2022-23 WCC Men’s Basketball Preview

There is a lot of change on the West Coast Conference men’s basketball landscape.

Head Coach Todd Golden departed San Francisco for Florida after guiding the Dons to their first NCAA Tournament bid in 24 years. San Diego made noise by hiring former UCLA head coach Steve Lavin to run its program. And BYU begins its final season in the WCC before changing conferences to the Big 12.

One thing has not changed. Never does.

Gonzaga remains Gonzaga. 

The Zags captured the WCC title again last season, the 10th straight season they have won or shared the regular-season crown. 

Gonzaga is 90-7 the past three seasons, has won 67 consecutive home games and played in 23 consecutive NCAA Tournaments. 

We’re not expecting a departure from that arc of success.

Saint Mary’s should be very good — a likely NCAA Tournament team. BYU believes it will exceed modest outside expectations. San Francisco hopes to hold onto hard-fought momentum. Portland is on the rise.

But until further notice, Gonzaga, ranked No. 2 in the preseason AP Top-25 poll, remains the standard in the WCC.

Here’s our preview of the WCC (ranked in order of the coaches poll):

No. 1 Gonzaga

2021-22: 13-1/1st in WCC; 28-4 overall; won UCU WCC Men’s Basketball Tournament

Coach: Mark Few (657-129 in 24th season)

Most recent NCAA Tournament appearance: 2022 (lost, 74-68, to Arkansas in the Sweet 16)

Top returning players: Senior forward Drew Timme (18.4 points, 6.8 rebounds), junior guard Julian Strawther (11.8 points, 5.3 rebounds), senior guard Rasir Bolton (11.2 points, 2.3 assists) and senior forward Anton Watson (7.3 points, 4.7 rebounds)

Top newcomers: After adding standouts Chet Holmgren and Jalen Suggs in the last two years, the Zags’ class of newcomers this seasons adds some high-quality players. Senior guard Malachi Smith was the Southern Conference Player of the Year at Chattanooga after averaging 19.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He scored 36 points against a Murray State that won 31 games. Efton Reid III, a 7-foot sophomore, started every game last season for LSU, producing 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds. Braden Huff a 6-10 freshman forward, was a 4-star prospect and Mr. Basketball in Illinois. Kellen Mitchell a 6-7 guard from Michigan, was limited by injuries the past two seasons after averaging 23 points as a sophomore.

Key non-conference games: The Zags’ schedule is as fierce as ever and features high-profile matchups vs. Michigan State (Armed Forces Classic in San Diego) on Nov. 11, at No. 12 Texas on Nov. 16, vs. No. 4 Kentucky (at Spokane) on Nov. 20, three games (including possibly No. 7 Duke) at the Phil Knight Legacy at Portland over Thanksgiving weekend, vs. No. 5 Baylor (at Sioux Falls, SD) on Dec. 2, and vs. No. 20 Alabama (at Birmingham, AL) on Dec. 17. The Baylor game will be the first rematch of teams that squared off in the 2021 national title game

What matters: Voted No. 2 in the AP preseason poll after starting the past two seasons at No. 1, the Zags lost in a recent 99-80 exhibition loss to No. 11 Tennessee in Frisco, Texas, but make no mistake, Gonzaga remains the overwhelming favorite in the WCC. It starts with reigning WCC Player of the Year Drew Timme, who opted to return for his senior season and was voted to the preseason AP All-America first team. The Zags must replace NBA lottery pick Holmgren (14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds) and All-WCC point guard Andrew Nembhard (11.8 points, 5.8 assists). They return six players who averaged at least 13 minutes, including sophomore guards Nolan Hickman and Hunter Salis. As always, the Zags are loaded.

