West Coast Conference preview

A team-by-team glance at the West Coast Conference heading into the 2009-10 season.

(In CBSSports.com predicted order of finish)

1. Gonzaga

Few teams in the country could lose as much talent as Gonzaga did and still be considered the conference favorite. But, as usual, the Bulldogs are the pick to win the West Coast Conference.

Certainly, the Bulldogs are vulnerable this season. Four starters are gone from last season's team. They do not look like a national top 10 power as they have in recent years. Their run of nine consecutive league championships could end.

But there have been similar tales over the past decade, and every year Mark Few comes up with enough to win the conference.

Gonzaga may have the best backcourt in the conference, but its frontcourt has to be rebuilt from scratch.

All three frontcourt starters -- Josh Heytvelt, Micah Downs and Austin Daye -- are gone, and Daye's early departure to the NBA was a particularly crippling blow. So was the graduation of Jeremy Pargo, the WCC Player of the Year in 2008.

The Bulldogs retain one star player, versatile guard Matt Bouldin. Two other guards, Steven Gray and Demetri Goodson, should give the Bulldogs plenty of quickness and defense on the perimeter. Defense has been one of Gonzaga's calling cards, and they may have to apply more pressure on the perimeter this season.

Most of the Bulldogs' points will have to come from that backcourt trio, because Few will be relying on newcomers to fill the voids up front.

Seven-footer Robert Sacre is back after missing all but five games last season with a broken foot. He has some experience as a starter, but he has never been much of a scorer. Will Foster, who is 7-foot-5, has shown potential, too, but does not look like he's ready to dominate.

The rest is up to the youngsters, and Gonzaga has nine freshmen or redshirt freshmen on its roster.

One of the redshirt freshmen -- 6-11 Andy Poling -- needs to contribute immediately, and several of the true freshmen must develop in a hurry if Gonzaga is to make it through its meat-grinder schedule in good shape.

The fact that the conference in general is not as strong as it has been in recent years gives Gonzaga a little leeway, but it will still have to get quality performances from unproven players to win the conference again.

Another NCAA tournament berth seems likely, but the Bulldogs could enter the postseason with double-digit losses, especially since they again play by far the toughest nonconference schedule in the WCC and one of the toughest in the country.

2. Portland

If any team can challenge Gonzaga for the West Coast Conference title, it's the Pilots.

They return five starters from last season's third-place team that brought Portland its best season in 13 years. The Pilots must show last season's surprising success was not a fluke and that they can handle the pressure of high expectations. Picked to finish sixth in the WCC, the Pilots came in third and earned their first winning season in 10 years.

They showed signs of cracking late last season when the stakes rose, and a year of maturity may enable the Pilots to avoid a drop-off this time. Most of their key players are seniors this season.

Eric Reveno was named conference Coach of the Year for making a contender out of a team that seemed headed for eternal mediocrity, and he has brought in players that fit his style.

T.J. Campbell was the chief reason for the Pilots' dramatic and unexpected rise last season, because he gave the Pilots a steady floor leader who can hit the 3-pointer. In fact, the Pilots were one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country, and it will be interesting to see if they can keep it up.

Jared Stohl did not start last season, but played starter's minutes and he was nearly as good on 3-pointers as Campbell. Nik Raivio is the team's top scoring threat and is very capable of leading the conference in scoring this season.

Forward Robin Smeulders seems to be a better player than his numbers show, and he could emerge as a star this season. Kramer Knutson does not score much, but he does what is needed from a center in Reveno's style. Add Luke Sikma, and the Pilots have more good big men than any team in the WCC, which is short on inside players this season.

All the pieces seem to fit together nicely for Portland, a good passing team that likes to run and share the ball, all of which is orchestrated by Campbell, a junior college transfer whose presence changed the entire dynamic of the team.

3. San Diego

In Bill Grier's first season as a college head coach, everything seemed to go right. In his second year, everything seemed to go wrong.

He's back for a third season with San Diego, hoping things go smoothly again and that his team can get over the changes that affected the team last season and continued into the offseason.

