TUCSON — The Gonzaga Bulldogs know what they are and its not the same opinion the rest of the nation holds.

“We’re not the best looking airport team,” said Gonzaga guard Matt Santangelo. “We don’t look like a basketball team. And then people see the name on the back of our warmups and say Gonzagawhat? We don’t look good warming up, but we know we’re athletic. It’s just a matter of getting other people to look at us that way.”

That has been the season-long quest for the Bulldogs. After advancing to the Elite Eight of last year’s NCAA Tournament, the Zags have been intent on proving to themselves that they are not a fluke.

It’s starting to happen, at least in Spokane, where the school is located. After the team lost consecutive early-season games to Cincinnati and Temple, a couple of No. 2 seeds in the NCAA Tournament, local fans wanted to know what was wrong with the Bulldogs, who last season upset Minnesota, Stanford, and Florida in the NCAA Tournament before losing to UConn in the West Regional final.

“They are not Cinderella anymore,” said St. John’s coach Mike Jarvis. “Now they have real shoes and boots. They are a very good basketball team. People who know basketball know that.”

After a season marred by being declared ineligible twice after NCAA investigations, it’s understandable if St. John’s point guard Erick Barkley is skiddish about doing anything that might be misconstrued as a violation.

So after the Red Storm defeated Northern Arizona Thursday night, Barkley wasn’t sure what to do when San Francisco shortstop Rich Auriella, who played at St. John’s, offered Barkley a Giants T-Shirt and hat.

“Am I allowed to take this stuff?” Barkley asked St. John’s sports information director Dominic Scianna with a smile. He didn’t accept the gifts.

Basketball consultant Rob Johnson continues to be the top priority of NCAA investigator Deana Garner. After calling him twice on Wednesday and three times on Thursday, Garner called Johnson at home again yesterday, he told The Post.