Namely, Mark Few has done everything except win a national championship throughout his 25-year tenure with Gonzaga. Now, his 2024-25 team should have a great chance to win the title. Hence it will be interesting to see if the Zags can get over the hump. This year’s team may not have the top-end NBA talent as the 2020-21 and 2021-22 teams did. But the experience across the board has us excited for what they can accomplish. The lone College basketball betting competitor for Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference remains Saint Mary’s.
2024-25 Gonzaga Bulldogs Basketball Preview
| Gonzaga Bulldogs | Odds |
|---|---|
| National Championship Odds | +1200 |
2024-25 Gonzaga Bulldogs Basketball Outlook
While the St. Mary’s Gaels got the better of the Zags in 2023-24, We don’t expect the Zags drop the regular season conference title race twice in a row. Most have got the Zags to finish first in the WCC. Accordingly, we think they claim the sportsbook title by at least two games.
Starting with the group of returners for the Zags is Graham Ike (17 ppg, 7 rpg). Ike joined the Zags last season from Wyoming. At Wyoming, he had a spectacular first year in the WCC. Hence, he established himself as one of the best post-scorers in the country. Now the focal point of the Zags post offense with Anton Watson gone, Ike could see slight upticks in his numbers across the board. He will continue to dominate in the WCC.
Also, Ben Gregg (9 ppg, 6 rpg) should start alongside Ike. He was inserted into the NCAABB betting starting lineup halfway through last season. In turn, he engineered the Zags’ late-season turnaround with his ability to stretch the floor, Also, he will provide another tall option for the Zags.
Braden Huff (9 ppg) had a solid freshman season. But most of his big games came against inferior competition. He doesn’t need to play a big role for the Zags. Still, there will surely be games where he is called upon to play important minutes in the wake of foul trouble or injury.
Jun Seok Yeo (2 ppg) didn’t feature much in his first season at Gonzaga. Now, he will likely suffer the same fate with a handful of very talented guys ahead of him in the frontcourt.
Additionally, the Zags return all three guards from their primary rotation last season. Namely, Nolan Hickman (14 ppg), Ryan Nembhard (13 ppg, 4 rpg, 7 apg) and Dusty Stromer (5 ppg) all return. Hickman was the primary scorer in the backcourt for Gonzaga a year ago. Specifically, he is a three-level scorer who shoots it well from three (41.3% 3P) and can attack the rim.
Nembhard is the ultra-experienced point guard for the group. He was averaging nearly seven assists per game last season. And he helps control the game for the Zags.
Meanwhile, Stromer was thrust into a bigger role than likely planned in his freshman year. Stromer should find himself in a more comfortable spot this season. Now with a year under his belt, he should be a positive contributor off the bench for the Zags.
The Zags lost just two players this offseason. To show, forward Anton Watson (15 ppg, 7 rpg) graduated. And then Luka Krajnovic (3 ppg) entered the transfer portal. Watson will be a big miss for the Zags, likely their best defender from last season’s team.