2. SAINT MARY’S

2021-22: 12-3/2nd in WCC; 26-8 overall

Coach: Randy Bennett (480-200 in 22nd season)

Most recent NCAA Tournament appearance: 2022 (lost, 72-56, to UCLA in the second round)

Top returning players: Senior guard Logan Johnson (11.9 points, 4.1 rebounds), senior forward Alex Ducas (10.3 points, 3.7 rebounds), senior forward Kyle Bowen (5.6 points, 5.5 rebounds) and sophomore guard Augustas Marciulionis (3.1 points, 13 starts)

Top newcomers: Freshman point guard Aidan Mahaney, who prepped at nearby Campolindo High School in Moraga, was the Gaels’ leading scorer on their six-game summer tour of Australia. The Gaels added size with a pair of freshmen, 7-1 center Harry Wessels, a member of the Australian U19 national team, and 6-8 forward Joshua Jefferson, the Nevada Boys Athlete of the Year. The Gaels also brought home 6-9 fifth-year forward Mason Forbes, who averaged 8.0 points and 5.3 rebounds at Harvard last season after prepping at Folsom High, the Northern California alma mater of ex-Gaels star Jordan Ford.

Key non-conference games: The Gaels open with five home games then play at the Wooden Legacy in Anaheim, CA, where they open against Vanderbilt then face either Washington or Fresno State. Saint Mary’s takes on preseason AP No. 3 Houston, winner of 32 games last season, on Dec. 3 in Fort Worth, Texas. A week later, on Dec. 10, the Gaels challenge No. 19 San Diego State in Phoenix.

What matters: Saint Mary’s bounced back nicely from a COVID-impacted 14-10 record in 2020-21 that interrupted a streak of 13 consecutive seasons of at least 20 victories. The Gaels were 16-0 at home last season, including a 67-57 upset of No. 1 Gonzaga, and beat Indiana by 29 points in their NCAA Tournament opener before being sent home by UCLA. SMC lost a pair of All-WCC first-team picks in center Matthias Tass and guard Tommy Kuhse, but Saint Mary’s will be balanced and deep. The Gaels were unbeaten on their six-game Aussie summer trip and the senior threesome of Johnson, Ducas and Bowen each started all 34 games last season, providing great experience to a squad that should excel defensively. Johnson is a quick and aggressive guard who plays bigger than his 6-2 size and had 67 steals a year ago. He and Ducas both landed spots on the All-WCC second team.

T-3. BYU

2021-22: 9-6/5th in WCC; 24-11 overall

Coach: Mark Pope (68-26 in 4th season at BYU; 145-82 in 8th season overall)

Most recent NCAA Tournament appearance: 2021 (lost, 73-62, to UCLA in the first round)

Top returning players: Sophomore forward Fousseyni Traore (9.6 points, 8.5 rebounds), senior forward Gideon George (8.8 points, 4.9 rebounds), junior guard Trevin Knell (6.4 points) and junior guard Spencer Johnson (5.8 points)

Top newcomers: The Cougars have 12 new players, including seven transfers who are expected to dramatically impact the team. Jaxson Robinson, a 6-7 sophomore from Arkansas, was a four-star high school prospect who began his college career at Texas A&M. Rudi Williams, a 6-2 senior guard, averaged 14.7 points and 3.7 assists at Coastal Carolina. Noah Waterman, a 6-11 senior forward, averaged 11.9 points at Detroit Mercy, shooting 53 percent from the 3-point arc. Among freshmen, the Cougars welcome 6-4 guard Dallin Hall, the 2020 Utah Mr. Basketball, and 6-5 guard Tanner Toolson, the 2020 Washington Mr. Basketball, both coming off two-year mission trips.

Key non-conference games: The Cougars hit the road to face preseason No. 19 San Diego State on Nov. 11. They play three games at the Battle 4 Atlantis over Thanksgiving weekend, opening against USC, then facing either Tennessee or Butler in the second round. The December calendar features a Dec. 10 matchup vs. Creighton in Las Vegas and a Dec. 17 home showdown with in-state rival Utah.

What matters: BYU lost key players in departed senior guards Alex Barcello (16.8 points) and Te’Jon Lucas (10.4 points) and forward Caleb Lohner (7.0 points, 6.4 rebounds), who entered the transfer portal. Pope will reassemble the team with the help of newcomers, but returnees also will be significant. Traore, undersized at 6-6, 240, is an explosive player who had nine doubles as a freshman last season, including a 25-point, 19-rebound performance vs. Pepperdine. George came on strong late in the year, averaging 16.7 points on 61-percent shooting in three NIT games. 

