West Coast Conference Notebook
by Brad Best
Gonzaga (15-3 overall, 5-0 WCC) Last week, 2-0
Gonzaga did what good teams do this week: they found a way to take the lead with nine seconds to go in San Diego and hung on for a one-point victory. They looked shaky at times. Adam Morrison was held in check, scoring 12 below his average. But they came away with a victory nonetheless. Someone in conference will likely put a blemish on their perfect conference record, but it didn’t happen last week.
Loyola Marymount (7-12, 4-1) Last week, 1-1
The Lions continue to surprise their foes in conference play. They’ve turned around a miserable non-conference season and are sitting alone in second place in the WCC. They bounced back from a loss at Gonzaga to defeat Santa Clara by 10 points. Wes Wardrop continues to spark the offense from the perimeter and Michael Knight and Chris Ayer are a tough tandem down low.
San Francisco (7-10, 3-1) Last week, 2-0
After a 4-9 run in non-conference games, most would not have expected the Dons to be 3-1 and sitting third in conference. And there only conference loss was in double overtime. But they have feasted on WCC teams that are just 4-10 in conference so they haven’t truly been tested. We’ll know more next week after they’ve played Gonzaga and Santa Clara.
Portland (8-11, 2-3) Last week, 1-1
The Pilots squeaked by Pepperdine at home and then lose by double digits on the road at USF. Pooh Jeter scored 22 against USF, which equaled the Pilots second half scoring total. Guard Darren Cooper left early in second half with a toe injury. Portland needs to get more production out of its big men if they are going to put wins on the board.
San Diego (11-6, 1-3) Last week, 1-1
Just a rebound away from knocking off Gonzaga on Saturday night, the Toreros showed that they have the skill and the spirit to play with the best in the conference. But with the 1-3 start, they have an uphill battle ahead. The next four games are against the bottom tier of the conference, so this would be a good time to start a fresh winning streak.
Santa Clara (8-8, 1-3) Last week, 0-2
Travis Niesen needs more help. He’s the only Bronco averaging in double figures, so his 20 ppg is lapping his teammates. After losing to Gonzaga and then dropping two on the road to LMU and San Diego, the Broncos have yet another road game before coming home. It’s been a rough start to conference but don’t count them out.
Saint Mary’s (8-8, 1-3) Last week, 1-1
The Gaels are coming up just a little short this year. Their last two losses were by a combined three points. Now they just need to figure out how to win the close ones like they did last season. Their schedule doesn’t get any easier as they face Loyola Marymount and San Diego this week. If they could get a sweep, they’d be right in the thick of things. If they get swept, they’ll be on life support.
Pepperdine (5-12, 1-4) Last week, 0-2
Having lost five of their last six, the Waves will see if they can turn things around in their next two home games. They were blown out at home by St. Mary’s on Saturday and only made one-third of their shots. The WCC is a fairly high-scoring league, and so the Waves will need to rejuvenate their offense if they are going to be competitive.
