West Coast Conference Commissioner Stu Jackson and Sabreena Merchant from The Athletic join hosts Ann Schatz and Mary Murphy on this week’s edition of the WCC POINTS IN THE PAINT Women’s Basketball Podcast.
 
Schatz and Murphy also dive into the matchups in the 2025 Credit Union 1 West Coast Conference Basketball Championship.
 
Timestamps are listed below for efficient viewing:
 
2:30 - On Yvonne Ejim's All-WCC honors:
“Yvonne Ejim led the WCC in scoring, rebounding, second in field goal percentage. On both sides of the ball, she does an amazing job and was a leader on a team that was decimated by graduation and had to find themselves. All-time leading scorer at Gonzaga, all-time leading rebounder, she’s on every awards list. Her accomplishments are amazing.” - Mary Murphy

4:35 - On Lisa Fortier:
“She is coming off a tough spring and summer, what she has done to rise above is an inspiration to her kids, program, and that town.” - Ann Schatz

6:34 – Schatz and Murphy discuss Allie Turner’s standout freshman season. 
 
7:34 - Saint Mary's represented on two major awards. 
 
10:27 - WCC Commissioner Stu Jackson joins the show:
"All my stops along the way have culminated in my commissionership at the West Coast Conference. Having run men’s basketball for the Big East, it’s a conference very much like the West Coast Conference, heavily reliant on the success of its members in men’s and women’s basketball, from that standpoint it was like a perfect fit for me.”
 
12:29 - Jackson on the additions of Oregon State and Washington State:
"I think it’s been a positive impact; in women’s basketball it helped strengthen us both metrically in terms of our depth but also competitively. Night in and night out, they’ve added a lot.”
 
18:35 - Jackson on postseason mentality:
“I’ll even go so as far as to say that sometimes when you’re playing in the first four, having a game under your belt, the data has proven that it could be an advantage. It doesn’t matter what seed you’re in, you’re all division one women capable of beating any other team, it just comes down to matchups, styles of play, and ability to mentally focus.”

21:05 - The Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant joins the show 
 
22:50 - Merchant on WSU’s and OSU’s contributions:
“It adds a little extra depth to the WCC. I think as you both mentioned, there’s a lot of opportunity to make noise this season. Really that’s the fun part with the conferences across the country, it’s fun to see a lot of a different options to take the automatic bid with different matchups we’re not accustomed to seeing.”
 
To watch the complete episode, click here.
 
Full episodes of both the WCC POINTS IN THE PAINT Women’s Basketball Podcast and Men’s Basketball Podcast are available on the WCC’s YouTube channel, as well as Apple and Spotify podcasts. Fans can also find clips of each show on the WCC basketball X account, @WCChoops, as well as the Conference’s Facebook, Instagram and TikTok channels @WCCsports with links to the full episode.