Tonight the first game of the WCC Tournament will be held between Santa Clara and Portland at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Whichever team loses will play no more games this season. It's strange that the most exciting time in college hoops is just getting started, March begins tomorrow so get ready, but it's also the end of the line for most teams.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Senior Night in Spokane
Rob Sacre and Marquise Carter were honored tonight as they played in The Kennel for the last time. Somewhat strangely though no member of the 2008 recruiting class made it to their own senior night Sacre was a 2007 recruit and Carter a junior college transfer in 2010. Sacre will be missed not just for his size and strength down low, but the size of his smile. Even during what was a disappointing season for the big man that smile could be seen from the top row of the MAC in every home game.
Carter's time as a Zag was less than half that of Sacre's, but his contributions were much larger than most junior college transfers can achieve. Much like Sacre stepped up and led the Zags thru the first half of the season this year, Carter stepped up and led the Zags thru the second half of last season. Without Marquise's determination down the stretch last year there would be no talk of the streak ending this year, it would have ended last year. While Carter has struggled quite a bit this year for a former WCC Tournament MVP and Newcomer of the Year, he secured his place in Gonzaga lore last year with his timely takeover of the team.
This game was all Gonzaga. It is meant to be, after all. Coach Few schedules these games each year so the team's seniors can be celebrated without interfering with a high stakes game. This year, the BYU game on Thursday, would have been senior night had Longwood not come to town tonight. I prefer a light game to honor the seniors than a game that overshadows the seniors accomplishments. Plus this keeps the Zags loose going into the post-season.
Carter's time as a Zag was less than half that of Sacre's, but his contributions were much larger than most junior college transfers can achieve. Much like Sacre stepped up and led the Zags thru the first half of the season this year, Carter stepped up and led the Zags thru the second half of last season. Without Marquise's determination down the stretch last year there would be no talk of the streak ending this year, it would have ended last year. While Carter has struggled quite a bit this year for a former WCC Tournament MVP and Newcomer of the Year, he secured his place in Gonzaga lore last year with his timely takeover of the team.
This game was all Gonzaga. It is meant to be, after all. Coach Few schedules these games each year so the team's seniors can be celebrated without interfering with a high stakes game. This year, the BYU game on Thursday, would have been senior night had Longwood not come to town tonight. I prefer a light game to honor the seniors than a game that overshadows the seniors accomplishments. Plus this keeps the Zags loose going into the post-season.
More Content
I am currently working on adding more pages to this blog. For now my plan is a page for each WCC team, once I've got that I will move on to a history page for the WCC and temporary pages for the post season tournaments.
Right now I am working on the team pages. They will contain a schedule with this seasons scores from past games and times of future games. Other info such as rosters, coaches, links to posts about the team and things of that nature will be included as well.
The past three hours of my life was spent making the first schedule spreadsheet, which you can see by clicking on the Gonzaga page link on the left side of the page. That time will be less in the future as I already have the template. But for now, 3 hours is enough for a night.
UPDATE
WCC Tournament page up. Take a look at the bracket there.
Right now I am working on the team pages. They will contain a schedule with this seasons scores from past games and times of future games. Other info such as rosters, coaches, links to posts about the team and things of that nature will be included as well.
The past three hours of my life was spent making the first schedule spreadsheet, which you can see by clicking on the Gonzaga page link on the left side of the page. That time will be less in the future as I already have the template. But for now, 3 hours is enough for a night.
UPDATE
WCC Tournament page up. Take a look at the bracket there.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
New Day in the WCC
This year the West Coast Conference regular season champion are the Gaels of Saint Mary's. For the first time since 2000 a team other than Gonzaga is in this position. The NCAA record for consecutive regular season conference titles is 13 set by UCLA from 1966/67-78/79. Gonzaga's streak of 11 straight is the second best. UNLV's 10 ranks third. It's a western record that's for sure. Kansas' 8 is now the best active streak, and heck they're even west of the Mississippi.
The Zags could easily win the WCC for years to come, but this year the conference goes to Saint Mary's. The WCC is finally more than a one horse race. Now that Gonzaga has lost their stranglehold on first place they have had the past decade, the conference is better off.
The Zags brought the attention to the WCC needed to grow the conference. The other teams have stepped up and have now beaten Gonzaga for dominance. I started off as a Zag fan, with a disdain for the other WCC teams. I still am a Zag fan first, but right now I am pretty happy for the other 8 teams.
