The Slipper Still Fits

Cool video from Nike for the NCAA Tournament

2010-03-15T21:30:00Z

Cool video from Nike for the NCAA Tournament

JUICIEST MATCHUP: Gonzaga vs. Florida State Boeheim wasn't pleased to have this as his 8-9 game;...

2010-03-15T18:27:11Z

JUICIEST MATCHUP: Gonzaga vs. Florida State

Boeheim wasn't pleased to have this as his 8-9 game; as he said on Sunday, "I have [Gonzaga] 15 in my poll this week. I don't see how they're not a 5 or 6 seed." He's right on the Zags being underseeded; they're more dangerous than your average No. 8, and are only in that position because they sleepwalked though a West Coast Conference title game loss to St. Mary's. The team they're paired with, Florida State, is no slouch, either: The 'Noles rank No. 1 in the nation in defensive efficiency, using 7-1 center Solomon Alabi to shut down all action in the paint. The game will hinge on whether Zags guards Matt Bouldin and Steven Gray (and to a lesser degree, small forward Elias Harris) can knock down threes.

Luke Winn at CNNSI clearly is intrigued by the first round matchup between Gonzaga and Florida St.

Gonzaga to take on Florida State in opening round of NCAA Tournament

2010-03-15T04:22:51Z

More photos » Chuck Burton - AP

2 days ago: Florida State's Solomon Alabi (32) dunks the ball as North Carolina State's Dennis Horner (31) Farnold Degand (12) and Tracy Smith (23) look on during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Friday, March 12, 2010. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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Selection Sunday is always full of surprises. After the first three brackets were released, Greg Gumbel said "tensions are building around here" and that is seemingly the way this day always goes. Lots of head shaking, even more finger pointing, and plenty of heartbreak. You can't classify Gonzaga's fortune today as heartbreak but you can say it was disappointing. The 8-9 game is what many look to avoid as you are typically taking two strong teams that were inconsistent and pitting them against eachother. This is why you have match ups like Texas-Wake, Cal-Louisville, and Gonzaga-FSU all residing on the 8-9 line. The second obvious caveat to being involved in this game is the fact that your next contest (if you are lucky enough to survive and advance) will be against a #1 seed. Gonzaga has this difficult, and exciting opportunity as they look to make a deep run in this season's NCAA Tournament.

I'm sure Max will come along tomorrow with a more detailed look at Florida State because, to be quite honest, I never see much of them. I know about Solomon Alabi, Michael Snaer, and a few other touted Seminoles. I know that their reputation is a strong, athletic, and defensive minded team. They're one of the best in the country defensively and really frustrate opposing teams into taking bad shots. But, like every other team not in the top 6-8, they are incredibly inconsistent. They've swept Wake Forest and Georgia Tech but then they've lost games they had no business losing. Overall, it's exactly the type of team I expected the Zags to play in the opening round, even though I didn't think they'd slide to an eight.

There's really no point anymore in looking back and complaining about the committee or how this team finished the season. I know it makes for good discussion and is a good way to grind an ax but the second season is almost upon us and I'm damn excited to get it going. The facts now indicate that Gonzaga will play Florida State on Friday. The Seminoles, while strong and very dangerous, are also very beatable. It's going to take all the same efforts we have seen in flashes through the year. There's no next year for Matt Bouldin to have his tournament success. There is really no more grace period for Demetri Goodson to have the "just a sophomore" excuse. There's also no reason why this bench should be looked upon as a guessing game regarding who is going to play well today.

Many things have to come together for this tournament to be viewed as a success. I can't harp on how much Elias Harris should be priority #1 in the gameplan. Against an outstanding defensive team like Florida State, you have such a small window to come out with fire before they can just wear you down. The good thing is that we all know that this team is capable of doing some very good things against anyone. They can also do awful things against anyone but...I'm one of those fans that happens to think the best version of Gonzaga is going to come to play every game no matter what and I expect nothing less in Buffalo.

Go Zags.

Selection Sunday Open Thread: Send your positive vibes here

2010-03-14T18:11:19Z

More photos » Jim Prisching - AP

Remember how Elias Harris and Rob Sacre dominated against Illinois? I'm ready for that to happen again in the NCAA Tournament. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

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The best day of the year has arrived.

In just a short amount of time, the field of 65 will be released by the selection committee. We all know that Gonzaga has been sliding in the wrong direction for the past month or so but the Zags should easily land an at-large bid in this year's tournament. Most bracketologists have concluded they will be somewhere on the seven line playing at a place other than Spokane, Washington where many fans were hoping they'd wind up.

If the Zags do indeed land on that seven line, you can bet that there will be some dangerous teams waiting for them. Teams like Florida State, Missouri, Georgia Tech, Utah State, San Diego State, Clemson, UNLV, and Old Dominion could all be potential opponents for Gonzaga. What this means is that Mark Few's team will have their hands full from the get go. What makes things worse is that there will definitely be a lengthy plane flight involved to wherever the Bulldogs wind up. Probable locations include Milwaukee, Buffalo, and Oklahoma City. A few weeks ago we were talking about how cool it was going to be to play our first two rounds in Spokane probably against a twelve seed and then a four but that is now all distant history.

