ZAGS TRACKER with STEVE CAMERON: If you think these Bulldogs aren't tested, try again ..

It’s been a national theme for years …

“No wonder Gonzaga has a bunch of wins. They play in that Mickey Mouse conference.”

There is a second verse to that tune, as well …

“Gonzaga has such an easy time in conference play, they aren’t toughened up by March — not like teams in the Big Ten or the ACC.”

Somehow, fans and media babblers back East (most of whom are in bed when teams play on the West Coast), have it in their heads that Gonzaga – which shouldn’t be taken all that seriously — piles up victories and high rankings at the expense of the WCC, then shows up “soft” when it comes to the NCAA tournament.

The otherwise-intelligent Tony Kornheiser, co-host with Mike Wilbon on ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption,” went so far as dubbing an easy late-season schedule as a yearly occurrence called, believe it or not, “The Gonzaga Excuse.”

Kornheiser, who admits he doesn’t stay up to see many events in the West, might be shocked to hear that the Zags have played into two of the last four NCAA title games — and were robbed of the 2017 title by atrocious officiating.

In any event, the West Coast Conference (which still has a decent shot at putting four teams in this year’s tournament), has made sure there is no “Gonzaga Excuse” this year.

Not that we’re taking that nonsense seriously, trust me.

The Zags currently are 23-2 overall and a nice, clean 12-0 in conference play, but those records will be put in some jeopardy this week.

Gonzaga finishes a COVID-shortened, 14-game WCC season with games tonight at San Francisco, and then across the bay at Saint Mary’s on Saturday.

It’s certainly not impossible that the Zags could get undone at either place.

Or both.

BY THE way, Gonzaga had its hands full at home last week with rapidly improving Santa Clara — winning a rough outing 81-69 against a club that, had the Broncos found their groove a little sooner, might be considered the conference’s FIFTH potential team at the NCAA party.

But back to this weekend …

San Francisco (22-7 overall, 9-5 WCC) and Saint Mary’s (22-6, 10-3) are third and second, respectively, behind Gonzaga in the conference – which the Zags have already put in their title bag.

Obviously, though, the Zags have higher aspirations, and losses now or in the WCC postseason tournament could cost them a top seed at the Big Dance.

Ironically, both the Dons (Khalil Shabazz and Jamaree Bouyea) and Gaels (Tommy Kuhse, Alex Ducas and Logan Johnson) rely heavily on their guards for efficiency at both ends of the court.

Each of these rivals also has a dominant big man — Yauhen Massalski for San Francisco and Matthias Tass at Saint Mary’s.

All seven players just mentioned are scoring in double figures, and as you’d expect on well-coached clubs, Massalski and Tass do a great job complimenting the outside play of their guards – both as passers and finishers.

FURTHER irony: Gonzaga beat both San Francisco and Saint Mary’s by 16 points in Spokane, and both were low-scoring affairs by the Zags’ standards.

Shabazz and Massalski each struggled with foul trouble (Shabazz played just 24 minutes) as the Dons went down 78-62 – yet Shabazz managed 15 points to go with Bouyea’s 25 as the game stayed barely within reach.

Saint Mary’s was a different scenario, as Kuhse was nearly impossible to guard (16 points, 5 assists) while running the offense, and the Gaels stayed within single digits deep into the second half.

A pair of late 3-pointers by Julian Strawther finished off the game, but they also made the 74-59 final score look very deceiving, indeed.

Another similarity in facing these two old rivals is how they tactically approach the Zags — and it involves the way each uses its talented guards.

San Francisco’s backcourt speedsters are always jumping into passing lanes and looking for steals, while the interior players are trying to cut off open entry opportunities for Drew Timme and (when he’s around the basket) Chet Holmgren.

Nevertheless …

Timme, Holmgren and Anton Watson combined for 56 points in the win.

THE DONS certainly looked back unhappily to their 3-point shooting (6-for-21, compared to 35 percent for the season on 799 attempts) and the fact that they forced just nine turnovers in that loss at the Kennel.

Saint Mary’s, meanwhile, plays defense like Duke — except with athletes who aren’t quite as elite.

The guards are just as aggressive, though, jumping all over Gonzaga’s ballhandlers in an attempt to disrupt the offense, while allowing Timme space to operate if someone can get him the ball.

Predictably, Timme has torn up the Gaels in the past, and scored 25 points earlier this year.

Saint Mary’s did manage to keep Gonzaga’s guards from having much room — until Strawther’s two late bombs, the Zags had put up just 10 3-point tries (and made four).

The Zags won’t have a roaring home crowd to help the cause in these rematches, naturally, so it’s fair to expect a couple of really tough tests.

And just two days apart, on top of it.

Anyone who believes Gonzaga isn’t facing stern challenges in preparation for the NCAA tournament, well …

Sorry, but they just aren’t paying attention.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. He also writes Zags Tracker, a commentary on Gonzaga basketball which is published weekly during the season.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”