Dick Vitale has seen Gonzaga enough this season to come prepared.

The veteran ESPN announcer had pages and pages of material ready when the Zags blew out Santa Clara in the West Conference semifinals Monday night.

At least he joked he did.

But he didn’t need it. That’s because, like the Gonzaga games Vitale broadcast in Florida in November, this one was close as well.

How close? How about 77-68? More importantly, how about 56-51 with 9 minutes left? Or 68-63 with 2 minutes remaining? Of course Gonzaga was leading at all those times, but still.

It was the No. 4 team in the nation, a possible No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament, tested by a team it had defeated by 30-plus points twice/Vince Grippi, SR. More here.