Gonzaga faces Kentucky in Kingston on the "Rhode to the Championships"

Over 2,700 miles, but they are finally there. The Lady Zags are ready to play in the Sweet Sixteen for the third straight year, but this time it’s a little different. Last year, the Bulldogs landed what was arguably the best possible seeding ever, as they played the first two rounds in their home gym, and the next two a mile down the road at the Spokane Arena.

The year before, the regional round was held in Sacramento, after the first two games had been played in Seattle—not exactly home games, but at least in the same time zone. But this year, after winning twice in the MAC to earn a trip to the round of sixteen, the Zags are across the country in Kingston, Rhode Island—waiting for the Kentucky Wildcats.

GU made it to the Sweet Sixteen as an 11 seed; UK is the second seed team in the bracket. The Wildcats are 27-6 for the year, with some strong wins over several tough teams. Kentucky even beat perennial power Tennessee for the SEC regular season title. To reach the round of 16, UK beat 15^th seeded McNeese State, and seventh ranked Green Bay in very close games to advance.

The Zags are 28-5 this year and knocked off sixth seeded Rutgers and third seeded Miami to make it to the Sweet 16. After capturing the regular season WCC crown, the Bulldogs are ready to fight for another magical run into the Big Dance. With Tennessee knocking off Kansas early Saturday, GU remains the only double digit seed in the tournament.

Both teams like to run in transition, so for the typically slower paced women’s game, this looks to be an exception. Expect both teams to play fast, tough, and determined basketball. The game will be the final matchup of the third round, played Sunday at 3:30 (PST) on ESPN2.

Home court advantage.

That was one of the biggest assets to the Gonzaga (11) upset over Miami (3) Monday night in Spokane. The Lady Zags are still dancing as they swing into the Sweet 16 for the third straight year, while the team from the Sunshine State is headed home.

It was a physical and hard-earned 65-54 victory for GU. While it was probably unfair seeding by the selection committee to ship both Rutgers and Miami to the freezing Northwest to play Gonzaga on their home court in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, it is also the return the Bulldogs get for consistently making and winning in the Big Dance. A cold Eastern Washington and a trip to the Sweet 16 is better than South Beach any day of the week.

For Miami, Shenise Johnson racked up 20 points and 13 rebounds to earn a double-double. Her teammate, 6’6” center Shawnice Wilson, also scored in double figures with 12 points—she was one board shy of a double-double.

Gonzaga’s seniors led the way, with Kayla Standish dropping 19 points for the night with eight rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Katelan Redmon knocked in 16 points with eight boards as well. Likewise, sophomore Haiden Palmer grabbed eight rebounds and was in double figures scoring wise with 15.

While the Hurricanes will return to Miami to soak up the sun and mourn the loss, the Zags will pack up for a cross country trip of their own and visit Kingston, Rhode Island. The girls are slated to face second seeded Kentucky in the round of 16 next Sunday. The time has yet to be determined.

Gonzaga's bench celebrates Monday after beating Miami and earning a spot in the Sweet 16. (Photo courtesy of @ZagWBB)

The day has come and later this afternoon Gonzaga and West Virginia will tip off in Pittsburgh for a fight to the round of 32. The Zags have been called America’s Team over the years, pulling off upsets and making their way through the Big Dance as the victorious mid-major program out of the northwest. Can they do it again, or will they fall to the hands of the east coast dominance?

Can Gonzaga be the Cinderella team again?

West Virginia and most of the country sure don’t think so. The Bulldogs may have the higher seed as a seven spot, but the Mountaineers don’t see their ten seed as a barrier to victory. WVU travelled an hour to get to Pittsburgh by bus—Gonzaga flew 2,500 miles to get to Steel City for the game.

This matchup bars extremely close resemblance with the 2010 NCAA tournament, where the Zags played Syracuse in Buffalo, NY; practically a home game for the Orange. Call it East Coast bias, call it mid-major neglect, call it whatever you want, Gonzaga is not in a favorable position to move on to the next round.

Despite it all, GU has the chance to make a statement. Taking down the Mountaineers in front of their crowd, while proving to the country that the little mid-major school from Spokane, Washington can take on any opponent, anywhere is what Gonzaga basketball is all about.

During the nonconference portion of the year, the Bulldogs are always willing to travel anywhere to face the best the nation has to offer, so why should the postseason be any different? It shouldn’t; it isn’t. Let the Big East overflow the bracket with nine teams, let the power conferences have their spotlights, and let the little guys make the big statements.

Gonzaga finished the regular season with a 25-6 overall record; West Virginia ended at 19-13. The only mutual opponent the two teams played was Oral Roberts, both of whom won their game against ORU, respectively. Tip-off is at 4:20(PST) on TNT.

One year after completing in the Elite Eight as an eleven seed, the Gonzaga Women’s Basketball team is back at it. The Lady Zags were seeded No. 11 for the second straight year in the NCAA Tournament, and are set to play in their home gym—The McCarthey Athletic Center—for the second year in a row too.

