IS THIS YEAR ZAGS WIN EVERYTHING?
No. 1 and unbeaten, they’re likely to zip right through WCC
For all of Gonzaga’s accomplishments — 21 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, four straight 30-win seasons, a No. 1 ranking in three of the last four seasons — there’s still a blemish on the Zags’ basketball résumé.
Zero NCAA titles. The Bulldogs, in fact, have made only one Final Four appearance, losing the 2017 title game to North Carolina.
So as the 2020 calendar f lips to 2021, blue- and redclad Bulldogs fans again ask the question: Is this the year Mark Few climbs the ladder, snips the net and drops it around his neck?
COVID-19 tests willing, the West Coast Conference opens play on New Year’s
Eve, Thursday. And while Gonzaga has dominated the WCC, the Bulldogs figure to be tested the next two months.
BYU upset San Diego State at Viejas Arena. Pepperdine took UCLA to triple overtime. Saint Mary’s embarrassed Colorado State, holding the Rams to 33 points. In one metric, the WCC is ranked the nation’s seventh-best conference, ahead of the Pac-12.
Following is a WCC preview, in order of the coaches’ predicted finish.
Gonzaga
Last season: 31-2 (15-1 WCC) This season: 9-0
Coach: Few (22nd year)
Key players: Corey Kispert (20.6 ppg), Drew Timme (20.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg), Jalen Suggs (15.1 ppg, 5.9 apg)
Outlook: Like a typical Gonzaga big, Timme runs the f loor and can dominate inside. Kispert averages 3.3 treys a night. “He’s as good a shooter as I’ve ever coached,” said Few. KenPom ranks the Zags No. 1 in offensive efficiency and 19th defensively. Suggs, a point guard from West St. Paul, Minn., is living up to the hype as one of the nation’s top 10 freshmen. He ranks first in the WCC in steals (2.6) and second in assists (5.9). The Zags own wins over Kansas, West Virginia, Iowa and Virginia, respectively ranked 6th, 11th, 3rd and 16th when the Zags whipped them.
BYU
Last season: 24-8 (13-3)
This season: 9-2
Coach: Mark Pope (2nd year) Key players: G Alex Barcello (16.9 ppg, 4.8 apg), C Matt Haarms (11.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg), G Brandon Averette (10.8 ppg)
Outlook: The Cougars lost 70 percent of their points off a team that ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi projected as a six seed in last year’s canceled NCAA Tournament, including the top three scorers. Much of that lost scoring load was expected to fall to Barcello, who averaged 9.3 points. The point guard has exceeded expectations, shooting 63 percent on 3s (fourth in the nation). Averette knocked down the late 3 that foiled San Diego State’s comeback in Aztecs’ lone loss. Bad sign for USD looking forward to Saturday’s date with BYU: the Cougars are deep across the front line.
Saint Mary’s
Last season: 26-8 (11-5)
This season: 8-2
Coach: Randy Bennett (20th year)
Key players: G Tommy Kuhse (14.8 ppg), G/F Alex Ducas (10.9 ppg), F/C Matthias Tass (9.6 ppg).
Outlook: The Gaels lost two of their all-time best players in Jordan Ford and Malik Fitts. Befitting a program that has averaged 26 wins the past 13 seasons, the Gaels are still racking up Ws. The key has been Kuhse, a former walk-on who wasn’t awarded a scholarship until last summer. He’s playing 35 minutes and protects the ball, his 3.17 assists-toturnover ratio ranking 37th in the country. Like all Bennett teams, this one plays defense (see the Gaels embarrassing Colorado State, the 33 points by the Rams their second fewest in the shot-clock era).
Pepperdine
Last season: This season:
16-16 (8-8) 4-5
Coach: year)
Key players: G Colbey Ross (19 ppg, 7.2 apg), F Kessler Edwards (17.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg), F Kene Chukwuka (8.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg)
Outlook: The award for the WCC’s most inconsistent team goes to the Waves. Pepperdine beat Big West favorite UC Irvine, took UCLA to triple overtime and led San Diego State by 16 points in the second half before losing. But the Waves have lost three of four, including a 28point, home blowout to Cal State Bakersfield. Defense has been the main issue in the three losses with opponents shooting a combined 49.5 percent. To challenge the WCC’s Gonzaga/Saint Mary’s/BYU upper class, Pepperdine needs someone to relieve some pressure off Ross and Edwards. Hardened by two seasons at Pitt, Chukwuka is the likeliest candidate.
