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) /

2 of 11

LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 04: Portland Pilots cheerleaders perform during the team’s quarterfinal game of the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament against the Saint Mary’s Gaels at the Orleans Arena on March 4, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Saint Mary’s won 81-58. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

10. Portland Pilots

2018-19 season record: 7-25 (0-16)

It was a miserable season overall for Portland, failing to win a single game after December 21 and along with Tulane, Chicago State, and Vanderbilt went winless in conference play. Only five of the 16 WCC losses were by single-digits, with the majority being big blowouts from start to finish.

What made the season so disappointing was that the Pilots regressed big-time as a whole. Head coach Terry Porter’s sons (Malcolm and Franklin) took steps back in their development while the entire frontcourt proved ineffective overall.

The one bright spot was sophomore guard Marcus Shaver, leading the team with 14.8 ppg on 36% shooting from deep. Including a 30-point outing against Pacific, he was the reason the Pilots were even in the games they were in when it comes to WCC action.

Had he stayed along with the rest of the team, there might have been an argument for Portland to not be at the very bottom, with so many teams losing key guys. But with Shaver’s decision to transfer out of the program, it dooms the team to another expected bad year.

The only hope for the Pilots is that with the bulk of the roster now upperclassmen, the real development can happen. Guards Jojo Walker and Josh McSwiggan have shown the capability of carrying the team offensively but will have to do it at an even higher level now. And a few of the returning supporting cast has to play better, with the hopes that rising sophomores Theo Akwuba and Hugh Hogland can separate themselves as the key frontcourt players.

But there’s no point in trying to move Portland up from last, having lost their best scorer from one of the worst offensive teams in the country a year ago. Coach Porter is very much on the hot seat and a 10th place finish won’t cut. Unfortunately, there’s not much positive to think about them at the moment.