Don't get me wrong, there is still hope for at least a six seed which is why we're asking for some positive vibes in this thread. Feel free to stop in and share your thoughts in the comment section below. The Selection Show will air at 3 PM pacific time on CBS and you can also stream it live on CBSSports.com.

GO ZAGS!

Be careful, we're "experts"

2010-03-13T15:21:58Z

If you are like Max and I, no day compares to tomorrow. Selection Sunday is better than Christmas, dwarfs the 4th of July, and blows Halloween out of the water. Tomorrow's show is easily the best reality television going. You've got jubilation, heartbreak, and depression all wrapped into the announcement of 65 teams. The show also begins what is easily the best and most exciting postseason set up of any sport, college or pro. March Madness has become a national institution and has slowed down American productivity since its inception.

With that being said, we are proud to announce that we have been invited to participate in the CBS Selection Sunday Challenge Experts Group. When we first got the e-mail inviting us to join this group, I thought the term "experts" was just for show but this bunch includes some of the best college basketball writers in the business. Joining us in this contest will be Gary Parrish (CBS), Jerry Palm (CBS), Gregg Doyel (CBS), Andy Staples (SI), Ryan Fagan (SportingNews), Ryan Feldman (Hoops Report), Daniel Evans (OnlineSportsFanatic.com), Shawn Siegel (CollegeHoopsNet), Andy Pawalowski (Digital Hoops Blast), Jeff Borzello (March Madness All Season), Shelby Mast (Bracket WAG), Chris Kulenych & Craig Gately (Bracketology 101), and Zach Hayes (Rush the Court).

These are basically all the guys and blogs we check up on daily so it is a tremendous honor to compete against them. We're still working hard to get our brackets laid out before the show tomorrow and we'll post them when we get it done. Here is the link for the contest, you can search "NCAA Hoops Experts" to find our group and belittle us as our bracket gets torn to shreds. Here is a little more via CBSSports' press release:

With NCAA.com’s "Selection Sunday Challenge", fans use a highly interactive online application to stack the field with their favorite teams, randomly choose from more than 330 eligible Division I men’s basketball programs or use the research and tools that the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee puts to use such as RPI, schedules, recent results and more. New features this year include expanded team statistics and an "Evaluate My Picks" function, which will evaluate your selections against the official rules used by the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee. Also included are video clips from the NCAA’s Mock Selection show that describe the selection process.

A much needed break

2010-03-10T21:35:56Z

More photos » Isaac Brekken - AP

The key for the coaching staff is to rediscover the form that saw Gonzaga thoroughly dominate St. Mary's in the previous two meetings. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

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It's rather fascinating how perspective changes from season-to-season in the world of college basketball. Last season, after watching Gonzaga absolutely dismantle St. Mary's in the WCC tournament final, I lamented the fact that the team had 10 days off before they would play again. I was afraid that not having any competition would take that experienced group out of the great rhythm that they had developed throughout the final month of the season. Although that team advanced to the Sweet 16, I'm still convinced that they never regained the chemistry and flow that made them so dangerous and impressive in February and early March.

While I found the 10-day break to be a negative last season, I feel the complete opposite way about the break this group will have before beginning the NCAA Tournament next Thursday or Friday. I don't remember seeing a team at Gonzaga (maybe the 2006/2007 team that had to deal with the Josh Heytvelt and Theo Davis suspensions) that needed a week of practice and fundamental work more than this team. Even more important is the fact that guys like Matt Bouldin, Elias Harris, and Steven Gray will have a chance to rest their bodies and sleep in their own beds for at least a week. Instead of preparing for an opponent, this next week can spent improving this team and finding the rhythm and competitive streak that made this group so appealing and highly-regarded back in November and December.

I know we have debated and discussed all the struggles that this team has gone through since the loss to USF, but I continue to believe that the most important thing the coaching staff can do is improve the psyche and confidence of this team. The first thing I would do when practice starts again (hopefully tomorrow, because I think this group needs two full days off) is show them clips of the wins over Cincinnati, Illinois, Memphis, and St. Mary's. The reason I chose these games is because the key factors were Elias Harris dominating on the offensive end, Matt Bouldin looking to be a play-maker and scoring when the opportunity was there, and Rob Sacre being a force in the middle on both ends of the court.

While I am a fan of doing what it takes to get Sacre involved in the offense, I don't support this idea of force-feeding him at the expense of getting Elias Harris the ball on every possession. Elias is the best combination of offensive skill and athleticism that we have seen at Gonzaga in awhile, and it baffles me that he isn't the primary option on the offensive end. This team was at its best when Elias was taking 15-20 shots per game, with Bouldin and Gray getting open looks and attacking because the defense was so focused on slowing down Harris. As we saw at St. Mary's and at Illinois, Elias is good enough to carry this team to victories, and I have to believe that this will be the case if this group is going to advance in the Tournament.

