College Basketball Power 10: Duke Rises, North Carolina Falls
By Jeremy Karll
6. Gonzaga (10-0)
Mark Few has been Gonzaga’s head coach since 1999-2000, but this is the first time his Bulldogs are 10-0 to start the season.
Maybe it’s just the consistency of success Gonzaga has had under Few or maybe it’s the fact that they don’t have any five-star freshmen–either way, the Bulldogs are flying under the radar but are one of the most complete teams in the nation.
Gonzaga has big wins over Florida, Iowa State and Arizona, but its 10 wins still get pushed to the side in favor of teams from Power Five conferences. They don’t have a bona fide star, but they can beat you inside or out and have one of the deepest teams in the nation.
More from NBA
- 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
- Constructing the NBA’s perfect all-under-25 starting five
- Grading every NBA team’s highest draft pick in the last five years
Right now, even after playing three teams who have spent time in the Associated Press top 25, Gonzaga has no glaring weakness.
They rank 36th and 37th in points per game and points allowed per game, respectively. Also, seven players average at least 7.9 points per game and four average at least 4.5 rebounds per game.
Transfer Nigel Williams-Goss leads Gonzaga in scoring and assists at 13.4per game and 4.7 per game, respectively, and is second with 1.5 steals per game.
He also stuffed the stat sheet against his former team this past week, Washington, with 23 points, five rebounds and five assists in Gonzaga’s 98-71 win.
As long as Gonzaga’s bench, which former Mizzou standout Johnathan Williams leads, continues to play well, the Bulldogs should be 17-0 heading into a home game against St. Mary’s in mid-January.
Gonzaga will travel to Knoxville, Tenn., to play the Volunteers this week.