As the Oregon State Beavers enter a new chapter in the WCC, they enter with both a revamped lineup and tempered expectations.

Coming off a challenging season and significant roster turnover, Head Coach Wayne Tinkle’s squad has its work cut out in a competitive WCC.

The Beavers’ roster boasts nine international players bringing unique skills and fresh perspectives to Corvallis. With standout transfer Damarco Minor looking to take the reins and junior forward Michael Rataj emerging as a potential scoring leader, the Beavers are embracing the challenge. Here’s a closer look at what lies ahead for Oregon State this season.

Subscribe now

Overview

• Oregon State Beavers (Corvallis, OR)

  • 2x Final Four

  • 7x Elite Eight

  • 15 NCAA Tournament appearances

• Last season: 13-19 (5-15), 12th in Pac-12

• Coaching Staff

  • Head Coach: Wayne Tinkle (10 seasons at Oregon St., 298-270 (.525)).

  • Assistants: Marlon Stewart, Stephen Thompson, Chris Haslam.

Offseason Changes

• Key Departures: Jordan Pope (Texas); Tyler Bilodeau (UCLA); Dexter Akanno (Utah State); KC Ibekwe (Washington); Christian Wright (Louisiana); Justin Rochelin (UC San Diego); Jayden Stephens (Idaho)

• Incoming Transfers & Freshmen: G Damarco Minor (SIUE) (15.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.1 apg); F Parsa Fallah (Southern Utah) (13.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.6 apg); C Matthew Marsh (Wake Forest) (1.7ppg, 2.4 rpg); F Johan Munch (Orangeville Prep); F Isaiah Sy (Cloud Community College); F Ja’Quavi Williford (Red Rock Academy); F - Liutarius Lelevicius (Lithuania); F - Maxim Logue (France).

• Key Returning Players: F Michael Rataj (8.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg), F Gavin Marrs (.8 ppg, 1.0 rpg); F Thomas Ndong (1.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg); W Nate Kingz; G Josiah Lake II (3.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.3apg); DaJohn Craig (2.7 ppg, .5 rpg, .3 apg).

Projected Starting Lineup

• G - Damarco Minor, 6-0 (Sr.) (15.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.1 apg)

• G - Nate Kingz, 6-5 (RS Jr.) (Missed entire sophomore season)

• F - Parsa Fallah, 6-9 (RS Jr.) (13.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.6 apg)

• F - Michael Rataj, 6-9 (Jr.) (8.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg)

• F - Isaiah Sy, 6-7 (So.) (11.2 ppg, 47.1% 3PT)

Three Points

Damarco Minor may be the team’s leader. After losing the team’s two top scorers to the transfer portal (Jordan Pope and Tyler Bilodeau), Damarco Minor is the team’s most experienced player in the starting five. The transfer from Southern Illinois averaged 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, which earned him All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team honors. His rebounding average is impressive given his height and position. A little over half of his made field goals came at the rim last season.

International Beavers. The Beavers roster boasts nine international players from eight different countries. Junior forward Michael Rataj, from Germany, is expected to emerge as one of the team’s top scorers. In the Beavers’ exhibition game against Montana State-Billings, Rataj led Oregon State with 18 points on 8-for-12 shooting and grabbed 8 rebounds. Another international player to watch is redshirt junior forward Parsa Fallah from Iran. Fallah averaged 13.5 points and 6 rebounds per game at Southern Utah last season while shooting 57% from the field.

Oregon State picked to finish in the bottom half of the WCC. The transfer portal decimated the Beavers roster, and while some outgoing transfers may have benefited Tinkle, losing Pope and Bilodeau hurts the Beavers significantly. Whether they can overachieve and compete in the top half of the WCC will depend on its upperclassmen being able to gel together and learn Tinkle’s system during the non-conference portion of the schedule.

And one fun fact . . . The Beavers are 104-62 at Gill Coliseum during Tinkle’s tenure. Tinkle is the third-winningest coach in Oregon State men’s basketball history (140 wins) behind Hall of Famers Slats Gill (599 wins) and Ralph Miller (359 wins).

