There was once talk of a perfect regular season for Gonzaga, which had beaten opponents by an average margin of more than 20 points in each game. That conversation ended when the Bulldogs lost at home to BYU in one of the last games during the regular season. But that doesn't change the fact that Gonzaga will still likely be a one seed in the NCAA tournament if they manage to win the WCC conference tournament. Gonzaga is still in the top five teams in the country, and according to a leading statistician, they should rank first.
Ken Pomeroy's Rankings.
Basketball enthusiast Ken Pomeroy uses a variety of statistics, including team tempo, efficiency, and defensive merit. These individual statistics are then compiled into one simple number, called AdjEM, which is the final metric used to rank every single college basketball team. At the top of the ratings this season are the extremely efficient Gonzaga Bulldogs, who play both excellent offense and defense. Their numbers are slightly boosted thanks to the poor quality of play in the conference, but Gonzaga is more than three points above second ranked Villanova. According to Ken Pomeroy's rankings, the Bulldogs should therefore be seen as the best team in the country.
Does Gonzaga Really Deserve "Best Team" Title?
Mark Few's team has never made it to a Final Four in the NCAA tournament. Until that happens, college basketball fans will always doubt the legitimacy of a team that gets to play a lot of cupcake teams in the WCC. This year has been a bit different, as Gonzaga beat Iowa State, Florida, and Arizona in their nonconference schedule.
Those wins are among some of the best in the nation and should place Gonzaga at least in the conversation for a one seed.
Ken Pomeroy's rankings are nice, but Gonzaga would prefer to get results. Mark Few and the Bulldogs desperately need a Final Four to prove that they are the real deal on a national stage. Those who have watched Gonzaga this season know they are more than capable of pulling off the astonishing feat.
