Gonzaga draws NCAA Tournament rematch in latest ESPN Bracketology report

Joe Lunardi believes the Zags could run the table and end up with a No. 1 seed in 2026

Gonzaga Bulldogs Braden Huff (34), Braeden Smith (3), Adam Miller (23) and assistant coach Zach Norvell Jr. | Photo by Myk Crawford

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs lead the country with 16 wins after going 4-0 last week to begin conference play.

The Zags have just one loss on the year, a 40-point debacle against the Michigan Wolverines, and came in at No. 8 in the updated AP top 25 on Monday.

All those points to coach Few's team earning a top seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, coming off two straight disappointing seasons - by Gonzaga's standards - where they were a No. 5 seed and a No. 8 seed, respectively, and failed to make the Sweet 16 last year for the first time in nearly a decade.

ESPN resident bracketologist Joe Lunardi has Gonzaga projected as a No. 2 seed once again in his updated report on Tuesday, where they would play in the West Region in Portland, OR, squaring off against the projected winner of the Big Sky in Montana State.

The Bobcats are currently No. 156 at KenPom and are off to a 2-0 start in the Big Sky with wins over Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona. They will be near Spokane on Thursday when they take on Eastern Washington in Cheney in their first road trip of conference play.

Lunardi may have Gonzaga on the two-line right now, but he believes they could end up moving back into the No. 1 seed conversation by Selection Sunday.

"These Zags are good enough to run the table," Lunardi wrote. "Meaning a 32-1 record on Selection Sunday and the program's sixth No. 1 seed aren't out of the question."

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few and forward Graham Ike (15). | Photo by Erik Smith

Lunardi projects the No. 7 and No. 10 seed matchup in Gonzaga's pod to be between the Georgia Bulldogs and Miami Hurricanes, which would set the Zags up for a potential rematch with UGA after Gonzaga beat them in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, 89-68, behind 24 points from Khalif Battle and 18 points and eight rebounds from Braden Huff.

Georgia (13-1, 1-0 in SEC) is facing the defending champion Florida Gators on Tuesday night, looking for their second win in conference play after beating Auburn, 104-100, in overtime on Saturday.

The West Region also features what would be among the most anticipated Elite Eight matchups in recent history, with the Arizona Wildcats and former Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd sitting on the No. 1 seed line. Gonzaga would have to get past No. 3 seed Nebraska or No. 6 seed Virginia in order to square off against their longtime West Coast rival, while Arizona could face No. 4 Arkansas or No. 5 Louisville - assuming they get by either No. 8 USC or No. 9 St. John's.

Gonzaga is joined in the NCAA Tournament by fellow WCC team Saint Mary's, which draws a No. 7 seed in the South Region and a first-round matchup against No. 10 seed LSU, with No. 2 seed Duke waiting in the wings.

The Zags have already faced five teams in Lunardi's recent field of 68 projections, including Michigan (1 seed), Alabama (3 seed), UCLA (9 seed), Kentucky (9 seed) and Oklahoma (11 seed), which is the last team in.

Next up for Gonzaga is a home game against Santa Clara, which joins Saint Mary's and Gonzaga with a 4-0 start in league play. The game is set for 8:30 PM PT on Thursday, Jan. 8, on ESPN2.