[Old School Hound]

Are the Zags now one of the handful of elite college basketball programs?   I'm talking right there with  UK , Duke, Kansas,  UNC . 

I feel like this is pretty much a rhetorical question but let me make my case anyway.  Early on under Mark Few , Gonzaga was viewed as little more than a Cinderella invited to participate in what would inevitably be yet another coronation of one of basketball's bluebloods. But now as an established perennial powerhouse. the Zags deserve to be ranked among the nation's best programs. Here's my exhibits:

1. They recruit .  If you look at their 2020 class, they had three 4 star guys and one 5 star guy(Suggs). ESPN rated their 2020 class at #7. Plus, they always seem to bring  in some quality guys from overseas who can contribute.

2.  They  can coach .  What Mark Few has done there over the past 22 years has been amazing. He has won  83.4%  of his games in those 22 seasons and 91%  of his conference games over that span. Over the past five seasons, Few has a 92.4% winning percentage. Over the past nine seasons, he has won at a  91.8%  clip overall.

3.  Over the past five seasons, the Zags  are  18-7 against Top 25 teams, including wins over  Duke ,  Kansas,  Ohio St. , Arizona(twice) ,  Florida St. , West Virginia(twice),  Virginia ,  and  Iowa. This season they have beaten  their ranked opponents by an average of  13 ppg.

4.  In 4 of the last 8 NCAA tournaments, they have entered the tournament as a #1 seed ; this year, the #1 overall seed. They would have been a #1 seed last season had the tournament been held.

5.  They have made the NCAA Tournament in every season under Few( 21 for 21) ;  they have made  6 Sweet Sixteen's , 2  Elite Eight's , and  1  National Runner-up.  They are the consensus pick to win it all this year.

6.  In six of the past nine seasons they have won 30 or more games( in the other three they won 29, 28 and 26 in this COVID-shortened season)

7. Under Few, they have had  21 players go on to play in the NBA ;  8 first-round draft picks

8.  Over the last five seasons , they have a 159 - 13  record(18-7 against top 25)  and have lost only 3 conference games over that span ( 80-3 record in conference).


Do you agree with me that Gonzaga is one of the truly elite basketball programs in the country and not just a good program that plays in a weak

 conference?   Let's face it,  UK  ,  U of L  ,   Duke , and UNC   were a collective  embarrassment this season.  Kansas is not that great(Gonzaga 

 hung 102 on them) and storied programs  UCLA  and Michigan St. played in a First four game in this year's tourney.


Any comments,  criticisms  ?   I look forward to hearing your thoughts.