by Jeff Goodman

Hoops Hysteria

• Final NCAA tournament bracket
• Bracket Challenge: Check your picks

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Championship — Detroit, Ford Field

• North Carolina 89, Michigan State 72



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FOXSports.com analysis

• Rosenberg: Can't doubt Ol' Roy
• Goodman: UNC's cupboard not bare
• Whatifsports.com: Decade's best teams
• Goodman: Hansbrough's finishing touch
• Kriegel: Tar Heels live up to hype
• Goodman: No excuses for Spartans
• Herwitt: Five keys to UNC's title win
• Chat about North Carolina's title win
• Complete college hoops coverage

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Video

• Lawson, Ellington talk about draft
• Postgame: Tar Heels talk title
• Goodman: How UNC became champ

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Photos

• NCAA championship | Final Four

It may sound a bit premature, but this Gonzaga team — the one that held off Tennessee, 83-74, in the championship game of the Old Spice Classic on Sunday night — is different than its predecessors.

There is the quality depth that may be unparalleled in Spokane since Mark Few took over a little more than a decade ago, the leadership and maturity of senior point guard Jeremy Pargo, and the return of big man Josh Heytvelt from a season of injuries and off-court issues.

But that isn't why they have an inside track to playing at Ford Field come April.

It's because the 'Zags finally have toughness.

For the most part, the guys out in Spokane have been clean-cut kids who have a rep of being too nice. Sure, there have been a few exceptions — Ronny Turiaf and Casey Calvary come to mind — but it seems as though there have been one or maybe two per year.

The 'Zags have come up short in their quest to get to the Final Four largely because they have been unable to go toe-to-toe with opponents.

"We hear it all the time about us being soft, without a doubt," Gonzaga guard Matt Bouldin said. "That's been our stereotype and we're trying to change that."

A year ago, the Tennessee Vols came out and basically punked Gonzaga, 82-72, in Seattle on Dec. 29. Pargo had just two points and six turnovers and Heytvelt scored 12 points in his second game back.

But this is a different group. Instead of relying solely on Pargo, a Chicago native, now the 'Zags have added physical forward Ira Brown and freshman point guard Demetri Goodson to the rotation.

"They're definitely a lot tougher," Vols junior forward Tyler Smith said of the 'Zags. "They wanted to get us back from last year and they came out with a lot of firepower and intensity. They proved their point tonight."

Brown's emphatic first-half dunk set the tone that Gonzaga wasn't going to be manhandled again this season.

Then Goodson, a 5-foot-11, 165-pound backup freshman point guard, started jawing at the chiseled 6-foot-9, 245-pound Wayne Chism as the two teams walked off the court at halftime.

"He was mouthing off at me at the five-minute mark of the first half so I let him know I'm not going to back down," Goodson said. "I think it got our team fired up."

Gonzaga pulled away for an 18-point lead with a little more than five minutes remaining before the Vols made one final run, cutting it to six points with four different chances to trim to deficit to four.

"We're a totally different team," Heytvelt said. "It's definitely something we've improved on."

Heytvelt is a key difference.

Two years ago, he was a skinny 20-year-old who was 220 pounds and wasn't connected with his teammates. Now he's up to 255 and says he's hanging out with the other players far more frequently.

"Everything I've gone through really changed me," Heytvelt said. "This is by far the best chemistry I've been a part of since I've been here."

Heytvelt finished with 15 points and six boards in the win while Pargo had 10 points, seven assists and just two turnovers. The 'Zags won despite getting minimal production from potential first-round NBA pick Austin Daye.

Few isn't worried about scoring. That's never been an issue — and it's even less worrisome this season.

With Pargo, Bouldin and sophomore shooting guard Steven Gray (19 points on 4-of-6 shooting from long range) in the backcourt, plus long and versatile wings Daye, Micah Downs and Heytvelt, Gonzaga should be able to match just about anyone point for point.

It's the defensive end that's consistently been a concern. The Vols had trouble handling the ‘Zags zone and shot just 35.5 percent from the game and 29 percent from long distance.

Nearly every team — except North Carolina — seemingly has a weakness. Louisville, UCLA and Michigan State have already suffered losses. Oklahoma and Pittsburgh have question marks with their perimeter shooting while Duke still lacks an inside presence.

It's still early, but the 'Zags certainly look the part of a Final Four team.

That's happened before, but now they finally believe it.