Gonzaga Bulldogs fans have to hope that we find a way to finish the college basketball season this year. The Zags look like an absolute juggernaut of a team this year.
Gonzaga is now 7-0, including wins over Kansas, Auburn, West Virginia, Iowa, and now Virginia, five of whom were ranked in the top 16 at the time the games were played. A scheduled game against No. 2 Baylor was canceled, unfortunately, but this is still about as good a schedule as you can ask for from the Zags, before they embark on what should be a pretty uncompetitive WCC schedule.
Virginia basketball is still the reigning national champion after last year’s NCAA Tournament cancellation. The team isn’t quite as good as it has been in recent years, but the Hoos are still known for an impressive defense if nothing else. Ken Pomeroy has the UVA defense ranked 10th in the country.
Gonzaga nearly hung 100 on them today. Mark Few’s team settled for a 98-75 win, behind 32 points from Corey Kispert and 29 from Drew Timme. Obviously college basketball is as unpredictable as it gets when it comes to the postseason, but Gonzaga looks a head above everyone else in the sport right now.
32 points. 9/13 from deep. Ties the @ZagMBB record for made threes in a game. Corey Kispert is out of his mind today. pic.twitter.com/WxeJmFPhoS
— CBS Sports CBB (@CBSSportsCBB) December 26, 2020
File this one away for the "They don't play anyone" crowd: Gonzaga is the first team ever to beat four AP top-20 teams in its first seven games of the season. (via @ESPNStatsInfo)
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) December 26, 2020
It is a shame that we didn’t get that Baylor game, though some have said that it may be a relief to keep some interest in a potential duel between those two down the line.
Gonzaga let its foot off the gas for the last few minutes and still hung NINETY-EIGHT American basketball points on Virginia. That's at least 140 points against a normal team.
— Garbage Yard, feat. Adam Jacobi (@Adam_J_Tweets) December 26, 2020
They'll be non-existent. Gonzaga claims wins over Kansas, West Virginia, Iowa (and UVA shortly). The only people left who doubt Gonzaga are attention-seeking halfwits who failed to get on the ship when it left port once and for all five years ago. Pay them no mind. https://t.co/HwSisoEGxn
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) December 26, 2020
Gonzaga is the best offensive team in the country, by far. Beautiful offense run by skilled players. Baylor is the best defensive team, and better than last season. If they stay healthy, both are Monday night good.
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) December 26, 2020
Many of the usual suspects in college hoops are experiencing very down seasons, amid all of the confusion that this season has brought on top of it. Duke is nowhere to be found in the AP poll, and down at No. 25 in the Coaches Poll. Kentucky is an abject disaster at 1-6 after today’s loss to Louisville, which was also unranked.
The Zags’ next game is scheduled for Monday against Northern Arizona.