ESPN Men's Basketball

Wagner sophomore guard Kenny Ortiz hits an unbelievable behind-the-backboard shot at the buzzer to give Wagner a 64-62 win at Santa Clara on Friday night.

Dana O'Neil previews the field at the 76 Classic, which begins Thanksgiving afternoon in Anaheim, Calif. To read O'Neil's written preview of the event, click here.

Before we get to the Blue Ribbon team-by-team previews for the West Coast Conference, here is Diamond Leung's quick wind sprint through the league:



Blue Ribbon breakdowns of all nine teams in the WCC:

BYU
Gonzaga
Loyola Marymount
Pepperdine
Portland
Saint Mary's
San Diego
San Francisco
Santa Clara

More WCC content:

• Diamond Leung with five things he can't wait to see in the WCC this season.
• Andy Katz on the "Big Three" of Gonzaga, Saint Mary's and BYU and what special season at the top of the WCC it's shaping up to be.
• New coach: Leung profiles Pepperdine's Marty Wilson, who takes over his alma mater for a second -- albeit more stable -- time.
• Leung on BYU's arrival and what it means to the conference.
• Leung on how the WCC is still Gonzaga's to lose.
• Video: Katz's interview with WCC commissioner Jamie Zaninovich.
• Leung on why all is not lost at Santa Clara despite a major injury.
• Leung on the rising program at San Francisco.
• Media Day quotable: quotes from each WCC coach at the league's media day.
• Leung breaks down and rates the nonconference schedules of all nine WCC teams.
• Katz on how critical Brandon Davies is to BYU's success.
• Katz on why basketball out West is defined by more than just the Pac-12, thank you very much.
• Joel Francisco gives the lowdown on the top incoming freshmen in the WCC.
• For more coverage of the WCC in the Nation blog, click here.

Here are five storylines worth tracking in the WCC this season:

1. Gonzaga taking on all comers

Not that it’s at all surprising, but it’s good to see Mark Few embrace the challenge of adding Mountain West powerhouse BYU to the league. Gonzaga loves competition, and even though it’s a program that has won 11 straight WCC titles, it welcomes another quality team to the fold. Does that mean the streak will end soon? Maybe, but Gonzaga isn’t shying away from the threat to its supremacy.

So the games at The Kennel in Spokane and the Marriott Center in Provo are must-see events. BYU already owns bragging rights from their rout of Gonzaga to advance to the Sweet 16, but without Jimmer Fredette, the Zags are favored to win their 12th straight championship. It’s a rivalry that should develop, assuming BYU has a long stay in the league.

Gonzaga’s nonconference schedule is jam-packed with quality opponents as usual, as it will host Butler, Michigan State and Notre Dame while traveling to Illinois and Xavier. There’s also a game against Arizona in Seattle and a hometown game for senior Robert Sacre in Vancouver against Hawaii.

2. Who steps up in place of The Jimmer?

To be clear, it will be impossible for BYU to replace the legendary, once-in-a-generation qualities that Fredette brought to the program during his national player of the year campaign -- one that ended with the Cougars in the Sweet 16.

But BYU has shown over the years capable of being consistently good, and while not one player can replace Fredette, collectively they will try to make up for the loss of his scoring production.

Who steps forward? Is it Brandon Davies, the team’s top big man who, after being reinstated following a nationally-discussed honor code violation, puts together a breakout season? Is it a veteran forward like Stephen Rogers or Noah Hartsock, whose quiet contributions should become more noticeable? Or is it the new-look backcourt of Charles Abouo and Brock Zylstra, who led the team in scoring during a preseason tour of Greece? Can top freshman Damarcus Harrison make a significant impact?

These are questions for coach Dave Rose and the players themselves to sort out, and the intriguing answers won’t come until the season progresses.

3. What’s next for Saint Mary’s?

The Gaels barely missed out on going to the NCAA tournament, and now they no longer have WCC player of the year Mickey McConnell, so coach Randy Bennett will ask for more out of his returning players.

Matthew Dellavedova is expected to handle the ball a lot more, and it’ll be interesting to see how the offense changes as he shifts over to another position. The backcourt isn’t very deep after Southern Methodist transfer Paul McCoy went down with a knee injury, as the Gaels will have to rely on Stephen Holt and Jorden Page coming back from an injury-plagued season himself.

Rob Jones, the team’s top returning scorer, should be counted on to produce, and his versatility -- along with that of Clint Steindl -- gives Saint Mary’s a number of options when it comes to giving opponents different looks on the floor.

4. Santa Clara’s backcourt

Santa Clara was down to its final possession and trailing by thee points in the opening game of their preseason Canadian tour when it naturally turned to Kevin Foster, who sank a turnaround 3-pointer to send the contest into overtime. Similar scenarios during the season could very well play out that way, even as defenses converge on Foster knowing he’s the nation’s leader in made 3-pointers from last season.

Foster will not only keep on shooting at record-setting paces, but also could show off a more all-around game that was improved in the offseason. With top forward Marc Trasolini out for the season, Foster will be even more in the spotlight.

But the Broncos also have an emerging point guard in sophomore Evan Roquemore, who has gone from a late-signing recruit to a reliable option for Kerry Keating’s team. With Roquemore’s development and current chemistry with Foster, Santa Clara still looks strong.