The other big issue facing this time heading into the NCAA Tournament is how to replace the impact of Mangisto Arop (random sidenote: Has anyone actually seen a press release on Arop's injury. Besides speculation by ESPN and this site, does anyone actually know that he is out for the rest of the season?). If we are under the assumption that Arop is out, that means the coaching staff has to put its faith in Bol Kong. At this point of the season, it's not time to start seeing if Grant Gibbs and GJ Vilarino can make an impact.

Kong played the best he has all season in the win against LMU, scoring nine points in 24 minutes, and showing the ability to attack the rim. However, Kong played only 13 minutes in the loss to St. Mary's, despite it being a game where Gonzaga was in desperate need of his creativity and ability to score on the offensive end. Without taking into account a potential injury or foul trouble, the coaching staff must stick with an 8-man rotation featuring Kong, Foster, and Olynyk off the bench. With Mangisto out, Kong should be seeing around 20 minutes off the bench. Also, I don't buy that Kong is a liability on the defensive end, since I saw him do a tremendous job on Drew Viney throughout the LMU game.

Lets not forget how explosive and difficult this team can be to play against. There are only a handful of teams that can match up with the trio of Bouldin, Gray, and Harris when they are clicking and healthy. That's why getting those three rested and on the same page with Demetri Goodson and Rob Sacre is the most important thing this staff can do before they start preparation for their first and potential second round opponents. This biggest challenge for this coaching staff is making sure that each minute spent with this group before next week is used to improve the flow of this team and get everyone on the same page and playing loose like this team did at the start of the season. The talent and maturity is there, but the main question facing this team is whether or not this group can find it again.

Open Thread: NCAA Tournament Wish List

2010-03-09T19:13:12Z

More photos » Isaac Brekken - AP

6 days ago: Gonzaga's Elias Harris and Saint Mary's Omar Samhan watch the ball drop in the hoop during an NCAA college basketball game for the championship of the West Coast Conference tournament Monday, March 8, 2010, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

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The good news: The sun rose today in Denver and washed away that horrid evening. Hopefully the same can be said for wherever you are reading this piece from.

The bad news: Bracketologies from every corner of the Internet have Gonzaga plummeting after losing to Saint Mary's last night. Nothing we can do about that now. Your beloved Zags will be hitting the road come tournament time and will probably be headed to places like Oklahoma City, Buffalo, etc.

Assuming we can all bury last night and move on, I think everyone knows there are some MAJOR issues with this ball club right now; individually and as a team. Our game thread and postgame reactions brought that out and I kind of gave you my wish list for this team in my game recap.

Pure and simple, get back to the basics. Matt goes back to do-it all man, Steven keeps doing what he's doing, and Elias returns to being the focal part of our offense every time down the court. Remember Illinois and how Gonzaga showed toughness down the stretch? Remember who was dominant in that game? Elias and Rob still had a hell of a game too.

That's my wish list. Back to basics. Instead of pluggin random pieces to see if they work after every time out, stick with those three and do what you did early in conference play and in Maui. March is not the time for tinkering.

What's on your wish list for this team/players/staff as we head to the NCAA's?

Get those tourney tickets up on Craigslist! Gonzaga dismantled by Saint Mary's

2010-03-09T05:49:57Z

More photos » Isaac Brekken - AP

Salt, meet wound. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

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What a fitting end to an insanely frustrating West Coast Conference season.

Just like so many times during regular season play, Gonzaga failed to rise to the occasion and laid an egg with much on the line. That's really what it comes down to. If you watched the game on TV or were unfortunate enough to be in the arena tonight, there was absolutely no question which team was more prepared and up for tonight's game. Gonzaga came out flat tonight at the Orlenas and wound up getting pummeled by the Gaels of Saint Mary's by a score of 81-62.

It's really easy to write off this game by saying "Well, Saint Mary's had to win whereas Gonzaga was already in the tourney". But we all know that this excuse really holds no water when you look at what the Zags had on the line. Playing in Spokane, getting a protected seed, etc etc were all things Mark Few and his club had in their sights tonight but apparently playing a minute away from campus is just not of importance.

The thing which also really bugs me about the way Gonzaga lost tonight is how it all happened. The fact that Omar Samhan only had nine points speaks volumes about the way Robert Sacre played but the fact that Mickey McConnell and Ben Allen combined for 46 points absolutely makes me sick. All you can do here is tip your hat to Randy Bennett who obviously saw the huge hole in Gonzaga's defensive rotation and exposed it with some great drive and kick out plays to get his hot players the basketball. It was just a simple pick and roll with a set shooter waiting on the perimeter if the drive failed and Allen and McConnell connected time and time again to absolutely demolish the Zags. Our defense never changed and there offensive direction never did either. Robert Sacre had one of his best defensive performances ever tonight but it was clear Saint Mary's was perfectly fine with relying on someone other than their star center.

