NET Rankings update: Gonzaga takes step back after loss

Saint Mary's gained an edge over Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference standings following Saturday's showdown in Moraga, California, though the Bulldogs are still the league's leader in the latest edition of the NET rankings.

The Gaels gained a three-game advantage for the No. 1 spot in the WCC standings after coming away with a 62-58 victory over their league rival, as the Zags came up just short of completing a 14-point comeback in a thrilling battle from University Credit Union Pavilion.

Gonzaga has serious ground to make up if it's to catch Saint Mary's for the WCC regular season title. However trending in the wrong direction, the Bulldogs still lead the league with regard to the NET Rankings, now in its seventh season as the primary sorting tool for evaluating teams and establishing postseason resumes.

The Zags checked in at No. 13 in the latest NET, followed by the No. 22 Gaels in the WCC. Gonzaga is just 2-6 in quadrant 1 games, which the NET defines as home games against opponents ranked No. 1-30, neutral games against teams ranked No. 1-50 and away games against teams ranked No. 1-75. Quad 1 and quad 2 wins are valuable to improving a team's NET ranking, as opposed to quad 3 and quad 4 victories. Conversely, quad 3 and quad 4 losses can stand out as a blemish on a team's resume.

Here’s a closer look at each WCC team’s resume through the lens of the NET.

Gonzaga Bulldogs

NET Ranking: No. 13
Record: 16-7, 7-3 WCC Q1: 2-6 Q2: 3-1 Q3: 4-0 Q4: 7-0
Best wins: Q1 vs. Baylor (26), Q1 at San Diego State (48), Q2 vs. Arizona State (57)

Saint Mary’s Gaels

NET Ranking: No. 22
Record: 20-3, 10-0 WCC Q1: 3-1 Q2: 4-2 Q3: 4-0 Q4: 8-0
Best wins: Q1 neutral vs. Nebraska (50), Q1 at Santa Clara (61), Q1 vs. Gonzaga (13)

Santa Clara Broncos

NET: No. 61
Record: 15-9, 7-4 WCC Q1: 2-3 Q2: 4-4 Q3: 3-2 Q4: 6-0
Best wins: Q1 at Gonzaga (13), Q1 at McNeese (70), Q2 vs. Oregon State (54)

Oregon State Beavers

NET: No. 62
Record: 16-7, 6-4 WCC Q1: 1-5 Q2: 2-1 Q3: 2-1 Q4: 10-0
Best wins: Q1 vs. Gonzaga (13), Q2 vs. UC Irvine (56), Q2 vs. Santa Clara (61)

San Francisco Dons

NET: No. 74
Record: 18-6, 9-3 WCC Q1: 0-4 Q2: 3-2 Q3: 5-0 Q4: 9-0
Best wins: Q2 vs. Boise State (49), Q2 vs. Santa Clara (61), Q2 vs. Oregon State (62)

Washington State Cougars

NET: No. 95
Record: 15-9, 5-6 WCC Q1: 1-5 Q2: 3-2 Q3: 3-0 Q4: 8-2
Best wins: Q1 neutral vs. Boise State (49), Q2 at Nevada (78), Q2 vs. San Francisco (66)

Loyola Marymount Lions

NET: No. 148
Record: 14-8, 6-4 WCC Q1: 0-3 Q2: 2-4 Q3: 5-0 Q4: 6-1
Best wins: Q2 vs. Santa Clara (61) Q2 vs. Oregon State (62), Q3 vs. Nevada (78)

Pepperdine Waves

NET: No. 234
Record: 9-14, 3-7 WCC Q1: 0-8 Q2: 0-2 Q3: 1-0 Q4: 7-4
Best wins: Q3 neutral vs. New Mexico State (174), Q4 vs. Northern Arizona (246), Q4 at Pacific (307)

Pacific Tigers

NET: No. 306
Record: 7-18, 2-9 WCC Q1: 0-4 Q2: 1-5 Q3: 2-3 Q4: 2-6
Best wins: Q2 at WSU (95), Q3 vs. WSU (95), Q3 neutral vs. San Jose State (163)

Portland Pilots

NET: No. 314
Record: 8-16, 3-8 WCC Q1: 0-6 Q2: 0-1 Q3: 1-6 Q4: 5-3
Best wins: Q3 at Pepperdine (235), Q4 at Long Beach State (322), Q4 vs. Lafayette (286)

San Diego Toreros

NET: No. 318
Record: 4-20, 1-10 WCC Q1: 0-6 Q2: 0-3 Q3: 0-3 Q4: 3-8
Best wins: Q4 vs. Idaho (247), Q4 vs. Boston U. (298), Q4 vs. Pacific (307)

MORE GONZAGA NEWS & ANALYSIS

College basketball analyst: ‘It’s time to sound some alarms with Gonzaga’

WCC basketball power rankings: Big week looms for Gonzaga, San Francisco

What Gonzaga's Graham Ike, Ryan Nembhard said after loss vs. Saint Mary's

What Gonzaga's Mark Few said after loss vs. Saint Mary's

Saint Mary's Gaels 62, Gonzaga Bulldogs 58: Live score recap, highlights

Gonzaga's Mark Few on Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett: 'He's built a heck of a program down there'

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