WCC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2023-24 season
By Tuck Clarry
3. Loyola Marymount Lions
Stan Johnson has shown flashes in his three seasons at Loyola Marymount that what he was building was meant to last. After a surprising top-three finish in 2020-2021, the Lions fell back to earth and went 3-12, largely due to roster construction. But last year, Johnson showed that the team has the potential to remain in the top region of the standings of the WCC, finishing 4th at 9-7.
The Lions are not entering the season unscathed by roster turnover. They lost leading scorer and point guard Cam Shelton to graduation, one of the most dynamic players in all of college basketball last season. He was largely the reason the Lions shocked the Gonzaga Bulldogs in Spokane in January, scoring 27 points.
But the cupboard was quickly refilled when Johnson acquired two guards in the portal in fifth-year senior Justice Hill from LSU by Murray State and junior Dominick Harris, who was last at Gonzaga. Hill was terrific with the Murray State Racers but struggled mightly in the SEC. It’s not out of the question that his averages return to the 13.4 points and 5.1 assists he held at Murray State.
Harris is an interesting piece as he has shown the talent to do well off-ball at the mid-major level. The former four-star recruit was stuck in a logjam at Gonzaga and is finally able to showcase his high-level shooting and defense. Harris does have a good handle and could operate as a combo guard against other WCC teams as well.
But the guard play is not predominantly what puts LMU in the conversation for the top three in the conference; it’s the seismic bruisers that are stacked in their frontcourt, offering an interior advantage against a majority of the conference. The frontline consists of upperclassmen Keli Leaupepe, Alex Merkviladze, Rick Issanza and Michael Graham.
Leaupepe headlines this group because of his sheer strength and ability to outhustle whoever he is matched up against. He averaged 13.3 points and 6.8 rebounds last season. The 6-foot-6 power forward just bounces off of whoever he’s working against and is able to load up on second-chance points. Over a quarter of his shots at the rim came on putbacks.
If the transfer backcourt successfully returns to form, then Johnson is cooking with gas. And with legitimate depth, this is one of the fullest rosters not named Saint Mary’s or Gonzaga.