All season long I have felt like a broken record in these recaps. That's either because A) I'm stubborn or B) It's pretty obvious what makes this team tick. There are three players that must be the focal points and they are all in different capacities. First of all, Elias Harris is Gonzaga's best and most dangerous player on offense. Gonzaga must get him the ball in situations where he can use his athletic ability in space. Space. Space. Space. That's an interesting concept. For the first half of the season, we were delighted with clear out plays designed around Harris to get into the lane, make a move, and finish. If it wasn't there, we were seeing him come around back screens for alley-oops or on screen and roll plays. Something changed in conference play and our dependence on Elias suddenly shifted to forcing the pass into Robert Sacre or running the ball specifically through Matt or Steven. We saw a few glimpses of plays to Elias tonight but that was after 30-35 minutes of time had elapsed. For the past 15-20 games I just don't get why our staff can't figure out that the ball must run through Harris each and every time. This team hits another level when he is firing on all cylinders and there were a few plays where you could see he had the intensity but just couldn't get consistent touches.

Regarding Matt Bouldin and Steven Gray. Bouldin is probably Gonzaga's best all-around player because he can bring so much to this club. He's ridiculously inefficient, however, when he thinks he is this team's best scoring option. I'd rather see Matt have eight assists over 18 points because he is the Zags' primary distributor. It serves this team nothing when he jacks up mid-range shots with 25 seconds left in the shot clock. His stat line every game should be 12 points, seven assists, and six rebounds because that is what an all-around player like him should do.

The reason Matt should defer on offense sometimes is because he has a player like Steven Gray roaming the backcourt with him. I thought Gray had another terrific game but the fact that he only had two offensive attempts in the first half is utterly inexcusable. We saw last night and tonight that he is a total scorer who works in a variety of ways but he's got to have the ball in his hands. I have no doubt in my mind that Gray and Elias can and will be one of the best inside out combos next season provided that Demetri Goodson shows the ability to become the primary distributor once Matt leaves. These two guys can really score from anywhere on the court and already have me salivating for next season.

That's how Gonzaga breaks down in my opinion. It's really, really simple. The last thing that is really hard to quantify and breakdown is just simple motivation. You might not look at this game tomorrow and view it as an embarrassing loss but if you watched that second half, it was painfully obvious and embarrassing that this team just has no leadership. I made a comment in our game thread that I miss Jeremy Pargo like crazy this year and it's the absolute truth. Whether you like him as a player or didn't, it is guys like Pargo that can will a team to win and is willing to throw a club on their back if they have to. We didn't always come out victorious with Jeremy leading but at least he had the mental make-up and grit to lead this team. We don't have that this year. I do see some of it in some of the guys that will be leading next season but it is such a shame to see what appears to be a bunch of great talent get wiped out because they can't get up during the most crucial times.

Well, this appears to have taken on more of a rant than a recap! Gonzaga now has a long, long break and probably a long, long flight in between now and their next time on the hardwood. Maybe rest is what this team needs but if I was Mark Few I would practice the hell out of these kids to try and inspire some kind of energy out of these guys. Otherwise, it is going to be a very, very, quick March and a long offseason.

Live Game Thread - Saint Mary's College vs. Gonzaga University

2010-03-09T01:35:46Z

West Coast Conference Tournament Finals Saint Mary's College vs. Gonzaga University
	vs.
25-5 (11-3 in WCC)		26-5 (7-1 in WCC)
Orleans Arena Las Vegas, Nevada Official Opponent Site: Saint Mary's Basketball Live Stats: GameTracker
March 8, 2010 6:00 PM PT
TV: ESPN Radio: 1510 KGA
Probable starters:
Mickey McConnell	PG	Demetri Goodson
Matt Dellavedova	SG	Matt Bouldin
Clint Steindl	SF	Steven Gray
Ben Allen	PF	Elias Harris
Omar Samhan	C	Robert Sacre

If you haven't, sign up for a membership to The Slipper Still Fits and get in the discussion in the comments. You know the drill, the comments refresh automatically so it's a great to chat about the game with other fans. Looking forward to hearing from you!

GO ZAGS!!!

(Mangisto) Arop appeared to hurt his foot near the 14-minute mark of the second half. Few said the...

2010-03-08T06:40:47Z

(Mangisto) Arop appeared to hurt his foot near the 14-minute mark of the second half. Few said the freshman wing might miss tonight’s game. He was scheduled for X-rays, but "it didn’t look good," Few said.

-- Spokesman Review

Not good.

Zags turn away Loyola Marymount, advance to WCC finals

2010-03-08T05:29:01Z

More photos » Isaac Brekken - AP

Bol Kong's production off the bench was key as Gonzaga took down LMU tonight in Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

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Gonzaga has had a lot of players over the years that have just been a pleasure to watch when they have 'it' going on that night. Guys like Adam Morrison, Derek Raivio, Blake Stepp, and on and on have dazzled fans of this program for the past decade but there aren't many of them that I would rather watch at their peak than Steven Gray. The supremely talented junior wing scored 18 points tonight on 6-10 shooting as the Zags defeated Loyola Marymount by a margin 77-62.

