illiinois, and throw Penn St in there somewhere. Half of those being away games, they will lose at least 5 of 8. Maybe they beat Penn State and maybe the don’t, but they will lose 5 games Such is life in the Big Ten this year.
Chill Wolverine on all this “we beat x who beat y” it is irrelevant. The tourney is right around the corner, the only way to find out who the #1 team is.
^Garrett^,
****^^^^TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME!!!!^^^^**** LAST TIME I CHECKED, GONZAGA LOST TO ILLINOIS ****^^^^@HOME!!!!^^^^****. IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, MICHIGAN BEAT ILLINOIS ****^^^^TWICE^^^^**** @HOME AND @AWAY (THE LATTER, MEANING @ILLINOIS)!!!! ACTUALLY, WE DID SCHEDULE A TOUGH NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE AND AGAIN, LAST TIME I CHECKED, WE FINISHED WITH AN UNDEFEATED 13-0, 1.000 NON-CONFERENCE RECORD!!!! DO KANSAS STATE (CURRENTLY TOP 10 IN BOTH POLLS), PITTSBURGH (CURRENTLY RANKED IN BOTH POLLS), ARKANSAS WHO HAS BEATEN KENTUCKY AND FLORIDA, N.C. STATE (WHO HAS BEATEN DUKE, NORTH CAROLINA), BRADLEY (@BRADLEY), WEST VIRGINIA WHO BEAT TCU (A TEAM THAT BEAT CURRENTLY #4 RANKED [IN BOTH POLLS] KANSAS AND AT THE SAME TIME LOST TO NORTHWESTERN A TEAM WE SWEPT—HOME AND AWAY), A TEAM THAT LOST TO KANSAS STATE (WHO, AGAIN, WE BEAT AT A NEUTRAL-SITE [LIKE WE DID WITH PITTSBURGH AND WEST VIRGINIA!!!!]!!!!). THANKS AND PEACE!!!!
BEST REGARDS & VERY SINCERELY,
WOLVERINE
Hey Wolverine, Penn State, REALLY? The only other team they almost beat was Michigan the first time around when they led them through the first half! HA HA SUCKER
Michigan lost to Penn State…I’m pretty sure Gonzaga wouldn’t lost to Penn State. A hundred percent positive. Kansas lost to Oklahoma State, who Gonzaga beat. Oklahoma State lost to Kansas State, who Gonzaga also beat. In fact they beat three of the top four teams in the Big 12…yet nobody would say Kansas wouldn’t be deserving of a top seed. And Kansas lost to TCU. The fact is Gonzaga scheduled a tough non conference schedule and took care of everyone else. Something that your beloved Michigan and everyone else failed to do. They deserve to be a top seed.
As a fan from the Mountain West Conference can’t agree with you more. The conference RPI is #1 with Lobo’s #2 in the country.
ZAG’s are good, but their conference is very weak.
****^^^^AN ABSOLUTE, BIG EMPHATIC NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!^^^^****
VERY SINCERELY & BEST REGARDS,
W-O-L-V-E-R-I-N-E
No way are the deseving of number one.
Good lord BobWhite, at least the Zags have spell check and grammer check…. oh ya, and the #1 ranked team in the nation