Gonzaga just outside top 15 in updated preseason projections

EvanMiya's updated preseason projections have Gonzaga No. 16 in college basketball

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

The college basketball season is less than two months away, with about three weeks until Gonzaga gets the party started at Kraziness in the Kennel on Oct. 4.

It also marks the transition from 'way-too-early' preseason rankings to just, well, normal preseason rankings. And with rosters nearly finalized across the country and most — but not all — eligibility waivers accounted for, analytical sites are beginning to generate their own preseason rankings.

EvanMiya has become a go-to college basketball analytics site over the past half-decade, and Thursday represented the launch of Evan's preseason rankings for every D1 program in college basketball.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs came in at No. 16 in the rankings, which is right around where most media personalities have had the Zags ranked throughout the summer.

Gonzaga, which has the No. 11-ranked offense and No. 24-ranked defense, is anchored by big men Graham Ike and Braden Huff — who come in at No. 14 and 37 in EvanMiya's overall player ratings.

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Braden Huff. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

However, Evan's site was quite low on some of Gonzaga's other top contributors, with Tyon Grant-Foster (389), Adam Miller (596), Mario Saint-Supery (610), and Jalen Warley (1,861) all ranked quite a bit lower than one might expect based on their previous production and — in Saint-Supery's case — preseason hype.

Warley in particular was a starter and three-year contributor for Florida State, and while he's never been a great scorer, his playmaking and defensive skills — not to mention exceptional positional versatility — should make him far, far more valuable than these ratings suggest.

It's no secret Gonzaga will have their hands full in the nonconference slate. Evan's projections have the Zags playing four matchups against top 25 teams: Kentucky (10), UCLA (11), Alabama (15), and Oregon (24). The Zags will also take on Creighton (32) and Oklahoma (37) in the top 50, and Maryland, which is just outside at No. 51.

Gonzaga men's basketball coaches. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Gonzaga is easily the top-ranked team in the WCC, with Saint Mary's (43), San Francisco (55), and Santa Clara (87) the only other top 100 teams in the league. Oregon State (123), LMU (129), Seattle U (138), Washington State (154), Pacific (196), San Diego (215), Pepperdine (262), and Portland (313) round out the conference.

While things can change significantly year over year — especially in the transfer portal era — a look at where the future Pac-12 teams landed gives fans a good sign of how much better things will be for Gonzaga starting in 2025-26.

Gonzaga (16), San Diego State (41), and Utah State (48) are all top 50 teams, while Boise State (57) is not far behind. Colorado State (111), Oregon State (123), Washington State (154), Texas State (212) and Fresno State (220) round out the league as it's currently constructed.

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