5. A healthy Elias Harris

Gonzaga's Harris entered last season with some All-American consideration based on the eye-popping athleticism he displayed as a freshman. But due to nagging shoulder and Achilles injuries, Harris wasn’t the same player as a sophomore despite coming on strong late in the season and averaging 12.4 points and 6 rebounds. He reportedly was still bothered by the ailments over the summer.

But coach Mark Few, after an offseason of having Harris on campus, appears high on his 6-7 forward after he got into better shape and was able to focus on his own game rather than playing overseas with the German national team.

With a rejuvenated Harris, the Zags might have one of the strongest frontcourts in the nation with him playing alongside 7-foot center Sacre and another emerging center in Sam Dower.

SAN BRUNO, Calif. -- No, Santa Clara coach Kerry Keating doesn’t think that his team’s season ended on Sept. 6.

That was the day Marc Trasolini went up for a shot, came down on his left leg and suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament playing for the Broncos during their preseason tour of his hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia.

But as much of a disaster it was to lose his top big man in an exhibition game, Keating noticed right away that the Broncos would carry forward.

“They moved past it literally the next day,” Keating said. “They did a good job of not crying over spilled milk. They were mortified for him, but they knew there’s nothing they could do about it.”

Santa Clara still returns conference scoring leader Kevin Foster, who led the nation in 3-pointers as a sophomore. The Broncos can pair him in the backcourt with rising sophomore Evan Roquemore, as those two propelled the Broncos to the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament championship in March and a 24-win season.

Now they just have to figure out how to replace their inside presence, with their top three rebounders from last season missing. Trasolini wasn’t even the only forward to go down with an ACL injury, as projected junior college transfer Chris Caird dislocated his knee and wasn’t able to enroll in school.

That means big men Niyi Harrison, John McArthur and redshirt freshman Yannick Atanga will have opportunities to take on larger roles. In all, the Broncos have eight freshmen on the roster, so they’ll be largely inexperienced this season.

But the strength lies in the chemistry that already exists between Foster and Roquemore. Foster made 140 3-pointers last season while also leading the team in assists and steals. Roquemore showed flashes of brilliance after winning the point guard job mid-season, averaging 11.7 points, 3.7 assists and pouring in 30 points against San Francisco in the CIT quarterfinal round.

Keating said Roquemore, a thin and wiry freshman, got stronger in the offseason and improved his strength and conditioning. He gives the Broncos another perimeter shooter, which allows Foster to feature more of an all-around game.

“If we have to sacrifice 10 or 20 3s for 10 or 20 assists, the end result’s the same but may help us develop more as a team,” Keating said.

In the days following the disaster in Vancouver, the team comforted Trasolini, who is expected to be back next year as a senior.

Now they have to prove that not all was lost before the season even began.

An assortment of quotes from each of the nine coaches at the recent WCC Media Day:

BYU's Dave Rose: “Brandon Davies, Noah Hartsock, Charles Abouo, they’ve played in big games, made winning plays in games, and we will play through our posts as we start the season.”

Gonzaga's Mark Few: “[Robert Sacre] is a phenomenal leader, plays the game with a lot of passion, and he’s true blue Zag all the way through. I just hope he has a fantastic senior year. He deserves it.”

Loyola Marymount's Max Good: “If [Ashley Hamilton] gives all that he’s got, he can be one of the premier players in our league.”

Pepperdine's Marty Wilson: “I can guarantee our guys will play hard, will play smart and play together.”

Portland's Eric Reveno: “Tim Douglas as a freshman gave us outstanding games and was a sparkplug, and now we’re looking for consistency.”

Saint Mary’s Randy Bennett: “Rob [Jones] has improved significantly from last year to this year. The areas are not just skill-wise. It’s composure, leadership and being able to bring it every day.”

San Diego Bill Grier: “[Ken Rancifer] is in better shape. His nickname is ‘Flash.’ I’m hoping for something like ‘Marathon’ Rancifer.”

San Francisco's Rex Walters: “We have a chance to play with what I think is the Big Three. Let’s be honest. The Big Three is BYU, Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s.”

Santa Clara's Kerry Keating: “[Kevin Foster] is able to get his shot off against pressure just as easily as he does when he’s wide open.”

For the rest of the week, ESPN.com will be breaking down the nonconference schedules of each and every team in a dozen different leagues. On Tuesday, we began with the ACC, SEC and C-USA. On Wednesday, we continued with the Big East, Atlantic 10 and Colonial.

We are devoting Thursday to the West, beginning with the Pac-12 and now continuing with the newly expanded West Coast Conference ...

BYU

Toughest: Chicago Invitational Challenge (Nov. 25-26), Baylor (Dec. 17), at Virginia Tech (Jan. 25)
Next-toughest: at Utah State (Nov. 11), vs. Oregon in Salt Lake City (Dec. 3), UC Santa Barbara (Dec. 22)
The rest: BYU-Hawaii (Nov. 15), Longwood (Nov. 18), Prairie View A&M (Nov. 22), vs. Northern Arizona in Prescott Valley, Ariz. (Nov. 30), Weber State (Dec. 7), at Utah (Dec. 10), Buffalo (Dec. 20), Cal State San Marcos (Dec. 27)
Toughness scale (1-10): 8 -- BYU begins its season at Utah State's raucous Spectrum and also has a late-January date at Virginia Tech. In between, the Cougars host Baylor, play rising Oregon in Salt Lake and also head to the Chicago Invitational Challenge, where there is a game against Nevada and a likely date with Wisconsin if BYU takes care of business in the first game. It’s not always easy to get an at-large bid out of the WCC, but this nonconference schedule certainly gives Dave Rose’s team a chance.

