Gonzaga commentary

WICHITA, Kan. – This game felt like an appetizer.

Creator and curator of a hoop phenomenon unique to college athletics, mastermind of offensive efficiency, motivator of elite athletes. Mark Few is all of that. Globally appreciated. Unknown until recently, though, has been his capacity to coach desperation.

Warning, I’m going to continue my argument against the relevance of analytics in the assessment and prediction of athletic competitions.

Consistent excellence lands teams in the NCAA Tournament.

LAS VEGAS – Gonzaga coach Mark Few has a name for these kind of games, especially when Gonzaga plays against rival Saint Mary’s.

LAS VEGAS – In a town that lives on people taking chances, trying to beat the odds, a Gonzaga win over San Francisco had to be one of the surest things in town.

Even with so much talent returning, Gonzaga’s men finished second in conference play, and faced a critical challenge heading into the West Coast Conference basketball tournament. The Zags had been inconsistent during the regular season, at times performing below the massive expectations they shouldered. So it is today. So it was 25 years ago.

Now beyond objective debate: Saint Mary’s has taken over as the West Coast Conference powerhouse.

“I saw the opportunity for (Dan Monson) to come back here and do something special, like he did at Gonzaga,” Frahm said. “This Eastern opportunity with Mons sparks that same kind of competitiveness in me.”