Lorenzo Romar (3rd
San Francisco
Last season: 22-12 (9-7)
This season: 6-4
Coach: Todd Golden (2nd year)
Key players: G Jamaree Bouyea (17.4 ppg, 4.1 apg), G Khalil Shabazz (15.8 ppg), F Dzmitry Ryuny (10.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg)
Outlook: Live by the 3; die by the 3. It’s not stitched on the Dons’ warmups but it should be. In its six wins USF has shot 43.7 percent behind the arc. The four losses: 27.4 percent. Few teams are more reliant on dialing deep with 51.6 of USF’s shots coming on 3s. Last year’s leading scorer, guard Charles Minlend, transferred to Louisville and still USF feels it boasts one of the program’s best backcourts in generations. Bouyea shoots 54.9 percent. Backup guards Julian Rishwain and Damari Mistead step off the bench, combining for 12.7 points. The Dons have a win over Virginia on their résumé.
Santa Clara
Last season: 20-13 (6-10) This season: 6-2
Coach: Herb Sendek (3rd year)
Key players: F Josip Vrankic (16.6 ppg, 8.7 rpg), F Keshawn Justice (9.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg), C Jaden
Bediako (8.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg)
Outlook: With four returning starters, the Broncos are experienced and balanced. The 6-9 Vrankic is the only player scoring in double figures but four others average from 8.0 to 9.6. The Broncos are shooting just 41.4 percent from the f loor. A 6-7 forward who stretches the f loor, Justice typifies the team’s slow shooting start (33.3 percent). But USD knows how dangerous he is. Justice scored a career-high 26 vs. the Toreros last season. After double-figure-scoring guards Trey Wertz (Notre Dame) and Taj Eaddy (USC) transferred, the question mark is in the backcourt.
Loyola Marymount
Last season: 11-21 (4-12)
This season: 5-3
Coach: Stan Johnson (1st year)
Key players: G/F Dameane Douglas (14.0 ppg, 7.1 rpg), G/F Eli Scott (13.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg), F Keli Leaupepe (9.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
Outlook: The Lions’ scheduled WCC opener at Santa Clara has been postponed because of positive COVID cases in the program. A long time college assistant, Johnson steps into a promising job. In Douglas, guard Joe Quintana and 7-3 center Mattias Markusson, LMU returns three 2018-19 starters who missed all of last season. Douglas and Quintana were out because of injuries, Markusson because of his mother’s death. LMU owns wins over UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara, picked 1-2 in the Big West. The Lions are plus-6.8 on the glass, 64th in the nation.
Pacific
Last season: 23-10 (11-5)
This season: 3-1
Coach: Damon Stoudamire (5th year)
Key players: F Jeremiah Bailey (14.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg), G Daniss Jenkins (14.3 ppg), G Broc Finstuen (12.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg)
Outlook: No WCC team has been hit harder by COVID than the Tigers, who are in a 14-day quarantine for the second time. Pacific can resume practice Jan. 5, meaning its second scheduled conference game Jan. 7 at BYU
may be postponed. If the Tigers don’t play again until Jan. 9 at USD, Pacific will have played one game in 36 days. A senior from Alaska, Bailey has two doubledoubles after one the previous two seasons. Point guard Pierre Cockerell II had a 3.41 assist-toturnover ratio last season, fourth in the nation.
USD
Last season: 9-23 (2-14)
This season: 1-3
Coach: Sam Scholl (3rd year) Key players: G Joey Calcaterra (15.5 ppg), F Yauhen Massalski (5.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.8 bpg)
Outlook: Given the WCC’s depth and the challenges facing USD (nine new players with limited time to jell due to COVID restrictions) this figures to be a challenging season for the Toreros. Counting on 6-4 Josh Parrish at the 4, USD is minus-8.5 in rebounding, putting more pressure on Massalski to attack the glass. Point guards Finn Sullivan and Marion Humphrey are a combined 11-of-43 shooting, 4 of 18 on 3s. Duquesne transfer guard Frankie Hughes scored 16 straight points in a 2:33 span against Nevada, but rest of season is shooting just 24.2 percent.
Portland
Last season: 9-23 (1-15)
This season: 6-2
Coach: Terry Porter year)
Key players: G Ahmed Ali (19 ppg), F Eddie Davis (11.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg)
Outlook: The Pilots have suffered five straight 20-loss seasons. They’re 1-31 the last two years in the WCC. Given his 10year run with the Trail Blazers, Porter is beloved in Portland, but he has f lopped as the Pilots’ head coach (37-92). In an effort to hang a U-turn, the roster features nine new players, including five JC transfers. Ali hit double figures 10 times in his one season at Washington State and scored 103 points in a Canadian high school game. The Pilots struggle from deep, hitting 29.7 percent on 3s, 270th in the nation. (5th