Although Steven Gray might be the king of streakiness, you really have to watch games like this and realize all those headscratching moments are worth it. His stat line says it all. 18 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and two steals is what Steven contributed for his team tonight and they needed all of it as that fifteen-point deficit was much more narrow than you think. Loyola Marymount came out of the gates at a snail's pace tonight at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas and looked like a team that was bracing for a rout. They had five turnovers in the first three or four minutes and were really frustrated by Gonzaga's pressure defense. Gray once again had a dynamite evening on defense as did Demetri Goodson and Robert Sacre. The Lions fought back after heading into the locker room down sixteen at halftime and made a game of it in the second stanza.

For as good as Steven Gray was throughout tonight's game, the key may have been the play of Elias Harris in the second half. LMU came out very aggressive in the second half and really knocked the Zags on their butts a few times but it seemed like every big run was answered by a Harris bucket; including two from long range. He wasn't alone in making clutch baskets late however. Two guys who many think are Gonzaga's X-factors, Robert Sacre and Bol Kong, both made plays when the game was most contested. The lead dwindled down to six points before Sacre hit two very confident free throws and then Kong drilled a three pointer to extend the Gonzaga advantage back up to 11 points.

From there it was all downhill for the Bulldogs as they took down the Lions and advanced to the championship game tomorrow night. Read on after the jump to hear more of our impressions from GU-LMU...

You can no longer count the number of games Matt Bouldin has played less than 30 minutes on one hand. Gonzaga's senior guard and the West Coast Conference player of the year only managed to stay on the court for 29 minutes this evening as he was really ineffective throughout the night for the Bulldogs. From poor passing to sloppy dribbling to missed shot opportunities, nothing was really going Matt's way tonight and you have to credit the Lions. They were constantly bumping him, chipping him, and doing whatever they could to throw him off his rhythm. He was visibly frustrated that there weren't more fouls called and was obviously upset that he wasn't producing more. The overarching thing here is that we haven't really seen a solid performance from Matt since the Saint Mary's-San Diego stretch in mid-February. He's been fatigued and roughed up all season long and it is really taking it's toll in these kind of physical games. You really notice in a game like this because, even though Harris and Gray were dominant, Gonzaga really can't hit that next level without stellar performances from Matt. They will go as far as he can take them.

Aside from Steven and Elias, I came away most impressed with the way Bol Kong and Mangisto Arop played tonight. Bol's 3-7 shooting mark was a bit surprising when I checked out the box score because it seemed like he was really in control on offense all night. He made a couple great driving layups early on and showed some aggressive play which I love from him. Then he hit the huge three-pointer late to really seal the deal for the Zags. We've maintained all season long here that he must play a major role down the stretch if Gonzaga is going to go deep and tonight was exactly what I wanted from him.

I think without a doubt, I smile the most when I watch Manny Arop play. It's really hard to criticize a guy like Arop because everything he does is literally 150%. Tonight was just another example of that as Manny filled his role and helped his club when the game. It was another typical Manny stat line as he went 2-4 from the floor and pulled down eight rebounds. I think his hustle and rebounding ability is really overshadowing the fact that we have a really, really good basketball player in Manny. He's still growing into the speed of the game on offense but he makes a few plays every now and then that make you stop and realize that he has a nice shot and offensive skills set. I'm not sure how he made that driving, off-balance jumper but somehow, Manny gets it done.

It was another up and down game for Robert Sacre and Demetri Goodson. The game started out great for Meech as he scored two quick layups to get the team off to a fast start but it all kind of came apart on offense from there. He had a couple drives where as fans you just bury your head in your hands to avoid seeing a replay but also was just the victim of a few nice defensive plays where he had his shots blocked. I swear it feels like all the bad plays from him come in a 3-5 minute window where he feels the need to try and fly past everyone. Overall, I'm always a proponent of his because I believe his work on the perimeter playing defense is huge and he had to play a big role while Matt was trying to get over his losses at the craps table and Steven was battling that nasty fall and foul trouble.

I genuinely felt bad for Rob Sacre early on in this game. All season long we have seen him struggle against undersized teams because he gets in foul trouble so quickly. Tonight was no different. He had two fouls before you could blink and I really do blame two of his five fouls on him just overpowering the opposition. That first offensive foul where he was backing down Viney was bogus but the refs see this guy moving the defensive player completely off of the court and must just feel some sympathy. Sacre hit a beautiful shot to end the first half which gave the Bulldogs a quick shot of momentum and also scored four straight Gonzaga points when LMU had cut the lead into single digits late in the game. You won't be blown away by Rob's numbers and the only reason I am somewhat critical is because only having one rebound in 17 minutes is going to come back and bite this team at some point when they face a more talented team.

