Jud Heathcote with Tom Izzo & Mark Few

As another week of college basketball has wrapped up, complete with several more losses in the top ten – and a brand new #1 team in the country. For the first time in school history, Gonzaga is the top team in the country in both the AP and USA Today Coaches polls. The mid-major school from Spokane, Washington, is now in the spotlight to see if they can manage to avoid being upset while being #1.

While many people may know very little about Gonzaga, this team and their coach have had a soft spot with me for years now. It’s not unusual for me to stay up late to watch them play, even when the games don’t start until 10 or later local time. Why would a girl from the Midwest and loyal MSU fan care to pay so much attention to a school from the west coast? Two words: Mark Few. No this isn’t a sports eye candy story, but rather one of roads meet and cross in unusual ways.

First, let me take you back to 1995. A devout Spartan fan, I watched every game that was on back then and cheered as loud for MSU as I do today. It was well known that Jud Heathcote would be retiring at the end of the season with the ‘fire and ice’ senior guard tandem of Shawn Respert and Eric Snow. I had also named one of my pets after the center on that team – Jamie Feick. I loved watching them play and adored the coach, the “Jud Thud” and all, and had a great feeling about the team. I didn’t want to see the season end. Then, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, #3 Michigan State was shocked by #14 Weber State. I sat in my parents’ living room in my Respert jersey and just cried that night. It was an abrupt ending to a legendary career and I was distraught that the only coach I had known at MSU had just finished his career and it was the last time I would see fire and ice together. For a moment, in that bubble, my world was ending. Obviously, Tom Izzo as done a phenomenal job since he replaced Jud and many great players have since played at the school that I’ve always cheered for. However, to this day, I am always happy to see that Weber State has lost and can’t bear to pick them on my brackets.

What does any of this have to do with Gonzaga and Mark Few? Jud grew up in Washington and he and his wife decided to reside in Spokane once he retired. Still loving college basketball, he became a season ticket holder for Gonzaga and has been a fixture at “The Kennel.” Mark Few became the head coach in 1999 and the Zags have made the NCAA Tournament under him every year. Jud chose to take Mark Few under his wing, including weekly lunches to talk strategy, dubbed “Tuesdays with Jud.” Few jokes that he has applied to be part of Jud’s coaching tree – which would only make sense as his latest prodigy. I kept track of what Jud was up to once he moved and learned about his relationship with Mark Few in 2001. As I heard about their relationship, I was convinced that Few had to be a good guy based on my admiration for Jud. I slowly started paying attention to Gonzaga basketball and hoping they and Few would be successful. In past conversations, I’ve likened Few to Tom Izzo – and I think it goes beyond having the same mentor.

Based on my feelings about Gonzaga, I was happy to see them receive the #1 ranking today. Some questioned it based on their conference, but they did what the other top teams failed to do over the past week – win their games. I’m happy for Mark Few too. What an accomplishment to not only bring Gonzaga into the national spotlight over the past decade but to also now be coaching the nation’s top team. They have gone from being a Cinderella story to a likely top seed when this year’s tourney tips off. Regardless, what they have done so far this season is impressive. Yes, they had a couple tough losses- but many teams have losses in November and December that are building blocks for them (it has kinda became the norm for MSU). They are 29-2, which isn’t easy to do – and I don’t care which conference they play in. The Zags went undefeated in the WCC. If you think that’s easy, look at how many schools do it this year. On paper, Akron should have done that in the MAC, but fell to lowly Buffalo and now need to win their conference tourney just to make the Big Dance. It’s not easy to do! In 2010, Butler went 18-0 in their conference and people barely noticed until they made it all the way to the National Championship Game. Will Gonzaga do the same this season? There are plenty of games to be played before then, but I wouldn’t be writing them off yet!