We weren't the highest on Gonzaga in our preseason preview. Perhaps we need to rethink that.

The Bulldogs destroyed West Virginia in the first half of the opening game of the basketball marathon being sponsored by ESPN. Gary Bell leads the Zags with 13 points on 5 of 10 shooting, including 3-for-5 from 3-point range.

The defense has been suffocating ever since the game started, and the ball movement and shooting has been unbelievable. Gonzaga has assists on 12 of their 15 field goals. That is a total team effort. So much for the thought that there could be issues putting these pieces together.

The Mountaineers look like they don't belong in the same gym. Five baskets, that is all. Just five of 23 shots went in. And just one of the 17 3-pointers fell through. That can't be sustainable, but now the Zags lead 45-18 at halftime, so I am not sure it matters.

If West Virginia came back, it would be the second largest halftime deficit ever overcome ... in NCAA history!

And by the way: Przemek Karnowski, he's big.