But it should still be noted that Gonzaga officially punched its ticket to a 26th straight NCAA Tournament late Tuesday with a 58-51 win over Saint Mary's in the championship game of the 2025 West Coast Conference Tournament.

The metrics — and oddsmakers — indicated Gonzaga was far better than its record, and there was little doubt the Bulldogs had the ability to once again compete at a high level.Maybe it was simply a matter of timing.