WCC Basketball: Gonzaga heavy favorite, BYU a contender in tournament

WCC Basketball: Gonzaga heavy favorite, BYU a contender in 2019 tournament

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 06: A logo for the West Coast Conference basketball tournament is shown on the court before the championship game between the Brigham Young Cougars and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Orleans Arena on March 6, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bulldogs won 74-54. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 09: Head coach Mark Few of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts during the first half of the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 9, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Volunteers defeated the Bulldogs 76-73. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

The West Coast Conference returns to Las Vegas for its conference tournament for the 11th straight year. Unless a major upset occurs, it seems as though Gonzaga will be the sole WCC Basketball team to go marching this year.

For the third straight season, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are the No. 1 seed in the WCC Tournament, while the Saint Mary’s Gaels grabbed their third straight No. 2 seed. The Zags, the No. 1 team in the nation for the second straight week and the fourth time this season, seem to be the only team from an improved WCC Basketball that will be playing the field of 68 in less than two weeks.

With improved seasons from teams like San Francisco and Loyola Marymount, and slightly down seasons from the still No. 2 and 3 Saint Mary’s and BYU, the WCC has failed to produce a team on the right side of the bubble. The only team with dreams of dancing left on life support is the Gaels, despite having the most amount of losses before the conference tournament since the 2013-14 season.

Sitting right on the cusp of the bubble, as one of the first four or next four out in nearly every bracket, the Gaels, like every other WCC team besides the Zags, will most likely require a win March 12, in the title game, to have a chance to play for the National Title.

However, this does not mean this conference tournament will be one to miss. The conference is at its strongest it has been in years and nearly every team except Portland (sorry Pilots) has the skill to win a game or two. Mixed with the beauty that is March, the WCC tournament will be the perfect early conference tournament to prepare for what should be an amazing month of college basketball.