With a somewhat suspect résumé entering their conference tournament, the Gonzaga Bulldogs erased any doubt of their NCAA worthiness by locking up the WCC's automatic bid in a title game victory over Saint Mary's. The Zags are in the field for the 18th straight year, but now that they are dancing, do they have the chops to stick around for more than a song?
ESPN Insider has your answers, as Joe Lunardi has enlisted a team of Bracketologists to compile advanced metrics, key scouting intel and best- and worst-case tournament scenarios for all 68 teams to help you make smart picks in your bracket.
TOURNEY PROFILE
Best wins: vs. UConn, vs. Saint Mary's
Worst losses: vs. BYU
Regular-season conference finish: Second in the WCC
Polls and metrics: Gonzaga cracked the top 10 in the preseason top-25 rankings and spent four weeks in both polls during the first month of the season.
All-time tourney record: 22-18, zero Final Fours
Coach's tourney record: Mark Few is 19-16 with zero Final Fours.
Bracketology chart | BPI information
PERSONNEL
(Note: Player statistics are through games March 6.)
STARTING LINEUP
F Kyle Wiltjer (20.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG)
F Domantas Sabonis (17.5 PPG, 11.7 RPG)
G Eric McClellan (10.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG)
G Josh Perkins (10.1 PPG, 3.9 APG)
G Kyle Dranginis (6.3 PPG, 3.3 APG)
Key bench players
G Silas Melson (6.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG)
G Bryan Alberts (2.8 PPG, 1.4 RPG)
C Ryan Edwards (2.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG)
Biggest strength: Most teams would be happy with one bona fide star. Gonzaga has two in Wiltjer and potential future NBA lottery pick Sabonis. Wiltjer's ability at 6-foot-10 to step out and knock down 3s makes him a matchup nightmare, and Sabonis is a man-child in the post. Add in balance from the rest of the lineup, and the Zags become a potentially tough draw.
Biggest weakness: Lack of depth. The graduation of three starters and the loss of big man Przemek Karnowski to season-ending back surgery left the Zags a bit thin. One of the constants in their losses has been little to no bench scoring. Coach Few's club could get away with that in conference play but will have a much tougher time in the Big Dance.
Best player: Sabonis. The son of the former Portland Trail Blazer has an array of post moves that could make their way to an NBA city near you. He attacks the glass hard and utilizes both hands incredibly well, especially when it comes to his jump hook. The crazy thing is he hasn't turned 20 yet, which means his best years are still ahead of him.
X factor: Wiltjer. In examining Gonzaga more closely, it's evident the Kentucky transfer remains the key to its success. The Zags' two regular-season losses to Saint Mary's came largely because their leading scorer couldn't find a rhythm. Gonzaga simply doesn't have enough options to neutralize a rough shooting night from Wiltjer. If and when that happens, the Zags are on a plane home.
SCOUTING REPORT
Offensive approach: Gonzaga can score both inside and out and enters the tournament as one of the most efficient offensive teams in the country. Four of the Zags' five starters average double-figures, and most of their rotation can step out and hit the 3-ball. You wouldn't want to be the coach that has to figure out how to stop them.
Defensive approach: The Zags primarily stick to man and remain very disciplined with their matchups, which forces opponents to use more of the shot clock than they often want. Opponents shot under 30 percent from the arc this season, which makes Gonzaga one of the best 3-point defenses in the country. The biggest concern is a lack of forced turnovers, something Gonzaga's Elite Eight team also struggled with.
How they beat you: Not much has changed in Spokane. Gonzaga gets up and down the floor quickly, moves the ball well and looks for trail shooters such as Wiltjer in transition. The best part about Few's squad is it doesn't rely on one thing to score points. That offensive balance could prove valuable in its opening matchup.
How you beat them: Take away Wiltjer or Sabonis or both. The common theme in each of the Zags' losses in 2016? At least one of those two had a tough day offensively. As stated, Gonzaga's lack of depth means it can hardly afford an off-night by either of these two. If this were a year ago, shutting off one key option would mean there were three or four more guys waiting to fill the void. The Zags just aren't built that way this year.
WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY
(Note: All statistics in this section are courtesy of kenpom.com and are accurate through games March 6.)
NATIONAL RANKS
Offensive efficiency: 40th (111.8)
Defensive efficiency: 39th (96.0)
3-point percentage: 58th (37.2)
3-point percentage D: 4th (29.2)
Free throw rate: 210th (35.3)
Free throw rate D: 31st (28.6)
TO percentage: 67th (16.6)
TO percentage D: 332nd (15.0)
Good stat: 29.2% 3-point D
Just how good are the Zags at defending the arc? Only three teams in all of Division I were better. Their man-to-man defense can be so tenacious that opponents often settle for way too many 3-point attempts, and that plays right into Gonzaga's hands by creating long rebounds and transition opportunities.
Bad stat: 15.0% turnover D
For as many things as it does well defensively, Gonzaga doesn't force turnovers. Only 19 teams get takeaways at a worse rate. Following that logic, the Zags might have to play to the shot clock and hope for a fortuitous defensive rebound in a late-game situation.
HOW FAR WILL THEY GO?
Best-case scenario: Sweet 16
Few's squad has enough offensive talent to make a run and get out of the opening weekend. Consider that Wiltjer and Sabonis are capable of a big game at any given moment, and add the rise of guard McClellan from the WCC tournament, and a pair of wins seems very possible.
Worst-case scenario: Opening-round loss
The Zags' WCC tournament title doesn't erase the questions about their strength of schedule and whether they were tested enough to be able to make some noise in this year's field. The Zags' opening-round draw could be the most talented opponent they have faced in at least a month. That matchup could spell the end of their season if they aren't ready for it.