As they head into the thick of West Coast Conference play, the Gonzaga Bulldogs don't have much margin for error when it comes to their NCAA Tournament hopes.
ESPN Bracketology has the Zags (13-5, 4-1 WCC) on the bubble to make the program's 25th consecutive appearance in the Big Dance, while Saint Mary's is slated to earn the WCC's auto-bid. The gloomy outlook is based primarily on the fact that Gonzaga doesn't have many signature wins; the team is 0-4 in Quad 1 games and has just two Quad 2 victories heading into a pivotal matchup against San Francisco on Thursday.
Still, things can change if the Bulldogs take care of the few opportunities they have to boost their postseason resume. The Feb. 3 game against Saint Mary's currently stands as a Quad 1 game, along with road games at San Francisco (Feb. 29) and at the Gaels (March 2). There's also a chance to pick up a statement win at Kentucky on Feb. 10.
Hypothetically, if the Bulldogs win both games against San Francisco and at least split the two meetings with Saint Mary's, yet lose in the WCC Championship and don't earn the league's automatic bid, Gonzaga still can make a case for an at-large bid.
Former Gonzaga All-American Dan Dickau explained how he would be "shocked" if the Zags didn't earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament on the latest episode of Gonzaga Nation.
Produced by Christian Pedersen.
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