West Coast Conference 2003-04 Season Recap
It wasn’t exactly a banner year for the West Coast Conference.
Not a single team challenged Gonzaga for the league title. Seven of the eight schools lost at least a dozen games (with San Diego dropping 26). And only one team (alas, the ‘Zags) qualified for post-season play.
Nope, the 2003-04 WCC campaign was far from picturesque.
But some good did come out of the past season, and before we bury the coffin which holds the remains of the 2003-04 season, let’s recap both the highs and lows of last year’s West Coast Conference — in Top-Ten fashion, of course:
Top Ten Good Things that Happened in WCC Play
10. A surprising Pepperdine squad won 15 games without a senior in its starting five.
9. San Francisco finished with a .500 regular season record in WCC play after dropping its first three conference games.
8. Waves forward Yakhouba Diawara came out of nowhere to lead the league in scoring (18.9 PPG) after playing his first game in mid-January.
7. San Diego managed to win a game in 2004 (a 74-71 win over Santa Clara).
6. St. Mary’s nearly upset Pac-10 foes USC and Arizona.
5. Not one WCC coach was fired mid-season (though USF’s Phil Mathews was shown the door after the Dons’ final game).
4. Gonzaga guard Blake Stepp was named AP All-American for the second year in a row.
3. LMU finished above-.500 despite having just one standout player – guard Sherman Gay.
2. Portland won five of its first six games this season including wins over Oregon State, New Mexico and Nevada.
1. The ‘Zags compiled a 28-3 record, won 21 straight and earned a two-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Top Ten Not-So-Good Things that Happened in WCC Play
10. LMU connected on just 116 three-point attempts for the year – 38 fewer than the WCC team with the next lowest total (USF, 154).
9. San Diego won just four of 30 games this year, dropping 18 of its last 19.
8. Not one WCC school finished within 4.5 games of regular season champ, Gonzaga.
7. The Toreros lost 19 of their games by ten or more points, ten games by 15 or more, and single games by margins of 43, 34 and 25 points.
6. San Francisco fired coach Phil Mathews after nine seasons at the helm.
5. Portland had separate losing streaks of 2, 3, 4 and 5 games.
4. WCC runner-up St. Mary’s lost all three of its match-ups with ‘Zaga by a combined 46 points.
3. The Bulldogs bowed out of the second round of March Madness despite being a two-seed and having two All-Americans on its roster (Blake Stepp and Ronny Turiaf).
2. Santa Clara lost to San Diego (see No. 9).
1. Not one WCC school, not named “Gonzaga,” earned a postseason berth in the NIT or NCAA Tournament.
Regular Season Recap
As expected, Gonzaga cruised through the West Coast Conference regular season, winning all 14 of their league match-ups. The ‘Zags dominated their regular season conference schedule like no other team in Division I basketball, as all other WCC schools were fighting for second place just weeks into the WCC campaign. The Bulldogs captured each contest by ten or more points, and carried an 18-game winning streak into the WCC Tournament.
While Gonzaga strolled through league play, the race for second was fierce with St. Mary’s and Pepperdine each posting 9-5 conference marks. The Gaels and Waves split their season series, and both notched five wins in their last seven games heading into the WCC Tournament. St. Mary’s wound up earning the second seed over Pepperdine due to a better overall record, and the Waves settled for third.
Just two games separated the next four schools as USF (7-7), Santa Clara (6-8), LMU (5-9) and Portland (5-9) stumbled through less-than-stellar regular seasons. San Diego pulled up the rear as the lowly Toreros managed just one win in WCC play — a 74-71 stunner over Santa Clara.
Conference Tournament
The West Coast Conference tournament played out much like the regular season with top seeds (1) Gonzaga and (2) St. Mary’s advancing past the rest of the field and into the WCC title game. But before the Bulldogs and Gaels would scrap for the automatic NCAA berth, Gonzaga was forced to sweat it out against fifth-seeded Santa Clara in semifinal action.
The ‘Zags 18-game winning streak nearly came to an end against the streaking Broncos. However, the Bulldogs overcame poor shooting (21-56, .375) and an 11-point second half deficit to defeat Santa Clara, 63-62. The gritty play of Cory Violette (22 points, 10 rebounds) and Ronny Turiaf (10 points, 12 rebounds) proved the difference that night, and Turiaf’s put-back shot in the lane with five seconds remaining gave the ‘Dawgs the lead and ultimately the victory.
After the previous night’s nail-biter, Gonzaga breathed a bit easier in the championship against St. Mary’s, winning 84-71. Though the Gaels found themselves within five points of the Bulldogs early in the second half, Mark Few’s crew cast any doubt of victory aside by scoring the next nine points of the game, sealing the win and the title.
That triumph gave Gonzaga its fifth West Coast title in six years and 20th straight victory on the season. St. Mary’s has no answer for Turiaf who amassed 29 points and 14 boards against its weaker front line, while teammates, Blake Stepp and Violette, added 19 and 16 points, respectively. E.J. Rowland collected 16 points for the Gaels in the losing effort.
NCAA Tournament
After compiling a sterling 27-2 record, not to mention an undefeated conference season, the NCAA Tournament committee rewarded Gonzaga with a two-seed in the St. Louis region. Surprisingly, the Bulldogs were the only WCC team to earn a post-season berth, as both the NCAA and NIT passed on St. Mary’s (19-12) and San Francisco (17-14).
The ‘Zags had no trouble out the gate and beat up on Mid-Continental champ, Valparaiso, 76-49, in first round action. Gonzaga held Valpo to just 29% (18-63) shooting on the night, and out-rebounded the Crusaders 42-28 in the easy victory.
The Bulldogs appeared primed to make a Final Four run, but tenth-seeded Nevada ended that dream rather quickly.
