Last season was one of the WCC Basketball’s deepest yet. How much of that success can it recapture next fall?
When the remainder of the 2019-2020 college men’s basketball season was axed by the NCAA in March, it put an end to one of the most remarkable WCC Basketball seasons we’ve seen in recent memory. That’s a shame because March could’ve been an affirmation of the league’s status as one of the most dangerous mid-majors in the nation.
Once again a three-bid league with Gonzaga, BYU and Saint Mary’s all safely in the field, the WCC actually had multiple teams that could make deep runs in March for the first time in years. Those three went No. 1, 3 and 7 respectively in offensive efficiency nationally. No other conference even placed two in the top 15.
A three-bid league with all three teams capable of a Sweet Sixteen run at minimum is more than even some power conferences brought to the tournament last year. The league should be keen to make that a yearly occurrence.
Even below the top three, a few programs were enjoying resurgent years and looked poised to potentially make a big jump in the future — namely San Francisco, Pacific and Santa Clara, who all finished with more than 20 wins apiece. This was actually the first time in league history that five teams won more than 20 games.
Next fall, that depth will take a considerable hit. Charles Minlend’s decision to transfer to Louisville dims some expectations for USF, and other teams in the middle of the pack have lost some key faces to graduation or the transfer market as well.
Plenty of things can happen between now and when college basketball tips off — recruiting and the transfer market are always a bit foggy for the teams near the bottom of the conference, and it’s even more foggy given the current circumstances and recruiting regulations. But here is a good look at where the WCC’s teams stand coming into the summer.