Now that one streak is over I hope the Zags can work on another, the consecutive NCAA tournament appearances record. Gonzaga is going for a 14th straight NCAA tournament appearance. Only Michigan State, Duke and Kansas have longer active streaks than Gonzaga. 27 is the record, set by North Carolina from 1975-2001. Hopefully there will be a lot of fun to be had watching the Zags from now until 2029 and beyond.
The Zags could easily win the WCC for years to come, but this year the conference goes to Saint Mary's. The WCC is finally more than a one horse race. Now that Gonzaga has lost their stranglehold on first place they have had the past decade, the conference is better off.
The Zags brought the attention to the WCC needed to grow the conference. The other teams have stepped up and have now beaten Gonzaga for dominance. I started off as a Zag fan, with a disdain for the other WCC teams. I still am a Zag fan first, but right now I am pretty happy for the other 8 teams.
Now that one streak is over I hope the Zags can work on another, the consecutive NCAA tournament appearances record. Gonzaga is going for a 14th straight NCAA tournament appearance. Only Michigan State, Duke and Kansas have longer active streaks than Gonzaga. 27 is the record, set by North Carolina from 1975-2001. Hopefully there will be a lot of fun to be had watching the Zags from now until 2029 and beyond.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
History to be Made at War Memorial
Gonzaga just wrapped up a tough 65-57 win in San Diego. Bill Grier's Toreros tried to end the streak he helped create in his years as an assistant at Gonzaga but came up short in the last minute. So now it comes down to Saint Mary's at San Francisco. Last week BYU narrowly escaped at War Memorial Gymnasium with a 1 point win then Gonzaga fell by 1 point two days later with San Francisco taking the lead on their last possession. Can the Dons continue their impressive play against the top dogs of the conference?
I wouldn't be surprised if the Dons upset the Gaels tonight. Angelo Caloiaro leads the team in points and Perris Blackwell leads in rebounding, it's their last game at War Memorial. Since they won't have to deal with Stephen Holt who is out with a knee injury sustained during the LMU game they could very well have a fantastic senior night on the hilltop.
The game starts at 8 PM Pacific, so by about 10 PM we'll know if the second longest consecutive regular season conference titles in NCAA men's basketball history will be 11 or 12 straight. Saint Mary's is guaranteed a share of the title regardless of the outcome. UCLA holds the record with 13 straight from 1966/67-78/79.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Dons upset the Gaels tonight. Angelo Caloiaro leads the team in points and Perris Blackwell leads in rebounding, it's their last game at War Memorial. Since they won't have to deal with Stephen Holt who is out with a knee injury sustained during the LMU game they could very well have a fantastic senior night on the hilltop.
The game starts at 8 PM Pacific, so by about 10 PM we'll know if the second longest consecutive regular season conference titles in NCAA men's basketball history will be 11 or 12 straight. Saint Mary's is guaranteed a share of the title regardless of the outcome. UCLA holds the record with 13 straight from 1966/67-78/79.
Friday, February 24, 2012
WCC Tournament Seeding
Saint Mary's is guaranteed the 1 seed thanks to a sweep of BYU. Gonzaga is assured the 2 seed. Both squads get a double-bye into the semi-finals.
Loyola Marymount and BYU are guaranteed a bye into the quarter-finals, but their seeds will not be determined until after Saturday's games. LMU needs to win their game, have BYU lose and Saint Mary's win to move up to the 3 seed. BYU needs to win and have LMU lose. A seriously complicated tie occurs if BYU and LMU finish tied for 3rd AND Saint Mary's and Gonzaga finish tied for 1st in the standings. The only other seed up for grabs is the 7 seed which Portland and Pepperdine both want. The 8 and 9 seed both play an extra game before everybody else.
Click this link to learn more.
Loyola Marymount and BYU are guaranteed a bye into the quarter-finals, but their seeds will not be determined until after Saturday's games. LMU needs to win their game, have BYU lose and Saint Mary's win to move up to the 3 seed. BYU needs to win and have LMU lose. A seriously complicated tie occurs if BYU and LMU finish tied for 3rd AND Saint Mary's and Gonzaga finish tied for 1st in the standings. The only other seed up for grabs is the 7 seed which Portland and Pepperdine both want. The 8 and 9 seed both play an extra game before everybody else.
