Mark Few’s Gonzaga Bulldogs are 27-1 on the year, and currently sit at No. 8 in the RPI rankings. They are 8-1 against the RPI top 100 and 4-1 against the RPI top 50. The Bulldogs are also the most contentious choice for a top seed in the NCAA tournament that the field has to offer.
Gonzaga has shaken off the label of “mid-major” in recruiting circles, and for the purpose of preseason rankings. Yet when it comes to the NCAA Tournament, many aren’t willing to give them the same benefit of the doubt that Power 5 conference winners receive.
The reasons for that are many, with their conference schedule–the WCC is not one of the stronger mid-major conferences in the country–being a primary factor. Critics of the ‘Zags point to programs like Villanova, Wisconsin, and the like as being more deserving of a top seed because of the gauntlet they had to endure to accumulate the kind of record needed for consideration in the first place. Supporters of Gonzaga note that their non-conference strength of schedule is among the 20 toughest in the country, and that the coaches and team can’t help what conference they play in.
Which ever side of the discussion one falls on, it cannot be argued that how the Selection Committee views (and ultimately seeds) Gonzaga is one of the most interesting story lines heading into March. Will a top 10 RPI, only having one loss on the season and having the cache of a “bigger” program be enough to overcome the possible biases that exist against non-power conference winners?
