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Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga stays at No. 12 in AP poll, rises to No. 5 in NET rankings

Gonzaga coach Mark Few greets forward Graham Ike as the senior exits the floor during the Zags’ rout over Portland on Senior Night at McCarthey Athletic Center. (TYLER TJOMSLAND/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)
By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5585

LAS VEGAS – Gonzaga didn’t have any games last week, but an extended break didn’t stop the Zags from moving up in the NET rankings and down in a few bracket projections.

’Tis the season to discuss seeding possibilities as Gonzaga (29-3) opened the West Coast Conference Tournament with a 65-56 win over fourth-seeded Oregon State on Monday at Orleans Arena.

The top-seeded Zags stayed put at No. 12 in the Associated Press poll. The Zags slipped three spots a week ago after losing to Saint Mary’s in the regular-season finale on Feb. 28. The Gaels (27-4) remained at No. 21.

The top three of Duke, Arizona and Michigan remained unchanged. Duke received 56 first-place votes, Arizona four and Michigan one from the media panel.

Florida climbed up to No. 4, followed by Houston, UConn, Iowa State, Michigan State, Illinois and Virginia.

Gonzaga gained a spot to No. 5 in the NET rankings, one tool used by the selection committee to seed and sort the NCAA Tournament. GU was sixth a week ago. Saint Mary’s is No. 20 and Santa Clara is No. 42.

Duke, Michigan, Arizona and Florida hold the top four spots.

The Zags are generally a three or four seed in most bracket projections, roughly the same as a week ago.

ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi dropped GU from the last three seed (12th overall) on Saturday to the first four seed (13th overall) on Sunday and Monday.

Lunardi had Alabama as the 15th overall seed last Monday, moved the Crimson Tide to 10th after a home win over Auburn on Saturday and put them at 11th on Monday. The Zags beat Alabama 95-85 in Las Vegas in late November. Alabama is 17th in the NET and 15th in the AP poll.

Jerry Palm lists Gonzaga as a three seed in the West Region facing North Dakota State in Portland in the opening round. Arizona is the West’s top seed, Illinois is two and Virginia is four in Palm’s bracket.

Palm’s other three seeds: Alabama, Nebraska and Iowa State. Saint Mary’s is a seven seed and Santa Clara is a 10.

Bracketmatrix.com has Gonzaga as the first four seed with the Gaels as a seven and the Broncos as an 11. Lunardi has Santa Clara among his last four in the field.

Gonzaga is No. 12 and Saint Mary’s No. 21 in the USA Today coaches’ poll.

The Zags are 10th in KenPom’s ratings, including 29th in adjusted offensive efficiency and ninth in defensive efficiency.