Following a third straight sub .500 year, the Pepperdine Waves moved on from head coach Lorenzo Romar and brought in a new regime under Ed Schilling. Romar never achieved the same type of success that he had at Washington while in Malibu. However, the Waves did still have some top end talent. Unfortunately for Schilling, the talent left Malibu (why would you leave Malibu!?!) and headed elsewhere in the transfer portal.

Without Michael Ajayi (Gonzaga), Pepperdine lacks the star power to compete in the WCC. Most preseason publications pick the Waves to finish last. Can they surprise folks and finish in the middle of the pack?

Overview

• Pepperdine Waves (Malibu, CA)

  • 13 NCAA tournament appearances

• Last season: 13-20 (5-11); tied for 6th in WCC

• Coaching Staff

  • Head Coach: Ed Schilling (first year)

  • Assistants: Scott Rigot, Tyus Edney, Mike Doig

Offseason Changes

• Key Departures: Michael Ajayi (Gonzaga); Houston Mallette (Alabama); Nils Cooper (UC Davis); Malik Moore (Montana); Jalen Pitre (Sacramento State); Jevon Porter (Loyola Marymount); Cord Stansberry (Western Carolina)

• Incoming Transfers & Freshmen: Stefan Todorovic (San Francisco); Zion Bethea (Delaware); Aaron Clark (Wake Forest); Javon Cooley (Marist); Alonso Faure (Loyola Maryland); Moe Odum (Pacific); Jaxon Olvera (Golden State Prep); Taj Au-Duke (CALI Prep); Danilo Dozic (Serbia); Dovydas Butka (Lithuania)

• Key Returning Players: Boubacar Coulibaly; Martin Gumwel; John Squire

Projected Starting Lineup

• G - Moe Odum, 6-1 (Jr.) (8.7 ppg, 4.6 apg)

• G - Zion Bethea, 6-4 (Jr.) (played in three games)

• G - Aaron Clark, 6-6 (So.) (played in seven games)

• F - Alonso Faure, 6-10 (GR) (7.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg)

• F - Stefan Todorovic, 6-8 (Sr.) (3.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg)

Three Points:

Who are these guys?

Of any team in the WCC, Pepperdine is the biggest mystery heading into 2024-25. While Pacific might have the most intrigue as they added a legendary Canadian coach, Pepperdine hired a coach with a career 75-93 record and replaced nearly their entire roster. This combination has most pundits picked Pepperdine last in the West Coast Conference.

Not only does Pepperdine not know what they are getting in new coach Ed Schilling, they are also unsure about their roster. With a projected starting five all from the transfer portal, it is impossible to say who stands out among the group. Two of the bigger prizes in the portal played a combined 10 games last year in Bethea and Clark. It is also rough that Pepperdine’s two best players transferred to basketball powerhouses in Gonzaga and Alabama. Michael Ajayi might score 30 points in his return to Malibu this year, just to throw lemon juice in the wound.

Moe Odum is the Player to Watch

This was a tough pick. Of all the newcomers, Moe Odum has at least experienced success in the West Coast Conference. The point guard averaged 4.6 assists per game, good for third in the WCC, in 2023-24. Odum will likely need to increase his scoring as well this year for Pepperdine to stay in games.

No Need to Tune In

Even the biggest Pepperdine fans are going to have a hard time tuning in to Waves games this year. The most exciting non-league match up is against either UNLV or Northwestern. When the Waves start conference play, they open with Santa Clara, Gonzaga and St. Mary’s. Ouch.

Fun Fact

Pepperdine is building a $150 million facility for basketball and volleyball (opening in 2026) that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. They are calling it “The Mountain”.

After an 18-win campaign and a mid-pack conference finish last season, USD faces an uphill battle after losing five key players to the transfer portal. But with head coach Steve Lavin’s track record and the potential emergence of center Steven Jamerson, this could be a season where the Toreros surprise the conference.

Jamerson, a 6-foot-10 junior, returns as USD’s top-scoring threat after nearly averaging a double-double last year. His performance will be critical for a Toreros squad that brings in fresh talent through transfers and recruits.