Click this link to learn more.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Pre-Bed Post-Game
Gonzaga beat BYU 74-63 in a game that somehow resulted in that many points. Gonzaga shot only 34% from the field ad BYU only 30%. This has clinched a 2 seed for the Zags and forces the Cougars into a 3 seed. The only shuffling possible atop the standings will be if Saint Mary's loses in San Francisco on Saturday and Gonzaga wins at San Diego. There will then be a tie for the title but Saint Mary's will retain the one seed in the tournament.
Also around the league Saint Mary's obliterated Portland 70-43 for their first win in the Rose City since 2008. Saint Mary's is assured at least a share of the regular season title and guaranteed to have a 1 seed in the conference tournament.
Loyola Marymount's home woes returned. I thought the nationally televised win over Valparaiso last week erased them forever, but San Diego wasn't having it. Once again, just like every year in WCC history, no more than 3 teams will finish the regular season with 20 wins. A win on Saturday and one win in the WCC tournament put the Lions at 20. The only time 4 WCC teams have accumulated 20 wins was the 1988-89 season, and just like this year, the fourth team didn't get there until the post-season.
San Francisco also sits at 18 wins, but they will need to work hard to hit 20. They host Saint Mary's on Saturday. 5 teams with 20 wins has not happened, never, ever, in the whole history of the West Coast Conference. C'mon guys, show the nation that a conference of small private schools (and one gigantic one) can have over half of it's teams hit the 20 win mark.
Well I'm off to bed, got a job interview in the morning! So the full recap may be a bit late but check back tomorrow.
Also around the league Saint Mary's obliterated Portland 70-43 for their first win in the Rose City since 2008. Saint Mary's is assured at least a share of the regular season title and guaranteed to have a 1 seed in the conference tournament.
Loyola Marymount's home woes returned. I thought the nationally televised win over Valparaiso last week erased them forever, but San Diego wasn't having it. Once again, just like every year in WCC history, no more than 3 teams will finish the regular season with 20 wins. A win on Saturday and one win in the WCC tournament put the Lions at 20. The only time 4 WCC teams have accumulated 20 wins was the 1988-89 season, and just like this year, the fourth team didn't get there until the post-season.
San Francisco also sits at 18 wins, but they will need to work hard to hit 20. They host Saint Mary's on Saturday. 5 teams with 20 wins has not happened, never, ever, in the whole history of the West Coast Conference. C'mon guys, show the nation that a conference of small private schools (and one gigantic one) can have over half of it's teams hit the 20 win mark.
Well I'm off to bed, got a job interview in the morning! So the full recap may be a bit late but check back tomorrow.
Don't Forget About Us!
With the last week of the regular season upon us I want to look back at some early season games. Remember that Butler team that came to Spokane 5-6 and left 5-7? They've made quite a turn around. Northern Iowa was Saint Mary's best win until the BYU game, now they're just a win. These games aren't forgotten by the selection committee, and what the teams have done since matter, to the committee and for your bracket. I've taken a look at the early season games for each WCC team that have taken on a new meaning now that most of the season has played out.
WCC Thursday Primer: February 23, 2012
Today's Games: (all times Pacific)
Saint Mary's at Portland, 7 PM, ESPN U
San Diego at Loyola Marymount, 7 PM
Pepperdine at Santa Clara, 7 PM
Brigham Young at Gonzaga, 8 PM ESPN 2
The Big Game: Brigham Young, 23-6 (11-3 WCC) at Gonzaga, 21-5 (11-3). Gonzaga lost at San Francisco on Saturday and slipped back in the standings. BYU won both games last week and crept up in the standings into a tie with the Zags for second place. Saint Mary's is one game ahead of both teams at this point, so whoever wins this game will be the only team capable of passing the Gaels for the regular season championship. There is a scenario for a three way tie atop the league if Gonzaga and BYU lose one game each this week and Saint Mary's loses two. A regular season title requires a Gaels' loss. A two seed and bye into the semi-finals of the WCC tournament only requires a win tonight.