All in all, there were some great moments in this game and then there were some awful things about this game. Free throws were abysmal (capped off by Will's...whatever that was) and Steven Gray's difficulty hitting the rim on the front end of his attempts. The good news is that Gonzaga lives to defend their West Coast Conference crown hopefully make it ten wins in the past twelve tournaments.

Live Game Thread - Loyola Marymount University vs. Gonzaga University

2010-03-08T01:00:25Z

West Coast Conference Tournament Semifinals Loyola Marymount vs. Gonzaga University
	vs.
18-14 (7-7 in WCC)		25-5 (12-2 in WCC)
Orleans Arena Las Vegas, Nevada Official Opponent Site: LMU Basketball Live Stats: GameTracker
March 7, 2010 5:30 PM PT
TV: ESPN2 Radio: 1510 KGA
Probable starters:
Vernon Teel	PG	Demetri Goodson
Jarred DuBois	SG	Steven Gray
Drew Viney	SF	Matt Bouldin
Ashley Hamilton	PF	Elias Harris
Kevin Young	C	Robert Sacre

GO ZAGS!!!

Final four set for WCC Tournament

2010-03-07T15:34:27Z

More photos » Isaac Brekken - AP

8 days ago: Portland's Luke Sikma, right, tries to block a shot from San Diego's Roberto Mafra during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the West Coast Conference championships Saturday, March 6, 2010 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

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-posted by Max over at SBNation.com

Over the course of the WCC season, four teams seemed to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. With Gonzaga and St. Mary’s already waiting in the semi-finals, LMU and Portland joined them with convincing victories over USF and USD respectively.

Despite entering the game as the lower seed, LMU came into the match up with USF having recently defeated both Gonzaga and Portland in the final month of the season. After a hotly contested first half, which saw the two teams tied at 38, LMU used their experienced and talented starting five to pull away for the convincing 84-76 victory. The Lions were led by the experienced combination of Drew Viney and Vernon Teal, who each scored a team-high 18 points. In a losing effort, Dior Lowhorn finished his illustrious career with 18 points and nine boards.

In the second game of the night, Portland controlled the tempo throughout the 40 minutes, setting up a tantalizing match up with St. Mary’s tomorrow night. In a typically tough and gritty performance, the Pilots used their size and experience to completely control the game from the opening tip. T.J. Campbell dictated the game from the point guard position, scoring 15 points and dishing out eight assists. When Campbell is able to score and push the tempo on the offensive end, Portland is a very difficult team to match up with.

Tomorrow night will provide two terrific games for fans of the WCC. Gonzaga will take on LMU in the first game of the night, with the inexperienced but talented Lions hoping to extend their season another game. The second game of the night will see Portland and St. Mary’s match up, with these two teams splitting their season series. It should be a very competitive and compelling night in Sin City.

WCC Tournament: Loyola Marymount, San Diego survive and advance

2010-03-06T07:11:08Z

More photos » Isaac Brekken - AP

LMU will take on San Francisco tomorrow night. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

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The West Coast Conference tournament started off with a bang tonight at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. While the top teams in the conference have all earned byes, Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine got things started and provided us with some drama we can hopefully expect to see all the way through Monday.

The Lions of LMU took the court as the favorites in this first round match up but Pepperdine wasn't about to sity idly by. The Waves actually lead the game early on thanks to a great individual performance from star guard Keion Bell. LMU stormed back and took a double-digit about ten minutes through the second half. Pepperdine then came back with a flurry of their own but the Lions were able to seal the deal down the stretch with free throws to come away victorious by a score of 87-84. LMU's Vernon Teel led all scorers with 27 points while Pepperdine's Bell finished the game with 25. the Lions now advance to the second round of the tournament where they will match up in a highly anticipated game with San Francisco. Tip off is Saturday night at 6 PM.

Defense was the theme of the late game between Santa Clara and San Diego tonight at the Orleans Arena. The game was tight throughout but the Toreros were able to survive and advance thanks to some balanced scoring and outstanding team basketball.

Santa Clara actually had a chance at the end to tie the game and send it into overtime but their inbounds play with 0.4 seconds remaining failed and sent the Toreros to the next round. USD was paced by senior center Roberto Mafra who finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists in 30 minutes of action. They also got a solid showing from senior guard Brandon Johnson. For the Broncos of Santa Clara, it was once again freshman guard Robert Smith leading the way. Smith put up 16 points tonight for Santa Clara but it just wasn't enough to outlast San Diego. Next up for the Toreros is Eric Reveno and the University of Portland Pilots. That game will tip off at 8:30 PM pacific time.

Gonzaga and Saint Mary's are still waiting in the wings for the winners of Saturday's games. Each match up should be very intriguing as LMU and San Francisco are both teams the Zags have struggled with and Portland is expected to make a serious run at the tournament championship. I don't believe the games tomorrow will be televised but you can stream them all online at WCCSports.com

The answer has come during a rewarding and revealing senior season in which the 6-foot-7 Polee has...

