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Gonzaga opens another season in the Top 25

Nov 11, 2007 - 2:11 PM Montana (1-0) at No. 14 Gonzaga (0-0) 4:00 pm EST

SPOKANE, Washington (Ticker) -- Gonzaga has become a basketball powerhouse, and this season should be no different.

The Zags open the 2007-08 campaign by hosting Montana on Sunday.

Gonzaga has made the NCAA Tournament nine years in a row and begins this season ranked 14th in the country and the odds-on favorite to capture an 11th-straight West Coast Conference title.

Coach Mark Few owns a career winning percentage of .802 and has parlayed the Zags national exposure into recruiting success. This year's freshman sensation is forward Austin Daye, who led Gonzaga with 17 points in their final exhibition game against Emporia State University of Kansas.

Despite losing top scorer Derek Raivio, the Zags return forward Josh Heytvelt, who averaged 15.5 points but was suspended at the end of last season and reinstated in October, guard Jeremy Pargo, who averaged 12.1 points and guard Matt Bouldin, who added 8.9.

With just two seniors on this season's roster, Gonzaga looks stacked for years to come.

Montana returns three starters, including senior forward Andrew Strait, who averaged 15 points and 6.4 rebounds last season, and junior forward Jordan Hasquet, who added 13 points per game in 2006-07.

The Grizzlies won their season opener Friday over Colorado State, 75-39. Strait led the way with 14 points and Hasquet added 12 for Montana, which connected on 10-of-21 3-point attempts.