Who wins the WCC?

[maynard g krebs]

Not a lot to talk about now, so I thought I'd bring this up.

A bunch of the preseason mags are now out, and 3 of the 4 I know of have SMC slightly ahead of the Zags. That's based, of course, on them returning more from last yr than the Zags do.

I like and respect the way SMC plays, but I think the Zags' new talent comes together well enough to overcome SMC's experience and win the conference by a game, say 17-1 to 16-2.

Thoughts?

(Hope some of our SMC friends who post here will chime in.)

[bartruff1]

The Gaels are a slight favorite....but the only thing that matters to me is if the Zags can win the WCC Tournament and the automatic bid...... or failing that....... if they have a good enough resume to get a at large bid.... I think they will make the Dance .... any more than that is house money for me...

I haven't seen half of them play, so I reserve the right to revise and amend my remarks after 4 or 5 games .

[hooter73]

By the time the conference tournament comes around we will be battle tested and as always, SMC will be well rested due to their embarrassing schedule. When they get some adversity, that's their test while we'll know what and how to do what's needed. As it is, to me, just returning most your players does not make for a top team.

[seacatfan]

By the time the conference tournament comes around we will be battle tested and as always, SMC will be well rested due to their embarrassing schedule. When they get some adversity, that's their test while we'll know what and how to do what's needed. As it is, to me, just returning most your players does not make for a top team.

Um...by the time the conference tourney rolls around, GU and SMC will have been playing the same teams for 3 months. The Zags playing some tougher teams in November won't really matter that much by that point. GU will be as well rested as the Gaels will be.

[willandi]

Zags win!

Despite the national rankings, the Blue Ribbon choice et al, Gonzaga has a better stable of players at all position except center.

[hooter73]

Um...by the time the conference tourney rolls around, GU and SMC will have been playing the same teams for 3 months. The Zags playing some tougher teams in November won't really matter that much by that point. GU will be as well rested as the Gaels will be.

Yes well despite your best efforts the point remains.

[seacatfan]

Yes well despite your best efforts the point remains.

There are a number of posters who bemoan the Zags no longer meeting a Memphis type of team some time in February like they used to. My point remains that the Zags won't have played anyone other than WCC teams since late December. That obviously wasn't a problem last year as they advanced to the Championship game.

[DZ]

I've been convinced by the people around here who have seen some of the incoming people that we're not about to drop quite as much as previously thought.

It's true that by the WCC tourney both teams will have played the same circuit for 3 months. That won't help SMC during the first game v. GU - when they generally are playing people bigger, stronger, faster than they've seen all year, and doing it under the bright TV lights they're not really used to.

I see it as a huge disadvantage to their kids when they go up against us that first time.

Anyone know if BYU will even drop from 3rd?

[thespywhozaggedme]

I think we run the table in the WCC.

[hooter73]

Anyone know if BYU will even drop from 3rd?

Here's hoping.

I would love to see someone step up but haven't seen the talent to beat either byu or smc by more than a fluke game here or there.

[sittingon50]

I see it as a huge disadvantage to their kids when they go up against us that first time.

Those "kids" return 4 starters, add a very good grad. transfer, have played a lot of games together, played Arizona close in the Big Dance last year & won 29 games.

It's fine to like the Zags chances, but too many people on this board dismiss SMC out of hand. BIG mistake.

[Kiddwell]

Dons might be pretty good.

USF had a nice team last year. They're young. Hope they win their most important OOC games, play well in conference, and get maybe an invite to the NIT. Last year was a league intro to a lot of new, well-regarded coaches. Hope those teams start showing steady improvement and boost the WCC's top tier to maybe six scrappy competitive teams from here forward.


(1) Zags
(2) SMC
(3) BYU
(4-5) USF/LMU


:]

[jazzdelmar]

Not a lot to talk about now, so I thought I'd bring this up.

A bunch of the preseason mags are now out, and 3 of the 4 I know of have SMC slightly ahead of the Zags. That's based, of course, on them returning more from last yr than the Zags do.

I like and respect the way SMC plays, but I think the Zags' new talent comes together well enough to overcome SMC's experience and win the conference by a game, say 17-1 to 16-2.

Thoughts?

(Hope some of our SMC friends who post here will chime in.)

They have a first team AA, ours is making dreck in Transylvania.

[GoZags]

They have a first team AA, ours is making dreck in Transylvania.

No they don't. They have "Preseason" First Team All American.

When all is said and done the guys on this year's Zag team will have at least 1 (and possibly more) "real" All American honors on their resume.

[kitzbuel]

I truly believe that our question mark players have larger upside than theirs. If Rui, Norvell, Kispert, and Larson come close to their potential, we have the best team in the WCC hands down.

So do they meet their potential and when are the questions I have. If they are clicking by the end of January, we will win the WCC.