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College Hoops Weekend Recap: 14 Ranked Teams Fall

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:58:38 -0500

The lesson learned this weekend: almost anyone can be had. And that should make for an exciting month of March if results like the ones we saw become the norm. Twelve ranked teams went down on Saturday, but it should be noted that four of the losses came to opponents who were also ranked and eight of the twelve lost on the road. How does one narrow these results down: ask the simple question of which losers may be in some trouble at this point in the season. One such victim has to be Syracuse, who has now dropped four straight and has to play at Connecticut on Wednesday night. The Orange fell at Marquette 76-70 and while there's no real shame in that there are still some troubling signs with Jim Boeheim's team. Scoop Jardine played his best game of the four-game skid with 13 points and 13 assists, but James Southerland didn't play and defensively Syracuse couldn't slow down Jae Crowder (25 points, seven rebounds) or Jimmy Butler (19 points, eight rebounds). C.J. Fair scored ten off the bench for the Orange but the question marks revealed in this streak show that there's a lot of work to be done with this team (the center position stands out).

Also with some issues is Villanova, who fell victim to Austin Freeman in a 69-66 loss to Georgetown at home. Freeman scored a game-high 30 points for the Hoyas, making the big plays late for John Thompson III. The issue for the Wildcats: shot selection. While they took some shots that most teams shouldn't put up in their win at Syracuse, Villanova made those so it wasn't a major issue. But in losses to Providence and now Georgetown their overall efficiency has dropped, and Corey Stokes (4-13 FG, 13 points) needs to raise his percentages as well. Villanova shot 41% yesterday and was out-rebounded by the Hoyas 28-20 in a game that saw the Wildcat frontcourt fail to distance themselves from Georgetown's interior players. They've got the guard play needed to turn things around provided those players make sound decisions, but if Villanova is to have any chance at being special the big men will need to bring it on a consistent basis.

BYU and Saint Mary's both fell on the road following important conference victories earlier this week, with the Cougars falling at New Mexico to a borderline desperate team and Saint Mary's getting their doors blown off at Portland. Letdown? For Saint Mary's that could definitely be the case despite the fact that the Pilots were outstanding. Mickey McConnell scored 32 for the Gaels but when Matthew Dellavedova and Clint Steindl (who was scoreless in the win at Gonzaga) struggle it becomes that much more difficult for Randy Bennett's team to win. In Alberquerque Jimmer Fredette scored 32 points but with a second straight game of limited production from Jackson Emery and nine bench points the Cougars dropped one to a New Mexico squad that needed the win to revitalize hopes of a run towards the NCAA Tournament. Tony Snell scored 16 off the bench for the Lobos while four starters reached double figures in the win.

And come Monday we may be down to just one ranked team in the SEC with both Florida (at Mississippi State) and Vanderbilt (Arkansas at home) falling. The more troubling defeat of the two? That would have to be Vandy, who was lit up by Rotnei Clarke (36 points) while Michael Sanchez added 20 off the bench. Three Commodore starters reached double figures but when Lance Goulbourne puts up a bagel and Brad Tinsley doesn't play well at the point they're in trouble. Clarke went 12-for-16 from the field, which begs for the question of how many of those looks were contested, despite his status as one of the premier perimeter shooters in the nation. Survivors included Ohio State and Pittsburgh, while Texas navigated poor free throw shooting to beat Missouri and Kansas blew out Kansas State in the return of forward Thomas Robinson. Just another fun Saturday, and at this rate we could be in store for a fun month of March as well.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Ohio State survives a methodical Northwestern rally to remain undefeated.
It wasn't difficult to figure out what Northwestern would have to do in order to slow down Jared Sullinger. Surround the big man with defenders when he touched the basketball, bang him around and hope that he commits a silly foul or two. That didn't happen as the freshman scored 21 points and eight rebounds, but the Wildcats kept with their methodical offense and nearly stole a victory before falling 58-57 in Evanston. Juice Thompson led Northwestern with 16 points while Mike Capocci added 11, but with Drew Crawford struggling from the field (2-for-12) and John Shurna out with concussion symptoms you can't help but wonder what could have happened if they have Shurna. But that's the nature of sports, and Ohio State made plays late (David Lighty coming up with a big play that doesn't involve scoring should surprise no one) to remain the nation's lone undefeated team. And unfortunately for Northwestern the Buckeyes have a player in Sullinger who's the ultimate mismatch inside.