Saint Mary's at Portland, 7 PM, ESPN U
San Diego at Loyola Marymount, 7 PM
Pepperdine at Santa Clara, 7 PM
Brigham Young at Gonzaga, 8 PM ESPN 2
The Big Game: Brigham Young, 23-6 (11-3 WCC) at Gonzaga, 21-5 (11-3). Gonzaga lost at San Francisco on Saturday and slipped back in the standings. BYU won both games last week and crept up in the standings into a tie with the Zags for second place. Saint Mary's is one game ahead of both teams at this point, so whoever wins this game will be the only team capable of passing the Gaels for the regular season championship. There is a scenario for a three way tie atop the league if Gonzaga and BYU lose one game each this week and Saint Mary's loses two. A regular season title requires a Gaels' loss. A two seed and bye into the semi-finals of the WCC tournament only requires a win tonight.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Wild Wild West Coast Conference
Before the Zags' magical elite 8 run in 1999 the WCC was an automatic-bid only conference. About as important as the Big South or Metro Atlantic in the grand scheme of college hoops. There were a few times where the WCC was notable though. San Francisco won a couple national championships in the 50s (I figure it's seeing those banners hanging in War Memorial Gymnasium that has caused the Zags' inability to win there lately) and was a decent program mid century. Loyola Marymount, led by Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble, would put up 100 points a night and played a couple spirited seasons in the late '80s including an elite 8 loss to the eventual champion Runnin' Rebels from UNLV. For the past decade plus the WCC has just been Gonzaga and everybody else. Gonzaga brought a national spotlight on the conference with their play anybody, anywhere, anytime style of scheduling and 13 straight appearances in the big dance.
Saint Mary's has clawed their way up from the bottom and a regular season championship finally seems to be within reach. The past few years the battle between the conference behemoth Zags and upstart challenger Gaels brought attention to conference play months before the "Gonzaga gets the WCC's auto bid" remarks on Selection Sunday.
This year it's different, Gonzaga and Saint Mary's are once again battling for the title but, two other teams have played themselves into the hunt.
Saint Mary's has clawed their way up from the bottom and a regular season championship finally seems to be within reach. The past few years the battle between the conference behemoth Zags and upstart challenger Gaels brought attention to conference play months before the "Gonzaga gets the WCC's auto bid" remarks on Selection Sunday.
This year it's different, Gonzaga and Saint Mary's are once again battling for the title but, two other teams have played themselves into the hunt.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Update: The Streak is in Jeopardy, Again.
Until I get the wrap up written for today's WCC action I've got this much to say. San Francisco beats Gonzaga by 1, they just lost to BYU by 1, and they are about to host Saint Mary's. For the love of records, please Dons, beat the Gaels. War Memorial Gymnasium is not friendly to the Zags.
It's That Time of Year Again: Saint Mary's Late Season Woes Continue
About the only good news for Saint Mary's after stinking it up on national TV with a 51-65 loss at #16 Murray State was that Matthew Dellavedova was able to play. Dellavedova's ankle was certainly a problem for him, he wasn't as impressive at creating space as usual, but he still managed to lead the Gaels in scoring with 17 points. No other Gael scored more than 7 points. Murray State held the Gaels to a 37.7% shooting percentage and an even more disturbing 14.3% from three. Saint Mary's has the 26th best shooting percentage in the nation hitting 47.6% of their shots. Tonight was a completely different story.
Shorthanded Saint Mary's Visits Murray State
When announced this was the marquee match up of ESPN's Bracket Busters event. Since then Murray State has lost it's first game of the season and Saint Mary's lost two. On Wednesday the Gaels lost not just a game at home to Loyola Marymount, but two of their star players. Stephen Holt banged his knee going for a loose ball and left the game, he suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee. Holt isn't traveling with the team for this game. Matthew Dellavedova is traveling with the Gaels, but his injured ankle could keep him out of the game as well. Randy Bennett said Dellavedova's status is "day-to-day but doubtful."
Even if Dellavedova plays this won't be the exciting match up of two Cousy Award finalists that it looked to be. Isaiah Canaan, the star point guard for the Racers, will have a much easier time without Dellavedova and Holt hassling him.
Who will step up for the Gaels will be interesting to see play out in this game. Rob Jones and Brad Waldow will need to have big games up front to take pressure off the depleted back court. Clint Steindl is a fine replacement for Holt but he will have to keep up the intensity that he normally brings off the bench for a whole game.
