WCC Preview: Gonzaga’s at the head of the class

By Raphielle JohnsonOct 19, 2012, 9:00 AM EDT

Throughout the month of October, CollegeBasketballTalk will be rolling out our previews for the 2012-2013 season. Check back at 9 a.m. and just after lunch every day, Monday-Friday, for a new preview item.

To browse through the preview posts we’ve already published, click here. To look at the rest of the Conference Previews we’ve published, click here. For a schedule of our previews for the month, click here.

Last season the WCC welcomed BYU and to say the least it was a good season for the league, as it sent three teams to the NCAA tournament. Both the Cougars and Gonzaga won games in the Big Dance while Saint Mary’s suffered a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Purdue, and all three are capable of making a return trip in 2012-13.

Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s both return four starters from last year while BYU can claim the same if you count Tyler Haws. Haws, after starting all 33 games as a freshman in 2009-10, returns from his two-year mission and will have a significant impact alongside Brandon Davies and Matt Carlino. Saint Mary’s has the reigning Player of the Year in Matthew Dellavedova while Gonzaga is led by All-WCC honorees Elias Harris and Kevin Pangos.

As for the rest of the conference there’s definitely talent with the point guard position looking especially deep. Whether it’s Anthony Ireland (LMU), Cody Doolin (San Francisco), Evan Rocquemore (Santa Clara) or Christopher Anderson (San Diego) the WCC has some skilled playmakers at the point beyond the likes of Carlino, Dellavedova and Pangos. Here’s a look at the WCC in 2012-13.

Five Things to Know
1. Gonzaga returns four starters from a team that won 27 games in 2011-12, with the lone departure being center Robert Sacre. Two of the key returnees are senior forward Elias Harris (13.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg) and sophomore guard Kevin Pangos (13.6 ppg, 3.4 apg), both of whom earned All-WCC honors (Pangos was also WCC Newcomer of the Year).

2. Reigning WCC Player of the Year and Olympian Matthew Dellavedova is back for his senior season at Saint Mary’s, but the defending WCC champions have to replace a key piece in forward Rob Jones not to mention rotation members Clint Steindl and Kenton Walker. But with four starters back Randy Bennett’s program is in good shape, and forward Brad Waldow is a player to keep an eye on.

3. Only one team returns all five starters and that’s a San Diego squad that went 13-18 (7-9 WCC) in 2011-12. But Bill Grier’s got some talent back on campus, most notably sophomore guard Johnny Dee. Dee led the Toreros with an average of 13.7 ppg and was a member of the WCC All-Freshman team.

4. BYU has to account for the departure of Noah Hartsock but led by forward Brandon Davies nine Cougars have starting experience. BYU also welcomes back wing Tyler Haws from his two-year mission, and he started all 33 games as a freshman in 2009-10 (11.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg). BYU’s perimeter depth should also be bolstered by the arrival of freshman guard Cory Calvert, who averaged more than 22 points per game as a high school senior.

5. Santa Clara, which went winless in conference play last season, welcomes back two vital pieces in guard Kevin Foster and forward Marc Trasolini. Trasolini was lost for the season during the team’s trip to Canada with a torn ACL while Foster was suspended for the second half of the season. Evan Rocquemore returns as well, and this trio should be enough to ensure a jump in the standings for the Broncos.

Impact Newcomers

C Przemek Karnowski (Gonzaga)
Robert Sacre’s graduated but with Karnowski on campus the Bulldogs become a more physical team in the paint immediately. The Torun, Poland native averaged 10.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game for Siarka Jezioro Tarnobrzeg last season, and the 7-1 305-pounder is ready to make an impact. Karnowski joins a deep front court, so while there are expectations it isn’t as if Gonzaga’s hopes rest solely on his shoulders.

G Cory Calvert (BYU)
BYU has depth on the perimeter, led by point guard Matt Carlino, Tyler Haws and Brock Zylstra. But Calvert can be a valuable contributor for the Cougars this season, as he arrives in Provo as a reliable scorer and distributor. Calvert, the Colorado Class 5A Player of the Year, averaged 22.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game at Chapparal HS last year.