The 2008-09 season was a bust. Expected to contend for the WCC title with five starters back from a team that had upset Connecticut in the first round of the 2008 NCAA tournament, the Toreros started slowly and sank into oblivion after Brandon Johnson tore his Achilles' tendon eight games into the season.

The problems continued when guard Trumaine Johnson, a key part of the 2007-08 team, was suspended late in the season. He ultimately left San Diego.

Another setback occurred after the season when two-year starter Rob Jones transferred to be closer to his home in San Francisco.

But there was one bit of good news in the offseason and that came in June when the NCAA ruled that Brandon Johnson would be granted a fifth year of eligibility, a decision that had been expected.

Johnson provides the hard-nosed leadership and scoring at the point guard position that will make the Toreros a factor in the WCC race. He and the two returning starters, De'Jon Jackson and Matt Dorr, will give the Toreros a backcourt as strong as any in the conference.

However, the loss of Jones and all-conference power forward Gyno Pomare will make San Diego soft up front, making it unlikely it can challenge for a title.

San Diego must hope it gets a lot immediate help from the six newcomers to the program, particularly junior college transfer Rafael Crescencio, a 6-9 post player who has some skills and can block shots.

The Toreros hope the addition of Crescensio and 6-8 freshman Chris Manresa, and the return of 6-9 senior Robert Mafra, can give them an adequate frontcourt.

Most of the Toreros' points will have to come from the perimeter, which means their two top 3-point shooters -- Dorr and small forward Chris Lewis -- will need to have good seasons.

Grier's teams typically play solid defense, and that should be the case again this season. The problem will be scoring enough points, especially with a schedule that includes Oklahoma, Mississippi State, San Diego State, Houston, New Mexico and Southern Illinois.

The Toreros need to get into the conference season without having their spirit broken.

4. Santa Clara

Kerry Keating is almost starting from scratch in his third season as the Broncos' head coach, but he has some talented young players with which to work.

The loss of the WCC Player of the Year, 6-10 center John Bryant, will hurt the Broncos' inside scoring and rebounding, but his departure also allows Santa Clara to be more of a transition team, and it should play at a faster pace this season.

With no seniors on the squad and 10 of the 14 players on the roster being freshmen or sophomores, it is unlikely Santa Clara can challenge for the WCC championship this season, but if Keating can keep the current players at Santa Clara, he could be a contender in a year or two.

Keeping the players at Santa Clara is an issue, though, because four players left Santa Clara after Keating's first season, and three more departed after his second.

The recent personnel losses were more significant because they were players Keating recruited, and those players contributed last season when the Broncos improved considerably over the final few weeks. The departure of freshman James Rahon was particularly distressing because he was the top 3-point shooter on a team that will need more perimeter threats.

But Keating still has guard Kevin Foster, who is not shy about shooting and was effective enough to share the conference Newcomer of the Year award last season as a freshman. Foster, the team's leading scorer last season, is an aggressive player who has the look of a star. If the Broncos find a suitable point guard, he could lead the WCC in scoring.

He joins two other players who saw significant playing time last season as freshmen -- guard Troy Alexander and forward Marc Trasolini.

It will be up to Trasolini to replace some of the inside scoring and rebounding lost with Bryant's departure, although he should get assistance from one of the six newcomers -- junior college transfer Troy Payne, a versatile 6-6 player.

The Broncos would like junior forward Ben Dowdell to return to the form he showed as a freshman after falling off significantly in virtually every statistical category last season.

Much of the Broncos' success will depend on the development of the freshmen, because they will play a lot.

Niyi Harrison, a strong, athletic 6-7 forward, and Robert Smith are the two most likely to help immediately. Smith could even be the starting point guard before the season is over, and if he plays well, the Broncos could finish third in the WCC.

5. St. Mary's

The Gaels lost more talent than any other West Coast Conference team, and they will depend on freshmen brought primarily through their Australian pipeline to keep them near the top of the standings.

Losing three-time all-conference forward Diamon Simpson could not be avoided, but the departure of Patty Mills to the NBA with two years of college eligibility remaining was a major blow.

Saint Mary's has been the only threat to Gonzaga's supremacy over the past decade or so, but after losing three starters, including their best two players, the Gaels will have to exceed expectations to finish in the top two this time around.

