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 10/12/13

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 9/21/13: Weekend Waster

49 days remain...

If you're not trying to watch college football, why don't you watch this college basketball game from the 2003 NCAA Tournament? This is one of my all-time favorite games and without a doubt my favorite game that features a WCC team on the losing end.

Countdown 9/16/13

54 days remain...

Let's hope the Gaels make it back to the NCAA Tournament this year, because they can be pretty fun in March.

Countdown 9/12/13

58 days remain...

Gonzaga fans are happy this guy never played in the WCC.

Countdown 8/24/13

77 days remain...

Waste some time this weekend with a throwback game from the 1993 NCAA Tournament.

This game comes from the NCAA Vault, so I can't embed it on the page but you can view it here.

Countdown 8/14/13

87 days remain...

Seemingly out of nowhere this afternoon, though the ESPN College Game Day press release caused the spark, a firestorm of Gonzaga talk spread through my small section of the twitterverse. It was angry for the most part. It was about how Gonzaga has stalled (because, a stalled program's last game is typically in the same week or two that said program accomplishes three new things at once -- 30+ wins, 1 seed and #1 rank in the polls -- but I digress). Anyways, this talk was mostly focused on Gonzaga' perceived lack of tournament success. I may disagree with much of what was said but I loved that it was being said, especially 87 days away from the first game of the season.

All you die-hard Gonzaga fans who were tearing it up on Twitter today arguing about what needs to happen for the Zags to make it past the Sweet 16, this is for you. We'll see something similar in the near future because, "the slipper still fits!"

Countdown: Weekend Waster

98 days remain...

It's a Saturday, you've got time to kill and I'm here to help. Every Saturday during the countdown I will post a link to a full game. BYUtv Sports' Film Room and the NCAA Vault are two incredible, free and fully legal resources for this. Today's game comes from the NCAA Vault, which does not allow videos to be embedded on other sites like BYUtv does.

The game that opens up the era of the Weekend Waster is the game that opened up what I consider to be the modern era of the West Coast Conference (though the two games played by this team immediately prior to this game could also lay claim to that title). It was a one point victory in typical March Madness style. The other team featured a couple players that have won a couple NBA Championships over the past couple of years. Any ideas what this game is?

Stop wasting your time trying to figure out what game this is and start wasting your time watching the game, click here!

FGCU, Gonzaga, Cinderella and Memories

Florida Gulf Coast plays Florida in the Sweet Sixteen tonight. Savor this moment. Use it as a way to remember what this time of year is about.

When Gonzaga made its first NCAA Tournament in 1995 FGCU was no more than a parking lot. When the Zags ran to the Elite Eight in 1999 (with a Sweet Sixteen victory over Florida) no students had been at FGCU for a full two school years.

#1 Gonzaga vs. #9 Wichita State

NCAA Tournament Round of 32

#1 Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. #9 Wichita State Shockers

Saturday, March 23rd, 2013. 5:40 PM PDT.

EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Wichita State hails from the Missouri Valley Conference, is 27-8 on the season and 12-6 in MVC regular season play. The Shockers are on a one game winning streak and are 12-6 away from home.

Gonzaga is 33-2 on the season and 16-0 in WCC regular season play. The Zags are on a 15 game winning streak and are 17-1 away from home.

TV: TNT.

Radio: KGA 1510 AM and KEYF 101.1 FM in Spokane, KTEL 1490 AM in Walla Walla, KALE 960 AM in the Tri-Cities, KKRT 900 AM in Wenatchee, KWIQ 1020 AM in Moses Lake and KMAS 1030 AM in the Puget Sound region. 

Satellite Radio: Sirius 93.

Online: Live video from the NCAA.

Wichita State defeated #8 Pittsburgh 73-55 on Thursday to advance to the Round of 32. Gonzaga defeated #16 Southern 64-58 on Thursday to advance to the Round of 32. 

#1 Gonzaga vs. #16 Southern

NCAA Tournament Round of 64

Thursday, March 21st, 2013, 1:10 PM PDT.

EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah.

#1 Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. #16 Southern Jaguars

Southern hails from the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Jaguars are 23-9 on the season, 15-3 in SWAC regular season play and currently on a three game winning streak. Southern is 10-9 away from home. 

Gonzaga is 31-2 on the season, 16-0 in WCC regular season play and currently on a 14 game winning streak. Gonzaga is 16-1 away from home.

TV: TBS

Radio: KGA 1510 AM and KEYF 101.1 FM in Spokane, KTEL 1490 AM in Walla Walla, KALE 960 AM in the Tri-Cities, KKRT 900 AM in Wenatchee, KWIQ 1020 AM in Moses Lake and KMAS 1030 AM in the Puget Sound region. 

Satellite Radio: Sirius 93.

Online: Live video from the NCAA.

Southern's offense is horrible, Gonzaga's offense is the best in the country. Southern's defense is good, Gonzaga's defense is great. Yep, this is a one versus sixteen game. No sixteen seed has ever won an NCAA Tournament game.

#11 Saint Mary's vs. #6 Memphis

NCAA Tournament Round of 64

#11 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. #6 Memphis Tigers

March 21, 2013, 11:45 AM PDT, Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Memphis hails from Conference USA and is 30-4 on the season, 16-0 in C-USA regular season play and currently on a six game winning streak. The Tigers are 12-3 away from home.

Saint Mary's is 28-6 on the season, on a one game winning streak and 12-5 away from home.

TV: CBS.

Satellite Radio: SiriusXM 85.

Online: Live video from the NCAA.

Tuesday's Action

Saint Mary's played in the First Four, BYU played in the NIT and Santa Clara played in the CBI last night. All three teams won their first postseason games.