GONZAGA

Toughest: at Illinois (Dec. 3), Michigan State (Dec. 10), vs. Arizona in Seattle (Dec. 17), at Xavier (Dec. 31)
Next-toughest: Washington State (Nov. 14), Notre Dame (Nov. 30), Butler (Dec. 20)
The rest: Eastern Washington (Nov. 11), vs. Hawaii in Vancouver, British Columbia (Nov. 19), Western Michigan (Nov. 26), Oral Roberts (Dec. 15), Air Force (Dec. 22), Longwood (Feb. 27)
Toughness scale (1-10): 9 -- As usual, the Zags aren't afraid to play anyone this season. The refreshing part for Gonzaga fans is that some big-time programs are headed to Spokane, including Michigan State, Notre Dame and Butler, along with the traditional rivalry game with Washington State, which arrives for the ESPN Tip-Off Marathon. That Battle In Seattle with Zona should be fun and road trips to Illinois and Xavier will provide brutal environments, but Gonzaga has usually been bold about playing wherever it can find good competition. Mark Few gets creativity points too for getting center Robert Sacre a hometown game in Vancouver.

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT

Toughest: at UCLA (Nov. 11), at Florida State (Dec. 18)
Next-toughest: Harvard (Nov. 19), Saint Louis (Nov. 29), North Texas (Dec. 4)
The rest: Middle Tennessee (Nov. 13), at Idaho State (Nov. 23), Northern Arizona (Nov. 26), Columbia (Dec. 2), La Sierra (Dec. 3), Idaho State (Dec. 10), at Morgan State (Dec. 21), Vanguard (Dec. 27), TBA BracketBusters (home)
Toughness scale (1-10): 6 -- LMU has a record number of home games this season, including ones against rising mid-majors Harvard and North Texas. It has difficult road games across town at UCLA for the season opener and also a nationally televised return trip to Florida State. The Lions need a bounceback after a disappointing 2010-11 season, and this schedule certainly offers the opportunity for statement wins.

PEPPERDINE

Toughest: at Arizona State (Nov. 15), at UCLA (Nov. 28), vs. Washington State in Seattle (Dec. 22)
Next-toughest: Hawaii (Dec. 3)
The rest: Pomona-Pitzer (Nov. 12), at Cal State Bakersfield (Nov. 19), Central Michigan (Nov. 21), at UT-San Antonio (Nov. 26), at Northern Arizona (Dec. 7), Cal State Northridge (Dec. 10), Montana State (Dec. 18), at Seattle (Feb. 16)
Toughness scale (1-10): 4 -- The Waves play three Pac-12 teams away from home, including the always-difficult trip to UCLA. That’s balanced out with a mix of mid-majors at home and on the road. It’s a schedule that should give first-year coach Marty Wilson and his team some confidence heading into WCC play.

PORTLAND

Toughest: at Washington (Nov. 14), at Kentucky (Nov. 26)
Next-toughest: Washington State (Nov. 20), at UC Santa Barbara (Nov. 22), at Saint Louis (Dec. 3), at Nevada (Dec. 22)
The rest: vs. Florida Atlantic in Seattle (Nov. 12), vs. Georgia State in Seattle (Nov. 13), Lewis & Clark (Nov. 29), at Boise State (Dec. 7), Ohio (Dec. 10), Montana (Dec. 17), at Utah (Dec. 19)
Toughness scale (1-10): 7 -- The return trip to Kentucky is the highlight of the schedule, but where the difficulty lies is in the overall quality of the opponents. The Pilots play road games against rising programs such as UC Santa Barbara, Nevada, Saint Louis and Boise State. Home games against Ohio, Montana, and a game against Florida Atlantic in Seattle won’t be easy. There are also three Pac-12 opponents on the schedule.

SAINT MARY’S

Toughest: vs. Baylor in Las Vegas (Dec. 22)
Next-toughest: Northern Iowa (Nov. 14), at Denver (Nov. 23), vs. Missouri State in Las Vegas (Dec. 23)
The rest: Shamrock Classic (Nov. 27-28), at Cal Poly (Dec. 3), Jackson State (Dec. 13), Bethune-Cookman (Dec. 17), Kennesaw State (Dec. 19), Eastern Washington (Dec. 20), at TBA BracketBusters (road)
Toughness scale (1-10): Incomplete -- Saint Mary’s has only officially released a partial schedule, so this list was compiled in conjunction with some of their opponents announcing games. The highlights for the Gaels are opening the season with a late-night affair against Northern Iowa for the Tip-Off Marathon and playing Baylor and Missouri State on consecutive days in Vegas. SMC is also hosting an event on campus that includes Weber State, Jacksonville State and San Francisco State.

