THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Too early to crown the Zags champs yet, but ... how about that defense?

Calm down, Ed. 

Get the blood pressure monitor, Doris. 

(Hey, some of the neighbors are out in the street, tooting horns and shooting off rockets!) 

My goodness, things are going a little crazy. 

What’s up, anyway? 

Seriously? 

You don’t know? 

Gonzaga is the No. 1 team in the country! 

No, not in those funky preseason polls, which always manage to stick the Zags somewhere in the top five — which is fair — but No. 1 as in the actual No. 1, best damn team in college basketball. 

Not in polls voted by sports media and hoops coaches. 

No, we’re talking about NUMBER ONE, as in the kings on a real, live court. 

You think somebody’s better? 

Bring it on. 

Baylor won’t be back for more, not after that 101-63 hammering the Bears absorbed at Spokane Arena on Monday night. 

Yes, I know. 

Baylor has a boatload of talented newcomers who haven’t jelled yet, and history tells us that Scott Drew will stitch together a solid outfit that somehow turns up in the NCAA tournament. 

However much Baylor improves, though, and no matter how all those sensational athletes begin pulling in the same direction, I’m going out on a limb to say they can’t make up a 38-point difference. 

DEFENSE. 

Meet the mega-weapon that the Zags unleashed on Monday. 

Gonzaga has filled up baskets year after year, and occasionally that barrage of points has been enough to get them within sniffing distance of a national title. 

It’s worth noting, though, that the year that the Zags deserved the championship (and got done by some outrageous officiating) was 2017, when they had the top-ranked defense in the nation. 

Defense wins, as coaches will preach forever. 

In ’17, the year the Zags topped the KenPom adjusted defensive rating, Villanova was second and North Carolina third. 

That was the Carolina team that — with a large dose of help — won the title. 

Last season, the Zags were somewhere on the dark side of the moon in defensive rankings for most of the season, winning on the strength of another free-scoring offense (No. 2 in KenPom). 

Nobody noticed, though, that the Zags got better and better at the hard work, eventually crawling up to 44th on defense — which pushed them into another Sweet Sixteen (their ninth straight tournament, the longest streak in the nation). 

This little history lesson brings us to Monday night, and the excitement of rugged Baylor coming to The Arena. 

The Bears’ opponent that night was a shocker. 

Gonzaga came out playing defense like rabid dogs — and didn’t let up. 

The Zags have had a history of handling defense in spurts over the years, but this attack on Monday … this was something else. 

OK, YOU’RE right. 

I can’t crown the Zags as the best hoopers right now. 

That would have to happen the first week of April in San Antonio. 

But man, I like their chances. 

First off, ignore that three-point exhibition loss to USC, when Mark Few ran everyone but the water boy into action, and never took the game seriously. 

Baylor was the opener and it was a whopper. 

We knew the Zags had six regular rotation players from last year’s team, and there was curiosity about two big, physical transfer guards — Michael Ajayi and Khalif Battle. 

They both came with reps as shooters, but it turns out that’s only part of the package. 

They’re bruisers around the basket, smashing defenders and big-time rebounders. 

Somehow, their presence (along with the other reserves) has turned the returning six into tougher, no-nonsense characters on the boards. 

And everyone has bought into defense. 

Who knew what a difference that would make? 

The Zags are tall, long, tough — and we’re talking all of them. 

Guards like Dusty Stromer and pivot player like Graham Ike has spent the offseason beefing up, and it was obvious immediately against Baylor. 

Gonzaga has had the reputation of being slick and talented, but not physically strong enough to go the distance. 

They could be pushed around. 

Surprise! 

I don’t think teams will be able to take liberties with these Zags. 

There are plenty of musclebound foes coming up on the schedule, so we’ll see.

I’m on record as saying it will take a beast of a basketball team to hang with these Zags. 

Baylor coach Drew put it simply: “They’re going to have a special year.” 

I think he’s right.  

Email: scameron@cdapress.com 

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens. 

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