Gonzaga climbs into top ten of USA TODAY Coaches Poll

Gonzaga and Alabama will be a top ten matchup Monday night in Las Vegas

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Braeden Smith (3). | Photo by Myk Crawford

Monday's matchup between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide will be a battle of top ten teams, at least according to the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

Gonzaga climbed two spots from No. 12 to No. 10 in the updated poll, one spot behind Monday's opponent, Alabama, which rose from No. 11 to No. 9. This sets up a top ten battle between Mark Few and Nate Oats, the only top ten matchup taking place on either Monday or Tuesday in the Players Era Festival. The AP Poll, which also came out on Monday, had Gonzaga just outside the top ten at No. 12.

Gonzaga's climb comes after playing just one game last week, although the Zags made quite a statement by defeating Southern Utah on Monday, Nov. 17, at the McCarthey Athletic Center by a whopping 72 points - the largest margin of victory in Gonzaga history against a DI opponent. Gonzaga's 122 total points scored is the most against a DI opponent as well, and just one away from tying the program's overall record, which was set in 2023 against NAIA opponent Eastern Oregon.

The computer models are even higher on Gonzaga than the coaches. KenPom's updated rankings have Gonzaga No. 3 in the country behind Duke and Purdue, while EvanMiya (fourth) and Bart Torvik's T-Rank (seventh) are both higher on the Zags than the coaches and AP voters.

Gonzaga (5-0) has a pair of buy game victories by 50+ points, as well as three wins over power conference opponents: first beating Oklahoma back on Nov. 8 by 15 points, then defeating No. 23 Creighton in Spokane by 27 points and securing a gritty, true road win over Arizona State in Tempe by 12 back on Nov. 14.

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few. | Photo by Myk Crawford

Monday's matchup with Alabama is the first of three games the Zags will play in Las Vegas this week as part of the Players Era Festival. Next up is a battle with Maryland (not receiving votes) on Tuesday, and the third game could be against any of the other 15 participating teams, which includes six other teams ranked in the Coaches Poll: Houston (2), Michigan (6), Iowa State (13), St. John's (15), Tennessee (16), and Auburn (25).

Gonzaga has two other upcoming matchups against teams ranked in the Coaches Poll: No. 18 Kentucky in Nashville on Dec. 5, and No. 19 UCLA in Seattle on Dec. 13.

The Zags also face Oregon, which received 23 votes, on Dec. 21 at the Moda Center in Portland, as well as WCC foe Saint Mary's, which received 30 votes.