F Nick Stover (Loyola Marymount)
The 6-6 Stover won’t lack for opportunities to contribute as the Lions look at life without wing Drew Viney, and the Winward HS product is capable of taking on whatever assignment Max Good gives him. Stover averaged 21.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game for a team that won 20 games, and for his career Stover was a three-time All-CIF selection.

G James Walker III (Saint Mary’s)
Already deep on the perimeter, the Gaels get even better with the addition of the Citrus (CA) College transfer. Walker III helped lead Citrus to a 28-2 record with an average of 19.1 points per game (second-highest average in school history), and for his efforts he was named CCCAA and Western State Conference Player of the Year.

G De’End Parker (San Francisco)
Parker’s stint at UCLA was a short one as he had to return to San Francisco to care for his ailing mother, and now he’s a much-needed addition for a San Francisco program that was decimated by graduation and departures at the end of last season. At City College of San Francisco (2010-11) he averaged 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, and Parker gives the Dons an athletic wing to help out point guard Cody Doolin.

Other newcomers of note: G/F Drew Barham (Gonzaga), G Chase Flint (Loyola Marymount), F Malte Kramer (Pepperdine), F Nate Kratch (Santa Clara), F Chris Reyes (Saint Mary’s)

Breakout Players

F Brad Waldow (Saint Mary’s)
As a redshirt freshman Waldow turned into a valuable piece for the Gaels alongside Rob Jones with averages of 8.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. But with Jones gone there’s room for Waldow to improve and become even more of a factor for Saint Mary’s, and if they’re to repeat as WCC champions he’ll need to do so.

G Johnny Dee (San Diego)
Dee’s name is well-known within the conference, and how can it not be given his team-best 13.7 points per game. But there’s the step of going from one of the best freshmen in the WCC to becoming one of its best players, and the Vista, California native can make that happen this season. With all five starters back USD can finish in the top half of the league standings, and Dee will have to be a leader in order for that to happen.

C Sam Dower (Gonzaga)
The presence of Dower is one reason why there shouldn’t be a ridiculous amount of pressure on Karnowski to produce immediately, and with Robert Sacre gone it’s Dower who will lead the way. A player many believe to have All-WCC level skill, Dower averaged 8.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game last season. Sure the Bulldogs have Elias Harris, but they also have room for another double-figure scorer inside. That should be Dower.

G Jordan Baker (Pepperdine)
Baker averaged 9.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 29 games last season, but it’s what he was able to do in WCC play that makes him a breakout candidate. In league play the Tempe native averaged 11.3 points and ranked in the top ten in the WCC in minutes (32.0 mpg), assists (3.0) and steals (1.9). For a team that adds six newcomers and three redshirts (one of which being guard Lorne Jackson), Baker will be the one asked to lead the way.

F Ryan Nicholas (Portland)
Nicholas started all 31 games for the Pilots last season, averaging 11.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest. But those numbers weren’t enough to merit mention on either the ten-member All-WCC team or its honorable mention list. Nicholas shot 50.4% from the field in 2011-12, and with the year of experience for both he and his teammates (Eric Reveno’s team was very young) he should be mentioned for All-WCC honors.

Player of the Year: F Elias Harris (Gonzaga)
Some of the national conversation involving Harris seemed to focus on his “regression.” Question: where? Harris averaged 13.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in 2011-12, and both numbers were an improvement over his averages as a sophomore. If Harris isn’t banged up he’s a very difficult match-up for opponents, and as a senior this is his chance to go out with a bang. The prediction here is that he’ll do just that.

All-Conference Team
G Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga)
G Matthew Dellavedova (Saint Mary’s)
G Anthony Ireland (Loyola Marymount)
F Elias Harris (Gonzaga)
F Brandon Davies (BYU)

Coach under pressure: Bill Grier (San Diego)
Since beginning his tenure with a 22-win campaign in 2007-08 it’s been a struggle for Grier at USD, as his teams have gone just 46-79 in the four seasons after. With five starters back the Toreros should be able to improve on their 7-9 WCC mark of a season ago. Going at least .500 shouldn’t be too much to ask of San Diego, but if it turns out to be that could mean trouble for Grier.