The addition of two frontcourt transfers, Rob Jones (from San Diego) and Kenton Walker II (from Creighton), should put the Gaels back among the conference contenders in 2010-11. But they can't play this season, when a lot will depend on the development of sophomore Mickey McDonnell and freshmen Matt Dellavedova if the Gaels are to get their third consecutive postseason berth.

Head coach Randy Bennett is the Gaels' biggest asset at the moment.

He will get the most out of his personnel, especially on the defensive end, and he may slow the pace a bit this season after trying to run on every possession when the speedy Mills was the focus of the team.

Saint Mary's probably has the conference's best big man in 6-11 Omar Samhan, who seems to improve each season. A defensive liability two years ago, Samhan is at least adequate at that end now and he can score against anybody in this conference.

But he will be shouldered with a much bigger offensive load, and it remains to be seen how effective he will be with defenses no longer concerned with the threats of Mills and Simpson. Samhan is also the team's chief rebounder now with Simpson gone. His presence is the reason Saint Mary's may go to more of a half-court offense.

Finding a frontcourt complement for Samhan will be the challenge. Improved Ben Allen will help, but he plays the same position as Samhan, and forward Phil Benson will contribute if his foot heals adequately. Otherwise, 6-7 sophomore Clint Steindl, another Aussie, or redshirt freshman Tim Williams will have to step in.

Wayne Hunter and McConnell provide a decent backcourt. Hunter is the team's best perimeter defender and showed late last season he can score, too. McConnell became a significant part of the team when Mills was sidelined with his wrist injury, and he proved to Bennett and to himself that he can hold his own in this conference. McConnell is also the best outside shooter for the Gaels, who will be lacking 3-point shooters.

Dellavedova, one of the three Australians to join the team this year and one of five Aussies on the team, will probably get the most playing time of the freshmen. If he is as good as some think, the Gaels could challenge Portland for the No. 2 spot in the standings.

The bottom line is that Samhan could average a double-double, but Saint Mary's is low on experienced talent and could take a one-year dip in the standings.

6. San Francisco

Whatever happens with San Francisco is now the responsibility of second-year coach Rex Walters, not his predecessors.

He began to assume ownership of the program late last season when he jettisoned four players, including one of his top scorers, for failing to follow instructions during a practice. That established that Walters was the man in charge, and that things would be done his way.

Walters completed the takeover of the program this season, because every player on the roster except for standout senior forward Dior Lowhorn was brought into the program by Walters.

Lowhorn is a vital piece, of course, and could be the best player in the conference this season. Whatever success USF has this season will be the result of Lowhorn's high-level all-around play.

But the Dons are not expected to challenge for the conference title this year, and Walters' chore is to groom the many young players on the team into a squad that can compete for the title in a year or two.

None of the four suspended players is back, and that includes Manny Quezada, a high-scoring guard who was a senior anyhow, and center Hyman Taylor, a frontcourt player who had another year of eligibility. A more significant loss is the departure of guard Chris O'Brien, who started 20 games last season as a freshman but has transferred to Cal Poly.

Still, five players who started at least 12 games are back. Plus, the six newcomers will get a lot of playing time right away, and at least one could be in the starting lineup.

Guard Rashad Green, a transfer from Manhattan College, is eligible to play this season and will be counted on to help immediately in the backcourt. Dominique O'Connor is probably the best of the freshmen, and he may end up starting at point guard, a critical position for the Dons this season.

The centerpiece remains Lowhorn, who continues to expand his game by improving his perimeter skills.

Blake Wallace will probably join him in the frontcourt, with sophomore guard Kwame Vaughn expected to do big things this year after showing flashes of brilliance last season.

Without significant offensive help from Vaughn and sophomore swingman Angelo Caloiaro and improved outside shooting, defenses will continue to focus on Lowhorn, who was the Dons' only reliable scoring threat last season and was often smothered by opponents' defenses.

Three freshmen and a junior college transfer are expected to supply the size inside, because Lowhorn and Wallace are both about 6-7. None of the four new big men is likely to score a lot of points, though.