T-3. SAN FRANCISCO

2021-22: 10-6/4th in WCC; 24-11 overall

Coach: Chris Gerlufsen (1st season as USF coach; 8-5 overall as acting coach at Hawaii in 2019-20)

Most recent NCAA Tournament appearance: 2022 (lost, 92-87, in overtime to Murray State in the first round)

Top returning players: Graduate guard Khalil Shabazz (13.7 points), junior guard Julian Rishwain (7.4 points, 43% 3-point), junior forward Josh Kunen (4.3 points, 3.3 rebounds)

Top newcomers: Graduate guard Tyrell Roberts averaged 11.4 points and made 88 3-pointers last season at Washington State after earning Division II All-America honors at UC San Diego, where he scored more than 1,000 points in two seasons. Marcus Williams, a 6-2 sophomore guard, started 25 games last season at Texas A&M, contributing 7.9 points and 3.4 assists, and hit a game-winning three-point shot in the final second against Georgia. Prior to that, Williams was the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, scoring 14.8 points per game at Wyoming. Gerlufsen added size with the arrival of 7-1 sophomore enter Saba Gigiberia, who played last season at Georgia Tech, and 6-9 grad transfer Toni Rocak, who was an All-Big West honorable mention choice after providing 15.1 points and 6.5 rebounds to UC San Diego in its transition to Division I.

Key non-conference games: The Dons head to Kansas City for the two-game Hall of Fame Classic, opening on Nov. 21 against Northern Iowa. Before returning home, they’ll also play at Davidson on Dec. 25. Among nine non-conference home games is a Dec. 21 date vs. Arizona State.

What matters: USF made its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 24 seasons, then gave Murray State all it could handle before losing in overtime. Guard Jamaree Bouyea, who had 36 points in his final collegiate game, and forward Yauhen Massalski, both All-WCC first-team selections, are gone. So is coach Todd Golden, who went 57-36 in three seasons at USF. Gerlufsen, who ran the Dons’ offense in his first season as an assistant, was promoted to head coach. Gerlufsen assembled an intriguing backcourt by convincing Shabazz to return and luring Roberts from the transfer portal. The Dons remain an international squad with players from six foreign countries on the roster.

5. PORTLAND

2021-22: 7-7/6th in WCC; 19-15 overall

Coach: Shantay Legans (19-15 in 2nd season at Portland; 94-64 in 6th season overall)

Most recent NCAA Tournament appearance: 1996 (lost, 92-58, to Villanova in the first round)

Top returning players: Junior wing Tyler Robertson (15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists), junior guard Chris Austin (14.4 points, 4.3 rebounds), junior forward Moses Wood (14.2 points, 6.0 rebounds), junior guard Mike Meadows (10.2 points, 3.3 rebounds), sophomore forward Chika Nduka (7.8 points, 5.6 rebounds) and junior forward Kristian Sjolund (7.3 points, 3.7 rebounds).

Top newcomers: Legans brought in four transfers and five freshmen, with a focus on adding size. Joey St. Pierre, a 6-10, 275-pound senior center, provided Milwaukee with 6.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Wyatt Lowell, a 6-9 junior forward, was WAC Freshman of the Year at Utah Valley in 2019, and 6-11 freshman Bol Dengdit is an Australian National Team member.

Key non-conference games: The Pilots will play in the Phil Knight Invitational at Portland during Thanksgiving weekend, opening on Nov. 24 against North Carolina. Portland will see either Villanova or Iowa State in the second round. The other schedule highlight is a Dec. 17 game at Oregon.

What matters: Portland enjoyed its best season in more than a decade in Legans’ debut campaign with their fourth-highest overall victory total since turning Division I in 1958. Their 7-7 conference record must be juxtaposed against a 1-42 mark in WCC play the previous three seasons. All five starters and eight lettermen are back, forming the backbone of a team expecting to soar even higher in the WCC standings. Robertson, who came to Portland with Legans from Eastern Washington, enjoyed a spectacular season for the Pilots, including a 31-point triple-double against LMU. Teammate Meadows also assembled a triple-double during the Pilots’ record-setting 122-78 win over Willamette. Austin was equally dependable, posting 18 games of at least 15 points. The Pilots shoot the three-pointer often and efficiently, have great balance and are riding a confidence the program hasn’t known for years.