Overview

• San Diego Toreros (San Diego, CA)

  • 4 NCAA tournament appearances

• Last season: 18-15 (7-9); 5th in WCC

• Coaching Staff

  • Head Coach: Steve Lavin (2 seasons at USD, 29-35 (.453))

  • Assistants: John Moore, Patrick Sandle, Earl Watson

Offseason Changes

• Key Departures: Deuce Turner (UC Santa Barbara); Wanye McKinney III (San Diego State); PJ Hayes (Rutgers); Kevin Patton Jr. (USC); Jimmy Oladokun Jr. (Rice)

• Incoming Transfers & Freshmen: Kevin “Kjay” Bradley (San Diego City College); Kody Clouet (Southeastern Oklahoma State); Jackson Gaffney (Rocktop Academy); Chas Lewless (Martin Luther King), Gavin Ripp (Archbishop Mitty), Keon Webb (Golden State Prep)

• Key Returning Players: Dragos Lungu, Deven Dahlke, Dominic Muncey, Emmanuel Callas, Joey Chammaa; Santigao Trouet, Bendji Pierre, David Simon

Projected Starting Lineup

• G - Dominic Muncey, 6-0 (Sr.) (.9 ppg, .9 rpg)

• G - Kody Clouet, 6-5 (Gr.) (17.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg)

• G - Dragos Lungu, 6-6 (So.) (5.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg)

• F - David Simon, 6-11 (So.) (3.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg)

• C - Steven Jamerson, 6-10 (Jr.) (8.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg, .605 FG)

Three Points:

Upward Trajectory.

Teams not named Gonzaga or Saint Mary’s can have flashes of success in the WCC, but sustaining that success is difficult, and returning to mediocrity is much more likely for a handful of teams in the conference, including USD.

Steve Lavin, now in his third year at USD will try to build upon last season’s 18-win campaign, despite losing five players to other D1 destinations, including four of San Diego’s leading scorers from last season. As Samuel L. Jackson’s Coach Carter character once said, there will be a new leading scorer this season.

It’s a worthy goal for USD to try to finish again in the top 5 of the conference, especially given what occurred in the offseason. I expect USD to play above expectations and finish 6th or 7th because of Lavin’s coaching ability. In his 14-year coaching career, he’s had only three sub-.500 seasons. With enough size to defend in the frontcourt, USD has a chance to pull off some surprise victories during conference play.

Steven Jamerson is the Player to Watch

Jamerson is the Torero’s leading returning scorer, he nearly averaged a double-double last season (8.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg), and will likely see increased touches in the post given the amount of off-season roster attrition.

Last season, in over 20 days during conference play, Jamerson reached double-digit scoring in seven straight games. In this stretch, he scored 20 points in a win against Pepperdine, and a season-high of 22 in a win against Pacific. After that stretch, his production dipped significantly, averaging only 5 points in his team’s final six games. His performance in the post on offense will be crucial for USD’s success this season.

Importance of NIL

One of the reasons for the transfer portal exodus? San Diego lacked an NIL collective when the season concluded. The school rectified that issue in May, announcing the Ole Foundation. One of the Foundation’s advisory board members? Los Angeles Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh coached USD’s football team for three seasons.

*Fun Fact(s)*

One former Torero includes USC head coach Eric Musselman who played for USD between 1983 and 1987. He was a member of the 1986-87 team that compiled the team’s best record, 24-6, and advanced to the NCAA tournament.

Another former Torero is Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown. Brown played for USD between 1990 and 1992.

Head coach Stan Johnson is at the helm for his fifth season, with the ultimate goal of getting LMU into the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1990.

This offseason was busy for the Lions. LMU brought in several key transfers, including standout forward Jevon Porter from Pepperdine.

Subscribe now

Overview

• Loyola Marymount Univerity (Los Angeles, CA)

  • 1x Elite Eight

  • 2x Sweet Sixteen

  • 5 NCAA tournament appearances

• Last season: 12-19 (5-11); 6th in WCC

• Coaching Staff

  • Head Coach: Stan Johnson (4 seasons at LMU, 55-58 (.487))

  • Assistants: Lorenzo Romar, Rickey Muench, Louis Wilson

• Did you know? In 1990, LMU averaged 122.4 points per game.

