Feb. 24, 2006

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - With the West Coast Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament just around the corner, the WCC takes a look back at some of the event's all-time great performers. Each weekday, leading up to the day before the championships begin (March 1), the WCC will recognize one male and one female former student-athlete for their achievements during the WCC Tournament. This year's event marks the 20th anniversary of the men's tournament and the 15th anniversary of the women's tournament. On Day 5, the WCC looks back at former WCC Tournament greats Brad Millard of Saint Mary's and Deana Lansing of Portland.

WCC Tournament All-Time Great Performers: Day 5

SAINT MARY'S - Brad Millard (1996-1999)
In the first WCC Tournament title game featuring two Bay Area schools, the second seeded Saint Mary's Gaels, led by sophomore center Brad "Big Continent" Millard captured the program's first tournament title with a 66-59 win over the San Francisco Dons in 1997.

Millard, arguably the biggest player in WCC history at 7'3" and 345 lbs, was a dominant force in the paint for the Gaels, scoring 22 points and pulling down nine rebounds in the championship game.

The Seattle, Wash. native went toe-to-toe with Wake Forest All-American Tim Duncan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, scoring a team-high 16 points to go along with six rebounds and two blocks.

PORTLAND - Deana Lansing (1994-1997)
One of the top point guards to have ever suited up for a WCC team, Portland's Deana Lansing was a key component of the Pilots' WCC regular season championship teams in 1996 and 1997.

Lansing earned all-tournament honors following both of those campaigns, and led Portland to tournament championship game appearances in each of her four years on The Bluff. Lansing was a member of the Pilots' 1994 WCC Tournament champion squad, and ranks eighth in tournament history with 109 career points.

During the 1997 tournament, she tied a record with seven steals in a semifinal victory over Pepperdine, and racked up a record 15 steals through three games.

WCC Tournament All-Time Great Performers: Day 1 - Dan Dickau, GON & Melissa King, SCU
WCC Tournament All-Time Great Performers: Day 2 - Hank Gathers, LMU & Valerie Gillon, USF
WCC Tournament All-Time Great Performers: Day 3 - Dana Jones, PEP & Jessica Gray, USD
WCC Tournament All-Time Great Performers: Day 4 - Kweemada King, POR & Tracy Morris, SMC