SAN DIEGO

Toughest: San Diego State (Dec. 7), at Stanford (Dec. 17)
Next-toughest: Montana (Nov. 20), UC Santa Barbara (Dec. 13)
The rest: Stephen F. Austin (Nov. 14), San Diego Christian (Nov. 16), vs. New Orleans in New Orleans (Nov. 25), vs. Alcorn State in New Orleans (Nov. 26), at Tulane (Nov. 27), at UC Irvine (Dec. 3), Maine (Dec. 10), vs. South Alabama in Las Vegas (Dec. 22), at Cal State Bakersfield (Feb. 18)
Toughness scale (1-10): 3 -- San Diego had to redo the early part of its schedule after the cancellation of the Rainbow Classic and is now headed to New Orleans for the three-game Hoops for Hope Classic at Tulane. The Toreros also host a crosstown game against San Diego State as well as solid mid-major teams in Montana and UC Santa Barbara.

SAN FRANCISCO

Toughest: Great Alaska Shootout (Nov. 23-26), at Montana (Dec. 1)
Next-toughest: at Seattle (Nov. 19)
The rest: North Dakota State (Nov. 11), Northern Arizona (Nov. 12), Louisiana-Lafayette (Nov. 13), San Jose State (Nov. 16), Pacific Union (Dec. 4), Pacific (Dec. 10), Menlo College (Dec. 17), at Holy Cross (Dec. 22)
Toughness scale (1-10): 1 -- Rex Walters said he and school administrators decided it wasn’t in the best interest of the program to play guarantee games. That’s one reason why rising San Francisco won’t be facing any power-conference teams. With few possibilities for notable nonconference wins, the Great Alaska Shootout becomes important. Assuming it gets past Dartmouth, USF could play Murray State in the second round, with New Mexico State and Southern Miss lurking on the other side of the bracket.

SANTA CLARA

Toughest: 76 Classic (Nov. 24-27), at Washington State (Dec. 11)
Next-toughest: at UC Santa Barbara (Nov. 15)
The rest: UC Merced (Nov. 11), San Jose State (Nov. 19), Cal State Northridge (Dec. 3), Pacifica (Dec. 13), Pacific (Dec. 17), at Houston Baptist (Dec. 21), Eastern Michigan (Dec. 29), Air Force (Dec. 30)
Toughness scale (1-10): 5 -- The 76 Classic presents a big opportunity for Kerry Keating’s team to do some damage and open some eyes. The Broncos have an opening-round game against MWC contender New Mexico and then face either Oklahoma or Washington State. They also have road trips to Washington State and UC Santa Barbara. The rest of the schedule gives them an opportunity to go into WCC play with momentum.

Earlier this month, when Big 12 athletic directors were pursuing a possible 10th member to replace Texas A&M, they reached out to Brigham Young University.

But will the Cougars listen again if the phone rings? Would they dismiss being an independent in football and eradicate their West Coast Conference affiliation before spending a full year in the league?

BYU isn't saying boo publicly, only issuing this general statement:

“There is much speculation right now regarding conference affiliation that seems to change by the hour,’’ associate athletic director Duff Tittle said. “Commenting on such conjecture is not productive and creates a distraction for our program. As we enter the 2011-12 athletic season, BYU is focused on the opportunities ahead. We are excited about our relationship with ESPN as a football independent and our affiliation with the West Coast Conference.’’

The university would not comment further and athletic director Tom Holmoe isn’t making any public comments either.

That’s fine. It’s not his decision. Any move by BYU will be made by the school president in conjunction with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The university is adamant that it wants its own network to be successful on a national and global stage. BYUtv has an agreement with the WCC and ESPN that works to its advantage by getting games on television that weren’t available under the previous contract with the Mountain West and Comcast. Not having to share those rights on BYUtv, which is not a tier 1 or tier 2 issue, may sound familiar to Big 12 schools after squawking over the Longhorn Network, a joint venture between Texas and ESPN.

BYUtv probably wouldn’t be an issue for Big 12 membership, but the question is do both parties want each other? That’s still undetermined. The Cougars may want to sit and wait to see if the Big 12 really does stick together for the foreseeable future.

The conflicting reports out of Oklahoma and Missouri on Thursday night make it seem as if there are two differing opinions about the unity of the conference. Oklahoma made it seem as if there was an agreement in place for the schools over the next six years, while Missouri’s news conference indicated there were talks but that nothing was set in stone. In fact, MU's chancellor did not rule out his school moving to another league.

BYU’s hierarchy does like being with like-minded, faith-based universities in the WCC that can understand its mission. The Cougars do seek stability and their new conference does offer it up.

But if the Cougars did want to leave, they wouldn’t get held up by the WCC. The league fully understands that BYU may want to join a major football conference, but the WCC isn’t fretting an imminent departure. The conference is pumping up BYU’s admission with higher-profile members Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s and moved its tournament semifinals away from Sunday for the Cougars.

Bottom line: BYU will take its time surveying the scene. Could the Cougars leave independence and the WCC? Of course. But, as you can see from the interview with commissioner Jamie Zaninovich at the top of this post, no one seems to be overly worried in the WCC offices in San Bruno, Calif.

In July, Dana O'Neil surveyed 15 college head coaches at the EYBL Peach Jam on the subject of recruiting -- more specifically, classic tales from the road and memories of the recruiting steals and the ones that got away. While there, she also asked those coaches about the shrines of college basketball: the toughest place they've ever coached and the one arena that's at the top of their bucket list.