Offseason Changes

• Key Departures: Dominick Harris (UCLA)

• Incoming Transfers & Freshmen: Forward - Jevon Porter (Pepperdine), Forward - Caleb Stone- Carrawell (Utah State), Guard - Myron “MJ” Amey Jr. (San Jose State), Forward - Jan Video (UCLA), Center - Matar Diop (Nebraska), Forward - Jael Martin (Carlsbad HS), Marley Zeller (Central Catholic)

• Key Returning Players: Alex Merkviladze, Will Johnston, Rick Issanza, Aaron McBride, Lamaj Lewis, Jovan Ristic

Projected Starting Lineup

• G - Will Johnston, 6-3 (Sr.) (11.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.7apg, .378 3PT)

• G - Myron “MJ” Amey Jr., 6-2 (RS Jr.) (15.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.6 spg)

• F - Caleb Stone-Carrawell, 6-7 (Sixth Year) (11.7 ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.6apg, .339 3PT)

• F - Alex Merkviladze, 6-8 (Gr.) (12.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.5apg, .352 3PT)

• F - Jevon Porter, 6-11 (Jr.) (16.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.0 bpg, .8 spg)

Three Points:

Jevon Porter is the Player to Watch.

Stan Johnson brought in a haul of transfers, including Jevon Porter from Pepperdine. Porter comes to LMU, along with his former head coach at Pepperdine, Lorenzo Romar, who is now an assistant coach for the Lions. Jevon Porter, the brother of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., emerged as one of the top scorers in the WCC last season, averaging 16.2 points per game as a sophomore. With a 6-11 frame and a good touch around the rim, the LMU offense will likely focus on feeding him the ball in the post.

Can LMU rebound and get stops?

If you take a look at the projected starting five, you’ll notice that all five starters averaged double-digit scoring last season. Three of the five are transfers, so their numbers are likely to go down, but it’s clear that this reloaded LMU team has players who can score. But will this team be able to rebound and defend to compete with the WCC’s top teams?

Johnson told the Blue Ribbon Yearbook that the “team has a chance to really, really be a good offensive rebounding team.” In the projected starting five, Merkviladze is the top returning rebounder at 7.2 rpg, but LMU will need the other four to hit the boards. Porter averaged 5.9 rpg, so he figures to shoulder a significant portion of that responsibility.

On defense, the Lions are ranked as the No. 205 team in defense on kenpom.com. To finish near the top of the WCC standings and to compete with the top teams in the conference, LMU will have to show it can be one of the better defensive units in the WCC.

Is Stan Johnson’s seat hot?

Johnson enters his fifth season at LMU and has compiled a .487 win percentage and a record of 55-58. His 2020-21 (13-9, 3rd in WCC) and 2022-23 (19-12, 4th in WCC) seasons are respectable. So far, he’s had more success than his predecessor, Mike Dunlap, whose highest finish in six years at LMU was 5th place (22-12, 5th in WCC). Dunlap finished with .429 win percentage and an 81-108 record.

This year is an important one for Johnson. If he can’t finish in the top 4 of the WCC, especially with this transfer haul, you would have to think LMU athletic director Craig Pintens may consider moving in another direction.

After ignoring the first three options and choosing the Smart(er) option, Tiger fans enter the 2024-25 season with optimism. In fairness, it wasn’t that long ago that Pacific had a good team. In the 2019-20 season under Damon Stoudamire, the Tigers won 23 games. However, since joining the WCC in 2013, Pacific has only two winning seasons. Can Pacific at least be competitive this season? Will Dave Smart’s success continue in the United States?

Subscribe now

Overview

• University of the Pacific Tigers (Stockton, CA)

  • 1x Elite Eight

  • 3x Sweet Sixteen

  • 9 NCAA tournament appearances

• Last season: 6-26 (0-16); last in WCC

• Coaching Staff

  • Head Coach: Dave Smart (1st year at Pacific)

  • Assistants: Clay Wilson, Craig Beaucamp, Garrett Bridges

• Did you know? Michael Olowokandi averaged 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game as a senior and was selected #1 overall in the 1998 NBA Draft.