TV: ESPN 3 PM
Even if Dellavedova plays this won't be the exciting match up of two Cousy Award finalists that it looked to be. Isaiah Canaan, the star point guard for the Racers, will have a much easier time without Dellavedova and Holt hassling him.
Who will step up for the Gaels will be interesting to see play out in this game. Rob Jones and Brad Waldow will need to have big games up front to take pressure off the depleted back court. Clint Steindl is a fine replacement for Holt but he will have to keep up the intensity that he normally brings off the bench for a whole game.
TV: ESPN 3 PM
Loyola Marymount wins Bracket Busters Game
Horizon League leader Valparaiso went to L.A. and lost to LMU 53-61. The win brings the Lions to 18-10 on the year and puts them in good position to become the fourth WCC team to reach 20 wins this year. As recently as 2006 Gonzaga was the WCC's only 20 win team.
Anthony Ireland led the Lions and the game with 19 points and 8 rebounds and was tied for the game high with 5 assists. Loyola Marymount had the lead from the beginning and gave up not even a share of it. The Crusaders managed to fight to within one point on a few occasions but could do no better. Starting forward Kevin Van Wijk didn't make the trip to L.A. with the Crusaders. He bruised his knee in their game against the University of Illinois-Chicago on Tuesday. The Crusaders' coaching staff wisely played it safe with Van Wijk in resting him so they can be full strength for their final push through the Horizon League. That push somewhat strangely begins when they play another Loyola, this time Loyola Chicago, on the 21st. A conference tournament championship is their only hope for a NCAA bid.
Loyola Marymount has some time off before hosting the 11-15 Toreros of San Diego on Thursday. They finish the regular season at Santa Clara which is in the midst of a 14 game losing streak. The Lions took advantage of their opportunity to play on ESPN U when it is because of them, not because they're playing Gonzaga or Saint Mary's. This win will help improve their seeding in what looks to be a NIT berth this post season.
Anthony Ireland led the Lions and the game with 19 points and 8 rebounds and was tied for the game high with 5 assists. Loyola Marymount had the lead from the beginning and gave up not even a share of it. The Crusaders managed to fight to within one point on a few occasions but could do no better. Starting forward Kevin Van Wijk didn't make the trip to L.A. with the Crusaders. He bruised his knee in their game against the University of Illinois-Chicago on Tuesday. The Crusaders' coaching staff wisely played it safe with Van Wijk in resting him so they can be full strength for their final push through the Horizon League. That push somewhat strangely begins when they play another Loyola, this time Loyola Chicago, on the 21st. A conference tournament championship is their only hope for a NCAA bid.
Loyola Marymount has some time off before hosting the 11-15 Toreros of San Diego on Thursday. They finish the regular season at Santa Clara which is in the midst of a 14 game losing streak. The Lions took advantage of their opportunity to play on ESPN U when it is because of them, not because they're playing Gonzaga or Saint Mary's. This win will help improve their seeding in what looks to be a NIT berth this post season.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Bracket Busters Part 1: Valparaiso visits Loyola Marymount
The WCC is certainly a conference on the upswing. Loyola Marymount sits 4th in the WCC standings, two games behind the leader, with a 10-4 record in conference play, 17-10 overall. Valparaiso is first in the Horizon League with a 12-4 record, 19-9 overall. These two teams have very similar records in conference and overall, yet the conferences they are in have put them in very different positions.
Valparaiso has absolutely no hope of an at large bid to the NCAA tournament, they have no good wins and a few bad losses, they have to win their conference tournament to get in. Which they should do considering a win in their next game against the 6-19 Loyola Chicago Ramblers gives them a #1 seed in the Horizon League tournament.
Loyola Marymount also has essentially no chance of an at large bid, but they aren't leading their conference but they have three good wins. Had they not battled injuries early in the season the Lions could, amazingly, be in the March mix. For the WCC to have a team of LMU's caliber, one that could quite easily beat the Horizon League's leader tonight (remember the Butler team that made the past two national championship games came from this very same Horizon League), sitting in 4th place is quite a boost for what was once a conference of Gonzaga and everybody else.
I really don't know anything about how the Crusaders of Valparaiso will match up with LMU so this is a short preview during a busy time for college basketball. Check back for a Recap.
Time: 6 PM Pacific
TV: ESPN U
Radio: KXLU 88.9 FM L.A. Area (Streaming free online at www.kxlu.com).
