ANAHEIM, Calif. — Gonzaga men’s basketball is going to the Elite 8 yet again.
It’ll be their fourth overall appearance in this stage of the tournament and third in the past five years.
A legitimate debate is if Gonzaga is a “Blue blood” program. A definition of a “blue blood” is more or less a top team which displays consistency in tradition and winning at the highest level.
Examples would be the Duke and North Carolina of the college basketball world.
“In 2015, we went to an Elite 8, 2017 we go to an Elite 8 and a championship game and now 2019 we are back in the Elite 8, Gonzaga Athletic Director Mike Roth said. “There’s not very many schools in the country that can do that. We are a blue blood for sure. There’s no doubt and I think if you talk to the basketball coaches around the country they’ll tell you Gonzaga is a major power.”
If you look at about the past 20 years, Gonzaga has gone from NCAA Tournament Cinderella story to dominant powerhouse who recruits and gets high level talent.
The Zags have been in the NCAA Tournament every year since 1999. Only teams like Duke, Kansas and Michigan State have accomplished that feat.That stat is even more impressive when you think the West Coast Conference is a one or two big league almost every year.
On top of that, the Zags have been to the Sweet 16 five straight years. That’s currently the longest active streak in college basketball.
Where Gonzaga falters in the argument is that besides recently, they don’t have many Elite 8 (4), Final Fours (1) or National Championship appearances (1). They also don’t have a national title.
“We aren’t the only school that doesn’t have a national championship,” Roth said. “There’s a whole bunch of schools that don’t have a national championship. In our case, yet.”
While Gonzaga might be inching closer to a title, one current Zags player feels a title is what really puts Gonzaga into the conversation.
“I think we need to prove that, we need a championship And we can say we are an elite program,” Gonzaga forward Rui Hachimura said.
With a win against Texas Tech on Saturday, Gonzaga can help bolster their “blue blood” resume with another Final Four appearance. They can also inch closer to getting that coveted national title.
Gonzaga looks to reach second ever Final Four
If you look at about the past 20 years, Gonzaga has gone from NCAA Tournament Cinderella story to dominant powerhouse who recruits and gets high level talent.