WCC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2022-23 season
By Tuck Clarry
9. Loyola Marymount Lions
The Lions were supposed to be a surprise team last season with high-level mid-major transfers and the return of a swiss army knife senior big. Instead, Stan Johnson’s team flamed out at the end of January and at one point lost 10 conference games in a row.
The graduation of senior Eli Scott, a forward who practically ran the entire offense from the post, will likely help the return of production of senior guard Cam Shelton. The Lions also added much-needed frontcourt depth to pair alongside 6-foot-6 senior forward Keli Leaupepe, which should help him slingshot his production from a tough junior campaign.
A wildcard is the return and health of senior Dameane Douglas, who has played just 56 games in his three-season collegiate career. Douglas could be a massive help on offense with his multiple levels of scoring, should he be able to stay healthy. But back-to-back seasons of 12 and 13 games played makes that possibility hard to lean on.
The ninth spot seems like a discredit of the Lions’ chances, but there is a world where Johnson’s team is as high as the sixth seed come the conference tournament in Las Vegas. But for that to happen also means the most things for any of these third and fourth-tier teams would have to go right.