*sigh* WCC 1 Bid Conference Now

[Kong-Kool-Aid]

SMC did us no favors and it seems that no matter what, the WCC will be a 1 bid conference.

After all of the talk at the start of the year (3 bids!) it is a little disappointing that we could not have more legit challengers this year.

Hello LMU?

Honestly I thought the WCC was on the upswing in terms of getting some respect and becoming an upper echelon mid-major conference (is there even such thing?)

After a few years of multi bids, we're only getting 1.
Is this a down year for the conference or just clear indication that it's really not getting any better?

Our conference it our biggest problem when recruiting talent, I just wish they could perform better. (At least BYU should help next year right?)

Thoughts?

[GoZags]

Don't be afraid to follow the pundits.

Jerry Palm (collegerpi.com) had the Zags in a/o this morning.

Joe Lunardi has the Zags in as an at large. Tune into ESPNU right now if you'd like. Lunardi is on and will get to GU again in a bit. But 20 minutes ago on ESPN they took 10 teams for 6 at large spots -- and GU made his cut.

The sky isn't falling (although winning out would be nice).

[DZ]

I asked the question during the game, why it is that USF and SCU can come in and play better than Xavier or Okie State and yet they can't beat a team like UC-Irvine in the OOC to save their lives - - it is just unbelievable.

We will not get multi bids until the teams start playing better OOC, SMC did that (though St. Johns was a while ago and USD is their only bad loss) and Portland did that, but somehow a team like SCU or USF can beat us but not Cal-State Northridge or some teams I have never heard of.

[Kong-Kool-Aid]

Don't be afraid to follow the pundits.

Jerry Palm (collegerpi.com) had the Zags in a/o this morning.

Joe Lunardi has the Zags in as an at large. Tune into ESPNU right now if you'd like. Lunardi is on and will get to GU again in a bit. But 20 minutes ago on ESPN they took 10 teams for 6 at large spots -- and GU made his cut.

The sky isn't falling (although winning out would be nice).

It's not that I don't trust the pundits, if we don't win out though that means we'll have another bad loss on our record and I can't imagine we'll stay in.

Anyway, I have confidence we'll win out and go to the NCAA, I'm just all in all disappointed in this seemingly weak conference which does us absolutely no favors.

I am also at a loss how the same teams which play us so well seem to suck against Salt and Pepper State.

[thickman1]

Joe had the WCC with two bids.

[MDABE80]

SMC and GU. I knew it. Lots of losses by other teams going on and will go on before selection sunday. I don't think we can afford another loss though. Key is that we show the committee that we've mended our ways.

[DZ]

Seems pretty simple to me, we have to beat St. Mary's one out of the two remaining and be in the championship game with them. If we lose to St. Mary's and get beat in the championship by them or another team, we are not in, at least I don't think so. If we lose to them on Thurs. we have to beat them in the finals, if we beat them Thurs and USD and lose in the finals, then maybe we get a gift.

[Das Zagger]

SMC did us no favors and it seems that no matter what, the WCC will be a 1 bid conference.

After all of the talk at the start of the year (3 bids!) it is a little disappointing that we could not have more legit challengers this year.

Hello LMU?

Honestly I thought the WCC was on the upswing in terms of getting some respect and becoming an upper echelon mid-major conference (is there even such thing?)

After a few years of multi bids, we're only getting 1.
Is this a down year for the conference or just clear indication that it's really not getting any better?

Our conference it our biggest problem when recruiting talent, I just wish they could perform better. (At least BYU should help next year right?)

Thoughts?

If SMC wins out, they'll get a bit regardless of winning the tourney.

If GU wins out, we'll get a bid regardless of winning the tourney.

I've seen dumpster fires that look better than LMU.

[MJ777]

Seems pretty simple to me, we have to beat St. Mary's one out of the two remaining and be in the championship game with them. If we lose to St. Mary's and get beat in the championship by them or another team, we are not in, at least I don't think so. If we lose to them on Thurs. we have to beat them in the finals, if we beat them Thurs and USD and lose in the finals, then maybe we get a gift.