Despite playing in Gonzaga-friendly Key Arena in Seattle, the Wolfpack took a 15-point lead into the break and never looked back, as Nevada dominated the Dawgs, 91-72, in the second round. The ‘Zags struggled from long-distance, connecting on just 3-22 (14%) from three-point range, with All-WCC guard Blake Stepp misfiring on 11 of 12 (3-18 overall) shots behind the arc. In the Bulldogs two NCAA games, Stepp converted only five of 29 shot attempts.
The loss snapped Gonzaga’s 21-game winning streak and brought an abrupt end to a supposed magical season for the Bulldogs.
WCC Hardware
Hoopville’s All-WCC First Team:
G Paul Marigney, St. Mary’s
G Blake Stepp, Gonzaga
F Yakhouba Diawara, Pepperdine
F Ronny Turiaf, Gonzaga
F/C Cory Violette, Gonzaga
Hoopville’s All-WCC Second Team:
G Pooh Jeter, Portland
F Sherman Gay, LMU
F Daniel Kickert, St. Mary’s
F Glen McGowan, Pepperdine
F/C Brice Vounang, San Diego
Hoopville’s WCC Defensive Player of the Year:
Sherman Gay, LMU
Hoopville’s WCC Freshman of the Year:
Shaun Davis, Portland
Hoopville’s WCC Newcomer of the Year:
Brice Vounang, San Diego (transferred from East Oklahoma State junior college)
Hoopville’s WCC Coach of the Year:
Mark Few, Gonzaga
Team-by-team capsules
Gonzaga Bulldogs (28-3/14-0 – first)
Team MVP: G Blake Stepp (14.7 ppg, 6.9 apg)
Top scorer: F Ronny Turiaf (15.7 ppg)
Top rebounder: F/C Cory Violette (8.1 rpg)
Top assists: G Blake Stepp (6.9 apg)
Starters graduating:
G/F Kyle Bankhead
G Blake Stepp
F/C Cory Volette
Key players returning:
G Errol Knight
F Adam Morrison
F Ronny Turiaf
Loyola Marymount Lions (15-14/5-9 – T-sixth)
Team MVP: F Sherman Gay (16.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
Top scorer: F Sherman Gay (16.1 ppg)
Top rebounder: F Sherman Gay (5.9 rpg)
Top assists: G Charles Brown (3.8 apg)
Starters graduating:
F Sherman Gay
G Keith Kincade
Key players returning:
C Chris Ayer
G Charles Brown
F Dustin Brown
G Damian Martin
G Wes Wardrop
Pepperdine Waves(15-15/9-5 – T-second)
Team MVP: F Yakhouba Diawara (18.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg)
Top scorer: F Yakhouba Diawara (18.9 ppg)
Top rebounder: F Yakhouba Diawara (6.6 rpg)
Top assists: G Shaun Davis (4.2 apg)
Starters graduating:
None
Key players returning:
G Alex Acker
G Shaun Davis
F Yakhouba Diawara
G Terrance Johnson
F Glen McGowan
Portland Pilots(11-17/5-9 – T-sixth)
Team MVP: G Pooh Jeter (16.6 ppg, 3.2 apg)
Top scorer: G Pooh Jeter (16.6 ppg)
Top rebounder: F Dustin Geddis (5.9 rpg)
Top assists: G Adam Quick (4.3 apg)
Starters graduating:
F Dustin Geddis
G Adam Quick
Key players returning:
F Patrick Galos
G Eugene “Pooh” Jeter
F Dreshawn Vance
G Donald Wilson
San Diego Toreros (4-26/1-13 – eighth)
Team MVP: F Brice Vounang (16.9 ppg)
Top scorer: F Brice Vounang (16.9 ppg)
Top rebounder: F Brandon Gay (7.0 rpg)
Top assists: G Michael McGrain (6.5 apg)
Starters graduating:
None
Key players returning:
F Brandon Gay
G Michael Hubbard
F/C Nick Lewis
G Mike McGrain
G Brett Melton
F/C Brice Vounang
San Francisco Dons (17-14/7-7 – fourth)
Team MVP: F Tyrone Riley (11.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg)
Top scorer: F James Bayless (12.4 ppg)
Top rebounder: G/F John Cox (8.0 rpg)
Top assists: G Andre Hazel (4.7 apg)
Starters graduating:
F James Bayless
F Alvin Broussard
Key players returning:
G Jason Gaines
G Jerome Gumbs
G Jovan Harris
G Andre Hazel
F Tyrone Riley
News: On April 22, 2004, USF announced the hiring of Jessie Evans as head basketball coach. Evans, who compiled a 132-81 (62%) record at Louisiana-Lafayette, replaced embattled coach Phil Mathews who was let go in March.
Santa Clara Broncos(16-16/6-8 – fifth)
Team MVP: G Kyle Bailey (12.6 ppg, 3.7 apg)
Top scorer: G Kyle Bailey (12.6 ppg)
Top rebounder: C Jim Howell (5.6 rpg)
Top assists: G Kyle Bailey (3.7 apg)
Starters graduating:
F Jim Howell
G J.R. Patrick
Key players returning:
G Kyle Bailey
F Travis Niesen
G Doron Perkins
G Ethan Rohde
G Brandon Rohe
St. Mary’s Gaels(19-12/9-5 – T-second)
Team MVP: F Daniel Kickert (14.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
Top scorer: G Paul Marigney (16.0 ppg)
Top rebounder: F Frederic Adjiwanou (6.7 rpg)
Top assists: G E.J. Rowland (4.5 apg)
Starters graduating:
F Frederic Adjiwanou
G Tyler Herr
F Chase Poole
Key players returning:
F Daniel Kickert
G Paul Marigney
G E.J. Rowland
G Jonathan Sanders
