Gonzaga continues its steady climb up the national rankings, hitting a season-high No. 6 in the latest AP poll. The Zags, now 21-1 overall and unbeaten in West Coast Conference play at 9-0, have been a fixture in the top 10 for seven straight weeks-and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.
Their latest leap came after a dominant 84-60 win over Pepperdine and a gritty 68-66 road victory at San Francisco. Those two performances were enough to vault Gonzaga past Purdue and Houston, both of whom stumbled last week. Purdue dropped to No. 12 after back-to-back losses to UCLA and Illinois, while Houston fell to 10th following a defeat at the hands of Texas Tech.
The top of the poll remains unchanged: Arizona stays locked in at No. 1, with UConn, Michigan, Duke, and Nebraska rounding out the top five. Michigan State, Iowa State, and Illinois fill out the rest of the top 10, just behind Gonzaga.
Gonzaga’s 14-game winning streak will be put to the test this weekend in a marquee matchup against Saint Mary’s. The Gaels, sitting at 19-3 overall and 8-1 in the WCC, are just outside the top 25 and received three points in the latest AP voting. Saturday’s game isn’t just a rivalry-it’s a high-stakes showdown with real implications for March.
While the Zags boast four wins over teams that were ranked at the time of the matchup, only one-No. 23 Alabama-remains in the current top 25. Kentucky, whom Gonzaga dismantled 94-59 earlier this season in Nashville, is knocking on the door after receiving 51 points in the latest poll.
The national picture is starting to take shape as well. Arizona, Nebraska, and Miami (Ohio) are the last remaining unbeatens.
Arizona will face a tough test at No. 13 BYU, while Nebraska has a gauntlet week ahead with matchups against No.
3 Michigan and No. 9 Illinois.
Miami’s path includes UMass and Northern Illinois.
In the NCAA’s NET rankings-a key tool for the tournament selection committee-Gonzaga holds firm at No. 4, trailing only Arizona, Michigan, and Duke. Nebraska slots in at No. 5, followed by Illinois, Iowa State, UConn, Michigan State, and Purdue.
Alabama sits at No. 22, while Saint Mary’s comes in at No. 30.
That ranking makes Saturday’s clash a Quad 1 opportunity for both programs. Gonzaga is 3-1 in Quad 1 games this season; Saint Mary’s is still searching for its first win in that category at 0-2.
The Zags also own quality wins over several top-50 NET teams, including Kentucky (No. 28), UCLA (No. 42), and Santa Clara (No.
45). Their recent win over San Francisco helped push the Dons up seven spots to No.
In KenPom’s efficiency-based rankings, Gonzaga checks in at No. 9 overall. They’re eighth in adjusted defensive efficiency and 19th on the offensive side. KenPom’s top three mirror much of the national consensus: Arizona, Michigan, and Duke.
The USA Today coaches’ poll tells a similar story. Gonzaga moved up two spots to No. 6, trailing only Arizona, Michigan, UConn, Duke, and Nebraska. Saint Mary’s earned nine points in the coaches’ voting, another sign that Saturday’s matchup is drawing national attention.
As for bracketology, the projections are starting to crystallize. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has Gonzaga slotted as a No. 3 seed (ninth overall), with Saint Mary’s coming in as a No.
- CBS Sports also lists Gonzaga as a No. 3 seed, but places the Gaels as an 11 seed in the First Four.
Over at bracketmatrix.com, the Zags are trending slightly higher-a No. 2 seed and eighth overall.
So what does it all mean? Gonzaga is right where it wants to be: surging in the rankings, stacking quality wins, and gearing up for a critical stretch of conference play. With Saint Mary’s looming and the postseason creeping closer, the Zags are positioning themselves not just for another WCC title, but for a deep run in March.