Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
BYU's first season in the West Coast Conference will begin with the Cougars tabbed to finish third in preseason voting done by the league's nine head coaches.
*******
The voting results, along with preseason all-conference selections, were announced Thursday at the WCC's Basketball Tip-Off event from YouTube headquarters near the league offices in San Bruno, Calif.
The conference's official press release is as follows:
--
SAN BRUNO, Calif. - With the start of the highly-anticipated 2011-2012 men's basketball season barely two weeks away, Gonzaga University has been selected as the favorite to win the West Coast Conference men's basketball championship in a preseason poll of the WCC's nine head coaches. The Bulldogs received seven first place votes and 63 of 64 possible points in the poll, and are one of three teams to have multiple selections on the Preseason All-WCC Team.
Gonzaga, ranked 23rd in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 coaches poll, has won a share of the last 11 WCC regular season championships. Last year, the Bulldogs went 25-10 against one of the nation's toughest schedules en route to their 13th straight NCAA appearance.
Redshirt senior center Robert Sacre and junior forward Elias Harris lead this year's Bulldogs, and were both selected to the 2011-12 Preseason All-WCC Team. Sacre averaged 12.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game a season ago, while Harris posted similar numbers at 12.4 points and six rebounds per contest.
Saint Mary's College received one first place vote and was picked to finish second in the WCC preseason poll with 56 points. The Gaels captured a share of the WCC crown last year, and feature a pair of Preseason All- WCC selections. Senior forward Rob Jones is the WCC's leading returning rebounder, averaging 8.9 boards per game. Junior guard Matthew Dellavedova, an All-WCC First Team selection last year, was named to this year's Preseason Team after averaging over five assists per contest in 2010-11.
WCC newcomer Brigham Young University captured one first place vote, and was selected to finish third in the preseason poll, collecting 52 points. The Cougars advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 last year as members of the Mountain West Conference. This year, in their new home, junior forward Brandon Davies is a Preseason All- WCC selection. Davies finished fifth in the MWC last year in rebounding with over six boards per game, while averaging 11.1 points.
Last year the University of San Francisco had its best WCC season since 1982, and the Dons have been selected to finish fourth in this year's WCC preseason poll, with 42 points. San Francisco returns all five starters from last season, including senior guard Rashad Green and junior guard Michael Williams - who were each selected to the Preseason All-WCC Team. Green averaged 12.6 points per game last year, and 19 points per game in the postseason. Williams drained 74 three-pointers last season, the second-most in program history.
Santa Clara University finished strong down the stretch last season, winning eight of its final nine games en route to capturing the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament title. This year's Broncos are picked fifth in the WCC with 35 points. The Santa Clara attack is led by junior guard Kevin Foster, a Preseason All-WCC selection. Foster was the CIT most valuable player last year, and led the nation in three-point field goals per game (3.7). Foster was the WCC's leading scorer, averaging 20.2 points per night.
Led by Preseason All-WCC selection Drew Viney, Loyola Marymount University has been selected sixth in the preseason coaches poll with 27 points. Viney, a redshirt senior forward, battled through injuries to average over 17 points per game last season. He has twice been named All-WCC. The University of Portland (25 points), Pepperdine University (13), and the University of San Diego (11) round out the preseason poll. Portland senior guard Nemanja Mitrovic is a Preseason All-WCC selection. The sharp-shooter averaged 13.5 points per game and ranked sixth nationally in three-point field goal percentage a season ago.
The 2011-12 season tips off on Friday, November 11, for six of the nine WCC teams. For the first time, conference play will begin prior to January, with a Portland at Gonzaga match-up slated for Wednesday, December 28, 2011. The 2012 Zappos.com West Coast Conference Basketball Championships will return to the the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas from February 29-March 5.
2011-12 WEST COAST CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL
Team (First Place Votes) Points
1. Gonzaga University (7) 63
2. Saint Mary's College (1) 56
3. Brigham Young University (1) 52
4. University of San Francisco 42
5. Santa Clara University 35
6. Loyola Marymount University 27
7. University of Portland 25
8. Pepperdine University 13
9. University of San Diego 11
--
2011-12 PRESEASON ALL-WEST COAST CONFERENCE TEAM
Player School Yr. Pos.
Brandon Davies BYU Jr. F
Matthew Dellavedova Saint Mary's Jr. G
Kevin Foster Santa Clara Jr. G
Rashad Green San Francisco Sr. G
Elias Harris Gonzaga Jr. F
Rob Jones Saint Maryʼs Sr. F
Nemanja Mitrovic Portland Sr. G
Robert Sacre Gonzaga RS-Sr. C
Drew Viney Loyola Marymount RS-Sr. F
Michael Williams San Francisco Jr. G
Note: Team listed alphabetically
--
*******