The Dons played better toward the end of last season, after Walters' suspension seemed to set the tone, and they should get better as this season goes along. The Dons want to run more this season, but that will require an improvement in their defense and rebounding, areas in which USF was lacking last season.

7. Pepperdine

Pepperdine was one of the youngest teams in the country last season, which is why its 5-9 conference record exceeded expectations.

Tom Asbury made significant strides last season, his first year in his second stint as Pepperdine coach, and it was hard to believe that the team he had at season's end was the same one he started with. The Waves were terrible for the first two months.

Those gains, the return of four starters, the addition of two freshmen who could man the point guard spot, and Asbury's second year at the helm have given Pepperdine some much-needed stability and hope that it will be a contender in a year or two.

Eleven of the 15 players on the roster are sophomores or freshmen, and there is not a single senior on the squad, so Pepperdine probably is still a year away from having a say in the WCC title race. However, the Waves now should be competitive with everyone in the conference.

The key is the point guard spot.

Sophomore Lorne Jackson, who started 14 games last season, will get the first crack at it, but he was inconsistent last season. If either of two freshmen, Josh Lowery or Caleb Willis, can unseat him, it will mean the Waves have found a quality guard to direct the team.

The Waves are pretty well stocked at the other four spots, although scoring enough points to stay in games will continue to be an issue.

Sophomore guard Keion Bell, the team's leading scorer last season, has the athleticism and confidence to become something special if he can cut down on his turnovers and improve his shot selection. Junior forward Mychel Thompson is probably the best all-around player on the team.

Sophomore forward Taylor Darby has proved he can be a quality rebounder, and 6-10 sophomore center Corbin Moore gives the Waves some size inside.

Outside shooting will be a concern for the Waves, who were mediocre from long range last season and lost their best 3-point shooter, Michael Hornbuckle, to graduation.

Pepperdine still needs to find an identity. Asbury used 11 different starting lineups last season as he tried to figure out which players could help in the long term and which combinations worked best. With eight freshmen on the roster last season, 2008-09 became sort of a sizing-up process that started to stabilize in the final month.

Asbury proved in his previous time at Pepperdine that he could win consistently in the WCC, and the progress the team made over the course of last season showed the influence he can have.

8. Loyola-Marymount

Loyola Marymount is not about to challenge for the West Coast conference title, but there is reason to believe the Lions will be dramatically better than they were last season and could be the surprise team of the conference.

Being improved from last season is no great accomplishment, since the Lions won just three games in 2008-09 and finished last in a conference that was not particularly strong.

However, the addition of two transfers who are now eligible, the return of a key player who missed last season with an injury, and the maturation and return of virtually the entire team suggest this season will be better.

The fact that the coaching situation is stabilized should help, too.

The sudden departure of Bill Bayno early in his first season shook the program from the start, and interim coach Max Good was not named the permanent head coach until later in the season. Injuries that sidelined three starters made a young team with little depth even younger and thinner. The Lions did show improvement late last season.

The Lions still won't be great outside shooters or rebounders, and those deficiencies will limit how much progress they can make. But if they can simply cut down on their turnovers, the Lions may move out of the WCC basement.

Vernon Teel, the team's top scorer last year when he averaged 14.6 points in half a season of activity, is healthy after missing the first 15 games last season with a broken foot. Jarred DuBois, LaRon Armstead and Kevin Young return after showing moments of brilliance last season as freshmen. Tim Diederichs is also back after missing last season with a shoulder problem.

The pivotal players, though, are Drew Viney, who transferred from Oregon, and Larry Davis, who came over from Seton Hall. Davis apparently is all right after injuring his Achilles' tendon in April, and the Lions need him to be at full strength to provide a consistent scoring threat. Both Davis and Viney can score and should considerably improve LMU's feeble offense.

LMU did surprisingly well in recruiting, bringing in one of the conference's top freshman classes, and if those four contribute as expected, LMU could advance several places in the standings of a conference that is not particularly strong this season.

This remains a young team with no seniors on the squad; 12 of the 15 roster members are freshmen or sophomores. This is not a great shooting team, and scoring will be an issue. But if Good can slowly build some cohesiveness and confidence through the season, the Lions might be competitive by season's end.