Gonzaga climbs back into AP Top 10 after win over Pacific

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs are once again a top ten team in college basketball.

The Zags were ranked No. 6 in the country the first week of February, but dropped down to No. 12 after losing on the road at Portland, 87-80, in one of the worst losses in the Mark Few era.

However, since the loss, the Zags have gone 5-0 with big road wins at Santa Clara, San Francisco, and Oregon State, a blowout home win over Washington State, and Saturday's ugly home win over Pacific.

That puts Gonzaga at 27-2 overall and 15-1 in conference play, and was enough for AP voters to move the Zags up two spots from No. 11 to No. 9 overall in Monday's poll. It is the ninth week of the season, where Gonzaga is inside the top ten, more than they had in the previous two seasons combined.

This placement for the Zags aligns well with how they are perceived by the computer metrics. KenPom currently has Gonzaga at No. 9 as well, coming in at No. 22 in adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 11 in adjusted defensive efficiency.

Torvik has the Zags a little lower at No. 16, but in the Wins Above Bubble metric - which is heavily weighed by the Selection Committee - Gonzaga is at No. 8, while EvanMiya has Gonzaga at No. 10.

Gonzaga Bulldogs assistant coach Brian Michaelson (left) and head coach Mark Few (right). | Photo by Erik Smith

Gonzaga has defeated one team that is ranked in the top 25 in Monday's poll, Alabama, which moved up eight spots from No. 25 to No. 17 after a thrilling 2OT win at home over Arkansas and a road win at LSU. Meanwhile, after losing three straight, the Kentucky Wildcats are no longer receiving any votes for the AP Top 25, joining UCLA and Creighton as former Top 25 teams Gonzaga beat this year.

Saint Mary's (30 votes) is just behind Wisconsin among teams missing the top 25, while Santa Clara is no longer receiving votes despite a 21-point road win over San Francisco on Saturday.

Duke moved up two spots from No. 3 to No. 1 after defeating the previous No. 1, Michigan, in DC on Saturday. The Wolverines fell to No. 3 while Arizona climbed from No. 4 to No. 2 after beating Houston on the road. The Coogs fell from No. 2 to No. 5, with Iowa State taking over at No. 4.

UConn (6), Florida (7), Purdue (8), Gonzaga, and Illinois round out the top ten.

Gonzaga has two more regular-season games before the WCC Tournament, first on Wednesday in Spokane against Portland, followed by the finale on Saturday against Saint Mary's in Moraga.

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