2010-03-05T17:42:37Z

The answer has come during a rewarding and revealing senior season in which the 6-foot-7 Polee has matured and blossomed into a bona fide major-college prospect, with Georgia, Nevada Las-Vegas, Gonzaga and Rutgers pursuing him.

"Me and Coach [Ed] Azzam had a talk," Polee said. "He said he needs me to be more aggressive. The last three years, he said I've just been playing, but now he needs me to perform. That's what I'm doing.

Polee committed to USC when he was 14. He is an elite athlete, and perhaps is the replacement for Elias Harris down the road. This guys is an absolute freak athlete. Once again, this is just more 2010 recruiting speculation.

West Coast Conference Tournament Preview

2010-03-05T05:34:17Z

More photos » Rajah Bose - AP

Are Gonzaga and Saint Mary's destined to meet again in the West Coast Conference finals or is there an upset in the works? (AP Photo/Rajah Bose)

Browse more photos »

Drama really isn't something we are used to seeing in the West Coast Conference come March. For the past decade, Gonzaga has been head and shoulders above the rest and their tournament record proves it. Eight times in the past ten seasons, Mark Few's team has cut down the nets at the tournament championship. The Zags enter as the #1 seed once again this season but this might be one of the most difficult WCC fields in recent memory. The conference has plenty of star power and they are just itching to get their chance to knock off the top dog.

The young Zags have progressed this season by leaps and bounds. Victories over nonconference foes such as Illinois, Cincinnati, Wisconsin, and Memphis were matched by an embarrassing loss to Duke and two terrible conference losses against San Francisco and Loyola Marymount. Gonzaga's biggest challenge this season has come from a familiar team in Saint Mary's. For the past few years, Randy Bennett has been building an excellent program in Moraga and this season has been no different. They are sitting firmly on the bubble right now after a great regular season and come into Vegas with high expectations.

The rest of the field is also very impressive. Teams like Portland, LMU, and San Francisco all have the ability to make waves this weekend and come into the tournament with big dreams. The Vegas scene will provide an outstanding backdrop to what should be a very exciting and interesting conference tournament.

The Stakes

Regardless of what happens in the WCC tournament, Gonzaga has a place in big dance. From there, things get a bit dicey. The one team on the bubble is Saint Mary's. The Gaels have a great looking 24-5 record but their overall tournament resume is less than impressive. Wins at Utah State and at home against San Diego State are the only two that really jump out. They were three points away from getting a great quality win against Vanderbilt but couldn't seal the deal at home. Now they are in a familiar position; win the tournament or you are nailbiting on selection Sunday. Just like last season, Saint Mary's will have to have a strong performance in Vegas to make up for subpar scheduling. They couldn't pull it off a year ago as they were routed by Gonzaga in the tournament final and, if this season's results have any bearing, it does not look good for this time around either. The Zags swept their season series with the Gaels and have done their best to reduce Saint Mary's to a one-man show. For the rest of the conference, the stakes are win and you are in. Portland was expected to make some noise for a possible at-large bid early in the season and were even ranked at one point but fell off after getting bit by the injury bug.

Names You Should Know

Omar Samhan, Saint Mary's: In my mind Omar is still the most underrated player in this part of the country. His 21 point, 11 rebound average speaks for itself and he has really blossomed into a complete player over the past few years. Samhan is the ultimate competitor and the Gaels will go as far as he can carry them.

Dior Lowhorn, San Francisco: If Omar is the most underrated player this season, Lowhorn has to be the most underrated player throughout his career. The two-time West Coast Conference scoring leader has never been the player of the year but continues to put up remarkable statistics. His career as a Don will go down as one of the best in recent memory and you can bet the senior is looking for one last great college memory.

Steven Gray, Gonzaga: Matt Bouldin might be the face of this team, but Gray might be the key for a successful March. Steven has been consistently streaky this season but when he is on, the Zags elevate to a different level. He's no longer the sharpshooter he once was as a freshman, but he has become a more complete offensive threat and has also turned into one of Gonzaga's best defenders.

Keion Bell, Pepperdine: The Waves may not be all that fun to watch, but Bell is worth the price of admission alone. He is without a doubt one of the most exciting players in the western region and can light up any team at will. His career high 37 point performance against Gonzaga in Spokane nearly led to an upset and he is fully capable of shooting any club out of the building in Vegas.

Vernon Teel, LMU: The up and coming Lions of Loyola Marymount have been bolstered by the outstanding play of their junior guard from Jamaica, New York. Teel has grown into a complete package in the WCC. He's averaging nearly 15 points a game and leads the conference in assists per game with almost six. Forward Drew Viney has gotten most of the attention this season at LMU but don't sleep on Teel.