2. Baylor escapes a defeat that could have ended their at-large hopes while Butler doesn't.
Baylor was in serious trouble at the half yesterday, trailing a Colorado team also in need of a victory 35-21. But LaceDarius Dunn played arguably his best all-around game despite poor shooting from the field (6-for-18) in scoring 26 points to go along with seven rebounds and six assists, and Quincy Acy and Perry Jones III combined for 27 points and 15 rebounds in the Bears' 70-66 win. The win doesn't put Baylor into the Big Dance but it at least keeps the conversation going at a respectable volume, something that may not be said for Butler after their loss at first place Valparaiso. Valpo knocked down some huge shots in overtime to hand the Bulldogs their fourth conference loss, dropping Brad Stevens' team two games behind the Crusaders and Cleveland State. Zach Hahn and Matt Howard scored 17 points apiece but Shelvin Mack made just three of twelve shots in scoring 10 points, and given the relative lack of offensive weapons to last year's group that got Butler in trouble. There's still plenty of time to go on a run but how many wins that will register with the computer numbers (again, these are just one tool used) remain on the table for Butler? That's an important question at this stage for the Bulldogs.

3. Xavier uses the foul line to soundly defeat Richmond on the road.
Saturday's matchup between the Musketeers and Spiders was billed as a crucial battle in the Atlantic 10, and with Richmond already a game back in the standings it was a game they needed in order to entertain thoughts of a regular season title. Xavier had other ideas as Tu Holloway scored 33 points and as a team the Musketeers made 29 of 30 from the charity stripe in whipping Richmond 85-62. Justin Harper scored 20 for Richmond while Dan Geriot added 15, but with Kevin Anderson struggling from the field Chris Mooney's team got into a hole they were unable to climb out of. Kenny Frease added 19 and Mark Lyons 14 for the first-place Musketeers, who look to be on a collision course with Duquesne that comes to a head on February 13th at the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh (instead of on campus at the Palumbo Center). But for an early statement to follow last week's win over Temple, the beating of Richmond will certainly suffice.

4. St. John's ends their skid in emphatic fashion at the Garden.
Simply put the Red Storm blitzed Duke in the latter stages of the first half, expanding their lead out to 21 points by halftime. In that first half St. John's outscored Duke 22-6 in the paint and 21-4 off of turnovers. Nolan Smith (32 points) and Kyle Singler (20) did what they're expected to do offensively but when Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins combine to shoot 4-for-13 from the field Duke is going to have problems. With the return of Kyrie Irving looking to be more unlikely by the week one of those two will need to be a consistent number three on offense, and the Plumlee brothers have to get better inside. As for Steve Lavin's team the brief step out of Big East play was exactly what they needed, with Dwight Hardy (26 points) and Justin Brownlee (20) leading the way on offense. The Johnnies assisted on 21 of their 32 made baskets while also scoring 50 points in the paint, and defensively forced 17 Duke turnovers in controlling the run of play. While the win doesn't make St. John's a lock to go dancing, a senior class that hasn't experienced a lot of national success definitely has the ability to make that dream a reality.

Top Five (plus one) Games

1. (25) Utah State 89, Hawaii 84 (2OT) Brian Green came up big with a game-tying three pointer to send the game into double overtime, and his 22 points led the way as the Aggies remained undefeated in WAC play. Zane Johnson led the Warriors with a game-high 25 points.

2. (19) Louisville 79, (5) Connecticut (2OT)

3. UC Davis 108, UC Irvine 107 (2OT) Eric Wise scored a game-high 34 points while also grabbing 12 rebounds but it wasn't enough to beat the Aggies. Mark Payne led UC Davis with 32 points while Eddie Miller and Joe Harden chipped in with 25 and 23 respectively.

4. Weber State 72, Northern Colorado 71 A Scott Bamforth shot from just inside of half court may have been the finish of the day, giving the Wildcats an improbable win while handing the Bears their first Big Sky loss. Jordan Richardson led Weber State with 17 points while Devon Beitzel led all scorers with 29.

5. North Dakota State 89, UMKC 88 (2OT) A sideline out of bounds lob from Eric Carlson resulted in a Michael Tveidt layup in the final seconds to give the Bison a one-point home victory. Carlson led all scorers with 32 points while also handing out 12 assists, and Jay Couisnard led UMKC with 28 and 13 rebounds.

BONUS: Manhattan 60, Marist 59 A Michael Alvarado heave from behind midcourt gave the Jaspers the victory in Poughkeepsie. George Beamon led three Manhattan players in double figures with 13 points while Dorvell Carter led Marist with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Five (plus one) Notable Performances

1. G/F Eric Wise (UC Irvine) 34 points and 12 rebounds in the Anteaters' 108-107 double-overtime loss at UC Davis.

2. G Tu Holloway (Xavier) 33 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the Musketeers' 85-62 win at Richmond.

3. G Steven Pledger (Oklahoma) 38 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals in the Sooners' 82-76 overtime win at Iowa State.

4. F John Henson (North Carolina) 16 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks in the Tar Heels' 84-64 win over North Carolina State.

5. F Noah Dahlman (Wofford) 34 points (15-17 FG), four rebounds and three assists in Wofford's 75-66 win over Western Carolina.

