The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory produces Gonzaga Bulldog-themed items at the store in River Park Square shown Wednesday. Among the items are the one-pound assortment with a GU-themed chocolate bar. (SR photo: Jesse Tinsley)

Cravens Coffee Co. began selling its Zags Blend coffee in 1999 – the same year Gonzaga University’s men’s basketball team ended up in the Elite Eight. All 1,500 of the school-branded coffee bags sold out in two months, said Cravens owner Simon Thompson. This year, Zags Blend is going out the door in record volumes. Credit belongs to GU’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, both of which steamrolled their way into the Division I championship tourneys, he said. “We already expect to sell 1,000 bags of Zags Blend this month,” Thompson said. “It’s a different animal this year. It’s a big phenomenon”/Tom Sowa, SR. More here.

Question: What kinds of Zag merchandise do you own? Moi? 2 ballcaps, sweats and a hoodie.