Gonzaga returned the big-win favor to Saint Mary's on Thursday and intrigue is alive at the top of the West Coast Conference standings, as BYU is keeping within striking distance. A few WCC teams also take a break for some BracketBuster showdowns this week, which creates a few TV opportunites for the conference if nothing more. A look back, a look forward, and a rundown of stats and power rankings -- all in this weeks' edition of the West Coast Walkthrough.
GONZAGA PROTECTS THE KENNEL
If you missed seeing Saint Mary's play at Gonzaga on Thursday, you should probably check your pocket to see if your basketball fan card is still there. One of the best environments in college basketball was at full throttle, and Gonzaga shook up Saint Mary's to the tune of 73-59. The 59 points was nearly 20 less than the Gaels' season average as Gonzaga held them to just 38% shooting. Matthew Dellavedova, Rob Jones, and Stephen Holt shot a combined 9-27. Meanwhile, Gonzaga (namely Kevin Pangos) was lights out. The Bulldogs shot 53% on the night, including a 5-6 three-point effort from Pangos.
Another key was Elias Harris outdueling Rob Jones in the post. Harris posted 10 points and 10 rebounds on an efficient 5-8 shooting night, while Jones struggled to eight points (4-11 shooting) and seven rebounds. Jones looked outmatched most of the night, something the Gaels can't have happen if they want to remain dominant.
The result ended Saint Mary's 12-game winning streak and kept Gonzaga in second place and still alive for first if Saint Mary's slips up.
STATUS QUO REIGNS
Aside from the Zags finally handing SMC its first conference loss, everything went as expected in conference play. Many expected San Francisco to rise up and challenge the status quo, but this year it has been Loyola Marymount. But, the Lions fell to Gonzaga in Spokane on Saturday by 19 points, so the clear separation in the conference standings (which is 1-3, 4, and 5-9) remains. In fact, no upper-half team even came close to being challenged this week. BYU slaughtered Pepperdine by 38, LMU beat Portland by 14, San Francisco beat San Diego by 11 ... it was a rather bland week of WCC basketball, SMC at Gonzaga excepting.
NOW PLAYING
It's an odd week thanks to ESPN's BracketBusters. Not every WCC team participates in BracketBusters weekend (SMC, LMU, and San Diego do). In conference play, best-of-the-rest San Francisco will host both BYU and Gonzaga this week.
CONF GAME OF THE WEEK
Loyola Marymount at #16 Saint Mary's - Wed. 2/15, 8:30 pm MT - The Lions get one last shot to take down one of the top three.
BRACKETBUSTERS
Valparaiso (18-9) at Loyola Marymount (16-10) - Fri. 2/17, 7:00 pm MT - ESPNU
#16 Saint Mary's (23-3) at #14 Murray State (24-1) - Sat. 2/18, 4:00 pm MT - ESPN3
San Diego (10-15) at CS-Bakersfield (13-13) - Sat. 2/18, 8:00 pm MT
POWER RANKINGS
If this is lazy, call it so. But the results of each passing week make the WCC pecking order clear, so I'll forgo the power rankings this week as they match exactly with conference standings.
STANDINGS
|
School
|
Conf
|
Overall
|
RPI (+/-)
|
|
#16 Saint Mary’s
|
12-1
|
23-3
|
23 (+1)
|
|
#24 Gonzaga
|
10-2
|
20-4
|
17 (+10)
|
|
|
9-3
|
21-6
|
39 (+4)
|
|
Loyola Marymount
|
9-4
|
16-10
|
107 (+4)
|
|
|
7-6
|
17-10
|
157 (0)
|
|
|
5-8
|
10-15
|
191 (+6)
|
|
|
3-9
|
6-19
|
212 (-4)
|
|
|
2-12
|
8-17
|
252 (-11)
|
|
|
0-12
|
8-17
|
285 (0)
|
STAT LEADERS
|
PLAYER
|
SCHOOL
|
PTS
|
|
|
|
17.3
|
|
Matthew Dellavedova
|
St Mary’s
|
15.7
|
|
|
LMU
|
15.4
|
|
Rob Jones
|
|
15.0
|
|
|
|
14.7
|
|
PLAYER
|
SCHOOL
|
REB
|
|
Rob Jones
|
St Mary’s
|
10.6
|
|
|
Pepperdine
|
8.6
|
|
Elias Harris
|
Gonzaga
|
8.1
|
|
|
|
8.0
|
|
|
|
7.5
|
|
PLAYER
|
SCHOOL
|
ASTS
|
|
Matthew Dellavedova
|
St Mary’s
|
6.4
|
|
Evan Roquemore
|
|
5.3
|
|
Anthony Ireland
|
LMU
|
4.7
|
|
|
|
4.6
|
|
|
Pepperdine
|
3.6
|
|
PLAYER
|
SCHOOL
|
BLKS
|
|
Noah Hartsock
|
BYU
|
1.7
|
|
|
Gonzaga
|
1.5
|
|
Brandon Davies
|
BYU
|
1.3
|
|
|
|
1.2
|
|
|
|
1.1
|
|
PLAYER
|
SCHOOL
|
STLS
|
|
Stephen Holt
|
|
1.9
|
|
Angelo Caloiaro
|
San Fran
|
1.8
|
|
Chris Anderson
|
|
1.8
|
|
Rob Jones
|
|
1.7
|
|
Rashad Green
|
|
1.6
|
|
PLAYER
|
SCHOOL
|
FG%
|
|
Brad Waldow
|
|
65.6
|
|
Noah Hartsock
|
BYU
|
56.7
|
|
|
|
56.0
|
|
Thomas Van Der Mars
|
|
55.8
|
|
|
|
54.1
|
|
PLAYER
|
SCHOOL
|
FT%
|
|
|
|
85.5
|
|
Kevin Pangos
|
Gonzaga
|
85.2
|
|
Noah Hartsock
|
BYU
|
84.7
|
|
Matthew Dellavedova
|
St Mary’s
|
82.5
|
|
|
|
81.0
|
|
PLAYER
|
SCHOOL
|
3PT%
|
|
|
|
43.7
|
|
|
|
43.2
|
|
|
Gonzaga
|
42.1
|
|
|
|
41.6
|
|
Kevin Pangos
|
|
41.1
|