It might be the strong Kool Aid or the weak bubble, but I agree with your assessment.

[CaliforniaZaggin']

If it's not the Zags, then I really don't care about any team either making or not making the tournament.

[siliconzag]

St. Mary's...

Should be in and so should the Zags. What tonight's game against the Aggies showed is that they are vulnerable. The Zag's coaches best study the tapes. In the second half the Aggies made a lot of defensive adjustments and extended their defense. They pounded the ball inside and got the Maries into foul trouble. That is a great blueprint. If ever there was a team that we need to play effective defense against in order to prevail, it would be St. Mary's. They live by the three, and as USD showed, they die by it. Zags outisde game is improving, if only incrementally, and this opens opportunities. The St. Mary's bench is not deep, and we need to exploit that by getting their bigs into foul trouble. Defense is the key, as Coach Izzo said on Game day today. Doesn't matter what sport, if you can't defend, you don't advance. In some ways, our offensive woes provide a unique opportunity for the Zags to excel at something they never have: defense.

One more thing, Utah State is a good team, no matter what the pundits say. They gave BYU a close game, and they also showed a lot of poise in that bandbox in Moraga. Stu is a very good coach. It would do my heart good to see the Zags pull the hat trick.

Finally, regarding the tournament: Remember there are more teams this year than ever before, barring a complete breakdown by either the Zags or the Maries, both should make the dance. How far they will go, that is the real question. Unless the Zags learn to defend, they will be done early on. St. Mary's will lose to the first team that plays good perimeter defense and pounds the ball inside.

[AK457]

i prefer the route of gonzaga beating a downtrodden st mary's team that's blown 2 games in a row and then hopefully again in vegas to the gonzaga getting in because of an iffy auto bid

[gu03alum]

If it's not the Zags, then I really don't care about any team either making or not making the tournament.

Every SMC loss makes me happy. I will shed no tears if they don't win another game.

[TexasZagFan]

Should be in and so should the Zags. What tonight's game against the Aggies showed is that they are vulnerable. The Zag's coaches best study the tapes. In the second half the Aggies made a lot of defensive adjustments and extended their defense. They pounded the ball inside and got the Maries into foul trouble. That is a great blueprint. If ever there was a team that we need to play effective defense against in order to prevail, it would be St. Mary's. They live by the three, and as USD showed, they die by it. Zags outisde game is improving, if only incrementally, and this opens opportunities. The St. Mary's bench is not deep, and we need to exploit that by getting their bigs into foul trouble. Defense is the key, as Coach Izzo said on Game day today. Doesn't matter what sport, if you can't defend, you don't advance. In some ways, our offensive woes provide a unique opportunity for the Zags to excel at something they never have: defense.

One more thing, Utah State is a good team, no matter what the pundits say. They gave BYU a close game, and they also showed a lot of poise in that bandbox in Moraga. Stu is a very good coach. It would do my heart good to see the Zags pull the hat trick.

Finally, regarding the tournament: Remember there are more teams this year than ever before, barring a complete breakdown by either the Zags or the Maries, both should make the dance. How far they will go, that is the real question. Unless the Zags learn to defend, they will be done early on. St. Mary's will lose to the first team that plays good perimeter defense and pounds the ball inside.

+1, sili, as always.

I saw a quote in Meehan's column from last night's game that raised my spirits. Had to do with not succumbing to the temptation to help out on defense, and allowing an easier 3 pointer.

We all know that SMC is unable to win the game in the paint. Guard the perimeter, pick up their guards at 30 feet, make them uncomfortable.

O/T, my grandson just hit 5 months and is doing great. I had the best Super Bowl weekend of all. While the wife and kids were doing the NFL experience, I was babysitting. We had a great time!

[1973Zag]

It certainly can't hurt for the committee to see us easily avenge 2 of our disappointing losses. One more would show that we are still the best in the WCC.