Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball must overcome tough pre-conference schedule
Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball can prove themselves by beating the opponents on their re-vamped pre-conference schedule.
The COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down. It’s also been a nightmare for sports; college basketball was no exception. Last spring, the entire sport stopped midway through Power-5 conference tournaments. Then the NCCA canceled March Madness, which ended the season. That was a huge disappointment for Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball and their fans.
The Zags were among the favorites to win it all. They had a talented group that checked all the boxes for a championship team.
Head coach Mark Few took the stoppage in stride and got busy preparing himself for the 2020-21 season. As he does every year, Few recruited well, this time he landed the sixth-ranked recruit in the nation, Jalen Suggs, as his headliner.
Four key players, Filip Petrusev, Killian Tillie, Admon Gilder, and Ryan Woolridge departed through graduation or the pros. But at a perennial basketball powerhouse like Gonzaga, they don’t rebuild, they reload. It’s why some preseason polls have GU at the top.
When the Pac-12 stopped all athletics until 2021, last month, Gonzaga’s basketball schedule was thrown into chaos. Games against Southern California, Arizona, and Washington were canceled. So the Zags did to their schedule the same thing they do with talent, they reloaded.
Power Schedule
The Zags added a Top 10 matchup with Iowa in South Dakota on December 19. There is also a possible one-versus-two meeting on December 5 when Gonzaga faces Baylor in Indianapolis.
After the cancelation of this year’s Orlando Invitational, GU committed to a mini-tournament at the same venue. They start with 20th ranked Auburn followed by either Houston or Texas Tech.
Those teams are in addition to the 12th ranked Tennessee Volunteers on December 2. It’s not over, GU still has some room left to add another quality opponent.
Not only do the Bulldogs play and recruit at a high level, but they also schedule the best as well. It’s going to be a fun pre-conference season. When seeding time comes in March, the NCAA will remember that the Zags, played so many tough teams, early on.
What do you think about the Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball pre-conference schedule? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.