Gonzaga Bulldogs favored to win West Coast Conference Tournament

While Saint Mary’s swept the regular season series to win the title and earn seeds # 1, the oddsmakers favors the second seed Zags to win the Tournament Championship and WCC’s Automatic dock in the NCAA tournament.

Saint Mary’s (27-4, 17-1) and Gonzaga (23-8, 14-4) have achieved four-time towns in the semi-finals next Monday night. All 11 teams are participating this year and the tournament starts Thursday with # 10 Seed Pacific Face 11 San Diego.

After a loss to Saint Mary’s in the home final on February 22, Zags put on the NCAA bubble, they replied with two Quad 1 outfit on five nights in the bay, in Santa Clara and against San Francisco in the Chase Center.

“I think we unlocked one up with certainty,” Star Point Guard Ryan Nembhard said of what will be Gonzaga’s 26th. Just an invitation to March Madness.

But they do not want to leave their fate to the selection committee.

“We go down there to win it,” Ben Gregg said after his big night against Dons.

Can anyone see Gonzaga or Saint Mary’s?

Either Gonzaga or Saint Mary’s has won each WCC conference tournament since 2009, with Zags claiming 12 titles and Gaels Fire, including last year’s title after a 69-60 victory. They have faced each other 12 times during the 16-season stretch where Zags won eight of them. Gaels won last year’s title by beating Zags 69-60.

The only other team that played for the championship during this time was Byu, bolted to BIG 12 in 2023. The final team than Gonzaga or Saint Mary’s to win the WCC tournament was San Diego back in 2008.

Gonzaga has a favorable draw

Saint Mary’s anchores the top half of the bracket While Zags anchors the lower half. The three teams that beat Gonzaga in the regular season – No. 5 Oregon State, No. 4 Santa Clara and Saint Mary’s – are set up in the top half of the bracket. No. 8 Portland and No. 9 Pepperdine are facing in the second round on Friday, with the winner on to Face Oregon State.

The winner of Pacific-SAN Diego faces No. 7 LMU in the second round. No. 6 Washington State and No. 3 San Francisco finishes the lower half of the bracket.

Santa Clara Bounce-back games

Zags never had the lead in their loss to Saint Mary’s on February 22, and the mood after gaming was bleak. But then Nembhard said, unforeseen, there was still a lot to play for and he delivered. He put 15 assists in a 95-76 win at Santa Clara to break the WCC’s single-season record and then exhausted 16 times in the victory against San Francisco to tie Blake Stepp’s single-game Gonzaga record.

Ismaila Diagne, a 7-foot beginner from Senegal, had a breakout game against Santa Clara and Gregg had 23 against Dons to come within one of his career mounds. Nolan Hickman, Graham Ike and Khalif Battle continue to play at a high level.

WCC tournament odds, predictions

Fanduel Sportsbook On Tuesday, Zags noted as -155 favorites to win the tournament and had Gaels on +155.

Espn -Insiders Joe Lunardi and Jeff Borzello choose Zags to win the tournament while Myron Medcalf goes with Gaels.

Odds with permission from Fanduel Sportsbook. Play odds update regularly and can be changed. If you or someone you know have a game problem and want help, call 1-800-gambler.

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