Valparaiso has absolutely no hope of an at large bid to the NCAA tournament, they have no good wins and a few bad losses, they have to win their conference tournament to get in. Which they should do considering a win in their next game against the 6-19 Loyola Chicago Ramblers gives them a #1 seed in the Horizon League tournament.
Loyola Marymount also has essentially no chance of an at large bid, but they aren't leading their conference but they have three good wins. Had they not battled injuries early in the season the Lions could, amazingly, be in the March mix. For the WCC to have a team of LMU's caliber, one that could quite easily beat the Horizon League's leader tonight (remember the Butler team that made the past two national championship games came from this very same Horizon League), sitting in 4th place is quite a boost for what was once a conference of Gonzaga and everybody else.
I really don't know anything about how the Crusaders of Valparaiso will match up with LMU so this is a short preview during a busy time for college basketball. Check back for a Recap.
Time: 6 PM Pacific
TV: ESPN U
Radio: KXLU 88.9 FM L.A. Area (Streaming free online at www.kxlu.com).
WCC Thursday Recap for 2/16/2012
Thursday's Games:
Portland 75, San Diego 78 OT
Brigham Young 85, San Francisco 84
Pepperdine 70, Seattle 81 (non-conference game)
#24 Gonzaga 73, Santa Clara 62
The Big Game:
Brigham Young at San Francisco did not disappoint. The Cougars are a team playing for an at large berth and this game they played like one. San Francisco is a team they should beat, even on the road, and the Cougars led this one from the get go. The Dons, to their credit, never let the Cougars pull away
Portland 75, San Diego 78 OT
Brigham Young 85, San Francisco 84
Pepperdine 70, Seattle 81 (non-conference game)
#24 Gonzaga 73, Santa Clara 62
The Big Game:
Brigham Young at San Francisco did not disappoint. The Cougars are a team playing for an at large berth and this game they played like one. San Francisco is a team they should beat, even on the road, and the Cougars led this one from the get go. The Dons, to their credit, never let the Cougars pull away
Thursday, February 16, 2012
WCC Thursday Primer: 2/16/11
Today's Games: all times Pacific
Portland at San Diego 5:30 PM
Brigham Young at San Francisco 7 PM ESPN U
Pepperdine at Seattle 7:10 PM (non-WCC game)
#24 Gonzaga at Santa Clara 8 PM ESPN 2
The Big Game: Brigham Young 21-6 (9-3 WCC) at San Francisco 17-10 (7-6)
BYU fell into 4th place due to Loyola Marymount's win on Wednesday, but only because LMU has played more games than BYU. A win here would once again switch the two teams, a loss will make it official.
Portland at San Diego 5:30 PM
Brigham Young at San Francisco 7 PM ESPN U
Pepperdine at Seattle 7:10 PM (non-WCC game)
#24 Gonzaga at Santa Clara 8 PM ESPN 2
The Big Game: Brigham Young 21-6 (9-3 WCC) at San Francisco 17-10 (7-6)
BYU fell into 4th place due to Loyola Marymount's win on Wednesday, but only because LMU has played more games than BYU. A win here would once again switch the two teams, a loss will make it official.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
The Same as Always: LMU Defeats Saint Mary's, Gonzaga's Streak Survives
Loyola Marymount went to Moraga tonight and left with a 15 point, 75-60, win over the #21 Gaels of Saint Mary's. Right now the only thing keeping Gonzaga out of first place is the number of games played. Saint Mary's has played 14 WCC games, going 12-2, while Gonzaga has only played 12, going 10-2. After the Zags Bay Area (but not including Saint Mary's) road trip Thursday-Saturday things should be dead locked at the top.
LMU is once again in 3rd place, and a similar situation exists between the Lions and Cougars as Gaels and Zags. LMU has played 14 games, going 10-4 to BYU's 12 in which they're 9-3. A BYU win tomorrow at San Francisco and the Cougars will pull ahead, a loss and the Lions will hold their lead over the Cougars. This is the first season the Lions have won 10 conference games since their 100+ point scoring teams in 1990.
Tonight was pretty much all LMU from the get go, which is how they do on the road. This is their sixth win in seven road games in WCC play.