Offseason Changes

• Key Departures: Everyone

• Incoming Transfers & Freshmen: Guard - Lamar Washington (Texas Tech); Jefferson Koulibaly (SMU); Wing - Elijah Fisher (DePaul); Petar Krivockapic (FIU); Donyae May (Oklahoma Connors State College); Seth Jones (Tallahassee CC); Eddie Jallow Hedqvist (Sweden’s Marks Gymnasium); Elias Ralph (University of Victoria in British Columbia); Kris Keinys (Minnesota); Solomon Ominu (Our Saviour Lutheran); Jazz Gardner (Nevada)

• Key Returning Players: Burke Smith

Projected Starting Lineup

• G- Donyae May, 6-0 (Jr.) (12 ppg, 6.1 apg, 4.0 rpg .428 3PT)

• G - Lamar Washington, 6-4 (Jr.) (2.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg)

• G/F - Elijah Fisher, 6-6 (Jr.) (10.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg)

• F - Elias Ralph, 6-7 (Sr.) (15.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg, .405 3PT)

• C - Jazz Gardner, 7-0 (So.) (2.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg)

Three Points:

Elias Ralph is the Player to Watch.

There are no predicted all-conference players on this team. While Jazz Gardner is intriguing, Elias Ralph is the player to watch. At 6’7, Ralph has the skill set of a guard and shot 40% from 3 last year in Canada. Ralph could be a match-up nightmare for opposing teams and his trajectory likely pairs with how good Pacific can be this year.

Big Non-Conference Games

Pacific probably should have played a lighter non-conference schedule in the first year of Dave Smart. Even with a revamped roster and new culture, Pacific is predicted to be at the bottom of the West Coast Conference. Before taking on the likes of Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s, Pacific faces current Arkansas, Missouri, Colorado, and UNLV - all on the road.

Can Pacific sniff the postseason?

It seems really unlikely. Making the jump from a six-win team to any sort of postseason berth would be incredible. Now add an entirely new coaching staff and a roster of guys who never played together. It isn’t happening. Pacific should be aiming for a .500 season and a top-8 finish in the WCC. If they accomplish those goals, it is a successful year for Coach Smart.

Last season, under head coach Herb Sendek, Santa Clara finished 4th in the WCC and beat Gonzaga for the first time in eight years. However, an 0-3 record against Saint Mary’s proved to be the downfall for the Broncos. Can the Broncos get over the hump and make the NCAA tournament?

Overview

• Santa Clara University Broncos (Santa Clara, CA)

  • 1x Final Four

  • 11 NCAA tournament appearances

• Last season: 20-13 (10-6); 4th in WCC

• Coaching Staff

  • Head Coach: Herb Sendek (8 seasons at SCU, 140-107 (.567))

  • Assistants: Jason Ludwig, Scott Garson, Ryan Madry

Offseason Changes

• Key Departures: Carlos Marshall (graduation), Jalen Benjamin (graduation), Francisco Caffaro (graduation)

• Incoming Transfers & Freshmen: Guard - Carlos Stewart (LSU - Santa Clara before that); Guard - Elijah Mahi (West Valley College); Forward - Allen Graves (Ponchatoula HS)

• Key Returning Players: Adama-Alpha Bal, Johnny O’Neil, Christopher Tilly, Tyeree Bryan, Brenton Knapper, Camaron Tongue, Jake Ensminger, Christian Hammond

Projected Starting Lineup

• G- Carlos Stewart, 6-1 (Sr.) (4.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg at LSU in ‘23-’24, 15.2 ppg at SCU in ‘22-’23)

• G - Adama-Alpha Bal, 6-7 (Sr.) (14.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.1 apg)

• G - Tyeree Bryan, 6-5 (Sr.) (8.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg)

• F - Johnny O’Neil, 6-10 (Jr.) (11.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg)

• F - Christopher Tilly, 7-0 (Je.) (9.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg)

Three Points:

Adama-Alpha Bal is the Player to Watch.

A potential first-round draft pick, Bal decided to return to Santa Clara after putting his name into the draft. Bal is a streaky shooter but his upside at 6’7 is ridiculous for a guard with his skill set. He can score at all three levels, but improving his three-point consistency will be a key this season to making the jump to the NBA (only 35% from deep). Even though the Broncos have incredible depth this season, Bal will be the go-to player among many talented players.