6. SANTA CLARA

2021-22: 10-5/3rd in WCC; 21-12 overall

Coach: Herb Sendek (97-84 in 7th season at Santa Clara; 510-379 in 29th season overall)

Most recent NCAA Tournament appearance: 2996 (lost, 76-51, to Kansas in the second round)

Top returning players: Graduate forward Keshawn Justice (13.0 points, 6.7 rebounds), senior center Jaden Bediako (4.1 points, 4.9 rebounds) and Parker Braun (6.9 points, 5.3 rebounds)

Top newcomers: Brandin Podziemski, a 6-5 transfer guard from Illinois, is a former 4-star prospect who scored 2,000 points in three high school seasons in Wisconsin. Carlos Marshall, a 6-1 sophomore from Tennessee State, was twice an All-Ohio Valley Conference selection. Among three freshmen is 7-foot center Christoph Tilly from Germany.

Key non-conference games: The Broncos will play in a four-game event at the Bahamas, starting with a matchup vs DePaul on Nov. 18. They play nine games, all at home, in December, including non-conference matchups against Bay Area rivals San Jose State on Dec. 10 and California on Dec. 18.

What matters: Santa Clara was hit hard by departure, losing versatile All-WCC forward Josip Vrankic and guard P.J. Pipes to graduation and guard Jalen Williams (18.0 points) to the NBA, where he was the No. 12 overall pick of the Oklahoma City Thunder, the highest SCU selection in the modern era. The Broncos have assembled four consecutive winning seasons for the first time in 24 years, and will need to get continued balanced contributions from this year’s roster to extend that streak. Justice, a second-team All-WCC pick, is a key player, having posted eight double-doubles last season. He also was sixth in the WCC in three-point accuracy at better than 42 percent and scored in double digits 25 times. The Broncos got the chance to bond during a 10-day European exhibition tour in which they played games in Madrid, Barcelona and Paris, winning two of three.

7. PEPPERDINE

2021-22: 1-15/10th in WCC; 7-25 overall

Coach: Lorenzo Romar (96-115 in 9th season at Pepperdine; 445-355 overall in 26th season)

Most recent NCAA Tournament appearance: 2002 (lost, 83-74, to Wake Forest in the first round)

Top returning players: Sophomore guard Houston Mallette (13.6 points, 3.3 rebounds), senior forward Jan Zidek (13.3 points, 3.7 rebounds), sophomore guard Mike Mitchell (9.1 points, 4.9 assists) and sophomore forward Maxwell Lewis (11.0 points, 3.2 rebounds)

Top newcomers: Pepperdine brought in six new players, five of them freshmen. The exception is 6-10 sophomore forward Boubacar Coulibaly, who played 21 games at USC the past two seasons. Freshman guard Malik Moore was rated the No. 23 prospect in the state of California last season and 6-11 forward Jevon Porter, a four-star recruit from Missouri, is the younger brother of the NBA’s Michael Porter Jr. 

Key non-conference games: The Waves will face UCLA at Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 23 and a month later will test themselves in the Diamond Head Classic, opening vs. host Hawaii. Pepperdine opens WCC play on Dec. 31 at Gonzaga, the third straight season its conference debut is in Spokane.

What matters: The Waves struggled defensively a year ago with three true freshmen in the starting lineup, surrendering a WCC-worst 77.5 points per game. Romar expects that to improve, and his young squad features promising firepower after the three rookies combined to provide 30 points per game. This team has more size, which should help remedy the Waves’ minus-3.5 rebounding margin. Pepperdine may not be ready crack the upper WCC’s division but should be markedly better than a year ago. 

