WCC Basketball: Way-too-early preseason 2019-20 power rankings

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 23: Zach Norvell Jr. #23 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts to a play against the Baylor Bears during their game in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 23, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 12: Jordan Hunter (L) #1 and Jordan Ford #3 of the Saint Mary’s Gaels hold up the trophy as the team celebrates defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs 60-47 to win the championship game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 12, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

After a banner year for WCC Basketball, a new guard of players will be leading their respective teams. Who are the early favorites for the 2019-20 season?

The 2018-19 NCAA Basketball season was an overall success for WCC Basketball. They were one of the best leagues overall when it came to the non-conference and defeated the Pac-12, 10-7 in head-to-head matchups. All but one team was over .500 heading into conference play and several took leaps as a program overall.

Portland was the lone exception, failing to win a single WCC game. They were the antithesis of the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who went unbeaten once again in league play. However, they did suffer an unexpected loss in the WCC Tournament finals to rival Saint Mary’s, who were able to cash their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. The Gaels fell in the first round to Villanova in a hard fought game.

Gonzaga went further, making it to the Elite Eight game before losing to eventual national runner-up Texas Tech. It was a slight disappointment for a team with title aspirations and who were No. 1 for a good part of the season. San Diego was the other WCC team who participated in a major postseason event, losing in the NIT opening round.

The Toreros, like several other WCC teams will be losing their primary contributors. Things will look a lot different heading into next season. Will that change the hierarchy of the league, or will the top teams once again be the ones to beat? Here’s a very early look at the league heading into 2019-20.