SAN BRUNO, Calif. - First-place Santa Clara hopes to extend its seven-game winning streak with a trip to Washington State while Saint Mary’s hosts San Francisco on national television as West Coast Conference men’s basketball action continues on Saturday.
Three In Top 40 In NET Rankings
Three West Coast Conference men’s basketball teams rank in the top 40 in the latest NET rankings - No. 9 Gonzaga, No. 29 Saint Mary’s and No. 40 Santa Clara. Ranked No. 8 among conferences in KenPom, three teams stand in the top 40 in the latest rankings - No. 14 Gonzaga, No. 34 Saint Mary’s and No. 37 Santa Clara.
In The National Polls
Gonzaga is ranked No. 6 in the AP poll and No. 5 in Coaches poll, while Saint Mary’s is receiving votes in the Coaches poll and Santa Clara is receiving votes in the AP poll.
Three In Top 41 In WAB
The West Coast Conference boasts three teams ranked inside the top 41 in the latest WAB rankings - No. 13 Gonzaga, No. 38 Saint Mary’s, No. 41 Santa Clara.
National Broadcasts This Week
West Coast Conference men’s basketball will be on national television on Saturday when Saint Mary’s hosts San Francisco at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
More Notes From Around The Coast
Santa Clara handed Pacific its first loss at home this season on Wednesday, 71-56, extending the Broncos’ current winning streak to seven games. At 20-5 overall (11-1 in conference) the Broncos have won 20 games for the fifth consecutive season.
Freshman Allen Graves has been a standout for Santa Clara this season. Among freshmen nationally, Graves is No. 1 in total steals with 52 and No. 15 in rebounds per game (6.8). Graves and Utah Valley’s Jackson Holcombe are the only two players in the nation to currently average at least nine points per game, six rebounds per game, two steals per game and a block per game.
The Broncos rank No. 1 in the country in margin of victory in conference games (17.3). Gonzaga is No. 7 (15.5) and Saint Mary’s is No. 14 (12.5). The Broncos have gone over the century mark three times and won by double-digits nine times.
Santa Clara owns six Quad 1 and 2 wins this season, most recently Wednesday’s victory at Pacific was a Quad 2 win. SCU has won 11 of its last 12 with the only loss during that span coming at Gonzaga. Three of the Broncos’ five losses have been by three points or less and three of their five losses are Quad 1 losses.
Earning its first victory over a ranked opponent since 2014, Portland defeated No. 6 Gonzaga Wednesday night, 87-80. Battling cramps late in the second half, Joel Foxwell led the Pilots with a season-best 27 points, the third time this season he has reached that scoring total. Foxwell leads the conference and all freshmen nationally in assists (6.8 apg).
Saint Mary’s took care of business at home against San Diego on Wednesday, 87-60. Six Gaels reached double figures in scoring with two with double-doubles - Dillan Shaw (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Andrew McKeever (12 points, 12 rebounds).
SMC ranks No. 14 in scoring defense nationally (64.7 ppg). Four times during conference play Saint Mary’s has held its opponent to 60 points or less.
SMC also continues to lead the nation in free throw percentage at .815.
Three teams rank inside the top 15 in rebounding margin - No. 8 Saint Mary's (10.2), No. 11 Gonzaga (9.7) and No. 13 Pacific (9.3). In conference games, the Tigers rank sixth (9.3) as they have outrebounded their opponent in every conference game this season.
LMU picked up a win at the Hilltop over San Francisco, 84-75. Jalen Shelley scored 27 points while Rodney Brown posted 23 points. Seattle U held off Pepperdine for an 83-81 win at home. Jun Seok Yeo led the way with 18 points. Will Heimbrodt collected three blocks, and he ranks tied for 11th in the nation in that category (2.48). Oregon State pulled together a big second-half comeback and defeated Washington State, 74-64, in Corvallis. Josiah Lake II posted 22 points and Johan Munch garnered a double-double (18 points, 15 rebounds).