Everyone knows about college basketball played east of the Mississippi. It dominates the prime TV slots and often gets the most national attention.
All of that makes sense due to time zones and the fact that outside of UCLA, the biggest names in college basketball reside in the Eastern and Central time zones. Whether it’s Kentucky, Duke, Syracuse, Michigan State or Kansas, these are the teams that people across the nation are watching.
What if this year’s battle for the best in the West was better than anything going on out East though? There are currently three teams playing in the Mountain and Pacific time zones that need to be paid attention to, no matter where you live.
Gonzaga, Arizona and Utah all reside in the top 10 in the AP Top 25.
So, who is the best?
Currently Gonzaga holds that distinction with a 15-1 record and a No. 3 spot in the rankings. According to the AP, the Utes are next sitting at No. 8 with a 13-2 record followed by Arizona, dropping to No. 10 following an upset loss at Oregon State.
Unfortunately there is no round robin to have all three teams play each other, since Utah and Gonzaga won’t play this year. However, let’s take a look at the three teams and let you decide in the comment section what team you think is the best overall?
More from Hoops Habit
- The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
Arizona, which started the season ranked No. 3, has all the makings of a team that should contend for the NCAA championship. With a roster full of McDonald’s All-Americans and top recruits, the Wildcats have the size and depth that title contenders need. Arizona started the season hot, including an overtime home victory over Gonzaga, but ultimately stumbled at UNLV before dropping a second game at Oregon State.
So, what’s been wrong with Arizona? First off, the Wildcats play in too many close games. It’s been that way for the last couple of years despite being the more talented team. They usually play in a close game until late in the second half, when Arizona’s depth and talent finally overtakes a weaker opponent. However, in games where their offense disappears or in the case against Oregon State, the Wildcats’ vaunted defense can’t get a stop, this is where losses happen.
The once clear-cut Pac-12 favorite will get a chance to make amends for the loss at Oregon State this Saturday when Utah comes to town though. Utah, which has dropped two close games at San Diego State and in Kansas City against Kansas, boasts this writer’s current National Player of the Year in Delon Wright. He’s averaging 15 points, six rebounds and five assists per game while shooting 57 percent from the field.
More importantly, Utah finally got back its second best player in Jordan Loveridge, who has missed the majority of the season with a knee injury. Wright and Loveridge are arguably the best duo in the conference and look for the Utes to only get better as the season goes on and Loveridge gets adjusted to playing again.
That leaves us with Gonzaga, who is currently the best in the West. The Bulldogs are looking more and more like a true national championship caliber team thanks to the health of Kevin Pangos, transfer of Kyle Wiltjer and depth that hasn’t been seen before in Spokane.
Gonzaga is currently rolling through the West Coast Conference, something that’s done almost every year, while starting to garner attention out East with its No. 3 AP ranking. Gonzaga is the most polished offensive team out west, with four players averaging double digit points and shooting 40 percent from deep as a team. The Bulldogs can also attack you inside with big men Przemek Karnowski and Domantas Saboins.
Just remember to stay up late one night a week and catch at least one of these teams play. You’ll thank me come March when filling out your brackets.