BONUS: F Thomas Robinson (Kansas) 17 points and nine rebounds in the Jayhawks' 90-66 win over Kansas State.

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends" Series: Portland Great Rick Raivio

Jon Teitel — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:02:02 -0500

In the latest installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with University of Portland great Rick Raivio. Raivio was a two-time All-American during his career, leaving the school as the program's all-time leading rebounder. Now working in real estate, Rick has had two of his three sons play in the WCC (Derek at Gonzaga and Nik at Portland).

Jon Teitel: In 1974 you won a state title at Benson under legendary coach Dick Gray. What made Gray such a great coach and what did it mean to you to win the title?

Rick Raivio: We actually won a couple of state titles. Coach Gray would let you play regardless of whether you were a freshman or a senior, which is why I decided to go there. He kept things pretty simple, and kind of cut us loose and just let us play.

JT: Why did you choose to go to Portland?

RR: I did not have a lot of options at the time. Back then there was very little media coverage, so the only time that college coaches would watch you was in the state tourney. I was 6'5", and most coaches did not know where I could fit in on the court. Portland was the only school that gave me a scholarship.

JT: You remain the all-time leading rebounder in school history. Did you realize at the time how prolific a player you were, and do you think that anyone will ever break your record?

RR: I was always a pretty good rebounder. If you could not rebound offensively on some of the teams I played on, then you might not touch the ball at all! I have not thought about someone breaking the record, but since they play so many games now I imagine that a big man who plays for all four years could break it.

JT: In the summer of 1980 you were drafted in the 5th round by the Lakers but cut during training camp. Were you thrilled to realize your dream of getting drafted or disappointed that you did not make the team?

RR: I broke my ankle the previous year, and think I would have had a good shot if I were healthy. After 2-3 years in Europe, I think that I would have had a good crack at it if I had gone back to the NBA, but I have no regrets.

JT: You spent over a decade playing professionally in France and Belgium. What did you learn from these experiences, and how did they compare to college basketball?

RR: It was definitely different than college as pro basketball is a job. I tell my kids that if they do not have the passion for it, then they should not do it. My three boys were all born abroad, and I got to watch them grow up and travel all over Europe. All my expenses were covered, so it helped me save some money as we were starting to raise a family.

JT: Your son Derek played at Gonzaga where he was WCC Co-Player of the Year and finished his career as the #2 all-time free throw shooter in Division I history (92.7%). Were you the 1st person to teach him how to shoot free throws, and how do you think he is going to do in the D League?

RR: All the boys had a passion for playing so I never pushed them into basketball. My third son Matt was into BMX bicycles and skateboarding at first and only later got into basketball. I definitely helped them get the right shooting form once they got into the sport.

JT: Your son Nik played three years at Portland before heading overseas to play professionally. How much encouragement did you give him to go to Portland, and how do you think he is going to do as a pro?

RR: I was actually surprised that he went to Portland. He did well at a couple of good JCs (Northeastern JR and Santa Rosa), but the last place in the world I thought he would end up was Portland. As a player I think he is a late-bloomer, and he can now do a little of everything on the court. He is a complete player who previously just tried to be a point guard, but now he can rebound, get to the foul line, etc., so I think he has a real future as a basketball player.

JT: Was it a coincidence that you had such an athletic family or do your kids credit at least some of their success to genetics?

RR: My wife never really played sports but we definitely have athletic kids. Matt is only 6' tall but can dunk a ball with either hand. I think the boys are lucky to have genetics working for them as well, but my daughter might be the best athlete in the family!

JT: You currently work in real estate. How hard has the market been over the past few years, and what do you hope to do in the future?

RR: Being able to play in Europe allowed me to put some money into real estate, so that has been a good thing. It is certainly not the time to sell things if you do not have to. 2010 was okay but 2009 was horrible. Things have turned, but we still have a long way to go.

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

RR: I would like to be known as a hard worker who gave everything he had and competed in every game. I did whatever I had to do to win...legally that is!

Rick is also on Jon's list of best fantasy players in WCC history.

Gonzaga: Adam Morrison (2006) 1867 PTS (#3), 2-time All-American, conference POY, national POY

Loyola Marymount: Hank Gathers (1990) 2490 PTS (#1), 985 REB (#2), 59 FG% (#2), All-American, conference POY

Pepperdine: Dana Jones (1994) 1677 PTS (#2), 1031 REB (#1), 211 STL (#1), 58.5 FG% (#2), conference POY

Portland: Rick Raivio (1980) 1668 PTS (#4), 910 REB (#1), 57.5 FG% (#1), 2-time All-American

St. Mary's: Daniel Kickert (2006) 1863 PTS (#1), 176 3PM (#4), 44.6 3P% (#2)

San Diego: Brandon Johnson (2010) 1790 PTS (#1), 525 AST (#1)