Big Non-Conference Games

Santa Clara opens the season with Saint Louis University in the Field of 68 showcase in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Broncos follow that up with a trip to Vegas to face Arizona State and later take on Stanford at home on November 23rd. Santa Clara also heads to a four-team tournament over Thanksgiving with TCU, Washington and Colorado State.

Can SCU get over the hump?

Santa Clara achieved a good deal of success under head coach Herb Sendek, but has not reached the NCAA tournament in his eight years. The Broncos won 20 or more games in three of the past four seasons and recorded double-digit wins in the WCC for each of the past three years. Unfortunately, Santa Clara was 0-3 against Saint Mary’s in 2023-24 and the games weren’t close. Even with an upset win over Gonzaga, the gap between the top two teams in the WCC and Santa Clara might be too big to overcome.

Fun Fact

Since the 1970-71 season, the Santa Clara Broncos have only had four head coaches. Following the long reign of Carroll Williams, Santa Clara hired Dick Davey, who coached for 15 years. UCLA assistant Kerry Keating followed Davey to unimpressive results over nine seasons before Sendek was hired in 2016.

Coming off a stellar 26-8 season, where they finished first in the WCC before an early exit in the NCAA Tournament, the Gaels aim to make a deeper run in the tournament.

Despite losing guard Aidan Mahaney to the transfer portal (UConn), Saint Mary’s returns a duo in guard Augustas Marciulionis and center Mitchell Saxen, setting the stage for another competitive season.

Subscribe now

Overview

• Saint Mary’s Gaels (Moraga, CA)

  • 1x Elite Eight (1959)

  • 2x Sweet Sixteen

  • 13 NCAA Tournament appearances

• Last season: 26-8 (15-1), 1st in WCC; lost in the first round of NCAA Tournament to Grand Canyon; wins vs. No. 13 Colorado State, No. 17 Gonzaga.

• Coaching Staff

  • Head Coach: Randy Bennett (23 seasons at SMC, 533-216 (.703))

  • Assistants: Mickey McConnell, Joe Rahon, Dan Sheets

• Did you know? Three SMC basketball alums represented Australia in the 2024 Olympics: Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova and Jock Landale.

Offseason Changes

• Key Departures: G Aidan Mahaney (UConn); F Joshua Jefferson (Iowa St.)

• Incoming Transfers & Freshmen: F Ashton Hardaway (Memphis); F Paulis Murauskas (Arizona), G Mikey Lewis (Prolific Prep); G Joshua Dent (Australia), Liam Campbell (Owyhee HS); Oliver Faubert (Canda)

• Key Returning Players: G Augustas Marciulionis; C Mitchell Saxen

Projected Starting Lineup

• G - Jordan Ross, 6-3 (So.) (1.3 ppg, 1 rpg)

• G - Augustas Marciulionis, 6-4 (Sr.) (12.4 ppg, 3.3 RPG, 5.3 apg, 1.4 spg)

• G/F- Luke Barrett, 6-6 (RS Sr.) (5.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg)

• F - Paulis Murauskas, 6-8 (So.) (2.7ppg)

• C - Mitchell Saxen, 6-10 (Sr.) (11.8 ppg, 7.6 RPG, 1.3 bpg)

Three Points

Saint Mary’s Returns the WCC Player of the Year and the WCC’s Defensive Player of the Year. How often does this happen? While losing First-Team All-WCC selection, guard Aidan Mahaney, to the transfer portal (UConn) hurts, Saint Mary’s returns what could be the best duo in the WCC. Guard Augustas Marciulionis earned WCC Player of the Year honors last season, while center Mitchell Saxen earned WCC Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 1.3 blocks per game for the Gaels.

Marciulionis had a respectable stat line of 12.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, and 5.3 assists per game. His all-around efficient game was key to Saint Mary’s success last season. He had four different games where he reached double-digit assist totals (season-high of 11), he also had four 20-point plus games (season-high of 28). Lastly, on defense, he averaged 1.4 steals per game (3rd in the WCC), with 2 or more steals in 11 games. I expect his scoring production to increase with Mahaney’s departure.

Saxen’s 6-10 frame helps him act as a defensive force. He led the WCC in blocked shots with 43, averaging 1.3 blocks per game. Besides his defense, Saxen can also score (11.8ppg) and rebound (7.6). He has started every game for the Gaels for the past two seasons.