The toughest place I’ve ever coached:

Rick Barnes (Texas): Oklahoma State. “Before they raised the roof at Gallagher-Iba, you could not hear yourself talk.’’

Mark Fox (Georgia): Oklahoma State. “The old Gallagher-Iba was just crazy loud.’’

Darrin Horn (South Carolina): Wichita State. “They started coming for our NIT game about an hour and a half before the game began. Not students. Grown-ups. It was loud and obnoxious. Really tough.’’

Ben Howland (UCLA): Oregon. “At the old Pit there was no room on the baseline and you were all crowded in. Plus the ceiling was so low. It was just deafening.’’

Bob Huggins (West Virginia): Kansas. “They’re right on top of you. They’ve got these old wooden bleachers and they’re usually pretty good.’’

Tom Izzo (Michigan State): Kansas and Duke. “They’re always the toughest places to play.’’

Kerry Keating (Santa Clara): Kansas. “When I was at Tulsa, we went there. Had a pretty good team. Had been to the Elite Eight the year before. We got blasted.’’

Phil Martelli (St. Joseph's): Duke. “During a timeout, freshman Yah Davis said to me, 'Coach, it’s way too loud in here for me to concentrate.'’’

Fran McCaffery (Iowa): Campbell. “The old gym there, the capacity I think was like 857. You’d have to turn your head sideways to get in the locker room.’’

Josh Pastner (Memphis): Oregon. “The old Pit crowd was on top of you and it was just tremendous fun. Coach [Lute] Olson, who never took off his jacket, always took his jacket off there.’’

Rick Pitino (Louisville): Barnhill Arena, Arkansas. “When Nolan Richardson was there, that was a tough, tough place to play. Just crazy.’’

Mark Turgeon (Maryland): Kansas. “The crowd and the players. That’s a pretty good combination.’’

Bruce Weber (Illinois): Murray State. “We played there in the OVC championship game and I think the place was supposed to hold 5,000. There were probably 8,000 in there.’’

Roy Williams (North Carolina): Oklahoma State. “I’ll never forget the first time we played there. They had that Pistol Pete and he fired that gun. I’d about like to die.’’

Jay Wright (Villanova): New Mexico State. “When I was at UNLV, the rivalry was especially heated. Those games were nasty.’’

The one arena I’ve never coached in but would like to:

Barnes: The Palestra, Philadelphia
Fox: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke
Horn: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke
Howland: Assembly Hall, Indiana
Huggins: Pauley Pavilion, UCLA
Izzo: The Palestra, Philadelphia
Keating: Assembly Hall, Indiana
Martelli: Pauley Pavilion, UCLA
McCaffery: I think I’ve coached in them all
Pastner: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke
Pitino: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke
Turgeon: Dean E. Smith Center, North Carolina
Weber: Pauley Pavilion, UCLA
Williams: WVU Coliseum, West Virginia
Wright: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke

• Tournament bracket for the 76 Classic

When and where: Nov. 24-25, 27 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Initial thoughts: Lon Kruger gets an opportunity to win a 76 Classic championship for a second straight year, but it'll be a heck of a lot tougher at rebuilding Oklahoma than it was with UNLV last November. ... Villanova features a couple of freshmen looking to make an impact in their first month after having their debuts delayed. Former McDonald's All-American forward JayVaughn Pinkston was only recently reinstated after being suspended all of last season while facing an assault charge, and top-100 recruit Ty Johnson is expected to return from a broken foot that is preventing him from playing during the team's preseason tour of Europe. ... The last time New Mexico forward Drew Gordon was at the 76 Classic, he was in his unhappy final days in a UCLA uniform before parting ways with the team, which went winless in the event. He and guard Kendall Williams, a former UCLA commit who went on to become Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, will get a chance to show all of Southern California what it missed out on. ... What a way for Boston College to promote its freshman class, which includes four SoCal recruits who get a early-season trip home. Coach Steve Donahue could continue developing his pipeline in the area with a strong showing from the Eagles. ... Santa Clara could very well be the surprise team of the tournament, as the Broncos return their top three scorers -- Kevin Foster, Marc Trasolini and Evan Roquemore -- from a team that captured the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament championship. ... Rick Majerus has to be happy to have a full roster at his disposal again with point guard Kwamain Mitchell back after redshirting last season while serving a suspension. But it'll be tough to believe the Billikens have turned it around if they can't be a BC team that was gutted by graduation. ... The Big West's Cal State Northridge beat the Big East's DePaul in this tournament last year, but don't expect Villanova to have too much trouble against UC Riverside. ... Washington State needs to identify a go-to guy after Klay Thompson and DeAngelo Casto turned pro. Top returning scorer Faisal Aden could be the one, but has battled injuries so look for Fresno State transfer Mike Ladd to make an impact. ... If New Mexico and Saint Louis play, that would make it twice the two teams would meet since the Billikens are also scheduled to play at The Pit this season.

