Gonzaga Bulldogs: 30-4, 17-1 in the West Coast Conference
Head coach: Mark Few (19th season)
Players to watch: Johnathan Williams (13.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 56.5 FG%); Killian Tillie (13.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 59.3 FG%); Josh Perkins (12.4 PPG, 5.4 APG, 40.8 3FG%)
Season recap: After falling short in the national championship game last season against North Carolina and departing key pieces in center Przemek Karnowski, forward and future lottery pick Zach Collins and guard Nigel Williams-Goss, Gonzaga has been able to rebound, losing just four games this season—all to tournament teams or ones who were on the bubble. The Bulldogs have remodeled their offense to feature an extremely athletic lineup that has been balanced throughout the season.
Five players average at least 11 points a game, and Gonzaga can keep up with anyone, as it averaged 84.5 points per game—a mark good for ninth in the nation. The Bulldogs do it by being efficient from the field, shooting 50.3 percent as a team, and are also a top-20 defensive squad, per basketball statistician Ken Pomeroy’s rankings.
Gonzaga cruised through the West Coast conference this season, dropping just a 74-71 January contest to Saint Mary’s, a team it beat later in the season. The Bulldogs also faced little challenge in the conference tournament, winning all four of its games by at least 14 points.
How they make a run: Gonzaga overwhelms teams with its scoring depth and athleticism, and lead guard Josh Perkins breaks out as a true distributor.
How they falter: The Bulldogs cannot find someone to turn to in crunch time, and they struggle to make shots down the stretch as they are upset early.
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