San Francisco: Bill Cartwright (1978) 2116 PTS (#1), 1137 REB (#3), 58,9 FG% (#1), 3-time All-American, 3-time conference POY

Santa Clara: Steve Nash (1996) 1689 PTS (#4), 510 AST (#2), 263 3PM (#1), 86.7 FT% (#1), 40.1 3P% (#1), All-American, 2-time conference POY

Poll: Who is the Best Team on the West Coast?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:23:13 -0500

College Hoops Sunday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:15:35 -0500

Sunday signals the end of the Thanksgiving tournament schedule with title games in both Orlando and Anaheim. West Virginia, who welcomed back Devin Ebanks in their win over Texas A&M, will take on a Portland team that's looked every bit the challenger to Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference in wins over UCLA and Minnesota. But they're going to have their hands full with the Mountaineers, who are more versatile offensively than either of the two teams the Pilots have beaten in Anaheim.

At the Old Spice Classic it will be Marquette taking on Florida State. The Seminoles came in on a low note, having lost to Florida in a game that wasn't particularly close, but they've found a way to beat both Iona and Alabama to move into the final. The Golden Eagles have a number of interchangeable pieces and that versatility served them well in beating #15 Michigan on Friday. FSU will look to pound the ball inside to their bigs, especially Solomon Alabi and Chris Singleton, while the Golden Eagles like to get things done on the perimeter via drives or long-distance shots.

In non-title games keep an eye on Butler taking on Clemson in the fifth-place game in Anaheim. The Bulldogs will look to keep things in the half court while the order of the day will be "controlled chaos" for the Tigers. Butler will need forward Matt Howard to stay out of foul trouble and the same goes for Clemson's Trevor Booker. It's the kind of game that both are likely to run into come March, with their ability to navigate a game featuring a shapr contrast in styles determining the outcome.

TV GAMES

10a ESPNU Creighton vs. Iona (Old Spice Classic)
Noon ESPNU Baylor vs. Xavier (Old Spice Classic)
2:30p ESPNU Long Beach St. vs. UCLA (76 Classic)
4p CBS-C Texas at Rice
5p ESPNU Texas A&M vs. #16 Minnesota (76 Classic)
5p ESPN2 #15 Michigan vs. Alabama (Old Spice Classic)
6:45 FSN Nevada at North Carolina
7:30p ESPN2 Marquette vs. Florida St. (Old Spice Classic)
7:30p ESPNU #10 Butler vs. #19 Clemson (76 Classic)
10p ESPN2 #8 West Virginia vs. Portland (76 Classic)

OTHER GAMES

2p New Orleans @ North Carolina St.
2p Niagara @ Akron
4p Texas A&M-CC @ Ole Miss
4:30p FSN Nebraska @ USC
5p Princeton @ #23 California
9p Montana @ #14 Washington

ONE PREDICTION

Marquette over Florida State: As I said on Friday I believe that the Golden Eagles are underrated. If the Seminoles can get their frontcourt in gear this becomes a tough game for the smaller Marquette front line. But their perimeter play, with the versatile Lazar Hayward leading the way, will ultimately be too much for Leonard Hamilton's team. Lazar has plenty of experience guarding bigger players since he's essentially an undersized four in the Big East; Buzz Williams' squad wins by five.

WCC Basketball Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:10:06 -0500

Gonzaga lacks the star power of recent seasons, so perhaps this is the year they get knocked out of 1st place. Portland looks to have the best chance, but Santa Clara, San Diego, and Saint Mary's are no slouches either.

Conference Rank: 16th

10 year average: 12th

Conference Page

All-WCC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Matt Bouldin	Gonzaga	Sr
G	Nik Raivio	Portland	Sr
G	Brandon Johnson	San Diego	Sr
F	Dior Lowhorn	San Francisco	Sr
C	Omar Samhan	Saint Mary's	Sr

Player of the Year - Matt Bouldin Freshman of the Year - Matthew Dellavedova (SMC)
CHN Award Winners		Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Matt Bouldin (1st Team) Omar Samhan (3rd) Steven Gray Brandon Johnson Dior Lowhorn		Best Scorer: Dior Lowhorn Best Rebounder: Omar Samhan Best Playmaker: Brandon Johnson

WCC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

31	Gonzaga	WCC	1	NCAA
88	Portland	WCC	2	CBI/CIT
121	Santa Clara	WCC	3	CBI/CIT
173	St. Mary's	WCC	4
196	San Diego	WCC	5
254	Pepperdine	WCC	6
300	San Francisco	WCC	7
339	Loy Marymount	WCC	8

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the WCC?

College Basketball Preview - 348 Team Ranking - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Poll: Who Will Win the WCC?

