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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Zags ranked sixth in ESPN’s ‘Way Too Early’ men’s basketball poll

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Killian Tillie (33) chest bumps Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Josh Perkins (13) as they begin to rebuild their lead against Ohio State during the first half of the second round of the 2018 NCAA Basketball Tournament on Saturday, March 17, 2018, at the Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho. (Tyler Tjomsland / The Spokesman-Review)
From espn.com

It seems logical that fans of every college team, with the exception of those who favor Villanova, are saying “wait ’til next year.”

Well, why wait?

Gonzaga fans can get excited for the 2018-19 season right now as the Zags are ranked No. 6 in ESPN’s ‘Way Too Early’ college basketball Top 25, presented by writer Myron Medcalf on espn.com.

Here’s a quick rundown of the Top 10: 1, Kansas; 2, Duke; 3, Villanova; 4, Kentucky; 5, Auburn; 6, Gonzaga; 7, Virginia; 8, Tennessee; 9, North Carolina; 10, Nevada.

About Gonzaga, Medcalf wrote: “Mark Few’s team didn’t have Killian Tillie (hip injury) when it lost to Florida State in the Sweet 16. The big man who connected on 48 percent of his 3-point attempts this season should come back for another year to impress NBA scouts. He’s not the only intriguing pro prospect on the roster. Rui Hachimura, the 6-foot-8 talent, averaged 11.6 ppg this season, while Zach Norvell Jr. averaged 12.7 ppg and made 37 percent of his 3-pointers. This group will also get another year from savvy point guard Josh Perkins (5.3 apg). Brandon Clarke, a 6-8 transfer eligible next season, averaged 17.5 PPG at San Jose State during the 2016-17 season.