Webergrad02
Active member
In the last episode of "Inside Weberocrity" with Just Enough Jerry and Good Enough Grua, Jerry made the statement that "We want to pattern what we are doing after Gonzaga".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz-s6jHi2U8
The Gonzaga run started with Dan Monson becoming coach for the 97-98 season. They won the WCC regular season, but lost in the WCC tournament final. They went on that year to the second round of the NIT. Since that start they have had 18 straight NCAA appeances.
So what exactly is the Gonzaga Model and how did they do it?
Scheduling
The Zags learned that if they were going to get a decent seed in the tourney they could not count on the strength of their small conference. The strength of schedule numbers include conference games.
The Early Years
97-98 Strength of Schedule 120 out of 306
Neutral = Tulsa Mississippi State, Clemson, Arkansas Little Rock
Away Games = Michigan State, Chicago State, Washington State, Montana, Washington, Idaho
Home Games = Concordia, Whitman, Idaho, Eastern Washington, Boise State
Total Home Games 12. Games vs. P5 = 5
98-99 Strength of Schedule 116 out of 310
Neutral = Detroit, South Alabama
Away Games = Kansas, Memphis, Purdue, Eastern Washington,Texas Rio Grande, TCU, Boise State
Home Games = Saint Martins, Washington State, Washington, Chicago State, Idaho
Total Home Games 12. Games vs. P5 = 4
99 - 00 Strength of Schedule 80 out of 316
Neutral = Washington State, Cincinnati, Temple, CAL, Ohio, Oregon, Colorado
Away Games = UCLA, Washington
Home Games = Eastern Washington, Boise State, Montana, Idaho, Texas Rio Grande
Total Home Games = 12. Games vs. P5 = 7
00 - 01 Strength of Schedule 142 out of 318
Neutral = None
Away Games = Eastern Washington, Arizona, Montana, Boise State, Florida, Green Bay
Home Games = Green Bay, Idaho, Washington, Monmouth, New Mexico, Northwest Iowa, Prarie View A&M
Total Home Games = 14 Games vs. P5 = 3
01 - 02 Strength of Schedule 135 of 321
Neutral = Texas, St Johns, Marquette, Fresno State
Away Games = Illinois, Washington, Monmouth, St Joes, New Mexico
Home Games = Montana, Arkansas Pine Bluff, Portland State, Eastern Washington, Washington State, Eastern Oregon
Total Home Games = 13. Games vs. P5 = 6
02 - 03 Strength of Schedule 93 of 325
Neutral = Utah, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina State, Stanford
Away Games = Montana, Washington State, Georgia, Portland State
Home Games = Hofstra, Washington, Long Beach State, Eastern Washington, St. Joes
Total Home Games = 12. Games vs. P5 = 7
03 - 04 Strength of Schedule 101 of 326
Neutral = St Joes, Maryland, Stanford
Away Games = Washington, George Washington
Home Games = Idaho, Georgia, Missouri, Washington State, Eastern Washington, Montana
Total Home Games = 13. Games vs. P5 = 6
In 2005, the Zags moved into their new arena. Gonzaga had become a national brand. We will go through recruiting classes another time. The biggest thing that stands out to me about the "Gonzaga" model is that they started by playing anyone, anywhere. Some years they played one non division 1 school, but many years they only played D 1 schools. Can you imagine even playing 4 P5 schools in a season let alone 7? How do you play that many P5 schools? Get into good pre season tournies and play neutral court showcase games. If anything I think Montana's 2016/2017 schedule follows the Gonzaga model. I would like to know how we are patterning what we are doing after Gonzaga?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz-s6jHi2U8
The Gonzaga run started with Dan Monson becoming coach for the 97-98 season. They won the WCC regular season, but lost in the WCC tournament final. They went on that year to the second round of the NIT. Since that start they have had 18 straight NCAA appeances.
So what exactly is the Gonzaga Model and how did they do it?
Scheduling
The Zags learned that if they were going to get a decent seed in the tourney they could not count on the strength of their small conference. The strength of schedule numbers include conference games.
The Early Years
97-98 Strength of Schedule 120 out of 306
Neutral = Tulsa Mississippi State, Clemson, Arkansas Little Rock
Away Games = Michigan State, Chicago State, Washington State, Montana, Washington, Idaho
Home Games = Concordia, Whitman, Idaho, Eastern Washington, Boise State
Total Home Games 12. Games vs. P5 = 5
98-99 Strength of Schedule 116 out of 310
Neutral = Detroit, South Alabama
Away Games = Kansas, Memphis, Purdue, Eastern Washington,Texas Rio Grande, TCU, Boise State
Home Games = Saint Martins, Washington State, Washington, Chicago State, Idaho
Total Home Games 12. Games vs. P5 = 4
99 - 00 Strength of Schedule 80 out of 316
Neutral = Washington State, Cincinnati, Temple, CAL, Ohio, Oregon, Colorado
Away Games = UCLA, Washington
Home Games = Eastern Washington, Boise State, Montana, Idaho, Texas Rio Grande
Total Home Games = 12. Games vs. P5 = 7
00 - 01 Strength of Schedule 142 out of 318
Neutral = None
Away Games = Eastern Washington, Arizona, Montana, Boise State, Florida, Green Bay
Home Games = Green Bay, Idaho, Washington, Monmouth, New Mexico, Northwest Iowa, Prarie View A&M
Total Home Games = 14 Games vs. P5 = 3
01 - 02 Strength of Schedule 135 of 321
Neutral = Texas, St Johns, Marquette, Fresno State
Away Games = Illinois, Washington, Monmouth, St Joes, New Mexico
Home Games = Montana, Arkansas Pine Bluff, Portland State, Eastern Washington, Washington State, Eastern Oregon
Total Home Games = 13. Games vs. P5 = 6
02 - 03 Strength of Schedule 93 of 325
Neutral = Utah, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina State, Stanford
Away Games = Montana, Washington State, Georgia, Portland State
Home Games = Hofstra, Washington, Long Beach State, Eastern Washington, St. Joes
Total Home Games = 12. Games vs. P5 = 7
03 - 04 Strength of Schedule 101 of 326
Neutral = St Joes, Maryland, Stanford
Away Games = Washington, George Washington
Home Games = Idaho, Georgia, Missouri, Washington State, Eastern Washington, Montana
Total Home Games = 13. Games vs. P5 = 6
In 2005, the Zags moved into their new arena. Gonzaga had become a national brand. We will go through recruiting classes another time. The biggest thing that stands out to me about the "Gonzaga" model is that they started by playing anyone, anywhere. Some years they played one non division 1 school, but many years they only played D 1 schools. Can you imagine even playing 4 P5 schools in a season let alone 7? How do you play that many P5 schools? Get into good pre season tournies and play neutral court showcase games. If anything I think Montana's 2016/2017 schedule follows the Gonzaga model. I would like to know how we are patterning what we are doing after Gonzaga?