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:51:30 -0400

2009-10 Portland Basketball Preview: #88

Joel Welser — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:54:58 -0400

Overall Rank: #88

Conference Rank: #2 West Coast Conference

2008-09: 19-13, 9-5

2008-09 postseason: CIT

Coach: Eric Reveno (37-58 at Portland, 37-58 overall)

After going 18-45 during his first two years at Portland, Coach Eric Reveno finally made some progress during his third season. The Pilots ended up being one of the most pleasant surprises in all of college basketball. Yet, by the end of the year, the team was worn down and limped to the finish line. Still, this was a great year for the team and it ended with a trip to the postseason. With everybody who played significant minutes back, Portland hopes to win their first ever postseason game in 2009-2010.

Key Losses: none

Key Newcomers:

The Pilots will not have any new faces on the team this year since the only departure is center John Hegarty, who only played in seven games and averaged a mere 7.7 minutes last year due to injuries. With four projected starters being seniors, it will be important that some of the younger players start to show some promise or this team will regress back to their old losing ways. But, for now, this should be the year that Portland makes a serious run in the West Coast Conference.

Backcourt:

It was the arrival of junior college All-American point guard T.J. Campbell that really turned this team around. Campbell ran the offense very well from day one last year and should be even better in year two. Even more impressive than his 4.7 assists per game was his three-point shooting percentage. Campbell shot an incredible 53.1 percent from beyond the arc and connected on 2.4 long balls per game. That was pretty much the extent of his offense and he could turn into a superb scorer if he mixes it up a little more and finds a way to score around the basket. Nik Raivio is not a bad outside shooter, but he does a lot of scoring around the basket as well. The 6-4 senior led the team with 16.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals last year and will take all the big shots for the Pilots.

Frontcourt:

Most of the scoring will come out of the backcourt, but the Pilots frontcourt deserves some accolades too. Robin Smeulders, a 6-10 senior, has developed into the best interior scorer on the team. Yet, he can also step outside and hit the mid-range jumper with relative consistency. Kramer Knutson is the more traditional back to the basket big man and should again be starting beside Smeulders. Junior Luke Sikma is a perfect backup to those two and arguably the best rebounder on the team. Ethan Niedermeyer spent most of last year starting at the small forward position. Mostly the 6-6 senior is an outside shooter, but because of his size he can help out on the glass as well.

Who to Watch:

Niedermeyer may be starting again, but Jared Stohl will likely be on the floor at the end of the game. Despite only earning seven starts during the 2009-2010 campaign, Stohl ranked second on the team with 11.2 points per game. And on a team that already has two great shooters, Stohl was the most prolific outside shooter last year, connecting on nearly three three-pointers per game. However, like Campbell, Stohl does not score very often in other ways. While Campbell will get to the basket and find his teammates, Stohl just rarely moves towards the basket at all. Now an upperclassman, the 6-1 junior needs to be more aggressive and turn into more than just a shooter.

Final Projection:

If Stohl does become more aggressive it will be really hard to keep him out of the starting lineup. The team may struggle on the glass in that scenario, but Stohl has the potential to emerge as a terrific scorer. Even if he does not, Portland has more talent on this roster than they have had in a long, long time. Maybe they will not be in the NCAA Tournament, but they could win a postseason game in any of the other tournaments.

Projected Post-season Tournament: CBI/CIT

Projected Starting Five:

T.J. Campbell, Senior, Guard, 11.1 points per game

Nik Raivio, Senior, Guard, 16.0 points per game

Ethan Niedermeyer, Senior, Forward, 4.5 points per game

Robin Smeulders, Senior, Forward, 10.6 points per game

Kramer Knutson, Junior, Forward, 6.5 points per game

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Preview Interviews

WCC Tournament: Preview & Odds

Evan Dorey — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:00:54 -0500

This is one in a series of conference tournament previews, in which I run down all the teams involved, give a brief statistical review and present the log5 projections, using in-conference offensive and defensive efficiency. The basic log5 methodology comes from Bill James, and this is an area Ken Pomeroy has looked at in the past as well. I claim nothing new in the application, but obviously with slightly different methodologies, these numbers may differ from others you find. I don’t claim to be an expert on any particular conference, and I’m sure there are some mis-characterizations on some players I’ve seen sparingly at best, so please add your thoughts in the comments. Anyway, with no further ado, the preview follows below:

West Coast Conference

The WCC the tournament are playing at a neutral site in Las Vegas for the first time, but the format, with a double bye for the top 2 seeds and a bye for seeds 3 and 4, is the same as it has been.

#	Team	SF	F	W
1	Gonzaga	100.00%	95.87%	82.74%
2	St. Mary's	100.00%	68.55%	12.68%
3	Portland	85.03%	30.13%	3.57%
4	Santa Clara	64.98%	3.18%	0.82%
5	San Diego	35.02%	0.95%	0.15%
6	Pepperdine	14.97%	1.32%	0.04%

Gonzaga is of course the huge favorite, but Patty Mills’ return will give St. Mary’s a somewhat better shot than these odds indicate.

