Busting Brackets
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WCC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2021-22 season

By Tuck Clarry

Mar 9, 2021; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) is defended by BYU Cougars forward Caleb Lohner (33) in the first half of the West Coast Conference Tournament championship at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2021; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) is defended by BYU Cougars forward Caleb Lohner (33) in the first half of the West Coast Conference Tournament championship at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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WCC Basketball St. Mary’s Gaels guard Tommy Kuhse Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
WCC Basketball St. Mary’s Gaels guard Tommy Kuhse Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Saint Mary’s

It may be surprising to many to see the Gaels not in the two or three spots on this list and debating this spot is a worthy conversation. The Gaels are returning their entire roster from 2020-2021 and continuity is a major factor in how a team performs in college basketball. Head coach Randy Bennett’s schemes do not allow for a finish any worse than fifth so this may be the most conservative reading of the team in Moraga.

The Gaels are run by two interchangeable ball handlers Tommy Kuhse and Logan Johnson. Kuhse is a veteran senior guard who went through the wringer to reach the starting job last season, beginning his college career as a walk-on. Kuhse averaged 12.8 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game. He’s paired with Logan Johnson has a similar game as Kuhse with a bit better ability to score, averaging 13.3 points last season.

Both guards excel in traffic and in the midrange off of screens, which is perfect for Bennett’s slow-paced, limiting possession style. The Gaels had the 10th slowest tempo in all of Gonzaga basketball according to KenPom and you need guards like Kuhse and Johnson as well as dependable post players to make those halfcourt sets work. Matthias Tass could take a big step forward with a full basketball season recovered from the ACL tear he suffered at the end of 2019. Tass averaged 10.3 points and 5.3 rebounds last season.

Bennett’s team badly needs to improve their offense if they want to be able to have a legitimate chance to beat tournament-quality teams like Gonzaga or BYU multiple times this year, which they will need to do to get into the tournament. The determining factor could be how Alex Ducas and Dan Fotu have extended their games. If the Gaels develop more scoring for their offense, they have a legitimate shot at an at-large bid.