Predicted Finish

1. Gonzaga (Mark Few’s team welcomes back most of their key contributors from last season, and freshman big man Przemek Karnowski will contribute immediately)
2. Saint Mary’s (The Gaels lose Rob Jones but Dellavedova returns, and could be a breakout player)
3. BYU (Matt Carlino’s a year older while Brandon Davies anchors things in the paint. The return of Tyler Haws will definitely help the Cougars on the wing)
4. San Diego (Bill Grier welcomes back his top four scorers from last season with guard Johnny Dee leading the way)
5. Santa Clara (With Kevin Foster (suspension) and Marc Trasolini (torn ACL) back look for the Broncos to make a jump)
6. Loyola Marymount (Anthony Ireland runs the show, and freshman Nick Stover can be one of the WCC’s best newcomers)
7. Portland (Ryan Nicholas leads a team that returns four of its top six scorers, but the Pilots (allowed 76 ppg) must improve defensively)
8. Pepperdine (the return of guard Lorne Jackson (knee) will surely help the Waves as they look to account for the loss of three starters)
9. San Francisco (The return of senior point guard Cody Doolin will help matters, but the Dons simply lost too much after last season)

Raphielle is also the assistant editor at CollegeHoops.net and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.

Charlotte head coach Ron Sanchez resigns after winning CBI title

Associated PressJun 7, 2023, 1:39 PM EDT

Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ron Sanchez resigned as head coach of the Charlotte 49ers.

Sanchez took over the 49ers on March 19, 2018, inheriting a team coming off a 6-23 campaign. In five years Charlotte went 72-78 under Sanchez, highlighted by winning the College Basketball Invitational championship this past season, the Niners’ first post-season tournament title in school history.

The 22 wins this past season are the most for Charlotte since 2001.

“Ron took over a proud but struggling program and carefully rebuilt it into a 22-game winner. He has led with class, dignity and devotion to our young men,” Charlotte director of athletics Mike Hill said. “His decision to step down from Charlotte was a difficult one for him and everyone associated with our program. We wish him and his family every happiness.”

Hill said the team has already begun a national search for a replacement.

“This is a bittersweet day for me and my family as I step down to pursue other opportunities,” said Sanchez, who came the 49ers after working as an assistant coach at Virginia under Tony Bennett. “It has been a tremendous privilege to lead the 49ers basketball program over the past five years and I want to thank Niner Nation for its support. I will be forever grateful to my staff, players and the university.”

Marquette extends Shaka Smart’s contract through 2029-30 season

Associated PressJun 6, 2023, 9:55 PM EDT

Adam Cairns/USA TODAY NETWORK

MILWAUKEE — Marquette coach Shaka Smart has received a contract extension after leading the Golden Eagles to their first outright regular-season championship and tournament title in the Big East.

Smart’s contract now runs through the 2029-30 season. This is the first extension Smart has received since signing a six-year deal when he took over as Marquette’s coach in 2021.

Marquette didn’t release financial terms of Smart’s deal.

“In a very short period of time, Shaka and his staff have done a tremendous job of establishing a winning culture, both on and off the court,” athletic director Bill Scholl said in a statement. “Shaka’s vision for the program is focused on extended, sustainable success. The individuals who interact with the team on a daily basis are able to observe frequent examples of growth and the excitement around the program is contagious.”

Marquette has gone 48-20 in Smart’s two seasons and reached the NCAA Tournament each of those years.

The Golden Eagles went 29-7 and won the Big East’s regular-season and tournament championships last season after the league’s coaches had picked them to finish ninth out of 11 teams. Marquette’s season ended with a 69-60 loss to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32.

Purdue’s Edey returning to school at NBA draft deadline; Kentucky’s Tshiebwe stays in

Associated PressJun 1, 2023, 11:17 AM EDT

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Purdue’s Zach Edey decided it was the right call to go back to school instead of staying in the NBA draft. His predecessor as national player of the year, Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe, is sticking with his pro pursuit.

And Connecticut’s reign as NCAA champion will begin with multiple starters having left for the NBA draft and one returning after flirting with doing the same.

The 7-foot-4 Edey and UConn guard Tristen Newton were among the notable names to announce that they were withdrawing from the draft, the NCAA’s deadline for players who declared as early entrants to pull out and retain their college eligibility.

