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Gonzaga Basketball

Bracket projections: Gonzaga staying in Spokane to open NCAA Tournament

The Bulldog logo painted on the floor of the men’s basketball locker room. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)

Gonzaga could enjoy some home cooking in the NCAA Tournament, according to a couple of early bracket projections with the season opener about 50 days away.

NCAA.com’s Andy Katz predicts Gonzaga will be a No. 4 seed and open against No. 13 New Mexico State at the Spokane Arena. The winner would take on the No. 5 Illinois vs. No. 12 Belmont winner in the second round.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology also has the Zags playing at the Spokane Arena but as a No. 3 seed against No. 14 Loyola-Chicago with the winner facing the winner of No. 6 Utah State vs. No. 11 Wisconsin.

Lunardi lists Michigan State, Florida, Kansas and Duke as No. 1 seeds while Katz went with Michigan State, Kansas, Louisville and Kentucky.