Can the Gaels Get to the Sweet 16? Again, the Gaels project to finish second in the conference to Gonzaga, but they may be able to build an impressive tournament resume by stacking up non-conference wins. The team has road games at Nebraska and Utah. They’ll also play in the Acrisure Classic in Palm Springs where they will face USC and either Arizona St. or New Mexico.

I think an NCAA tournament berth is likely, but I’m unsure if Saint Mary’s will advance past the first round. We know how good Marciulionis and Saxen will be, but how about everyone else on the Gaels? Saint Mary’s does not return any other double-digit scorers from last season, so it will be interesting to see who steps up into a scoring role this season.

Randy Bennett’s Coaching Career. Bennett is a six-time WCC Coach of the Year and has earned the honor the past three seasons. His 533 career victories is third among WCC coaches, Mark Few (Gonzaga) has the most with 716 career wins, and Her Sendeck (Santa Clara) has 553 wins. He has led the Gaels to 10 NCAA tournament berths in his 24 seasons.

Last season, under second-year head coach Chris Gerlufsen, USF posted a solid 23-11 record, finishing third in the WCC and earning an NIT appearance. With key players like Marcus Williams returning, the Dons are poised to compete near the top of the WCC standings, but their path to the NCAA Tournament hinges on crucial conference matchups and non-conference challenges.

Subscribe now

Overview

• University of San Francisco Dons (San Francisco, CA)

  • 2x NCAA tournament champion (1955, 1956)

  • 3x Final Four

  • 7x Elite Eight

  • 17 NCAA tournament appearances

• Last season: 23-11 (13-5); 3rd in WCC; NIT appearance

• Coaching Staff

  • Head Coach: Chris Gelufsen (2 seasons at USF, 43-25 (.632))

  • Assistants: Michael Plank, Jay Duncan, Kyle Bankhead, Frankie Ferrari, Kevin Olsen

• Did you know? NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell played for the Dons and helped lead them to two NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956.

Offseason Changes

• Key Departures: Jonathan Mogbo (Toronto Raptors)

• Incoming Transfers & Freshmen: Forward - Jason Rivera-Torres (Vanderbilt); Forward - Tyrone Riley (St. Pius X-St. Matthias HS); Forward - Veniamin Absoi (Greece); Center Carlton Linguard, Jr. (UTSA); James O’Donnell (Australia); Karl Markus Poom (Estonia)

• Key Returning Players: Marcus Williams, Ndewedo Newbury, Malik Thomas, Ryan Beasley

Projected Starting Lineup

• G- Ryan Beasley, 5-11 (So.) (7.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 35% 3PT)

• G - Marcus Williams, 6-2 (Sr.) (14 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.4 spg)

• G - Malik Thomas, 6-5 (Sr.) (12.4 ppg, .7 rpg, 40% 3PT)

• F - Ndewedo Newbury, 6-7 (9.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 52.6 FG%)

• C - Carlton Linguard Jr., 7-0 (Sr.) (9.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 30.6% 3PT)

Three Points:

Marcus Williams is the Player to Watch.

The 6-2 senior guard earned All-WCC First Team honors last season and started all 34 games for USF last season. He led the Dons with 3.9 assists per game. He will become even more effective for USF if he can improve his three-point shooting. His percentage dipped from 40.8% in his sophomore season to 34% in his junior season.

Big Non-Conference Games

Before WCC play, the Dons have home games against Boise State and Long Beach State who appeared in the NCAA tournament last season. They will also host Memphis at the Chase Center before traveling to Florida for the Sunshine Slam where they’ll face Clemson with a potential second matchup against Penn State.

Can USF notch an NCAA Tournament berth?

The Dons have won 20 games or more for the past three seasons, but have only made one NCAA tournament in that span (2022). Marcus Williams’ return will keep this team in the top half of the WCC, but it is unclear whether they’ll have enough firepower to get necessary victories over Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga. Last season, the Dons went 0-3 against Gonzaga and 0-2 against Saint Mary’s. If they had at least two wins against the pair, they may have been on the bubble last season.