Gonzaga is quietly reminding the college basketball world that it’s not going anywhere.
After a couple of weeks hovering just inside the top 10 of the AP poll, the Zags have inched up to No. 8, and they did it the hard way - with a short-handed roster and a pair of convincing wins. Despite being without Braden Huff (left knee) and Graham Ike (right ankle), Gonzaga didn’t just survive; it dominated, rolling past Washington State and Seattle U by 21 points apiece.
That kind of resilience - especially with Huff expected to miss 4-8 weeks and Ike still day-to-day - speaks volumes about the depth and maturity of this squad. At 19-1 overall and a perfect 7-0 in West Coast Conference play, the Zags are proving they can adapt and still handle business, even when key contributors are sidelined.
Their strong week was enough to leapfrog Iowa State in the rankings. The Cyclones, who had been undefeated at 16-0, dropped two games and gave Gonzaga an opening to climb. The Zags also moved up two spots in the NET rankings, now sitting at No. 4 - trailing only Michigan, Duke, and unbeaten Arizona.
Speaking of Arizona, the Wildcats - led by former Gonzaga assistant Tommy Lloyd - are still perched at No. 1 in the AP poll, collecting all 61 first-place votes. They’re followed by UConn, Michigan, Purdue, Duke, Houston, and Nebraska. Michigan State rounds out the top 10 after a two-spot jump.
Michigan, of course, is the only team to hand Gonzaga a loss this season - and it wasn’t close. That 101-61 blowout in Las Vegas back in November still looms large, but since then, the Zags have been on a mission.
They’ve stacked up four wins over ranked opponents at the time of the matchup, including a signature 95-85 victory over then-No. 8 Alabama.
That win looks even better now, as the Crimson Tide have climbed to No. 17 after edging Oklahoma 83-81 - the same Oklahoma team Gonzaga beat 83-68 in Spokane earlier in the year.
Creighton, another early-season victim of the Zags, has stumbled since its 90-63 loss on Nov. 11.
The Bluejays have dropped three of their last five and now sit at 11-8 overall. UCLA, ranked No. 25 when Gonzaga beat them 82-72 in December, has also hit a rough patch, losing three of its last five.
Then there’s Kentucky. The Wildcats were ranked 18th when Gonzaga dismantled them 94-59 in early December, but they’ve found their footing lately.
Kentucky has strung together three straight wins - all comeback efforts - over Mississippi State, LSU, and then-No. 24 Tennessee.
They’re now sitting just outside the top 25 with 27 points in the voting.
In the WCC, Saint Mary’s took a bit of a hit with its first conference loss to Santa Clara. Both the Gaels and Broncos are now one game behind Gonzaga in the loss column. Saint Mary’s still received five points in the latest poll, and the first of two matchups between the longtime conference rivals is set for Jan. 31 at the McCarthey Athletic Center - a game that’s shaping up to be a Quad 1 opportunity, with the Gaels currently ranked No. 30 in the NET.
As far as national seeding outlooks go, Gonzaga is in solid shape. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has the Zags as a No. 2 seed, eighth overall.
Bracketmatrix.com has them as a 3 seed, ninth overall. Fox Sports slotted them as the third seed in the West Region, opening against Portland State - with Arizona and Purdue also in that region as the top two seeds.
In the advanced metrics, Gonzaga continues to impress. They’re No. 6 overall in KenPom, ranking eighth in adjusted offensive efficiency and ninth on the defensive side. That puts them in elite company - Michigan, Arizona, Duke, and Gonzaga are the only teams in the country ranked in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency.
The Zags also hold steady at No. 8 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, with Arizona again the unanimous No. 1. Saint Mary’s received nine points in that poll as well.
Up next for Gonzaga: a pair of home games that offer more chances to keep building momentum. They’ll host Pepperdine on Wednesday - a Quad 4 matchup - followed by San Francisco on Saturday, a Quad 3 game. The Zags are currently 5-0 in Quad 2 games and 3-1 in Quad 1, continuing to build a résumé that should keep them in the conversation for a high seed come March.
Bottom line: Gonzaga is doing what elite programs do - winning consistently, adjusting on the fly, and positioning themselves for another deep run. Injuries haven’t derailed them.
If anything, they’ve sharpened the focus. And with the toughest stretch of the WCC schedule still ahead, the Zags look ready.