Tournament Outlook

The overwhelming favorites to win this tournament have to be Gonzaga and Saint Mary's. Not only does the structure favor them (they each get byes into the semifinals) but they are each just much more talented from top to bottom. The likely scenario in the semifinals is for the Zags to match up with Loyola Marymount and for the Gaels to take on Portland. I expect both games to remain quite close throughout but I really like the favorites in neutral site scenarios such as this. The key for teams like LMU, Portland, and the rest of the field will be to try and strike early and take the fans out of the game. Vegas may not be the home of any WCC team, but you can expect that Gonzaga fans will descend on the city in packs to support their team. Last season no team was able to match the Zags' intensity and the Orleans Arena turned into a home-gym type atmosphere for Gonzaga as they walked all over the competition. If the Zags do happen to match up with the Gaels in the finals, don't expect a repeat of last season. Matt Bouldin may have walked away with the conference player of the year award but the most consistent player throughout the year was Omar Samhan...and he doesn't exactly like Gonzaga. He might not have enough help around him to upset the favorites but he's going to make it interesting. If Randy Bennett can get one or two other players to step up, they are fully capable of grabbing the auto-bid. In the end, however, Gonzaga will prevail thanks to great play in the backcourt and grab their sixth tournament crown in seven years.

The Bracket

Friday, March 5
Men's First Round Session Game 1 (5 vs. 8) - 6:00 PM
Men's First Round Session Game 2 (6 vs. 7) - 30 mins after the conclusion of Game 1

Saturday, March 6
Men's Quarterfinal Round Session Game 1 (5/8 vs. 4) - 6:00 PM
Men's Quarterfinal Round Session Game 2 (6/7 vs. 3) - 30 mins after the conclusion of Game 1

Sunday, March 7
Men's Semifinal Round Session Game 1 (5/8/4 vs. 1) - 5:30 PM (ESPN 2)
Men's Semifinal Round Session Game 2 (6/7/3 vs. 2) - 7:30 PM (ESPN 2)

Monday, March 8
Men's Championship - 6:00 PM (ESPN)

EDZ, Richard Fox, and Jim Meehan talk Gonzaga hoops with Toby on 1510 KGA

2010-03-05T01:23:28Z

EDZ, Richard Fox, and Jim Meehan talk Gonzaga hoops with Toby on 1510 KGA

We encourage all of you to download and listen to the Gonzaga Roundtable discussion that we were invited to participate in on 1510 KGA radio. There is some great talk about the expectations for the NCAA Tournament, what we have been most surprised by this season, and how the youth of this team has impacted some performances.

Rivals.com - JUCO Combo Guard Getting Top Looks

2010-03-04T04:51:57Z

Rivals.com - JUCO Combo Guard Getting Top Looks

Former Seward Community College guard Tony Smith was on campus for the USF game. Smith recently left his juco team on a mutual agreement but is still getting plenty of recruiting interest. He reports an offer from Gonzaga but this article is pretty slanted towards Western Kentucky:
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"I've been pretty much wide open from the beginning and still am," Smith said. "I still don't know how this thing's gonna play out. Western Kentucky is definitely gonna be a spot, where push comes to shove, they're up there. I already know a player out there and he pretty much tells me the ins and outs of it, how they play. It fits my style of game well, where I can come in and help the team."
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Take the article for what it is worth. The 2010 cycle has been impossible to figure out so I guess we'll just see what happens. My best guess after reading this is that Tony won't wind up at GU but I have been consistently wrong this year in recruiting!

Live Game Thread - CSU Bakersfield at Gonzaga University

2010-03-03T01:30:15Z

2009-10 Season - Game 30 Cal State-Bakersfield at Gonzaga University
	@
7-21		24-5 (11-2 in WCC)
McCarthey Athletic Center Spokane, Washington Official Opponent Site: Bakersfield Basketball Live Stats: GameTracker
March 2, 2010 6:00 PM PT
TV: KHQ/FSN Radio: 1510 KGA
Probable starters:
Stephon Carter	PG	Demetri Goodson
Donavan Bragg	SG	Steven Gray
Marcus Hall	SF	Matt Bouldin
Trent Blakley	PF	Elias Harris
Santwon Latunde	C	Robert Sacre

GO ZAGS!!!

Gary Bell, 6-0 PG/SG Kent (Wash.) Kentridge. A teammate of UCLA-committed Josh Smith on the Seattle...

2010-03-02T23:21:00Z

Gary Bell, 6-0 PG/SG Kent (Wash.) Kentridge. A teammate of UCLA-committed Josh Smith on the Seattle Rotary club team, Bell is a very good shooter with a solid feel for the game. He's played off the ball in the summer, but we think he might play the one at the next level. UCLA has offered and has been going after him hard since the fall. We’re hearing that Gonzaga and California are the current leaders, and you’d have to think that Washington will be in it, but it could be that Bell thinks Washington is loaded with guards, and will probably also get Wroten (see below)

This comes from the UCLA scout page. The reason I post this is because Tracy Pierson, who wrote this article, usually has a great feel and is spot-on when it comes to West Coast recruits.