Matchup I can't wait to see: New Mexico-Santa Clara should be quite a battle between two emerging teams out West filled with young yet experienced talent. UNM has a senior standout in Gordon and an up-and-coming shooter in Williams, but will be in the beginning stages of working in point guards in freshman Hugh Greenwood and Arizona State transfer Demetrius Walker. Santa Clara, meanwhile, has one of the nation's top 3-point shooters in the redshirt junior Foster and already has an established point guard in the sophomore Roquemore. The Broncos' coach, Kerry Keating, will be familiar with Gordon, having formerly served on a UCLA staff that recruited him. But Trasolini will have a difficult matchup there.

Potential matchup I'd like to see: New Mexico-Villanova in the championship would give Steve Alford and the Lobos a chance to take down a Big East team. The Wildcats are in a transition year with only two starters returning as junior point guard Maalik Wayns looks to take on a leadership role on a team filled with young talent. They do have the advantage of getting time together in Europe during the preseason. But New Mexico has the talent to win this potential matchup after missing the NCAA tournament last season while giving many young players an opportunity to play.

Key players to watch

Ryan Anderson, Boston College: Anderson is California's Mr. Basketball and a top-100 recruit ready to make an impact. The Lakewood, Calif., native is a 6-foot-8 power forward who likes to score facing the basket.

Kevin Foster, Santa Clara: The West Coast Conference's leading scorer (20.2) from last season loves to shoot the 3-pointer, so much so that he led the nation in both attempted and made shots from beyond the arc. He's hard to guard once he starts heating up.

Drew Gordon, New Mexico: The 6-foot-9 forward averaged a double-double and is the team's leading returning scorer (13.0) and rebounder (10.5). He became eligible last December after transferring from UCLA, so the Lobos will now be getting a full season of production out of him.

Kwamain Mitchell, Saint Louis: During the 2009-10 season, Mitchell led SLU in scoring (15.9 ppg) and is now looking to recapture that starring role after going through a year in which he served a suspension during the fall semester and sat out the rest of the season.

Maalik Wayns, Villanova: The speedy point guard is the Wildcats' top returning scorer (13.8 ppg) and excels on the fast break. He'll have to improve his shooting percentage and also look to create as coach Jay Wright wants to get big men, chiefly Pinkston and Mouphtaou Yarou, more involved.

Predicted winner: New Mexico slips past Santa Clara, beats a rebuilding power conference team in the semis and then has what it takes to take down Villanova in the championship game. Williams and Gordon give the Lobos a nice inside-outside combo. They also have experienced seniors in A.J. Hardeman and Phillip McDonald, along with a potential impact freshman from Australia in Greenwood. Getting guard Chad Adams back from suspension would give them a full roster that will be needed for three games in four days.

Who others are picking:

Eamonn Brennan: Villanova
Andy Katz: Villanova
Dana O'Neil: New Mexico

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. -- During last week's EYBL Peach Jam, ESPN.com surveyed 15 head coaches on a range of topics. Here are their responses on a topic involving their fellow coaches.

There are five seconds left in a tie game. Your opponent has the ball. What coach would you most worry about diagramming the last play?

Rick Barnes, Texas: Dean Smith. “No question. He was a great situation guy.’’

Mark Fox, Georgia: “It’s the guy with the best players. I don’t care what the play is.’’

Darrin Horn, South Carolina: “It’s about the players, not the pen. Whoever has the best players wins.’’

Ben Howland, UCLA: Tom Izzo, Jim Boeheim or Jim Calhoun. “Those three guys have been through just about every situation you can imagine.’’

Bob Huggins, West Virginia: Rick Pitino. “I think he’s a pretty good coach but I also think he inspires confidence in his players and that’s so important in those end-game situations.’’

Tom Izzo, Michigan State: Mike Krzyzewski. “He’s been doing this a long time and his track record speaks for itself. Plus he can say, ‘Eenie, meenie, miney mo and pick the guy who will beat you.’’

Kerry Keating, Santa Clara: Eric Reveno. “He went to Stanford. He has three degrees. One of them has to help him come up with a good endgame play.’’

Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph’s: The tree of Thad Matta. “Matta, Sean Miller, Chris Mack. They have so many plays that they can cover just about anything.’’

Fran McCaffery, Iowa: Tom Izzo. “He runs really good late-game stuff. You have to be concise with your switching and your trapping.’’

Josh Pastner, Memphis: John Calipari. “In those situations you have to be quick with your thinking and he really is. He grabs the board and draws up something immediately. It’s a gift, really.’’ Pastner also named Jeff Van Gundy.

Rick Pitino, Louisville: Dean Smith. “He was a great timeout guy. He lived for that. Plus he had great players. Who do you want, Jordan or Worthy to beat you?”

Mark Turgeon, Maryland: John Beilein. “He’s a terrific X's and O's guy.’’

Bruce Weber, Illinois: Kevin Stallings. “I coached with him and I know how good he is. I always say he’s an offensive genius.’’

Roy Williams, North Carolina: Dean Smith. “We practiced it every day. There was nothing we could face that he hadn’t practiced, so when it happened you were ready.’’

Jay Wright, Villanova: John Beilein. “I know he lives and dies by the 3 but he’d also have an option, a guy driving to the rim. He wouldn’t go to a player but to a play.’’

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. -- During last week's EYBL Peach Jam, ESPN.com surveyed 15 head coaches on a range of topics. Here are their responses on a topic involving their fellow coaches.

Who is the smartest coach in college basketball right now?