#1 – Gonzaga Bulldogs (24-5, 14-0) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.286

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2008 (1^st Round)

A perfect conference season earned the Bulldogs yet another conference title, and they richly deserve it, having dominated the league, outscoring opponents by an average of 20 points, and finishing atop the conference in all but a couple of offensive categories. The conference’s top offense is among the nation’s best in making shots, both from two and three, and in avoiding turnovers, and is very difficult to stop. The defense has also been excellent, but does have a weakness, as Gonzaga hasn’t been great at stopping three-pointers. It’s made up for it by being the country’s best defenders inside the arc, but teams that take a lot of outside shots can catch the Bulldogs by surprise.

Players to watch:

6-11 SR Josh Heytvelt, 15.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 58.4 eFG% - Heytvelt leads the team in scoring, and is the Bulldogs’ most efficient offensive player. He rarely turns the ball over, and shoots 55% from the field, with the ability to step out and hit the three point shot.

6-5 JR Matt Bouldin, 13.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 59.2 eFG% - Bouldin is another very efficient forward, about equal to Heytvelt in shooting percentages from the floor and at the stripe, and a good player at forcing steals and holding onto the ball.

#2 – St. Mary’s Gaels (23-5, 10-4) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.135

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2008 (1^st Round)

The Patty Mills injury seemed to have totally derailed the Gaels when they lost four of five games, though this stretch did include the toughest three road games in the league schedule. A recovery in the second half of February saw them secure second place, and put themselves back in the conversation for an NCAA at-large bid. While they finished just one game ahead of Portland, they are the clear #2 team in the league. It’s interesting that despite Mills being the headline player, St. Mary’s plays best inside, an excellent offensive rebounding team that hits more than 50% of shots inside the arc. St. Mary’s opponents tend to take most of their shots inside the arc, where the Gaels take advantage of good rebounding and strong defense.

Players to watch:

6-11 JR Omar Samhan, 13.9 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.1 BPG, 55.8 eFG% - Mills may get most of the credit, but Samhan is a real force for the Gaels inside, along with Diamon Simpson. Samhan shoots 56% from the field, and manages to nearly average a double-double without leading his team in points or rebounds. He’s also a very good free throw shooter, and his shot-blocking adds an important defensive element.

6-0 SO Patrick Mills, 18.8 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 3.9 APG, 2.4 SPG, 49.8 eFG% - Mills’ status will be a critical question for the Gaels in their quest for the conference title; he’s easily the most important player on offense, 2^nd in the conference in scoring and 3^rd in assists. He’s not a great percentage shooter, but does a good job on a high volume of attempts, and his quickness helps him to lead the league in steals.

#3 – Portland Pilots (18-11, 9-5) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.082

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1996 (1^st Round)

The Pilots were right in the battle for the conference’s second spot, but lost twice on their season-ending road trip to lose their hold on the second round bye. Their offense is all about ball movement and getting opportunities from three; they’re well over 40% from behind the arc. Portland hasn’t been as good defensively, able to shut down opponents on the outside, but not very strong on the inside and quite foul-prone.

Players to watch:

5-9 JR T.J. Campbell, 11.3 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 5.0 APG, 65.4 eFG% - Campbell doesn’t take a lot of shots, but maybe he should take more, he’s a spectacular long-distance specialist, hitting 54% from behind the arc. Besides his shooting, he’s also a great distributor of the ball, a deadly combination of skills.

6-4 JR Nik Raivio, 15.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 48.9 eFG% - Raivio leads the Pilots in both scoring and rebounding, he’s an average shooter, but takes a lot of shots and helps to give the team’s better shooters chances.

#4 – Santa Clara Broncos (15-16, 7-7) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.021

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

Santa Clara had an up and down season, starting poorly, then running off a six-game winning streak that including beating St. Mary’s pretty handily, but then losing a pair of road games against weak opposition to finish the season. It’s been just about average on both ends of the floor, so a .500 record is appropriate. The Broncos are good inside scorers, but have really struggled with turnovers, giving up the ball nearly once out of every four possessions. They’ve also forced very few turnovers, which has somewhat undermined a stalwart interior defense.

Players to watch:

6-10 SR John Bryant, 18.0 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 2.5 BPG, 60.7 eFG% - The WCC’s player of the year is a spectacular big man, a game-changing force who has been key to the Broncos’ inside success this season. He’s second nationally in rebounding, and has put up the nation’s best rate on the defensive glass. He’s also an excellent shot-blocker, and hits 61% from the floor and78% from the free-throw line. Few teams in the country have a single player as important to them as Bryant is to the Broncos.

6-2 FR Kevin Foster, 14.4 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 52.0 eFG% - The freshman guard has improved his play markedly over the second half of the season, and is averaging almost 20 points in his last four games. He’s an very good three-point shooter, and can rack up a lot of points from behind the arc, including 31 in a memorable duel with St. Mary’s Patty Mills.

