воскресенье, 23 сентября 2012 г.

WCC tourneys kick off tonight; At Las Vegas; Saint Mary's again a classic bubble team for NCAA berth; Zags strong.(Sports) - The Seattle Times (Seattle, WA)

Byline: Bud Withers; Seattle Times staff reporter

Seemingly with more possibilities than in recent years, the West Coast Conference basketball tournament tips off Friday night in Las Vegas.

It appears there are three prominent story lines to the tournament's second rendition in Vegas, with the event sold out at the 7,471-seat Orleans Arena:

* Can somebody come from deep in the pack to nab the league's automatic berth in the NCAA tournament?

* Will No. 2-seeded Saint Mary's, a classic 'bubble' team for the NCAA field, do enough to get in?

* Can top seed Gonzaga (25-5) nail down a No. 4 or 5 NCAA seed if it wins the event, and thereby make a better case for being placed at Spokane Arena for the first and second rounds of the NCAA?

'For the first time, there are some teams coming out of the 4-5 slot that could make some noise in this tournament,' says Randy Bennett, the Saint Mary's coach. 'It's been awhile since I remember it that way.'

Gonzaga and Saint Mary's benefit from the double-bye format of the event, which was designed to protect the regular-season champion. So those two don't hit the floor until Sunday night while the lower six seeds sort things out Friday and Saturday nights.

No. 5 seed Loyola Marymount meets No. 8 Pepperdine, the winner facing No. 4 San Francisco and Gonzaga getting the team that advances. In the other half, No. 6 San Diego faces No. 7 Santa Clara, winner to meet Portland. That survivor gets Saint Mary's.

Both USF and Loyola thwarted Gonzaga on their home floors, and the Dons extended the Zags to the final possessions last week in Spokane.

'If we're fortunate enough to play Gonzaga, we've played them well,' said USF coach Rex Walters. 'We definitely have confidence.'

'They kind of go to a smaller lineup at times, spread the floor and try to bounce it (use the dribble) and shoot it,' said Mark Few, the Gonzaga coach. 'They've shot it very well against us.'

Saint Mary's, meanwhile, is in a familiar position. A year ago, it was fighting what would be a losing battle to get into the NCAAs. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi has the Gaels in now, but only marginally.

'It's ironic,' said Bennett. 'We have the same exact record (24-5) we did last year at this time. There are so many similarities.'

Added Bennett, 'We're a better team. I don't think we're more talented.'

Lunardi has been projecting the Zags as a No. 4 or 5 seed, which could land them in Spokane. But it's almost a given that they need to win the WCC first, and then it might be a hairline call.

The league's women's tournament also will take place at the same site. Gonzaga, 17th-ranked and winner of 16 straight behind league player of the year Courtney Vandersloot of Kentwood High, is a solid favorite to claim a second straight NCAA berth.

Bud Withers: 206-464-8281 or bwithers@seattletimes.com

FACTS

Sunday

Gonzaga vs. TBD, WCC tournament, 5:30 p.m., ESPN2

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