Gonzaga projects to make 2026 NCAA Tournament in way-too-early outlook from ESPN

Nevertheless, ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi is already looking ahead toward the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Lunardi's first forecast for next year's big dance debuts as a few high-major programs around the country — including Gonzaga — still look for their first transfer commit of the 2025 cycle. But others like Purdue, Houston, St. John's and Duke have separated themselves from the pack after returning key returners from last season. Then there's the big spenders — looking at you, BYU — that feature star-studded rosters assembled through massive NIL war chests.

Bringing back Graham Ike and Braden Huff to lead the way in 2025-26 is a massive win for Mark Few and his coaching staff, though six rotational players from last season's squad are departing and the Zags have yet to make a splash in the portal.

Still, with arguably the best frontcourt tandem in the nation at the helm, the Bulldogs — as currently constructed — are projected to make the NCAA Tournament next season. In Lunardi's initial outlook, the Zags fall on the 6-seed line in the West Region, setting them up with a hypothetical matchup against 11-seed VCU in the first round from Greenville, South Carolina.

Lunardi also projects Gonzaga will earn the automatic qualifier in the West Coast Conference, which would mean back-to-back conference tournament championships for Few and company after they won the 2025 title. The Bulldogs qualified for the 2025 NCAA Tournament as a No. 8 seed before getting bounced in the round of 32 by Houston, snapping their streak of nine consecutive appearances in the Sweet 16.

Throughout the tournament, analysts and fans clamored that NIL and the transfer portal have eliminated the Cinderella stories that have become synonymous with March. Whether those sentiments had validity to them at that time, they surely do now based on Lunardi's forecast for 2026. No mid-majors are slated to earn an at-large bid next season, according to Lunardi, a year after only four mid-majors qualified as at-larges: Saint Mary's, New Mexico, San Diego State and Utah State. The Gaels were the only team in that bunch to earn a single-digit seed.

In addition to Ike and Huff, Gonzaga returns guard Braeden Smith, 6-foot-5 guard Emmanuel Innocenti, 6-foot-7 wing Jalen Warley, 6-foot-7 forward Steele Venters and 7-foot-tall center Ismaila Diagne for the 2025-26 campaign. Smith and Warley sat out 2024-25 as redshirt players, while Venters was forced to miss another season due to injury. The Zags also bring in four-star recruit Davis Fogle.

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