Edey’s decision came in social media posts from both the center and the Boilermakers program that earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament behind Edey, The Associated Press men’s national player of the year.

But Tshiebwe announced late in the afternoon that he would remain in the draft after a college career that included being named the AP national player of the year in 2022.

For the current champions, Newton (10.1 points, 4.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds) is returning after being one of four Huskies to declare for the draft after a run to UConn’s fifth national championship in early April. He scored a game-high 19 points to go with 10 rebounds in the victory over San Diego State in the title game.

The others were Final Four Most Outstanding Player Adama Sanogo, wing Jordan Hawkins and versatile guard Andre Jackson Jr. Sanogo (17.8 points) and Hawkins (16.3) have made it clear they have closed the door on their college careers, while team spokesman Phil Chardis said that Jackson (6.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists) would remain in the draft.

The Huskies have 247sports’ No. 3-ranked recruiting class for next year to restock the roster, led by McDonald’s All-American point guard Stephon Castle.

The NBA’s withdrawal deadline is June 12, but is moot when it comes to college players returning to school due to the NCAA’s earlier timeline to retain playing eligibility.

STAYING IN SCHOOL

TREY ALEXANDER: Creighton gets back a 6-4 guard who averaged 13.6 points and shot 41% from 3-point range in his first full season as a starter.

ADEM BONA: The 6-foot-10 forward and Pac-12 freshman of the year is returning to UCLA after starting 32 games as a rookie and averaging 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks – with coach Mick Cronin praising his toughness for “competing through multiple injuries for as long as he could” in a statement Wednesday.

EDEY: He averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists while shooting 60.7% from the field. His presence alone helps Purdue be a factor in the Big Ten race.

JOSIAH-JORDAN JAMES: The 6-6 guard went through the NBA G League Combine and had workouts with multiple teams before opting to return to Tennessee for a fifth season alongside teammate Santiago Vescovi.

JUDAH MINTZ: The 6-3 freshman averaged 16.3 points and 4.6 assists for Syracuse, ranking third among Division I freshmen in scoring behind only Alabama’s Brandon Miller and Lamar’s Nate Calmese.

OWLS’ RETURNEES: Florida Atlantic got good news after its surprise Final Four run with the return leading scorers Johnell Davis (13.8) and Alijah Martin (13.4). ESPN first reported their decisions, while Martin later posted a social media statement.

TERRENCE SHANNON JR.: Illinois got a big boost with Shannon announcing his night in a social media post. The 6-6 guard is returning for a fifth college season after averaging 17.2 points.

SPARTANS’ RETURNEES: Michigan State announced that guards Jaden Akins and A.J. Hoggard have withdrawn from the NBA draft. Standout guard Tyson Walker had previously withdrawn in April, setting up Tom Izzo to have five of his top scorers back.

GOING PRO

KOBE BROWN: Missouri’s 6-8 swingman opted against returning for a fifth college season after being an AP first-team all-Southeastern Conference pick averaging 15.8 points last season.

JAYLEN CLARK: The third-year UCLA guard averaged 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while leading the Pac-12 with 2.6 steals en route to being named Naismith national defensive player of the year. Cronin called him a winner with strong intangibles who made UCLA “a better program because he chose to be a Bruin.”

BRICE SENSABAUGH: The Ohio State freshman averaged 16.3 points and 5.4 rebounds in 31 games before missing his final two in the Big Ten Tournament due to a knee injury. He’s a potential first-round prospect.

TSHIEBWE: The 6-9, 260-pound forward is a tough interior presence who led the country in rebounds for two straight seasons (15.1 in 2022, 13.7 in 2023) while racking up 48 double-doubles. But he faces an uncertain next stop and is projected at best as a second-round prospect.

North Carolina transfer Caleb Love commits to Arizona

Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 10:59 AM EDT

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Love is now headed to Arizona.

The North Carolina transfer tweeted, less than a month after decommitting from Michigan, that he will play next season with the Wildcats.

“Caleb is a tremendously talented guard who has significant experience playing college basketball at a high level,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said in a statement. “We look forward to helping Caleb grow his game at Arizona. And as we near the completion of the roster for the upcoming season, we feel great about how everything has come together. Now it’s time for the real work to start.”

