Countdown 10/23/13

16 days remain...

but only one remains before the WCC Tip-Off Event!

Tomorrow's event is more interactive than ever, featuring Google+ Hangouts with the players and commissioner Jamie Zaninovich, question submission for on Twitter and interviews streaming on both TheW.tv and WCC Live.

If you can, you should be planning to catch the whole event on TheW.tv. However, if work gets in the way - good luck taking a break from 10:30 AM until 1:00 in the afternoon - you might want to tune in to see just your team's coach and player take the stage. Here's the schedule for the live video stream on TheW.tv.

Thursday, October 24th, 2013

10:30 - Randy Bennett and Beau Levesque, Saint Mary's

10:45 - Bill Grier and Johnny Dee, San Diego

11:00 - Rex Walters and Chris Adams, San Francisco

11:15 - Kerry Keating and Yannick Atanga, Santa Clara

11:30 - Dave Rose and Matt Carlino, BYU

11:45 - Mark Few and Sam Dower, Gonzaga

12:00 - Max Good and Anthony Ireland, LMU
12:15 - Ron Verlin and Tony Gill, Pacific

12:30 - Marty Wilson and Brendan Lane, Pepperdine

12:45 - Erik Reveno and Ryan Nicholas, Portland

Take a look at the complete release from the WCC for more information. The same format is set up for the women's so check up on them too.

Countdown 10/22/13

17 days remain...

Countdown 10/21/13

18 days remain...

If you ever wondered what Sam Dower's favorite children's book is...

Countdown 10/20/13

19 days remain...

Countdown 10/19/13

20 days remain...

Waste some time tonight by watching this 2011 Sweet Sixteen game. It doesn't end well for the WCC (though they weren't WCC then) team but it sure is exciting.

Countdown 10/18/13

21 days remain...

This guy is going to have a lot to do with how the Tigers' season goes.

Non-Conference Schedule Analysis - Santa Clara

Click for full size view.
All times Pacific.

I'm a big fan of the Broncos' non-conference schedule. For a team that wants to improve upon a CIT Championship last season, ideally by making a better tournament this year, this slate offers a number of chances to pick up good wins. It also provides fans in Santa Clara with seven home games, two of which are almost guaranteed to be blowout victories. Those two games are its only flaw; the Broncos failed to schedule enough D-I teams. No

1. November 8th at 7:00 PM at the Leavey Center
Bethesda Flames, National Christian College Athletic Association

The Broncos' first game of the real season is against a team that isn't in D-I, D-II, D-III or the NAIA so, they'll be 1-0.

2. November 12th at 8:00 PM at the Leavey Center
San Jose State Spartans, Mountain West Conference
Last Season: 9-20 (3-14), T-8th Western Athletic Conference.
Last Season vs. WCC: Loss at home to Santa Clara.

Countdown 10/16/13

23 days remain...

Countdown 10/15/13

24 days remain...

I've been quite busy today as I'm starting a new writing job with a local TV station here in Spokane. So, today's countdown will be a lazy one. Just a link to the article I've posted today on Mid-Major Madness. It's a top-ten list of players in the WCC. Enjoy!

Countdown 10/14/13

25 days remain...

I'll be publishing my top-ten list of players in the WCC tomorrow on Mid-Major Madness. It was really hard to trim my list down to ten and a couple of guys kept floating off, on and back off again. This guy was one of those.

I actually wanted to post a video of Beau Levesque highlights, because I had him as high as seventh at one point, but I couldn't find a good video. Something I think every WCC school should do, which Gonzaga excels at, is make simple highlight videos of the players. Because they don't, I'm gonna go with this video of Gary Bell Jr., even though I only had him at tenth. Bell has been one of my favorite players in the conference since his arrival so, I hope he makes me look bad for leaving him off the list.

Too bad lockdown defense doesn't ever make highlight reels.

Countdown 10/13/13

26 days remain...

Last night Brandon Davies once again played basketball in Utah, but this time he wasn't playing with the home team. In a preseason NBA game between the Jazz and Clippers, Davies netted nine points in 16 minutes of action. Here's a video from just after the official announcement that Davies had signed with the Clippers. Interestingly, three WCC products will be playing in the Staples Center this year as Gonzaga's Elias Harris and Robert Sacre play for the Lakers.

Countdown 10/12/13

27 days remain...

It's the weekend so you've got some time to waste. Do just that by watching this NCAA Tournament game from 1983. It doesn't end well for the WCC team involved, but it is entertaining and it features the eventual champs.

Countdown 10/11/13

28 days remain...

 I'm writing a top-ten players in the WCC for Mid-Major Madness' season preview series. This guy is in that top-ten.

Countdown 10/10/13

29 days remain...

While it's still to early to see WCC teams play somewhat meaningful basketball games, and by that I mean exhibition games, it's not too early to watch former WCC players play somewhat meaningful games. Last night in San Antonio the Spurs played host to six-time Euroleague champion CSKA Moscow. CSKA's previous game was a victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Gonzaga's Jeremy Pargo is now the starting point guard for CSKA Moscow. Patty Mills came off the bench for the Spurs but he, expectedly, saw more playing time than starter Tony Parker. Those two went at each other all night long, making the game reminiscent of the early rivalry days of Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary's.

Pargo led all scorers with 20 points. He also logged six rebounds and five assists in 40 minutes 36 seconds of action. Mills too was highly productive, scoring 14 points in just over 22 minutes. Pargo may have the prettier stat sheet but Mills had the last laugh. In overtime, Mills hit the game winning three and it was Pargo who was defending him.

The NBA is apparently not a fan of allowing their videos to be embedded, so watch the highlights here. Since this is from NBA.com, they're mostly Spurs highlights.