Rick Barnes, Texas: “I don’t know if I can name one guy.’’

Mark Fox, Georgia: Mike Krzyzewski. “He’s on a different level than everyone else. Conceptually, philosophically he’s just ahead of everyone else.’’

Darrin Horn, South Carolina: Tom Izzo. “His consistency and to do what he’s done at a place that isn’t Kansas or UCLA, with 50 years of amazing tradition, that’s just incredible.’’

Ben Howland, UCLA: Brad Stevens and Jamie Dixon. “He looks pretty darned smart to do what he’s done. And Jamie’s winning percentage at Pittsburgh is incredible.’’

Bob Huggins, West Virginia: John Calipari. “I cannot understand how he can have all these things going on and still be as good as he is. Who can do that? To be involved in all he’s involved in, that’s incredible. I don’t think anyone realizes what a great job he’s done the past two years basically starting over with a new team. And he’ll do it again this year and still be good.’’

Tom Izzo, Michigan State: Mark Fox. “I watch what he’s been able to do with his program and I’m really impressed. His demeanor, the way he runs his program and handles his players. I think he’s a really great young coach.’’

Kerry Keating, Santa Clara: Jim Calhoun. “Whoever won the last championship has to be the smartest guy because he figured it out. We are all only as good and as smart as our last game. Plus, Coach Calhoun was smart enough to recruit Kemba.’’

Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph’s: Jim Boeheim. “I don’t think people appreciate how well he knows the game. You could ask him the top freshmen right now and he could tell you. He really studies the game.’’

Fran McCaffery, Iowa: John Calipari. “He’s so innovative, off and on the court.’’

Josh Pastner, Memphis: Mike Krzyzewski. “He takes everyone’s best shot every night and he never wavers. The teams that they’re supposed to beat by a large margin, they beat by a large margin. To be up like that all the time just speaks volumes to the level of motivation he gives that team.’’

Rick Pitino, Louisville: Mike Krzyzewski. “He’s the most experienced and no matter what the situation, he never panics.’’

Mark Turgeon, Maryland: Kevin Stallings. “He’s a very intelligent guy and an excellent coach.’’

Bruce Weber, Illinois: Tom Izzo and Roy Williams. “They both run competitive programs. They recruit kids that graduate. They win championships and they have good reputations.’’

Roy Williams, North Carolina: Mike Montgomery and Mike Krzyzewski. “I think Mike Montgomery is pretty darned sharp and I have no problem saying that I think Mike Krzyzewski is, too.’’

Jay Wright, Villanova: Mike Krzyzewski. “He’s got it all. He’s a great X’s and O’s coach. He has the personality. He’s a great motivator and he develops his players.’’

Santa Clara has made a run to the championship game of the CollegeInsider.com tournament in its first trip to a postseason tournament in 15 years. That the Broncos are able to give their young players experience playing in late March and a trip to New York to play at Iona on Wednesday has been meaningful.

The team has gotten an chance to dine in Times Square, practice in Madison Square Garden, and also learn a little bit more about coach Kerry Keating. He grew up in Long Island and today took his players to Ground Zero, where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center stood 10 years ago.

"It's hard for me to not choke up about it. I lost friends," Keating said. " It's just hard to put into words. It's hard to describe to these guys the magnitude of what happened and how big these buildings used to be and who used to be in there and how many times I've been there.

"You draw that skyline as a kid when you're learning in art class. It's hard. It's going to be hard. But it's also something that I want them to see, how much it affects me. I want them to see how it's hard for me to not get emotional about it because that's the most important thing for me is that they know how to live the rest of their lives the right way."

Keating was an assistant coach at Tennessee during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. He knew people working in the World Trade Center that day.

"Cantor Fitzgerald was a pretty big firm that a lot of people from Long Island, that a lot of our friends worked at," Keating said. "There were a lot of people that were friends and friends of our family and people that I knew. Fortunately no one that I would consider a best friend. I'm lucky to still have all those guys that could have been in that building that weren't."

Santa Clara, after finishing fourth in the WCC and falling to Saint Mary's in the semifinal round of the conference tournament, has gotten hot in the CIT. The Broncos beat Northern Arizona, Air Force, WCC foe San Francisco and Southern Methodist to reach the title game.

The tournament has given the Broncos' talented underclassman backcourt of Kevin Foster and Evan Roquemore time to grow. Foster has averaged 32 points over the past three games, and Roquemore had a 30-point game against San Francisco.

Santa Clara is playing late into the year and will get an early start next season as well with a preseason trip to Vancouver. But right now, Keating wants to emphasize to his team the opportunity to win a postseason championship.

"As much as we're talking about wanting it to happen again, we may never hang another banner again," Keating said. "You never know how final things can be. Maybe you can keep appreciating that. Maybe they'll appreciate each other and be able to smile and still be able to cry, too."

Here's an inside look at the numbers behind Thursday's top performances:

1. Santa Clara had lost 10 straight home games to Gonzaga and head coach Kerry Keating was 0-8 overall against the Bulldogs. But the Broncos broke through on Thursday with an 85-71 win courtesy of a career-high 36 points from Kevin Foster. John Bryant matched that total three years ago, but the last Bronco to score more in a game was Steve Ross (38) in 2002. Before that? Steve Nash in 1995. Foster scored 24 in the second half alone, including 11 straight to break the game open late. Only Baylor's LaceDarius Dunn averages more 3s than Foster, and Thursday was no different, as he knocked down six of 14 from long range.

