Weekly Zag Briefing

The biggest news of the week came from Killian Tillie’s instagram where he teased a return to action prior to Tuesday night’s game against Texas-Arlington. Here’s what else came out about Gonzaga from the past week, non-best player returning division:

• Jackson Frank wrote an excellent profile on Admon Gilder over at The Athletic, and I strongly encourage you to give it a read if you haven’t already. Reading about Gilder’s journey over the past year in detail puts into sharp focus the sacrifices he has had to make for basketball. From his diagnosis and intensive treatment for the significant blood clot issues he was experiencing to the decision to transfer to Gonzaga which means being apart from his daughter and family, he has been tested more than most.
• The Zags have been a steady presence in the Top-10 while the teams around them experience some uneven performances. In his Power Rankings for ESPN, Jeff Borzello has Gonzaga inching up the ladder to #7, while Michigan State reclaims the top spot after its win at Seton Hall.
• ESPN’s Myron Medcalf outlined his top concerns for each of the Top-10 teams, and believes that Gonzaga may not have the ability to handle elite athleticism.
• Business as usual for Gonzaga as it holds down the top spot in Mid-Major Madness’s Other Top 25 Rankings thanks to having the highest average scoring margin in the country, while Evansville is rewarded for its upset of Kentucky.
• Rob Dauster of NBC Sports put together a preview for the Feast Week tournaments we’ll see next week, and picked UNC to come out on top in Atlantis while highlighting Gonzaga as the team to watch as he seems to have a lot of unanswered questions about how good the Zags really are (answer: really good). While I’m skeptical about Dauster’s Gonzaga-related concerns, he is correct that the Battle 4 Atlantis is far and away the best tournament taking place next week.