by Sports Xchange

Certainly, the Bulldogs are vulnerable this season. Four starters are gone from last season's team. They do not look like a national top 10 power as they have in recent years. Their run of nine consecutive league championships could end.

But there have been similar tales over the past decade, and every year Mark Few comes up with enough to win the conference.

Gonzaga may have the best backcourt in the conference, but its frontcourt has to be rebuilt from scratch.

All three frontcourt starters -- Josh Heytvelt, Micah Downs and Austin Daye -- are gone, and Daye's early departure to the NBA was a particularly crippling blow.

So was the graduation of Jeremy Pargo, the WCC Player of the Year in 2008.

The Bulldogs retain one star player, versatile guard Matt Bouldin. Two other guards, Steven Gray and Demetri Goodson, should give the Bulldogs plenty of quickness and defense on the perimeter.

Defense has been one of Gonzaga's calling cards, and they may have to apply more pressure on the perimeter this season.

Most of the Bulldogs' points will have to come from that backcourt trio, because Few will be relying on newcomers to fill the voids up front.

Seven-footer Robert Sacre is back after missing all but five games last season with a broken foot. He has some starting experience, but he has never been much of a scorer.

Will Foster, who is 7-foot-5, has shown potential, too, but he does not look like he's ready to dominate.

The rest is up to the youngsters, and Gonzaga has nine freshmen or redshirt freshmen on its roster.

One of the redshirt freshmen -- 6-11 Andy Poling -- needs to contribute immediately, and several of the true freshmen must develop in a hurry if Gonzaga is to make it through its meat-grinder schedule in good shape.

The fact that the conference in general is not as strong as it has been in recent years gives Gonzaga a little leeway, but it will still have to get quality performances from unproven players to win the conference again.

Another NCAA Tournament berth seems likely, but the Bulldogs could enter the postseason with double-digit losses, especially since they again play by far the toughest nonconference schedule in the WCC and one of the toughest in the country.