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Gonzaga Basketball

ESPN Bracketology: Gonzaga projected as four seed in 2024 NCAA Tournament

Gonzaga head coach Mark Few takes questions during a March 18th press conference prior to the Zags facing TCU at Ball Arena in Denver. (By Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5585

Gonzaga’s roster is a work in progress, but one projection for next season’s NCAA Tournament has the Zags landing in a similar position as last season.

The Zags are projected as a No. 4 seed and the West Coast Conference’s automatic qualifier in Joe Lunardi’s first offseason bracketology for ESPN. Gonzaga was seeded third in the West Region and reached the Elite Eight before falling to eventual national champion UConn last month in Las Vegas.

Lunardi has the Zags staying close to home at the Spokane Arena versus No. 13 Indiana State in a Midwest Region opener. The other half of the bracket pits No. 5 Texas A&M against No. 12 Montana State, the Big Sky Conference automatic qualifier. Marquette, Alabama and Kansas are the Midwest Region’s top three seeds.

UConn is Lunardi’s top overall seed and joined by Marquette, Purdue and Michigan State as No. 1 seeds.

Saint Mary’s, which shared the 2023 WCC regular-season title with Gonzaga, is the fifth seed in the West Region. The Gaels were seeded fifth in the West last season and lost to UConn in the round of 32.

Arizona, led by former Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd, is seeded No. 2 in the West Region, facing North Dakota State in Salt Lake City. The winner of that contest is projected to face No. 7 Texas and No. 10 Boise State, coached by former GU assistant Leon Rice. BSU is one of the last four teams with byes into the field.

Long Beach State, guided by former Gonzaga head coach Dan Monson, is seeded 14th as the Big West Conference automatic qualifier and lining up against No. 3 UCLA in Salt Lake City in the first round of the South Region.

Houston, Florida Atlantic and Alabama joined Arizona as No. 2 seeds. Miami, Kansas, Duke and UCLA are No. 3 seeds. Arkansas, Creighton and Tennessee are seeded fourth with Gonzaga.

Washington State, one of five Pac-12 teams in the field, is projected to face Michigan in the First Four in Dayton, Ohio. The winner moves on to face No. 6 Baylor in Memphis in the East Region.

Virginia, which welcomes Lake City High standout center Blake Buchanan in its recruiting class, is listed in the first four out.

San Diego State, which lost to UConn in the title game, is projected as a No. 5 seed in the East.

The Big 12, Big Ten and SEC each have eight teams in the field of 68. Lunardi updates his bracket projections every month leading up to the season opener in November.