LMU is once again in 3rd place, and a similar situation exists between the Lions and Cougars as Gaels and Zags. LMU has played 14 games, going 10-4 to BYU's 12 in which they're 9-3. A BYU win tomorrow at San Francisco and the Cougars will pull ahead, a loss and the Lions will hold their lead over the Cougars. This is the first season the Lions have won 10 conference games since their 100+ point scoring teams in 1990.
Tonight was pretty much all LMU from the get go, which is how they do on the road. This is their sixth win in seven road games in WCC play.
WCC Wednesday? Thanks Bracket Busters!
There is a rare Wednesday WCC game tonight at 7:30. Loyola Marymount (16-10, 9-4WCC) heads north to Moraga for a game against the 16th ranked Saint Mary's Gaels (23-3 12-1WCC). Both teams are participating in this year's Bracket Busters event.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Top 25 2/13/12
Kentucky (25-1) sits atop both the Coaches and AP polls this week, followed by Syracuse (25-1) and Missouri (23-2). Duke (21-4) and Kansas (20-5) are fourth in one poll and fifth in the other to round out the top 5.
Saint Mary's (23-3) remains in the top 25, though they've fallen to 21st in the AP and 16th in the Coaches, down from 16th and 13th respectively, after the loss at Gonzaga last week. With that the Zags (20-4) moved back into the top 25 after spending just one week in the "also receiving votes" category. Gonzaga is 24th in both polls. Saint Mary's moved into the top 25 after they beat Gonzaga (as did Illinois and Michigan State when they beat Gonzaga) back in January, now the Zags get the same treatment for their win over the Gaels.
Saint Mary's (23-3) remains in the top 25, though they've fallen to 21st in the AP and 16th in the Coaches, down from 16th and 13th respectively, after the loss at Gonzaga last week. With that the Zags (20-4) moved back into the top 25 after spending just one week in the "also receiving votes" category. Gonzaga is 24th in both polls. Saint Mary's moved into the top 25 after they beat Gonzaga (as did Illinois and Michigan State when they beat Gonzaga) back in January, now the Zags get the same treatment for their win over the Gaels.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
WCC Saturday Wrap Up
WCC Saturday Wrap Up: February 11, 2012
WCC Standings:
1. Saint Mary’s: 12-1, 23-3 (#13 Coaches, #16 AP)
2. Gonzaga: 10-2, 20-4
3. Brigham Young: 9-3, 21-6
4. Loyola Marymount: 9-4, 16-10
5. San Francisco: 7-6, 17-10
6. San Diego: 5-8, 10-15
7: Portland: 3-9, 6-19
8: Pepperdine: 2-12, 8-17
9: Santa Clara: 0-12, 8-17
Saturday’s Results:
Pepperdine 48, Brigham Young 86
Loyola Marymout 59, Gonzaga 78
San Francisco 81, San Diego 70
Santa Clara 67, Saint Mary’s 82
Saturday, February 11, 2012
WCC Saturday Primer: 2/11/2012
West Coast Conference Primer for Saturday, February 11, 2012
WCC Standings:
1. Saint Mary’s: 11-1, 22-3
2. Gonzaga: 9-2, 19-4
3. Loyola Marymount: 9-3, 16-9
4. Brigham Young: 8-3, 20-6
5. San Francisco: 6-6, 16-10
6. San Diego: 5-7, 10-14
7: Portland: 3-9, 6-19
8: Pepperdine: 2-11, 8-16
9: Santa Clara: 0-11, 8-16
1. Saint Mary’s: 11-1, 22-3
2. Gonzaga: 9-2, 19-4
3. Loyola Marymount: 9-3, 16-9
4. Brigham Young: 8-3, 20-6
5. San Francisco: 6-6, 16-10
6. San Diego: 5-7, 10-14
7: Portland: 3-9, 6-19
8: Pepperdine: 2-11, 8-16
9: Santa Clara: 0-11, 8-16
Today’s Games: all times Pacific.
Pepperdine at Brigham Young, 3:00 PM
Loyola Marymout at Gonzaga, 5:00 PM
San Francisco at San Diego, 6:00 PM
Santa Clara at #13 Saint Mary’s 8:00 PM
Pepperdine at Brigham Young, 3:00 PM
Loyola Marymout at Gonzaga, 5:00 PM
San Francisco at San Diego, 6:00 PM
Santa Clara at #13 Saint Mary’s 8:00 PM
The Big Game: Loyola Marymount at Gonzaga
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