Saint Mary’s, still undefeated in conference play, continues to exceed expectations without getting the recognition it deserves, having now won 15 straight.
By contrast, Gonzaga is suffering through one of its worst seasons.
Oregon State is finding relative success in its first year in the WCC, while Washington State has had mixed results. We’ll also be discussing Portland this week.
Here’s a rundown of the five teams heading into Week 14.
———
Saint Mary’s (10-0, 20-3)
Saint Mary’s should be ranked. It’s obvious that the sportswriters who rank the Top 25 teams in America don’t watch the Gaels.
SMC is 20-3 and currently riding a 10-game winning streak. On Saturday, Saint Mary’s defeated rival Gonzaga when the Bulldogs needed it most.
The Gaels basically locked up the regular season WCC title, barring a collapse.
SMC jumped out to an early 14-point lead before Gonzaga fought back in the second half. But the story of crunch time for the Gaels is Harry Wessels.
Mitchell Saxen fouled out earlier in the half, allowing Wessels to go in the closing stretch. The Junior from Australia drew a foul, hit two free throws, and blocked Graham Ike in the game’s final minute.
His play proved to be the difference in the contest.
On Wednesday, Saint Mary’s went on a casual 30-0 run against Santa Clara en route to a comfortable victory. Saxen led the Gaels with 12 points.
SMC travels to Corvallis and San Francisco this week in what could prove two trap games.
Notes:
– Saint Mary’s has the nation’s longest road winning streak at 15 games.
– The Gaels are ranked 7th in the nation in points allowed per game.
– SMC has won 20 games in 17 straight seasons.
———
Gonzaga (7-3, 16-7)
Gonzaga’s week was alright by most teams’ standards but not by theirs.
The Bulldogs are having their toughest season in recent memory, and they needed to win against Saint Mary’s to gather some momentum.
The game in Moraga was a microcosm of the Zags’ season. They fought until the end but couldn’t make the big shot when they needed it.
The Gaels jumped out to an early 14-point lead, but GU fought back in the second half, taking their first lead before the first media timeout.
With just under ten minutes remaining in the contest, the Zags had a four-point lead. Ryan Nembhard and Graham Ike both missed three-pointers on Gonzaga’s final possession, which would’ve given the Zags a one-point lead.
On Tuesday, the Bulldogs beat Oregon State, which had upset them two weeks prior. The Zags decimated the Beavers by 40, and Khalif Battle led the way with 23 points.
Gonzaga faces Loyola Marymount and Pacific this week. Another loss could have the Zags closer to the bubble than they’re used to.
Notes:
– Khalif Battle is 8th in the nation in free throw percentage.
– Gonzaga is first in the nation in assists per game.
– Graham Ike leads the team with 17.6 points per game.
———
Oregon State (6-4, 16-7)
Oregon State probably should’ve expected to lose to Gonzaga last Tuesday. The Beavers pulled off an epic upset the last time these teams played, but the Bulldogs were ready.
The Zags got upset by Santa Clara in between the OSU bouts. Oregon State never stood much of a chance in this contest, falling behind by eight early, then by 14 fifteen minutes in, and by 20 at half.
Michael Rataj led the Beavers in scoring with 15, and Maxim Logue added 10, which was his career high.
The Beavs should be happy about a split against GU. Oregon State has two huge matchups this week against Washington State and Saint Mary’s.
OSU currently sits at 62nd in the NET Rankings, but they desperately need some Quad 1 wins. They are 1-5 in these matchups. If they can come out of this week 2-0, it would change the outlook of their season.
The Cougars are alright, and the Gaels are the quaddy one dub Oregon State is looking for.
Notes:
– Oregon State is 2-1 in Quad 2 games.
– Michael Rataj leads the Beavers with 17.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
– Mel Counts is an alumnus of OSU.
———
Washington State (5-6, 15-9)
After a solid start to the regular season, Washington State has initiated a collapse reminiscent of their football program.
The Cougars lost to San Francisco on Saturday and to Pacific on Thursday. They were swept by the Tigers this season. The loss against the Dons isn’t bad, but it’s concerning because of how it happened.
The Cougs took an eight-point lead with about 12 minutes left in the first half, but San Francisco found their rhythm with 7:40 left in the first stanza and balled from there. Dane Erikstrup and Ethan Price both finished with 12 points in the loss.
On Thursday, WSU’s regular season was ruined by Pacific. The Cougars lost a teeter-totter affair against the Tigers that featured 11 ties and 10 lead changes. Pacific hit the game-winning layup with five seconds left in the contest, winning by two.
Prior to this weekend, the Cougs season was decent, considering the injury to Cedric Coward.
Washington State gets Oregon State and Pepperdine this week.
Notes:
– Former Cougar Jaylen Wells earned a spot on the NBA Rising Star team for All-Star weekend, the first Cougar to ever participate in this event.
– Nate Calmese is tied for the WCC lead in steals, averaging 1.9 steals per game.
– Cougars Freshman Tomas Thrastarson is from Iceland.
———–
Portland (3-8, 8-16)
Portland had mixed results this week, with a win against Pepperdine but a loss against Loyola Marymount on Thursday. The Pilots have improved in conference play, winning three out of their last six games after a 0-5 start. The Key to UP’s victory on Saturday was their hot shooting. Portland went on a 16-0 run, fueled by three three-pointers, at the very beginning of this contest. UP jumped out to a 16-2 advantage. Max Mackinnon led the way for the Pilots, scoring 24 points in the game and 17 in the first half. Chris Austin also finished with 20 points. On Thursday, UP faced a role reversal. The Lions jumped out to a 21-point lead early when Austin Rapp wasn’t available due to a migraine. Rapp returned, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the huge deficit. He still led Portland with 14 points, and Mackinnon finished with 13. The Pilots only have one game this week against Santa Clara. UP will need these matchups to win if they’d like to jump to the next level in the WCC.
Notes:
-Portland is 9-6 at home this year.
-Austin Rapp leads the Pilots with 13.9 points and 6.2 rebounds.
-Max Mackinnon is 19th in the nation in free throw percentage.