#5 – San Diego Toreros (16-15, 6-8) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.030

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2008 (2^nd Round)

San Diego has been one of the biggest disappointments of the season, as a team that returned a lot from last year’s group that beat UConn in the NCAA tournament has floundered in the WCC. The Toreros opened the tournament with a solid win over Loyola, but face a much tougher challenge in Santa Clara. They’re the fifth of five teams that have held WCC opponents beneath a point-per-possession, thanks to getting opponents to give the ball up a lot, and defending shots effectively. San Diego’s problem has been on the offensive end, where its been one of the worst teams in the conference, terrible on the offensive glass and struggling to make free throws.

Players to watch:

6-8 SR Gyno Pomare, 14.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.2 BPG, 53.5 eFG% - Pomare has regressed a little from his strong junior season, but still leads the Toreros in both points and rebounds, and is the team’s most efficient offensive option. He’s a good inside scorer who rarely turns the ball over and can chip in with some key blocks.

6-6 SO Rob Jones, 9.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 46.8 eFG% - Jones doesn’t really play all that well, but is the second most important player to the USD offense. His shooting has been below average, and he rarely gets to the free throw line, but he’s a good rebounder and inside defender.

#6 – Pepperdine Waves (9-22, 5-9) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.168

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2002 (1^st Round)

Pepperdine actually pulled a bit of an upset in making the second round, despite finishing as the #6 seed, as it has been easily the second-worst team in the conference, and is extremely unlikely to advance past Portland. The Waves have been terrible offensively, making just 37% of shots, including barely 40% of twos and under 30% of threes. Their defense has been a little better, but has struggled to defend the inside, allowing a high percentage of two-point shots and poor on the glass.

Players to watch:

6-3 FR Keion Bell, 12.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 49.7 eFG% - The freshman has improved over the course of the season, and has been very good of late, averaging nearly 20 over his last two games. He needs a lot of work in a couple of typical freshman weak areas, shot selection and turnovers, but he has shown the ability to score inside and a good ability for assists and steals.

6-7 FR Taylor Darby, 6.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 37.0 eFG% - An interesting freshman prospect, Darby has a long way to go with his offensive game, but is an excellent rebounder, and has improved his percentages over the last month.

My statistical all-West Coast team (a very inside-heavy one):

St. Mary’s SO G Patrick Mills, 18.8 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 3.9 APG, 2.4 SPG, 49.8 eFG%

San Francisco JR F Dior Lowhorn, 20.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 52.3 eFG%

Gonzaga SR F Josh Heytvelt, 15.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 58.4 eFG%

St. Mary’s JR C Omar Samhan, 13.9 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.1 BPG, 55.8 eFG%

Santa Clara SR C John Bryant, 18.0 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 2.5 BPG, 60.7 eFG%

WCC All-Conference Team: Bryant is POY

Press Release — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:52:43 -0500

SAN BRUNO, Calif. -- Santa Clara senior center John Bryant turned in one of the most dominating seasons in the last 30 years in WCC history and was rewarded on Monday by being named the Conference Player of the Year in a vote by the league's head coaches. Saint Mary's senior forward Diamon Simpson joined Bryant among the yearly conference award recipients, taking home his second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year honor. Santa Clara's Kevin Foster and Portland's T.J. Campbell shared the Newcomer of the Year award, while Portland Head Coach Eric Reveno was named the Coach of the Year.

Bryant, who is the eighth different Santa Clara player to earn WCC's top honor, was an immovable force during conference play, ranking second in the league in scoring with 18.0 points per game to go along with a staggering 15.1 rebounds per game. Bryant's 15.1 rpg average is the highest clip in the WCC since former San Francisco standout Bill Cartwright averaged 16.1 rpg during the 1978-79 season. In addition, the San Pablo, CA native also paced the conference in field goal percentage (.621) and blocked shots (34). Bryant currently leads the nation in overall rebounds (430), double-doubles (24), and 20-point/20-rebound games (5).

Saint Mary's senior forward Diamon Simpson becomes the first player in WCC history to win multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards. Simpson, last season's WCC Defensive Player of the Year, ranked in the top 10 in rebounding (2nd-9.6rpg), steals (7th-1.43 spg), blocks (5th-1.36 bpg), and defensive rebounds (2nd-6.36). Simpson enters the WCC Tournament needing just three more steals to become the first player in conference history to lead his respective school's career blocks, rebounds and steals charts.

Campbell and Foster made significant impacts on their respective teams this season. Campbell paced the WCC in assists (4.86 apg) during conference play, while scoring 12.6 ppg and shooting an amazing 60 percent (39-for-65) from the three-point line. Foster enjoyed a standout first season, ranking third in the WCC in scoring (16.5 ppg) during conference play. In addition, Foster ranked sixth in assists (3.14 apg) and third in three-point field goals (38). Foster enters the WCC Tournament with 448 points, shattering Kurt Rambis' school freshman scoring record (414).

