Gonzaga is right back in the national spotlight, debuting at No. 5 in the NCAA’s first NET rankings of the season - the highest spot among all one-loss teams. At 7-1, the Zags are holding strong despite a lopsided loss to Michigan, and the early metrics suggest they’re still very much in the thick of the national conversation.
Let’s break it down.
What the NET Ranking Means - and Why It Matters
The NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) has been the go-to sorting metric for the NCAA Tournament selection committee since it replaced the old RPI system back in 2018-19. It factors in game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin, and efficiency - all to give the committee a clearer picture of who’s really performing at a high level.
And history tells us that these early rankings can be a pretty good indicator of who’s built for a deep March run. Five of the last six national champions were top-10 in the initial NET release.
Last year, Florida opened at No. 6 before cutting down the nets. Baylor, who famously ended Gonzaga’s perfect season in the 2021 title game, debuted at No. 2 that year.
Kansas was the lone exception in 2022, starting at No. 14.
So yes, being in the top 10 matters. But it’s not everything.
Just last season, Gonzaga was sitting at No. 8 in the NET on Selection Sunday - typically good enough for a 2- or 3-seed - yet they were placed as an 8-seed. That’s a reminder that the committee looks at more than just one number. Quality wins, bad losses, injuries, and late-season momentum all come into play.
Breaking Down Gonzaga’s Resume So Far
The Zags are 1-1 in Quad 1 games - the highest tier of competition in the NET system. Their best win came against No.
14 Alabama, a 95-85 victory in the opener of the Players Era Festival. That’s a strong mark on the resume, especially considering Alabama was a top-10 team at the time.
They’ve also picked up a Quad 2 win, beating Arizona State (No. 100) 77-65 on the road. That’s the kind of win that may not jump off the page but adds depth to their tournament profile.
Gonzaga’s other wins - over Oklahoma (No. 94), Creighton (No. 113), and Maryland (No. 200) - currently fall into Quad 3.
Those are solid wins, but not resume-makers. Maryland could even slip into Quad 4 if they drop further in the NET, which would soften that win even more.
The Zags are 2-0 in Quad 4 games, which are essentially the games you have to win. No style points there - just avoid disaster.
What’s Ahead: Kentucky, UCLA, Oregon
Gonzaga isn’t done building its resume. They’ve got a big one coming up Friday against No.
15 Kentucky - a Quad 1 matchup for both teams. That’s the kind of game that can swing seeding projections in a big way.
They’ll also face UCLA (currently No. 76) in Seattle on December 13 and Oregon (No. 192) in Portland on December 21. The UCLA game has the potential to move into Quad 1 if the Bruins climb the rankings, but Oregon’s NET ranking puts that squarely in Quad 3 - or even Quad 4 if they slide.
The WCC Landscape and Beyond
Gonzaga’s current conference, the West Coast Conference, has a few other teams making noise. Saint Mary’s sits at No. 29, and Santa Clara isn’t far behind at No.
- Those are potential Quad 1 or Quad 2 opportunities, depending on where the games are played.
The rest of the WCC? A mixed bag.
Pacific (No. 81), Seattle (109), and San Francisco (121) are in that middle tier, while Portland (223), Washington State (225), Pepperdine (247), Oregon State (265), and San Diego (279) are on the lower end.
Of course, Gonzaga won’t be in the WCC much longer. They’re set to join a rebuilt Pac-12 next season alongside Washington State and Oregon State.
That future conference already features some solid programs, including Utah State (No. 22), Colorado State (66), and Boise State (80).
It’s not the old Pac-12, but it’s shaping up to be a competitive league.
National Rankings: AP, Coaches, KenPom
The Zags moved up to No. 11 in the latest AP Top 25 after a 2-1 showing in Las Vegas. Purdue holds the top spot, followed by Arizona, Michigan, Duke, and UConn. Michigan made the biggest leap, jumping four spots after dominating the Players Era Festival by a combined 110 points.
Alabama, who Gonzaga beat, dropped from No. 8 to No. 12.
Kentucky, their next opponent, is ranked No. 18.
UCLA fell out of the Top 25 but still received 59 votes - second-most among unranked teams. Saint Mary’s picked up 15 votes, showing some national respect.
In the USA Today coaches poll, Gonzaga is also No. 11, down one from last week. The top five mirrors the AP: Purdue, Michigan, Arizona, Duke, and UConn.
And in KenPom - the advanced analytics darling - Gonzaga checks in at No. 5.
They’re seventh in adjusted defensive efficiency and 13th in adjusted offensive efficiency. That’s a strong balance and a good sign this team is built to compete on both ends of the floor.
Final Thoughts
Gonzaga’s early NET debut at No. 5 confirms what we’ve seen on the court: this is still one of the most dangerous teams in the country. The loss to Michigan was rough, no question, but it hasn’t derailed their trajectory. With a marquee matchup against Kentucky looming and a few more resume-building opportunities ahead, the Zags are in a strong position to climb even higher - not just in the rankings, but in the eyes of the selection committee come March.
For now, they’re right where they need to be: in the mix, in the top tier, and in control of their own destiny.