2018 #WCCHOOPS TIP-OFF CENTRAL  |  THEW.TV VIDEO PREVIEW
 
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – With the 2018-19 basketball campaign less than four weeks away, Gonzaga University was a unanimous preseason favorite to win the West Coast Conference regular season title in the annual poll of the WCC’s 10 head coaches. The Bulldogs received the maximum nine first place votes and 81 points. The poll and the all-conference team were announced Thursday at Orleans Arena – site of the 2019 WCC Basketball Championships – as part of the Eighth Annual West Coast Conference Basketball Tip-Off event streamed live on TheW.tv.
 
Fresh off the program’s 20th consecutive NCAA Tournament berth and fourth straight march to the Sweet 16, Gonzaga is generating national buzz once again entering the upcoming campaign. The Zags have posted 11 straight seasons of 25 wins or more and were tabbed in the top-five nationally in five of six national publications: Athlon (4), Blue Ribbon (3), Lindy’s (3), Sporting News (3) and Street & Smith’s (6).
 
Gonzaga (32-5, 17-1 WCC) owns the longest active string of NCAA Sweet-16 appearances with four and placed four on the preseason All-WCC team. Junior forward Rui Hachimura, who earned a spot on the five-member Blue Ribbon Preseason All-American First Team, headlines the list along with senior guard Josh Perkins, who earlier this week was named to the Bob Cousy Award watch list, appears on the preseason team for the second straight year. Junior forward Killian Tillie and sophomore guard Zach Norvell Jr. were also selected to the preseason squad. Norvell Jr. earned a spot on the Jerry West Award watch list.
 
Saint Mary’s (30-6, 16-2 WCC) was picked second in the preseason poll with 68 points and advanced to the NIT Quarterfinals last season after wrapping an exceptional regular season ranked in the AP and USA Today Coaches top-25 polls. Junior guard Jordan Ford represents the Gaels on the All-WCC preseason team after an impressive surge over the second half of his sophomore campaign in Moraga.
 
Brigham Young University (24-11, 11-7 WCC) was picked third in the WCC preseason poll with 67 points – including the remaining first-place vote – in close balloting. The Cougars extended program records with 13 straight 20-win seasons and 13 consecutive postseason trips, advancing to the 2018 NIT. After testing the NBA waters during the summer, junior forward Yoeli Childs returns to Provo and landed a spot on the All-WCC preseason team for the second year in a row.
 
University of San Francisco (22-17, 9-9 WCC) was picked fourth in the survey with 57 points and advanced to the finals of the 2018 CBI Postseason Tournament. The Dons registered back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since accomplishing the feat in 1981 and 1982 seasons. Senior guard Frankie Ferrari landed a spot on the preseason all-conference team for USF.
 
University of San Diego (20-14, 9-9 WCC) rounded out the top-five with 52 points. The Toreros enjoyed a strong non-conference a year ago and advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2018 CIT Postseason Tournament. It was just the fourth 20-win season for USD since joining the Division I ranks in 1980-81. Senior forward Isaiah Pineiro was named to the All-WCC preseason team.
 
University of the Pacific (14-18, 9-9 WCC) was picked sixth in the survey with 39 points. The Tigers posted their best WCC record since rejoining the conference in 2017-18. Loyola Marymount University was tabbed seventh with 31 points. Senior guard James Batemon was named to the preseason All-WCC team for the Lions.
 
Pepperdine University was selected eighth with 22 points, followed by Santa Clara in ninth with 18. KJ Feagin earned his second straight preseason All-WCC nod for the Broncos. University of Portland rounded out the survey.
 
West Coast Conference play begins on Thursday, January 3, 2019. For the most up-to-date schedule with game times and TV listings, visit WCCsports.com and follow @WCChoops and @TheWtv on Twitter.
 
The complete preseason poll and all-conference team follows.
 
2018-19 WCC Preseason Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll

Team (First Place Vote)		Pts.
1. Gonzaga	(9)	81
2. Saint Mary’s		68
3. BYU	(1)	67
4. San Francisco		57
5. San Diego		52
6. Pacific		39
7. Loyola Marymount		31
8. Pepperdine		22
9. Santa Clara		18
10. Portland		15

 
2018-19 All-WCC Preseason Men’s Basketball Team

Name	Year	Pos.	Institution
James Batemon	Sr.	G	Loyola Marymount
Yoeli Childs	Jr.	F	BYU
KJ Feagin	Sr.	G	Santa Clara
Frankie Ferrari	Sr.	G	San Francisco
Jordan Ford	Jr.	G	Saint Mary’s
Rui Hachimura	Jr.	F	Gonzaga
Zach Norvell Jr.	So.	G	Gonzaga
Josh Perkins	Sr.	G	Gonzaga
Isaiah Pineiro	Sr.	F	San Diego
Killian Tillie	Jr.	F	Gonzaga