Gonzaga's home court in the McCarthey Athletic Center

GU will face the No. 6 seed, Rutgers, out of the Big East. The Scarlet Knights were seventh at the end of the season in their conference standings, while the Bulldogs were the regular season champions of the WCC. However, the only losses Rutgers faced were to teams that finished ahead of them in conference (including two No. 1 seeds in UConn and Notre Dame) and two top ten teams, Miami and Tennessee.

The Scarlet Knights finished the regular season with a 22-9 overall record, while Gonzaga ended the season at 26-5. RU may have the higher seed, but as 2011 indicated, playing the Bulldogs in the Kennel is no joke, and an upset is fully possible. In fact, in the eyes of many GU fans, for the Lady Zags not to win at home would be an upset.

Don’t expect the Bulldogs to feel like underdogs when 1:15pm Saturday rolls around.

Steel City awaits the Zags

One of the most spot on Twitter accounts to follow is @NotMarkFew. About 15 minutes before the announcements of where teams would be seeded for March Madness @NotMarkFew tweeted:

“Selection Sunday! Also known as, our annual vacation to the east coast. My travel agent loves Pittsburgh this time of year.”

Once again, this account hit the nail with the hammer as the Zags received a seven seed, in Pittsburgh.

Unfortunately, while the seven seed is probably an appropriate spot for GU, the location and opponent are not quite so generous gifts from the Selection Committee. Gonzaga will face the 10 seed out of the eastern region, West Virginia. Not only are the Mountaineers one of the nine Big East teams in the tournament, but they are a dangerous team who has been up and down all season.

It is the Zags 14^th consecutive trip to the Big Dance, so they are used to the cross country voyages to play eastern based teams. However, the biggest challenge is that WVU only needs to drive an hour to reach Steel City, while the Bulldogs must fly across three time zones and face a likely Mountaineer hometown crowd in Pittsburgh.

Game time is set for Thursday at 4:20pm (PST).

While most conference tournaments are in the midst of the drama for a fight to the Big Dance, Gonzaga has the week off. After falling to St. Mary’s in the WCC Title game Monday night, the Zags are in Spokane to finish up mid-terms and desperately wait for Selection Sunday.

GU’s non-conference schedule, along with their overall season performance doesn’t make them a bubbled team like most non-automatic  bid mid-major programs, but where Gonzaga will be shipped off to is a completely different story.

In 2010, GU fell to St. Mary’s in the championship game and was sentenced to play in Buffalo, New York as a No. 9 seed. While the Bulldogs were able to pull the first round win out against a tough eighth seeded Florida State team. That win hardly mattered when GU was forced to play No. 1 Syracuse—in what was practically a home game for the Orange and a monumental loss for the Zags.

If Gonzaga gets stuck in that eight-nine spot, it really would be terrible. While the first game would be more probable as a win, the likelihood of playing a top seed in the second round is not hopeful. As a fan, I would much rather see the Zags as a worse seed, like 11 or 12, than placed higher with the strong chance of playing a No. 1 seed in the second game of the NCAA tournament.

Last year, the Zags were sent to Denver as an 11 seed to face No. 6 St. John’s. That lower spot ended up favoring the Bulldogs very well as they knocked off the Red Storm in the so-called upset. Considering Portland is a regional site for the first two rounds, it would be great if GU could earn a trip to a semi-local location.

The Rose Garden Arena in Portland

For Gonzaga to play in Portland, they would likely have to be a five or 12 seed. Considering they didn’t win the conference championship, or the WCC regular season crown, it is highly unlikely that GU would be seeded at five.  While a 12 seed is not proper representation of this years’ Zag team, I think it would be an ideal fit for the Bulldogs.

With the talent and athleticism on this year’s squad, combined with a Northwest fan base filling the Rose Garden, Gonzaga could make a good run to start the tourney. Being misrepresented as a 12 seed would set up the Zags for a good chance at an upset against the five seed, and then an expected matchup with the No. 4 team. While no win is easy or guaranteed in the Big Dance, ideally being placed in the 5/12 bracket in Portland would be the ideal slot for GU.

It will be the Battle of the Bulldogs in Spokane on Dec. 20th.

The Butler Bulldogs have made it to the past two NCAA Championship games, making a statement that they are presumably the best mid-major basketball program in college basketball.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs, the continual Cinderella of March Madness, has appeared in 13 consecutive NCAA tournaments. Their presence in the post-season has placed the Zags at the top of the mid-major ranks.

So what would happen if two of the most prolific mid-majors took the hardwood and played for bragging rights?

December 20^th Spokane, Washington—let’s find out.

Butler will come to the MAC and challenge GU on their home court for arguably a position as the top mid-major basketball program.

At the end of the 2010-2011 season, CollegeInsider.com ranked Butler at No. 1 in their Top 25 Mid-Major poll, while the Zags were at No. 7.

The two programs have agreed to a home and home series for the next two years. Gonzaga will travel to Indianapolis in 2012-2013, but the date for that game has not been set.