8. SAN DIEGO

2021-22: 7-9/7th in WCC; 15-16 overall

Coach: Steve Lavin (1st season as USD; 226-133 in12th season overall)

Most recent NCAA Tournament appearance: 2008 (lost, 72-63, to Western Kentucky in the second round)

Top returning players: Senior wing Marcellus Earlington (13.2 points, 6.7 rebounds) and graduate guard Jase Townsend (11.3 points, 2.8 rebounds)

Top newcomers: Lavin went hard into the transfer portal to restock his first USD roster and landed five Division I players. The best of the bunch may be Eric Williams Jr., a 6-7 graduate guard who totaled 1,420 points, 818 rebounds and 130 steals in four seasons at Duquesne and, most recently, Oregon, and Stanford transfer Jaiden Delaire, a 6-9 graduate forward who was voted the Pac-12’s Most Improved Player in 2021 and averaged double-figure scoring the past two seasons. Overall, the Toreros have 12 new players, a mix of high school, JC, small college and DI arrivals.

Key non-conference games: The Toreros will open the Lavin era with six straight home games before facing New Mexico State on the first night of the two-day Las Vegas Classic. USD hosts UNLV on Dec. 3 and travels to Arizona State on Dec. 18.

What matters: Lavin was a splashy hire for the Toreros, who won 21 games as recently as four years ago but are seeking some traction and attention they haven’t enjoyed in years. Lavin directed UCLA and St. John’s to eight NCAA Tournament appearances in 11 seasons, is an effective recruiter and has natural charisma, as evidenced during his tenure as TV analyst. He has a better collection of talent than San Diego has enjoyed for several years, a good mix of experience and youth. It will be up to him to mesh them into cohesive team.

9. LMU

2021-22: 3-12/9th in WCC; 11-18 overall

Coach: Stan Johnson (24-27 in 3rd season)

Most recent NCAA Tournament appearance: 1990 (lost, 131-101, to UNLV in the regional final)

Top returning players: Senior wing Dameane Douglas (10.8 points, 4.5 rebounds in 13 games before a season-ending injury), senior forward Keli Leaupepe (9.2 points, 4.8 rebounds), graduate guard Cam Shelton (8.4 points) and junior guard Jalen Anderson (8.4 points in 18 games)

Top newcomers: Johnson brought in six newcomers to go with nine returnees, and four of them are Division I transfers. Guard Justin Ahrens played 114 games in four seasons at Ohio State, shooting 39 percent from the three-point arc, mostly as a reserve. Also expected to contribute are guard Noah Taitz from Stanford, forward Michael Graham from Elon and 7-1 center Rick Issanza from Oklahoma. Graham averaged 9.3 points and 6.8 rebounds as a sophomore last season.

Key non-conference games: The Lions visit perennial Big West contender UC Irvine on Nov. 15, then trek to Montego Bay to face Georgetown in the opening game of the Jamaica Classic three days later. LMU will play six non-conference games away from home, also including a game against 25-win Colorado State on Nov. 30.

What matters: The Lions took a step back in Johnson’s second season after going 13-9 overall and finishing third in the pandemic-shortened WCC 2020-21 season. Injuries have limited Dameane Douglas to 58 games over four seasons, but he has been productive when healthy. 

10. PACIFIC

2021-22: 3-11/8th in WCC; 8-22 overall

Coach: Leonard Perry (8-22 in 2nd season)

Most recent NCAA Tournament appearance: 2013 (lost, 78-49, to Miami in the first round)

Top returning players: Redshirt senior guard Luke Avdalovic (10.0 points),  second-year freshman guard Nick Blake (8.8 points, 3.2 rebounds) and senior guard Greg Outlaw (5.8 points, 3.5 rebounds in 13 games)

Top newcomers: The transfer portal sent two former Oklahoma State players to Pacific — 6-8 junior wing Keylan Boone, who scored a career-high 17 points in an upset win over Texas, and 6-5 sophomore guard Donovan Williams, who returned to action last season after missing the entire 2020-21 campaign due to injury. Among five other transfers is sophomore guard Jordan Ivy-Curry, who averaged 13.9 points for Texas-San Antonio last season.

Key non-conference games: The Tigers play their first three games on the road, starting Nov. 7 at Stanford. They get nine of their next 12 in Stockton, including a Dec. 10 date vs. Fresno State.

What matters: Pacific needs to improve its offensive efficiency to make a significant move up. Pacific is also determined to improve its ability to defend the three-point arc. Avdalovic and Blake provide stability in the backcourt, but the Tigers will expect their newcomers to make substantial contributions.