Well before the season started I was billing Zaga as a legit top 4 team. I came to this conclusion last year when I realized how quality many of their guys were and that they had all their key guys back after witnessing the Arizona escape from the rafters of the Huntsman Center in Utah. (I did not know they also landed good freshmen however). While this may be true (top 4 team), I see some problems. They remind me at lot like last year's Arizona team. #1 they have many quality fundemental players. These guys typically have what you want--size, shooters, and good decision makers around key vet leaders (Steep, Turiaf, Violette), however #2 they are a little slow in defending wings who can light it up from the outside and penetrate (AZ just has not had the same defense on the wings since RJ and Arenas left, go figure). I just have a guy feeling two things will catch up to them, one I already mentioned. I think they have been used to steamrolling people just running their offense and getting a little too comfortable on defense, and they are going to meet a team that make things difficult to score. In an a game like this, one or two explosive wings related to point #2 is going to haunt them down the stretch. While many will have them for the final 4, and for good reason as early through midseason they were impressive and on the surface they have a complete and veteran team, but my gut says no. I think they come in a little bloated based on their conference games versus earlier in the season when they were taking on everybody anywhere. Depending on match-ups (I assume they will come in as a 2 seed) I see this team losing earlier than expected. If they make it past a possible real trouble athlete landen 7 seeds like Cuse, Arizona, Gtech, Louiseville or MSU I see teams like, Uconn (probable 3), Texas (probably 3) or Kansas (probable 3) bringing a type of intensity and athleticsm they will not be ready for. It has a lot to do with match-ups, I guess I am saying I have seen a team with more weaknesses than I thought. I have to say if Stanford is healthy they will be my pick to win the whole thing, very similar to Gonzaga except more athletes and an x-factor in Childress.
