INDIANAPOLIS — The warm, fuzzy story line of this N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament is Gonzaga’s pursuit of an undefeated season. The Zags, tucked away on the dry, desolate side of the Cascade Range, have long since grown out of their glass slippers — they travel by charter, produce a pipeline of N.B.A. talent and have won more N.C.A.A. tournament games than anyone in the country since 2015.
Still, the spotlight doesn’t always find its way to the boys from Spokane.
Even on the cusp of a landmark run, the Zags found themselves on the undercard Tuesday night, relegated to the opening act for a pair of blue bloods, U.