WCC men’s hoops schedule announced

WCC 2020-21 hoops slate announced

SAN BRUNO, Calif. — The West Coast Conference has announced the 16 conference matchups for each of its 10 men’s basketball teams for the 2020-21 season.

This is the third season the WCC will play a 16-game schedule after changes adopted by the WCC Presidents’ Council as part of the Conference’s Men’s Basketball Enhancement Plan prior to the start of the 2018-19 season.

The matchups detailed below designate the 16-game home and away opponents for the upcoming season based on a conference formula including the 2018-19 & 2019-20 team NET rankings, last year’s West Coast Conference tournament seedings, and a spring survey of the league’s 10 head coaches.

Gonzaga will play Loyola Marymount and Portland just once each, and everyone else twice. The Zags will play LMU at home, and visit Portland.

The scheduling matchups for West Coast Conference men’s basketball do not impact the women’s basketball schedule, which will continue the traditional 18-game, double round-robin league slate in 2020-21.

The 2021 West Coast Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will take place March 4-9 at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

The regular-season WCC men’s matchups for the 2020-21 season are listed below. Conference play will begin on Thursday, Dec. 31. Specific dates and times for each game will be announced later this summer after the conference’s league schedule is finalized.

Gonzaga

Home/Road: BYU, Pacific, Pepperdine, Saint Mary’s, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara

Home: LMU

Road: Portland

BYU

Home/Road: Gonzaga, Pacific, Pepperdine, Portland, Saint Mary’s, San Diego, San Francisco

Home: Santa Clara

Road: LMU

Loyola Marymount

Home/Road: Pacific, Pepperdine, Portland, Saint Mary’s, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara

Home: BYU

Road: Gonzaga

Pacific

Home/Road: BYU, Gonzaga, LMU, Portland, Saint Mary’s, San Diego, Santa Clara

Home: San Francisco

Road: Pepperdine

Pepperdine

Home/Road: BYU, Gonzaga, LMU, Portland, Saint Mary’s, San Diego, San Francisco

Home: Pacific

Road: Santa Clara

Portland

Home/Road: BYU, LMU, Pacific, Pepperdine, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara

Home: Gonzaga

Road: Saint Mary’s

Saint Mary’s

Home/Road: BYU, Gonzaga, LMU, Pacific, Pepperdine, San Francisco, Santa Clara

Home: Portland

Road: San Diego

San Diego

Home/Road: BYU, Gonzaga, LMU, Pacific, Pepperdine, Portland, Santa Clara

Home: Saint Mary’s

Road: San Francisco

San Francisco

Home/Road: BYU, Gonzaga, LMU, Pepperdine, Portland, Saint Mary’s, Santa Clara

Home: San Diego

Road: Pacific

Santa Clara

Home/Road: Gonzaga, LMU, Pacific, Portland, Saint Mary’s, San Diego, San Francisco

Home: Pepperdine

Road: BYU

ONE KEY THING FOR EACH PROGRAM

BYU — Ranked seventh in adjusted offense (116.3) and 13th overall (+20.68) in 2019-20 according to KenPom under first-year head coach Mark Pope

GONZAGA — Has been projected as a preseason No. 1 in multiple “Way Too Early” 2020-21 polls

LMU — Welcomes former Marquette assistant Stan Johnson as head coach for 2020-21

PACIFIC — Posted first 20-win season since 2010-11 under WCC Coach of the Year Damon Stoudamire

PEPPERDINE — Welcomes back senior guard Colbey Ross, who ranks fourth among active Division I career leaders in assists (6.60)

PORTLAND — Opened the season with an 8-3 slate — the best since 2014-15

SAINT MARY’S — Was set to make the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons for the second time in program history and the third in four seasons

SAN DIEGO — Have posted two 20-win seasons in the last three years

SAN FRANCISCO — Posted its fourth straight 20-win season under the direction of first-year head coach Todd Golden

SANTA CLARA — Streaked to a 14-2 start — the best for the program since the 1968-69 squad opened at 21-0