Gonzaga Basketball: Could The Bulldogs Win The Pac-12?

It has been a long time since a West Coast team has been the top ranked team in the country, but how well do you think Gonzaga would be doing this season if they played in the Pac-12?

NorcalNick, California Golden Blogs: I haven't seen enough of the Zags to give a good answer. We have one datapoint, a close escape against Washington State. That isn't the best evidence that Gonzaga would tear through the conference, but it's also one game a long time ago. Certainly, their statistical profile indicates that they would probably win the regular season title. But I think they would certainly lose a few games, and wouldn't be so good that random variance couldn't cost them the title in the right circumstances.

Jack Follman, Pacific Takes: I think they would be at the top of the conference standings, but not nearly as highly-ranked overall as they are as they would drop a few in-conference games as opposed to running over everyone in the WCC. I actually think they are a very similar to Oregon, but with Kelly Olynyk being the difference, he is the guy that puts them over the top. I think they are like if you added Brock Motum to Oregon basically.

David Piper, Addicted to Quack: Gonzaga would win the Pac-12 this season, but would not be ranked No. 1. They have a really balanced team, which is the secret to their success. Kelly Olynyk and Elias Harris pound you down low, while Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell rain threes and keep an inside-outside balance. But there are teams in this conference that match-up a lot better with them than anyone in the WCC does, and Oregon and Colorado, which pair deep front courts with versatile defenders on the perimeter, could pull off upsets against the Zags.

Adam Butler, Pac Hoops: I think they'd be right there with Oregon and UCLA (as it were today) battling for the conference title. The WCC isn't what it's been in years past and some of the big wins the Zags had early have proven to be not as big. Others have proven bigger (OK State). The best argument I can make for the Bulldogs, however, as Pac-12 title contenders, would be their ability to take care of business. Sure the WCC is down but Gonzaga hasn't fallen into those traps like some of the Pac-12 teams have.