2018-19 #WCChoops Schedule | Pepperdine Overcoming Adversity
By John Crumpacker
#WCChoops Columnist
For the fourth time in this young season, Gonzaga played a game that had the look and feel of an NCAA Tournament game, a deep NCAA Tournament game. That it emerged from these games with a 3-1 mark speaks well for this battle-tested team.
As talented as it is, Gonzaga did not figure to go undefeated in 2018-19 and now that’s a certainty after No. 7 Tennessee knocked off the nation’s No. 1 team by a 76-73 count on Sunday at the Jerry Colangelo Classic in Phoenix. In the latest AP Top 25 poll, Gonzaga dropped to No. 4.
The Zags had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds but Zach Norvell Jr.’s 3-point attempt with eight seconds left did not find the mark. Gonzaga chose the wrong time to have a flat spell as it did not score a field goal in the last four minutes of the game.
Nevertheless, coach Mark Few’s team has a 9-1 record to be proud of, with heavyweight wins vs. Illinois, Arizona, Duke and Creighton before the close loss to a broad-shouldered Tennessee team.
“We knew it would have a March kind of feel to it,’’ Vols coach Rick Barnes said.
For his part, Few said, “It was a heck of a basketball game. They made plays down the stretch and we didn’t.’’
It doesn’t get any easier for Gonzaga with a Saturday game at North Carolina next up on its challenging non-conference slate. The Tar Heels are 7-2, having defeated Stanford and UCLA while losing to Texas and Michigan. This looks to be Gonzaga’s last major challenge before it starts conference play vs. Santa Clara on Jan. 5.
Even though the Zags dropped from No. 1 to No. 4, this is a team that demonstrated poise and maturity while playing against some of the best teams in the country in March-caliber games in November and December.
What We Learned
- If the first month-plus of non-conference play is any indication, San Francisco will be a tough out once the WCC schedule begins on Jan. 3. The 8-1 Dons are undefeated in the United States, their only loss coming to Buffalo 85-81 at the Belfast Classic in Northern Ireland. USF does not have anyone in the top 13 in the conference in scoring, instead relying on the varied skills of Charles Minlend, Jordan Ratinho, Frankie Ferrari and Matt McCarthy. Additionally, Kyle Smith is proving to be one of those sneaky-good coaches. People are paying attention, too, as the Dons received votes in this week’s AP Top 25 poll.
- WCC teams had their best week of the season last week with a 5-1 record against longstanding in-state rivals. BYU dispatched Utah and Utah State, Gonzaga edged Washington, San Diego topped San Diego State and USF routed Cal in Berkeley. The only loss was Portland to Portland State. Overall, WCC teams went 3-0 vs. the Pac-12 and 2-0 vs. the Mountain West. A tip of the hat to the conference.
- Gonzaga’s Brandon Clarke is the most impressive transfer in the WCC and the conference’s likely Newcomer of the Year. The 6-foot-8 forward from San Jose State has been a stalwart for the Zags, averaging 16.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting .714 from the field. Imagine how potent Gonzaga will be on the front line once Killian Tillie is ready to return from a foot injury to team with Clarke and Rui Hachimura. Scary.
- Watch out for Loyola Marymount. Coach Mike Dunlap has the Lions at 9-1, their only loss coming at UCLA 82-58. LMU’s most impressive wins were against UNLV (61-50) and Georgetown (65-52). LMU is allowing only 58.3 points per game and leads the WCC in offensive rebounds, 3-point field goal defense and free throw percentage and is No. 2 in rebounding margin. Guard James Batemon is scoring at an 18.9 clip while 7-3 Mattias Markusson contributes 11.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
The week ahead
Other than Gonzaga at North Carolina, there are three other WCC games that demand attention this week as non-conference play continues.
San Diego, off to an excellent start at 8-2 under first-year coach Sam Scholl, plays at Oregon on Wednesday night in a game to be televised by the Pac-12 Networks. The Toreros’ losses were both on the road by small margins, 66-63 at Washington and 93-86 at Ole Miss. USD is powered by All-WCC forward Isaiah Pineiro (20.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and guard Olin Carter III (16.4 ppg).
If the WCC has a home-away-from-home, and it does, it’s Las Vegas, where the conference tournament has been held for the last decade at the Orleans Arena. On Saturday at the T Mobile Arena just down the street from the Orleans, an intriguing doubleheader will unfold with BYU taking on UNLV at 5:30 p.m. and Saint Mary’s facing LSU at 7:30. Both games will be carried on an ESPN channel.
For both the Cougars and the Gaels, it’s an opportunity to score a major non-conference victory and improve their NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) rankings. As of Monday, BYU is 98 and Saint Mary’s 74. Four other WCC teams are in the NET Top 100: Gonzaga 7, USF 21, San Diego 49 and LMU 53.
Stat Line of the Week
BYU’s star forward Yoeli Childs was named WCC Player of the Week for scoring 31 points in in-state wins over Utah State (95-80) and Utah (74-59). In the two games, Childs averaged 31 points (duh!), 9 rebounds, 2.5 steals and hit on 24 of 34 shots from the field.
With 31 points vs. Weber State on Dec. 1, Childs became the first BYU player to score 30+ points in three straight games since Jimmer Fredette in 2010-11.
The Utah game showed the full range of Childs’ offensive skills, as he scored behind the arc, on mid-range jumpers, on inside baskets and dunks. If this is going to be his final season in Provo before declaring for the NBA Draft, he seems intent on making it a great one. WCC Player of the Year, perhaps?
Quote of the Week
Speaking of which, Childs was asked if this will be his final season in college.
“You never know until you see the type of season you’ll have,’’ he said. “My goal is to be in the NBA. We’ll see how the season goes.’’
Thus far, it’s going better than well. Childs is leading the conference in scoring (23.6) and rebounding (11.4) and is fifth in blocked shots (1.1). BYU fans should savor this season. They might not see Childs again on this level.
Tweet of the Week
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Two more wins by LMU will equal its total of 11 from last season (11-20). … JoJo Walker and Marcus Shaver Jr. combined to score 43 of Portland’s 76 points in a win vs. Sacramento State. … With older brother Kameron out with an injury, freshman Kessler Edwards is pulling his weight for Pepperdine. He had 11 rebounds as the Waves defeated Jackson State. …Nine WCC teams have winning records at this point in the non-conference season. … Two players are currently shooting better than 90 percent from the free throw line with Pacific’s Lafayette Dorsey at .947 and Portland’s Josh McSwiggan at .909.