Reveno, in his third season at the helm of the Portland program, led the Pilots to the program's highest season win total since posting a 19-11 record and going to the 1996 NCAA Tournament. The Pilots, picked sixth in the WCC preseason poll, finished third in the final regular season standings with a 9-5 conference mark. The nine league victories are tied for the second most in program history, trailing only the 1995 season (10-4).

2009 WCC CONFERENCE HONORS

Player of the Year
John Bryant, SCU

Defensive Player of the Year
Diamon Simpson, SMC

Co-Newcomer of the Year
T.J. Campbell, POR
Kevin Foster, SCU

Coach of the Year
Eric Reveno, POR

All-WCC First Team
Matt Bouldin, GON - JR - G
John Bryant, SCU - SR - C
T.J. Campbell, POR - JR - G
Josh Heytvelt, GON - SR - C
Dior Lowhorn, USF - JR - F
Patrick Mills, SMC - SO - G
Gyno Pomare, USD - SR - F/C
Nik Raivio, POR - JR - G
Omar Samhan, SMC - JR - C
Diamon Simpson, SMC - SR - F

All-WCC Freshman Team
Keion Bell, PEP - G
Jarred DuBois, LMU - G
Kevin Foster, SCU - G
James Rahon, SCU - G
Marc Trasolini, SCU - F

All-WCC Honorable Mention
Austin Daye, GON - SO - F
Kevin Foster, SCU - FR - G
Steven Gray, GON - SO - G
Jeremy Pargo, GON - SR - G
Robin Smeulders, POR - JR - F
Jared Stohl, POR - SO - G

2009 WCC Tournament: Schedule/Pairings

Press Release — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:16:34 -0500

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - With the conclusion of the West Coast Conference men's basketball regular season, conference squads now turn their attention to the WCC Tournament, which begins on Friday, March 6 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Gonzaga secured the top seed, posting a perfect 14-0 record in conference play to win its ninth consecutive WCC regular season title and the Bulldogs' 11th in the last 12 seasons. It marks an unprecedented third undefeated conference season for the Zags. Saint Mary's owns the No. 2 seed and like Gonzaga will earn a bye until the semifinals on March 9.

Portland earned the No. 3 seed, while Santa Clara finished fourth in the conference standings to earn the No. 4 seed. The Pilots and the Broncos earn first round byes and will play in the quarterfinal round on March 7. San Diego, last season's tournament champion, is the No. 5 seed, while Pepperdine is the No. 6 seed. San Francisco is the No. 7 seed, while the Loyola Marymount Lions are the No. 8 seed.

A limited number of single session tickets for the Friday, March 6 game will go on sale Wednesday, March 4 at 10:30 a.m. Single session tickets for all remaining dates will not be available until the day of the game at 10:30 a.m.

Single session tickets will be available at the Orleans Arena Box Office on 4500 West Tropicana Avenue in Las Vegas. Phone and Internet orders will be also taken before 2:00 p.m. on the day of the game by calling 888-834-2234 or visiting www.orleansarena.com. The number of single session tickets available will depend on the quantity of unused student tickets returned by the participating institutions.

Men's single session ticket prices are $65/$50 for preliminary sessions on March 6 and 7, $75/$55 for the semifinals on March 8, and $85/$65 for the championship game on March 9. Women's single session ticket prices are $15 for the preliminary sessions on March 6-8 and $20 for the championship game on March 9. A limited number of packages including all four women's sessions are still available for $35.

For more information on the 2009 West Coast Conference Basketball Championships, please visit www.wccsports.com.

The 2009 WCC Tournament marks the first year that the conference's premier event will be held at a neutral site. The capacity for the Orleans Arena at the four-day event is 7,845, making it the largest venue to ever house the WCC Tournament. The 2009 basketball championships will be the 23rd annual event on the men's side and the 17th annual women's tournament. The WCC advanced three teams to last year's NCAA Tournament, the most in conference history and the fifth highest percentage of teams from one conference last season.

2009 WCC Men's Basketball Tournament Seeds
1. Gonzaga
2. Saint Mary's
3. Portland
4. Santa Clara
5. San Diego
6. Pepperdine
7. San Francisco
8. Loyola Marymount

WCC Tournament Schedule

March 6th
#5 San Diego vs #8 Loyola Marymount - 6 PM
#6 Pepperdine vs #7 San Francisco

March 7th
#5/8 vs #4 Santa Clara - 6 PM
#6/7 vs #3 Portland

March 8th
#4/5/8 vs #1 Gonzaga - 6:30 PM, ESPN2
#3/6/7 vs #2 Saint Mary's - 8:30 PM, ESPN2

March 9th
Championship - 6 PM, ESPN