2. Isaiah Thomas continued his torrid stretch as Washington topped Arizona 85-68. The junior finished with 22 points, 10 assists and just one turnover. Over the past 15 seasons, no Washington player had a 20-point, 10-assist game before last week. Thomas has now done it in two consecutive games. When Abdul Gaddy went down for the season, the point guard duties were handed to Thomas, and he's been up to the challenge. In the five games since the Gaddy injury, he is averaging 20.4 ppg and 9.4 apg. In fact, since the New Year, he's the nation's top assist man. Not bad for a guy who was averaging 4.2 apg before Gaddy went down.

Most assists per game since Jan. 1
9.4 -- Isaiah Thomas, Washington
9.2 -- D.J. Cooper, Ohio
9.2 -- Mickey McConnell, Saint Mary's
8.6 -- Scott Machado, Iona
7.8 -- Reggie Hamilton, Oakland

3. Florida shot 28.3 percent from the field and scored only 45 points, the fewest of the Billy Donovan era. Oh, and the Gators also beat Auburn 45-40. It was the fewest points in a conference by an SEC team since 1997, when Auburn beat Kevin O'Neill-coached Tennessee 43-35. The last time the Gators scored this few points in a win was 1962 (43). The opponent? Auburn. On Thursday, the Gators actually trailed 40-37 with under two minutes to go before going on an 8-0 run to close the game. The Tigers missed out on some crucial points, shooting just just 1-for-8 from the line. That's the worst free throw performance by a team attempting at least eight since 2008.

4. On the subject of ugly shooting, Stanford had a tough night on Thursday. The Cardinal shot 22.2 percent from the field in a 65-42 loss to USC. That marked Stanford's worst shooting performance of the shot-clock era (since 1985). Stanford didn't have a player score in double figures for the first time in five years. And how's this for offensive efficiency? Stanford took 63 shots, while USC attempted only 45 (hitting on 55.6 percent). That's 0.64 points per possession for Stanford, tied for the second fewest by a power six conference team this season, according to bbstate.com.

5. Whenever there's a four overtime game, you can count on some fun numbers. Utah Valley's 107-96 win over North Dakota is no different. In the third quadruple-OT game this season, UVU somehow only came up with one steal. That steal was made by Geddes Robinson, who also pulled down 17 rebounds in 53 minutes of action. Yet, he only scored three points and was 1-for-7 from the field. That's the fewest points when playing over 50 minutes since 2005, when Iona's Martin McCullough also scored three in 51 minutes.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Klay Thompson didn’t have his best shooting night, but when it counted most, he came through for Washington State.

Thompson buried a 3-pointer with 14.5 seconds in regulation to tie the score and send the game into overtime, and then came through with another dagger in the extra period to lift the Cougars to an 85-79 win on the road Sunday against Santa Clara.

But it was the way he scored those 23 points -- mainly by getting to the line and hitting 10 of 12 free throws -- that impressed coach Ken Bone the most.

“He’s going to have to manufacture points in different ways,” Bone said.

That was what Thompson had set out in the offseason to improve upon, and that’s what has the Cougars off to an 8-1 start as they head to the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii and then right into Los Angeles for the start of Pac-10 play.

Playing Santa Clara at the start of a two-week road trip made for the classic trap game, but Thompson made sure the Cougars didn’t fall victim to it. He was just 5-of-16 from the field and had six turnovers, but there was also seven rebounds and six assists.

And at times, he simply bullied his way into the lane and got fouled even while in foul trouble himself. Yes, the clutch 3-pointers at the end were nice, but Thompson is no longer the guy with the pretty jumper who needs to come off screens to get good looks.

He remade himself and bulked up after struggling so mightily with his shot during conference play last season that he didn’t dare test the NBA draft waters once the Cougars finished last in the Pac-10.

The talent around him is emerging as well. Forward DeAngelo Casto and guard Marcus Capers both entered the game shooting 54 percent from the field and scored 15 and 14 points, respectively. Point guard Reggie Moore is back from a wrist injury and scored 15 off the bench. Junior college transfer Faisal Aden got the start in place of Moore because Bone wanted to get a different look with his second-leading scorer on the court alongside Thompson.

“So much of [Sunday night is] an example,” Thompson said of the support his teammates have given him. “These guys stepped up.”

The Cougars were playing for the first time in nine days and seemed a little sluggish coming out in the first half, committing nine turnovers. They trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half against a Santa Clara team that got 29 points from Kevin Foster, the WCC’s second-leading scorer.

The Broncos even made 30 consecutive free throw attempts, but missed two in the final minute to give Thompson two chances to tie the game with a 3. Thompson missed with 22.8 seconds left, but made the second.

“It’s a lesson,” Santa Clara coach Kerry Keating said. “We’re building a program to be able to play these games.”

Washington State, meanwhile, is winning them. The Cougars won an ugly one here in the South Bay, won in a blowout of Gonzaga, and even won some hearts and minds by playing Kansas State close.

“We didn’t play our best,” Bone said of Sunday night's performance, “but we did a good job.”