The lead up to the Madness is on in earnest. This week some of the more significant conference tournaments get going, including the West Coast Conference’s, which runs March 6-11 under the bright lights of Las Vegas.
In the last five years, only two teams have played in the final of the West Coast Conference Tournament: Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s. But this year could see a departure from that duopoly and the conference could crown a new champion for the first time since 2008.
West Coast Conference Tournament Preview
The Schedule
How the Tournament Shakes Out
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]For the 14th time in 15 season, Gonzaga has claimed the regular season championship and will once again be the no. 1 seed. But because of the new 10-team tournament format being introduced this season, the ‘Zags will have a bye for just one round instead of the first three as in past seasons. Meanwhile, Saint Mary’s is having a down year and has fallen outside the top two seeds for the first time since 2007.
With the Gaels seemingly out of the picture, the Zags’ main competition for this year’s title will likely come from the BYU Cougars. Led by junior Tyler Haws’ 23.4 PPG, the Cougars have the nation’s 3rd most prolific offense (85 PPG), which they used to nab the tournament’s no. 2 seed.
Despite the change in tournament format, which has significantly lessened the advantage for the top two seeds, Gonzaga and BYU look bound to meet in the final. Both teams swept their nearest competition this season, San Francisco and Saint Mary’s, and are the class of the conference.
Gonzaga under head coach Mark Few has won 10 of the last 15 WCC tournament titles, and will have a decided advantage in experience. The Zags are 6-1 SU against BYU in their last 7 meetings. However, that lone defeat came only weeks ago when the Cougars won 73-65 at home.
How the Tournament Affects the Madness
The West Coast Conference is currently projected to send just two teams to the Big Dance: Gonzaga and BYU. Unless another team comes out of nowhere and wins the conference tournament (and that automatic bid to March Madness) that number will stay at two.
Nonetheless, a good tournament run could just improve the seeding of Gonzaga. The Zags are nowhere near the no. 1 seed they were last season (they’re currently projected as a no. 9), but a dominant tournament could help them avoid a meeting with a no. 1 seed in the second round.
Similarly, a shock tournament victory would propel the Cougars from a bubble team still unsure of their tournament fate into an automatic bid as conference champs. A strong tournament showing could also prove whether the Cougars and their top-3 offense can actually cause an upset or two when the Madness starts later this month.
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