2013 Non-Conference Schedule Analysis - Loyola Marymount

Click for full size view.
All times Pacific.

The Lions' non-conference schedule is very back-heavy. The first four games feature what will likely be the worst four D-I teams they face all season. The Paradise Jam provides the Lions with three chances for quality wins. Then, three straight road games, two of which are east of the Mississippi. Finally two games at home end the non-conference. This schedule is actually pretty solid when you consider the teams in the Paradise Jam. The only real problem is the Lions play just three home games and go a whole month away from Gersten Pavilion.

1. November 8th at 4:30 PM in San Diego
Grand Canyon 'Lopes, Western Athletic Conference
Last Season: 23-8 (14-4), T-2nd place PacWest Conference (Division II).

Countdown 10/8/13

32 days remain...

Today was BYU Basketball Media Day. Every player on the roster as was interviewed and coach Rose held a press conference. BYUtv Sports presented a live stream of the whole event. Unfortunately, the whole thing took place during regular business hours. If you missed it, you can watch everything here. Coach Rose's press conference took place about two and a half hours into the event. Scroll around to find interviews with specific players.

Non-Conference Schedule Analysis - Pepperdine

Click to view full size image.
(All times Pacific and subject to change)

The Waves' non-conference doesn't provide many chances to pick up a quality win. San Jose State provides a chance for a WCC team to beat a Mountain West team, but San Jose State isn't up to MWC standards yet. Utah Valley can challenge in the depleted WAC but likely won't win due to New Mexico State's dominance. The Waves' second game in the Great Alaska Shootout will likely be their best shot a quality win, especially if they can win their first game. Both Harvard and Denver will contend for NCAA Tournament berths this season. UC Irvine could make the big dance as well, though Pacific's exit from the Big West certainly helps the Anteaters in that regard. Finally, Washington State is the Waves' only game against a BCS team that is sure to happen (they could face TCU in Alaska depending on how the bracket shakes out). Unfortunately, Washington State is about as bad as a BCS team can get (TCU too, for that matter). 

While there aren't many, if any, strong teams on the schedule, there are ample opportunities for confidence boosting wins. This Waves program has been improving steadily under Marty Wilson. Making it through this slate without a bad loss could be just what they need to make the jump from young and inexperienced to upwardly mobile in the West Coast Conference.

1. November 9th at 5:00 PM in Malibu
San Diego Christian Hawks, Golden State Athletic Conference (NAIA)
Last Season: 7-17 (0-9 vs. D-I, not included in official 7-17 record)

Countdown 10/7/13

33 days remain...

Stay tuned for a full article about Pepperdine later this afternoon.

Countdown 10/6/13

34 days remain...

Countdown 10/5/13

35 days remain...

As I post this, Baylor is destroying West Virginia in football. I was trying to decide on a game to post for this week's weekend waster and when I saw what the Bears were doing to the Mountaineers it became very clear. I need to post a game where a WCC team destroys the Mountaineers. Here you have a game from last year's ESPN Tip-Off Marathon.

Countdown 10/4/13

36 days remain...

I don't cover recruiting very much, partially out of a disdain for the way these kids are put on a pedestal at such a young and impressionable age and also because I don't really care when a prospect cuts his list. Unless it's Jabari Parker including BYU in his final five, it's probably not that newsworthy, in my humble opinion. However, when a player commits to a school, that's newsworthy. That's also what just happened an hour or so ago when Jesse Wade committed to Gonzaga.

Wade is a 6' 1", 165lbs junior point guard out of Davis High School in Kaysville, Utah. While he will graduate with the class of 2015, he will take his two year LDS mission before attending college. This effectively puts Wade in the recruiting class of 2017, a class that I was not likely to pay any mind for at least another year.

The Zags already signed a highly touted 2014 point guard in Josh Perkins, so Wade would likely not get much playing time if he was with the 2015 class. By the time Wade arrives, Perkins will be a senior. The Zags appear set at the starting point guard spot for the next eight seasons. That is incredible!

Countdown 10/3/13

37 days remain...

It's the week of media day announcements. Just two days ago the WCC media day was announced and today BYU's media day has been announced. While we have to wait a few weeks for the WCC tip-off event, we only have to wait five days for the Cougars' version! On October 8th at noon Mountain Time (11:00 AM Pacific) BYUtv Sports will broadcast press conferences with coach Rose and the players as well as live chats with every player on the roster. I was very impressed with the coverage of last year's media day so be sure to tune in for this year's. It might be our first look at the 2014 WCC champion.

Just like with the conference's media day, BYU will be interacting with fans on twitter so get some questions ready!

Countdown 10/2/13

38 days remain...

Get caught up with the Waves as they go through their first week of practice.

Countdown 10/1/13

39 days remain...

It's the month of practice, walk-ons dominating NAIA teams in exhibitions and the WCC Tip-Off Event. Jeff Tourial announced this morning that the tip-off event will be taking place on October 24th in Los Angeles. That is all we know at this point as he tweeted that details are still to come.

Last year's event took place at the Time Warner Cable SportsNet studios in El Segundo. Players and coaches from all 9 mens teams were in attendance, along with the commissioners, athletic directors and media (somehow, myself included). This year it appears the women will be involved as well.
While there is no indication this year's will be open to the public, fans need not be discouraged because last year was highly interactive. Over the course of the day a live stream on youtube featured interviews with the players and coaches. Fans were able to submit questions through social media outlets.

Keep your eyes peeled for press releases and tweets from accounts such as @WCChoops and @WCCsports.

Take a look at the live coverage from last year's event. This video appears to be the unedited live stream so you should scroll around rather than wait through the breaks.