Gonzaga still outside the top ten of updated AP Top 25 rankings

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs moved up just one spot in the updated AP Top 25, which was released on Monday morning ahead of feast week.

Gonzaga is now No. 12 in the top 25, up one spot from No. 13 and up nine spots from No. 21, where the Zags began the season.

Gonzaga (5-0) has defeated a trio of power conference opponents by double figures this year, including a 27-point drubbing of then No. 23-ranked Creighton back on Nov. 11, a gritty road win over Arizona State by 12, and a thrashing of Oklahoma at the Spokane Arena back on Nov. 8.

Last week, the Zags only played one game, which was a massive 72-point win over Southern Utah at the McCarthey Athletic Center. It goes into the record books as Gonzaga's largest margin of victory over a DI opponent and came one point from tying the program record for most points scored at McCarthey, which was set in 2023 when the Zags hung 123 points on NAIA opponent Eastern Oregon.

Gonzaga is still getting far more love from the computers than the AP voters. KenPom has the Zags at No. 3, just behind Duke and Purdue, while EvanMiya has Gonzaga at No. 4 and Bart Torvik's T-Rank has them at No. 7.

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15). | Photo by Erik Smith

Gonzaga will face a top ten team on Monday night in Alabama, who moved up three spots from No. 11 to No. 8 after defeating Illinois at the United Center in Chicago last Wednesday, 90-86.

Gonzaga's next matchup at the Players Era Festival will be against Maryland (not receiving votes), while their third game could be against any of the 15 other teams in the event, including ranked opponents in Houston (3), Michigan (7), St. John's (14), Iowa State (15), Tennessee (17), or Auburn (21).

The Zags will also face a pair of ranked opponents later in the season, first when they head to Nashville to take on Kentucky on Dec. 5. Kentucky dropped seven spots from No. 12 to No. 19 after getting beaten badly by Michigan State in the Champions Classic.

Gonzaga head coach Mark Few. — Gonzaga men's basketball coaches. | Photo by Erik Smith

Gonzaga will also square off against Mick Cronin and No. 18 UCLA in Seattle on Dec. 13. Other teams on Gonzaga's schedule that received votes in the Week 4 AP Poll include Oregon (31 votes, No. 28) who Gonzaga faces on Dec. 21 in Portland, as well as a pair of WCC opponents in Saint Mary's (27 votes, 30th) and Santa Clara (3 votes, 40th).

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