NCAA First Four:
#11 Saint Mary's 67 - #11 Middle Tennessee 54
NIT Opening Round:
#3 BYU 90 - #6 Washington 79
CBI Opening Round:
Santa Clara 77 - Vermont 67

#11 Saint Mary's vs. #11 Middle Tennessee

NCAA Tournament First Four

#11 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. #11 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Tuesday, March 19th, 6:10 PM PDT.

University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, Ohio.

Middle Tennessee hails from the Sun Belt Conference. The Blue Raiders are 28-5 on the season, they went 19-1 in the Sun Belt regular season. They are 13-5 away from home this season.

Saint Mary's is 27-6 on the season and went 14-2 in WCC regular season play. The Gaels are 11-5 away from home this season.

TV: TruTV.

Satellite Radio: Sirius XM 91.

Online: Live video from the NCAA, live audio from WNSR (Nashville, TN).

This is exactly what the first four should be (though not necessarily always between mid-majors). Two at large teams that were on the bubble fighting for the right to enter the field of 64. Saint Mary's played seven games against four teams that made the NCAA Tournament field. Middle Tennessee played six games against five teams that made the NCAA Tournament field. Neither made a great case for their inclusion into the field but both have the look of teams that should be in.

Advanced statistics from KenPom.com and BBstate.com.
Click for full size view.

Selection Sunday Thoughts

For the second straight year and fourth over the past six the West Coast Conference will be sending multiple teams to the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga and Saint Mary's will be dancing for the WCC this March. For Gonzaga today was another program first that once again had to do with the number 1. The Zags received a number one seed in the West Region, the Zags' previous best was a two seed in the 2004 tournament. Saint Mary's also set a program first, making back-to-back NCAA Tournaments for the first time.

Gonzaga, ranked #1 in the polls and owner of an automatic bid to the dance, had to worry only about seeding and opponent today. It was expected by many they would earn a top seed but it was, of course, not guaranteed.

Saint Mary's had to worry about even making the tournament, a familiar position for the program. The Gaels made it, albeit barely. The Gaels, with 27 wins, would have tied the record for most wins by a team left out of the NCAA Tournament had they not received an at large bid this afternoon. They were sent to Dayton to play in the "First Four" against Middle Tennessee. Their opponent would have set the record for most wins by a team left out of the NCAA Tournament had they not received an at large bid this afternoon. It's only fitting then that these two squads make the field but end up in a play in game.

What to Watch Wednesday

The WCC Season is over and, other than the weird Northern Kentucky at San Francisco game on Thursday, we won't know when the next WCC team plays until Selection Sunday. There are a lot of college basketball games this week but you shouldn't just blindly watch random games. Here's a list of Wednesday's games that can help or hurt Saint Mary's chances at making the field of 68 based on the outcome.

Wednesday

Patriot League Final:
CBS Sports Network, 4:30 PM PDT.
Bucknell vs. Lafayette
Bucknell probably won't get in without a win but they're on the bubble nonetheless.
Record: 27-5.
RPI: 54.
Vs. RPI Top 100: Wins: (40) La Salle home, (73) New Mexico State neutral. Losses: (34) Missouri road.
Sub-101 losses (112) Lehigh home, (125) Princeton road, (165) Lafayette road, (187) Penn State road.
Gaels Fans: Root for Bucknell. With a win they are out of the bubble equation.

WCC Thursday 2/21

We're three weeks into February. That means there is only one week left until March Madness. Though don't let the calendar fool you into thinking that this will be one final week of calm. It may not have the same alliterative ring but February madness is upon us.

7:00 PM PST

San Francisco Dons at Loyola Marymount Lions

Gersten Pavilion, Los Angeles, California.

San Francisco is 11-15 on the season, 4-9 in WCC play and currently on a two game losing streak.

Loyola Marymount is 8-18 on the season, 1-12 in WCC play and currently on a ten game losing streak.

Radio: KXLU 88.9 FM in Los Angeles.

Online: Live video from WCC Digital; Live audio from KXLU.

---

San Diego Toreros at Portland Pilots

Chiles Center, Portland, Oregon.

San Diego is 13-14 on the season, 6-6 in WCC play and currently on a two game losing streak.

Portland is 10-18 on the season, 3-10 in WCC play and currently on a one game losing streak.

TV: ROOT Sports Northwest and Rocky Mountain.

Radio: KPDQ 800 AM in Portland and 1090 AM in San Diego.

Online: Live audio from KPDQ and 1090 AM.

8:00 PM PST

Brigham Young Cougars at Saint Mary's Gaels

McKeon Pavilion, Moraga, California.

Brigham Young is 20-8 on the season, 9-4 in WCC play and currently on a two game winning streak.

Saint Mary's is 22-5 on the season, 11-2 in WCC play and currently on a one game winning streak.

TV: ESPN2 and ESPN Pacific Rim.

Radio: KSL 1160 AM & 102.7 FM along the Wasatch Front.

Satellite Radio: BYU Radio Sirius XM 143.

Online: Live video from Watch ESPN;  live audio from KSL.

Learn about this image by clicking "Read more".

WCC Tournament Bracket. Click image for larger size.

Countdown 11/7

TWO DAYS REMAIN!!!

It still fits, even 13 years later.

Countdown 10/13

26 days remain...

Just a day after the unofficial start of the college basketball season you can already look forward to the end of the season. The West Coast Conference is hosting first and second (technically called the second and third) round games in the NCAA Tournament this year in San Jose. Tickets went on sale this morning. If you're in the Bay Area you should look into getting tickets. Regardless of who is playing it's bound to be a great experience.

Here's the link to the press release from the WCC with all the information.

Countdown 10/4

35 days remain.

Here's Saint Mary's more emotional way of saying that traditional CB radio code "10-4" on Selection Sunday 2010.