Van Til: Why Gonzaga has a great shot to finally win it all this season

As a Gonzaga alum, I get it. For non-Gonzaga basketball fans, there can be some Zags fatigue.

Gonzaga has been the epitome of consistency, reaching 25 consecutive NCAA Tournaments. And over the past decade, that consistency has been elevated to rare heights.

Preview: Gonzaga loaded up and looking for elusive title

The Bulldogs have reached nine straight Sweet 16s, which is tied with North Carolina (1985-1993) and Duke (1998-2006) for the longest such streak since the NCAA Tournament expanded to a 64-team bracket in 1985. During their Sweet 16 streak, they have advanced to five Elite Eights, two Final Fours and two national championship games.

It all adds up to 27 NCAA Tournament wins since 2015 – four more than any other program in the nation. The next-closest programs: North Carolina and Duke at 23, followed by Kansas and Villanova at 21.

It’s been an incredible run of success, especially in a single-elimination postseason format that’s known for upsets and chaos.

But, yes, the Zags have still yet to win the big one.

They came awfully close to that elusive national title in 2017, when they led North Carolina with less than two minutes to go in the championship game. Their 2019 team had a golden opportunity, but lost a heartbreaker in the Elite Eight to eventual runner-up Texas Tech. And their 2021 team was arguably their best yet, taking an undefeated record into the title game before running into a Baylor buzzsaw.

This year’s team might have as good a shot as any of them.

The No. 3-ranked Zags returned six of their top seven scorers from last year’s Sweet 16 squad – a level of continuity that’s practically unheard of in today’s transfer-portal era. And they bolstered that already-strong mix with two big-time additions: Pepperdine transfer Michael Ajayi, a former Kentwood High School star, and Arkansas transfer Khalif Battle. Ajayi is a projected NBA draft pick who led the West Coast Conference in scoring last season, while Battle was Arkansas’ second-leading scorer.

The result is a deep and well-rounded squad that’s among the most talented Mark Few has ever had in Spokane.

Just ask Baylor. Gonzaga opened its season two weeks ago with a 101-63 shellacking of the Bears, who were ranked No. 8 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. The Zags’ 38-point rout was the largest win by any team over an AP top-10 opponent since 2016.

After Gonzaga moved to 4-0 with a quality double-digit road win over San Diego State on Monday night, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie heaped praise on the Zags in a social media post, calling them an “absolute wagon” and the “clear No. 1” team at the moment.

THAT PASS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/zjhHVeqy6K

— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) November 5, 2024

It all starts with senior point guard Ryan Nembhard, the brother of former Gonzaga star and current Indiana Pacers point guard Andrew Nembhard. Like his brother, the younger Nembhard is a point guard maestro who has opened the season with a stunning 40-to-five assist-to-turnover ratio.

Senior shooting guard Nolan Hickman, a former Eastside Catholic High School star, teams with Nembhard to provide an experienced and polished backcourt duo.

In the frontcourt, Graham Ike and Braden Huff form a talented interior tandem. Ike, who led the Zags in scoring last year, is a traditional center who can take over games inside. And Huff, a 6-foot-10 sophomore with a smooth outside shooting stroke, looks poised for a star turn.

Ben Gregg, a 6-foot-10 senior forward, also fills a valuable role as a do-everything glue guy. And after being thrust into a larger-than-expected role last year due to a teammate’s injury, shooting guard Dusty Stromer should be better positioned for success in his sophomore campaign.

But it’s the two transfers who really lift the Zags’ ceiling this season.

Two of Gonzaga’s biggest weaknesses last year were 3-point shooting and a lack of size and athleticism on the perimeter. Ajayi and Battle fill those missing pieces in spades.

Ajayi shot 47% from 3-point range last season at Pepperdine and is a proven scorer at all three levels. And with his 6-foot-7, 228-pound frame, he’s brought a noticeable infusion of length and tenacity on the defensive end.

Battle, meanwhile, is a 36.1% career shooter beyond the arc. In the demolition of Baylor, he had a blitz of three consecutive 3-pointers in a span of 66 seconds. He also excels at getting to the rim and has a dazzling level of athleticism, as he showed with his one-handed alley-oop slam last week against Arizona State.

MEET ME AT THE RIM. @khalifbattle24 pic.twitter.com/H3yxQHi9rD

— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) November 10, 2024

Simply put, this Gonzaga team has it all.

Will it be enough to take that one final step to the college basketball mountaintop? We’ll see. There’s always an element of luck and good fortune involved in March Madness, as Zags fans know all too well. If the ball had bounced differently a couple of times, Gonzaga might already have a national title or two by now.

But when you keep knocking on the door, you increase your odds of eventually breaking through.

And this year’s Zags certainly look like they have the pieces to give the program another crack at that elusive final step.

Ike, Nembhard power No. 3 Gonzaga to 80-67 win over San Diego State

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