NCAA Tournament 2017: Which No. 1 seed likely reaches Final Four?

West: Gonzaga Bulldogs 

While there will be plenty of doubters, Gonzaga appears to have a favorable draw in the early rounds and a great chance to reach the Final Four.

Mike Daum is probably the best individual player a 16 seed could offer, but Gonzaga will almost certainly handle South Dakota State in Thursday’s opener. A date with the winner of Vanderbilt and Northwestern follows, followed by a potential Sweet 16 game against Notre Dame or West Virginia if seeds hold.

No. 2 seed Arizona looks like the likely opponent in a potential Elite Eight, which would be one of the most intriguing matchups of the entire tournament. Ultra-talented yet inconsistent Florida State is also in the mix, along with a minuscule possibility of meeting No. 7 Saint Mary’s for the fourth time.

The Bulldogs have the easiest 8/9 pod of any team, boosting their chances a little bit. Mike Brey and Notre Dame are a scary team to face in the Sweet 16, but Gonzaga’s outstanding 2-point offense might be too much for the Fighting Irish to contain.

Gonzaga topped Arizona 69-62 on a neutral court back on Dec. 3, although the Wildcats were without Allonzo Trier. The No. 2 adjusted defense in the land per KenPom could challenge a great yet not elite Arizona offense, particularly if either Lauri Markkanen or Trier has an off game from the perimeter.

This postseason is all about Gonzaga shedding its largely undeserved reputation of March failure, and the Bulldogs have a good chance to reach Phoenix.

Final Four chances: 6/10