Would Gonzaga have won an NCAA title by now if they were in a P6 conference?

Interesting approach. It’s a refreshing question, compared from the typical “Gonzaga doesn’t play anybody” crowd. They do, it’s just early.

This theory carries some weight.

BUT...I think people are overreacting to one loss. If the Zags can routinely beat power conference teams in Nov and January, then it’s clear that they are talented enough. This could simply be a matter of UCLA being much better than their seed, and Baylor playing at a level not typically seen even by title teams.

Zags had a chance to win against UNC in 2017. Just like Butler against Duke in 2010. The chips just didn’t fall right.

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If they played in say, the PAC 12, they would get better tested,

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The Pac-12 proved to be the best Conference in the tourney.

So yeah, they wouldn't be undefeated Indiana State.

I mean UCLA lost 9 games entering the Tourney. But the Zags still won that game, lets not act like UCLA is beating Baylor.

The Big10 says they face the stiffest competition and get beat-up, where's their titles?

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They’ve made the Sweet Sixteen every year since 2015

And have been runner’s up twice in 2017 and 2021.

Kentucky hasn’t been to the final four since 2015. Duke hasn’t been since 2015.

Since 2015, the only teams to make two final fours are Gonzaga, where they have gone 2-2, Villanova and UNC. Stop with this nonsense about Gonzaga being in a mid-major conference. They’ve been arguably the most successful program in the country outside of Nova the last few years.

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This!!! 99% of the fan bases in college basketball would die for their university to have the success Gonzaga has had he last 20+ years. They have been to two national championships since 2017. Seems to me that their model is actually working out quite well.

On a side note, speaking on the WCC. A story that's been gaining steam is that Boise St and San Diego St will be joining the AAC for football only. The only thing stopping that move from being made is finding a home for all of their other sports. It sounds like the WCC could be a landing spot. It would certainly make the WCC a "tougher" conference to satisfy all of you people who still somehow believe that the WCC is why Gonzaga hasn't won a national championship yet.

Gonzaga
BYU
San Diego St
Boise St
St Mary's

IF...that happens, the WCC could become a 4-5 bid league.

From what I saw that Baylor defense was suffocating them and I don't think it would have mattered what conference the Zags played in - Baylor was just better.

They were clearly the two best teams all year and IMHO Baylor was clearly the better of the two best teams.

My only counter is they’ve had consistent runs in the NCAA Tournament as of late. And have been seeded high enough that they’ve had favorable matchups.

I think them not winning this year is more a contribution to the narrative of how hard it is to go undefeated wire to wire in the modern tournament era. I’m a fan of you need to drop one to refocus/re-evaluate pre-tournament. Does a tougher conference help them with that? Maybe. Maybe not.

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Clearly UCLA wore down the Zags and they had little in the tank left for Baylor.

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My TV suggested that Baylor simply overwhelmed the Zags from the opening tip. The difference in score came in the first 10 minutes of the first half. These kids weren't tired, they were overpowered. And actually played pretty even with the Bears after that opening sequence. Baylor just had zero interest in letting them back into the game.


Mark Few is always going to out recruit the division of college basketball he plays in, it's that simple. Coming into the big dance with 30 wins every year is just as common as the sun rising. Would he do that in the power 5 conferences every year, hell to the no.

A lot can be said about playing toe to toe with the big boys for a full season in whatever sport you're competing in. Adversity, struggles, digging deep, just isn't going to be the same, month in and out of the grind of a long season. Iron sharpens iron and it was Baylor that looked like they were forged in the fire.

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A lot can be said about playing toe to toe with the big boys for a full season in whatever sport you're competing in. Adversity, struggles, digging deep, just isn't going to be the same, month in and out of the grind of a long season. Iron sharpens iron and it was Baylor that looked like they were forged in the fire.

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Every champion since UNLV has been from a power conference... you need better athletes to survive that grind and come out of the other side

Overtime winners in the NCAA tourney are 8-19 in their next game over the last several years. Emotional exhaustion may be a thing.

Maybe. Gonzaga has proven they can play against top-flight competition, and they play a decent non-conf schedule.

I've often felt it's best to lose a game or two along the way. Having a little adversity is good.

UCLA played lights out against them, and then Baylor came and just took it to them. Gonzaga did not play their best.

You want to get your below-average games out of the way before the tournament, and they did not do that because of their easy conference schedule.

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Every champion since UNLV has been from a power conference

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Eh, 2014 UConn was from the AAC, and 2016 Big East wasn’t exactly putting up a lot of resistance for Nova.