A 6-foot-4 guard, Love averaged 14.6 points and 3.3 assists in three seasons at North Carolina. He averaged 17.6 points in seven NCAA Tournament games, helping lead the Tar Heels to the 2022 national championship game.

Love entered the transfer portal after leading North Carolina with 73 3-pointers as a junior and initially committed to Michigan. He decommitted from the Wolverines earlier this month, reportedly due to an admissions issue involving academic credits.

Love narrowed his transfer targets to three schools before choosing to play at Arizona over Gonzaga and Texas.

Love will likely start on a team that will have dynamic perimeter players, including Pelle Larsson, Kylan Boswell and Alabama transfer Jaden Bradley.

Biden celebrates LSU women’s and UConn men’s basketball teams at separate White House events

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 11:56 PM EDT

Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK

WASHINGTON – All of the past drama and sore feelings associated with Louisiana State’s invitation to the White House were seemingly forgotten or set aside Friday as President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcomed the championship women’s basketball team to the mansion with smiles, hugs and lavish praise all around.

The visit had once appeared in jeopardy after Jill Biden suggested that the losing Iowa team be invited, too. But none of that was mentioned as both Bidens heralded the players for their performance and the way they have helped advance women’s sports.

“Folks, we witnessed history,” the president said. “In this team, we saw hope, we saw pride and we saw purpose. It matters.”

The ceremony was halted for about 10 minutes after forward Sa’Myah Smith appeared to collapse as she and her teammates stood behind Biden. A wheelchair was brought in and coach Kim Mulkey assured the audience that Smith was fine.

LSU said in a statement that Smith felt overheated, nauseous and thought she might faint. She was evaluated by LSU and White House medical staff and was later able to rejoin the team. “She is feeling well, in good spirits, and will undergo further evaluation once back in Baton Rouge,” the LSU statement said.

Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, Biden said, more than half of all college students are women, and there are now 10 times more female athletes in college and high school. He said most sports stories are still about men, and that that needs to change.

Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex in federally funded education programs and activities.

“Folks, we need to support women sports, not just during the championship run but during the entire year,” President Biden said.

After the Tigers beat Iowa for the NCAA title in April in a game the first lady attended, she caused an uproar by suggesting that the Hawkeyes also come to the White House.

LSU star Angel Reese called the idea “A JOKE” and said she would prefer to visit with former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, instead. The LSU team largely is Black, while Iowa’s top player, Caitlin Clark, is white, as are most of her teammates.

Nothing came of Jill Biden’s idea and the White House only invited the Tigers. Reese ultimately said she would not skip the White House visit. She and co-captain Emily Ward presented team jerseys bearing the number “46” to Biden and the first lady. Hugs were exchanged.

Jill Biden also lavished praise on the team, saying the players showed “what it means to be a champion.”

“In this room, I see the absolute best of the best,” she said, adding that watching them play was “pure magic.”

“Every basket was pure joy and I kept thinking about how far women’s sports have come,” the first lady added, noting that she grew up before Title IX was passed. “We’ve made so much progress and we still have so much more work to do.”

The president added that “the way in which women’s sports has come along is just incredible. It’s really neat to see, since I’ve got four granddaughters.”

After Smith was helped to a wheelchair, Mulkey told the audience the player was OK.

“As you can see, we leave our mark where we go,” Mulkey joked. “Sa’Myah is fine. She’s kind of, right now, embarrassed.”

A few members of Congress and Biden aides past and present with Louisiana roots dropped what they were doing to attend the East Room event, including White House budget director Shalanda Young. Young is in the thick of negotiations with House Republicans to reach a deal by the middle of next week to stave off what would be a globally calamitous U.S. financial default if the U.S. can no longer borrow the money it needs to pay its bills.

The president, who wore a necktie in the shade of LSU’s purple, said Young, who grew up in Baton Rouge, told him, “I’m leaving the talks to be here.” Rep. Garret Graves, one of the House GOP negotiators, also attended.

Biden closed sports Friday by changing to a blue tie and welcoming the UConn’s men’s championship team for its own celebration. The Huskies won their fifth national title by defeating San Diego State, 76-59, in April.

“Congratulations to the whole UConn nation,” he said.