Oct. 24, 2008

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - In preparation for the start of the 2008-09 collegiate men's and women's basketball seasons, wccsports.com will host "Countdown To Tipoff" from Oct. 24-Nov. 14.

Countdown to Tipoff will feature exclusive 1-on-1 interviews with all 16 WCC men's and women's basketball coaches and commissioner Jamie Zaninovich. The interviews are hosted by longtime University of San Francisco radio voice George Devine and will focus on the key personnel on each roster and a look at how the WCC men's and women's races will stack up this season.

Last season, the West Coast Conference advanced a record three schools into the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. San Diego, which defeated Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, received the automatic bid by virtue of winning the WCC Tournament, while Gonzaga and Saint Mary's each received at-large selections. On a percentage basis, the WCC qualified 37.5 percent of its teams for the NCAA Tournament, which ranked fifth in the nation behind only the Pac-10, Big East, Big 12 and the SEC.

The 2007-08 women's basketball season was also a success as the WCC finished with the highest RPI of any non-BCS conference. The women's season concluded with third-seeded San Diego defeating top-seeded Gonzaga 70-66 in the championship game of the West Coast Conference Tournament to advance to its first NCAA Tournament in eight years. The conference also earned two post-season bids for the 10th straight year as Gonzaga advanced to the second round of the WNIT.

Please use the following link to access interviews: WCC All-Access at Media Day

2008-09 WCCSPORTS.COM Countdown to Tipoff

(Posted by 1:00 p.m. each day)

DATE INTERVIEW