WCC Basketball: Way-Too-Early West Coast Conference power rankings
By Connor Hope
College basketball is fast approaching, and it is a good time to begin looking at how the conferences could shake out this season.
After a season in which Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga dominated their way through the WCC on their way to the NCAA Tournament, the 2017-2018 season probably won’t be any different. While the other teams may win a couple games against the two contenders, they won’t make any serious run at the WCC title. So where do the teams rank in the WCC at this point in the offseason?
The Bottom
10) Portland Pilots
It is no secret that the Portland Pilots have lost a lot of talent from last year’s team, which finished last in 2016-2017. The graduation of Alec Wintering and transfers of Jazz Johnson and Gabe Levin, leaves D’Marques Tyson as the best scorer on the team. Besides Tyson, center Philipp Hartwich is the only other senior on head coach Terry Porter’s thin roster.
9) Pepperdine Waves
Pepperdine is another team that has to replace most of its offense, losing its top three scorers, including the WCC’s leading scorer Lamond Murray. Replacing Murray, Chris Reyes, and Jeremy Major will not be easy, requiring its group of sophomores to show solid development. Pepperdine was a team that relied on its three leaders, and, without that leadership, the Waves will not compete in the WCC.
8) Loyola Marymount Lions
The LMU Lions will probably be the team that experiences the biggest drop in the WCC. Losing six of his top seven scorers, Head Coach Mike Dunlap will rely on seniors Steven Haney and Petr Herman to lead a young group of transfer and freshman. Dunlap is a great coach and could return the Lions to the middle of the WCC, but this year will be a rebuilding year.