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Gonzaga is likely heading for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament after winning the West Coast Conference championship Tuesday night for the third straight year.
The Bulldogs, who were ranked No. 1 in the final regular-season Associated Press Top 25 poll to start the week, will be the favorite to win the championship. The team was also the favorite to win the tournament last season but ran into Baylor in the title game and lost to the Bears.
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Saint Mary's Matthias Tass, right, fouls Gonzaga's Drew Timme (2) during the first half of the West Coast Conference tournament Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Basketball Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, who will be on the TNT broadcast for March Madness next week, told Fox News Digital in a recent interview that another Final Four run for coach Mark Few’s squad should put it in the same breath as some of the other "blue bloods" in NCAA Division I men's basketball.
"They were the odds-on favorites last year until they ran into Baylor. I think they’re going to have the same expectations," Miller said. "It’s funny because when we think of college basketball, we think of Duke, UCLA, Kentucky, the blue bloods like North Carolina.
"We have to start mentioning Coach Few and Gonzaga. I know they’re a smaller market, smaller conference, but they’ve got to start being mentioned with the blue bloods. I think if they can make another Final Four run and make a push for the championship, you've got to put them in that same breath.
Gonzaga is returning to the NCAA Tournament with Drew Timme, who made the All-Tournament Team last year, and freshman sensation Chet Holmgren, who is expected to be a top NBA draft pick in the summer.
Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren (34) passes to forward Anton Watson (22) while San Francisco center Volodymyr Markovetskyy (33) guards during the first half of the West Coast Conference tournament semifinal Monday, March 7, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Miller, who will be featured in Wendy’s commercials during March Madness games for the third straight year, told Fox News Digital it will come down to guard play and whether Gonzaga can play six perfect games on neutral floors.
"What’s it going to take for them? Obviously, to me, Drew Timme and Chet are the focal points," Miller said. "But, to me, college basketball always comes down to guard play because they control the action, and your bigs can only take you so far in terms of rebounding and scoring. And I get all that, but you got to have good guard play to win an NCAA championship. Gonzaga has that. Baylor has that.
"So, can you play six somewhat perfect games to win a championship? I think Gonzaga (can). They’re one of my Final Four teams. I think for a simple fact that, a lot like Baylor, the experience. I think getting to the championship game (last year) unlocked something for Coach Few and the Gonzaga faithful. This very well could be their year."
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Miller said he was picking Gonzaga to win it all but was also intrigued by the play of Purdue and Illinois and pointed to them as teams that could make runs in the Big Dance.
"I like Gonzaga. I do like Purdue. When you talk about it being a star-driven league, Jaden Ivey has a chance to be a special type of player throughout this tournament. The Big Ten has a few teams — Illinois (and) Kofi Cockburn. Big men are somewhat obsolete. I’m not saying he’s enough for Illinois to make it to a Final Four, but these are teams that are somewhat on my radar."
TNT announcer Reggie Miller prior to a Phoenix Suns game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Talking Stick Resort Arena Nov. 21, 2019. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
"To me, Kentucky and Gonzaga are two teams … that would be a special championship game. I do believe Gonzaga is gonna get back. I think experience matters. They’ve got the bigs, they’ve got the guard play. They got, to me, a Hall of Fame coach in Mark Few. I think if you’re putting me on spot, I like Gonzaga this year."
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Baylor defeated Gonzaga last season, 86-70. The Bears will likely be a No. 1 or No. 2 seed when the final 68 teams are selected on Sunday.
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