The 2023–24 West Coast Conference men's basketball season began with practices in September 2023 and will end with the 2024 West Coast Conference men's basketball tournament in March 2024. This will be the 73rd season for WCC men's basketball, and the 35th under its current name of "West Coast Conference". The conference was founded in 1952 as the California Basketball Association, became the West Coast Athletic Conference in 1956, and dropped the word "Athletic" in 1989.
Head coaches
Coaches TeamHead coachPrevious jobYears at schoolOverall recordWCC recordWCC Tournament recordNCAA TournamentsSweet SixteensGonzagaMark FewGonzaga (asst.)25689–135 (.836)332–34 (.907)49–5 (.907)2312Loyola MarymountStan JohnsonMarquette (asst.)443–39 (.524)19–24 (.442)2–3 (.400)00PacificLeonard PerryPacific (asst.)322–39 (.361)10–20 (.333)1–2 (.333)00PepperdineLorenzo RomarArizona (asst.)6105–136 (.436)24-53 (.312)5–5 (.500)73PortlandShantay LegansEastern Washington332–33 (.492)12–18 (.400)2–2 (.500)10Saint Mary'sRandy BennettSaint Louis (asst.)23507–208 (.709)256–95 (.729)27–19 (.587)91San DiegoSteve LavinSt. John's211–20 (.355)4–12 (.250)0–1 (.000)84San FranciscoChris GerlufsenSan Francisco (asst.)220–14 (.588)7–9 (.438)2–1 (.667)00Santa ClaraHerb SendekArizona State7120–94 (.561)57–50 (.533)5–7 (.417)81 Notes:
Year at school includes 2023–24 season. Overall and WCC records are from time at current school and are through the beginning of the 2023–24 season.
Preseason
Conference realignment On September 10, 2021, BYU was one of four schools (the others being Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF) that accepted invitations to join the Big 12 Conference beginning with the 2023-24 athletic season. Therefore, the WCC dropped to 9 teams for the current season.
Preseason poll 2023-24 WCC Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches PollRankTeam (First Place Votes)Points1.Saint Mary's (5)612.Gonzaga (4)603.San Francisco454.Loyola Marymount425.Santa Clara416.Portland277.Pepperdine228.Pacific169.San Diego10
All-WCC Preseason Men's Basketball team HonorRecipientPreseason All-WCC TeamAlex Ducas, Saint Mary'sGraham Ike, GonzagaKeli Leaupepe, LMUAidan Mahaney, Saint Mary'sHouston Mallette, PepperdineRyan Nembhard, GonzagaJevon Porter, PepperdineTyler Robertson, PortlandMitchell Saxen, Saint Mary'sAnton Watson, Gonzaga
Rankings
*AP does not release post-NCAA tournament rankings Improvement in ranking Drop in rankingRVReceived votes but were not ranked in Top 25NVNo votes received Pre/ Wk 1Wk 2Wk 3Wk 4Wk 5Wk 6Wk 7Wk 8Wk 9Wk 10Wk 11Wk 12Wk 13Wk 14Wk 15Wk 16Wk 17Wk 18FinalGonzagaAP1111111171015132423RVRVRVRVRVRV2319C1212101081316162521RVRVRVRVRVRV2218Loyola MarymountAPNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVPacificAPNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVPepperdineAPNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVPortlandAPNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVSaint Mary'sAP23RVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVRVRVRV18181723C2324NVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVRVRV19181721San DiegoAPNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVSan FranciscoAPNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVRVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVSanta ClaraAPNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV
Regular season
Conference matrix GonzagaLoyola MarymountPacificPepperdinePortlandSaint Mary'sSan DiegoSan FranciscoSanta Claravs. Gonzaga–0–20–20–20–21–10–20–21–1vs. Loyola Marymount2–0–0-21–11–12–01–12–02–0vs. Pacific2–02–0–2–02–02–02–02–02–0vs. Pepperdine2–01–10–2–1–12–01–12–02–0vs. Portland2–01–10–21–1–2-02–02–01–1vs. Saint Mary's1–10–20–20–20–2–0-20–20–2vs. San Diego2–01–10–21–10–22–0–2–01–1vs. San Francisco2–00–20–20–20–22–00–2–1-1vs. Santa Clara1–10–20–20–21–12–01–11–1–Total14–25–110–165–115–1115–17–911–510–6
Early season tournaments The following table summarizes the multiple-team events (MTE) or early season tournaments in which teams from the West Coast Conference will participate. +TeamTournamentDatesResultGonzagaMaui InvitationalNovember 20–225thLoyola MarymountCayman Islands ClassicNovember 19–217thPacificPacific MTENovember 24–29–PepperdineBall Dawgs ClassicNovember 21–24–PortlandDiamond Head ClassicDecember 21–248thSaint Mary'sContinental Tire Main EventNovember 17–194thSan DiegoAcrisure InvitationalNovember 24–252ndSan FranciscoArizona Tip-OffNovember 17–193rdSanta ClaraEmerald Coast ClassicNovember 18–252nd
WCC Player/Freshman of the Week Throughout the year, the West Coast Conference names a player of the week and a freshman of the week as follows: +WeekDatePlayer of the WeekFreshman of the Week1November 13, 2023Carlos Marshall Jr., Santa ClaraTyler Harris, Portland2November 20, 2023Justice Hill, LMUTyler Harris (2), Portland3November 27, 2023Anton Watson, GonzagaRyan Beasley, San Francisco4December 4, 2023Ryan Nembhard, GonzagaBraden Huff, Gonzaga5December 11, 2023Dominick Harris, LMUNils Cooper, Pepperdine6December 18, 2023Mitchell Saxen, Saint Mary'sKevin Patton Jr., San Diego7December 26, 2023Malik Thomas, San FranciscoBraden Huff (2), Gonzaga8January 2, 2024Luke Barrett, Saint Mary'sDragos Lungu, San Diego9January 8, 2024Jonathan Mogbo, San FranciscoTyler Harris (3), Portland10January 15, 2024Jonathan Mogbo (2), San FranciscoKevin Patton Jr. (2), San Diego11January 24, 2024Joshua Jefferson, Saint Mary'sBraden Huff (3), Gonzaga12January 29, 2024Graham Ike, GonzagaKevin Patton Jr. (3), San Diego13February 5, 2024Jonathan Mogbo (3), San FranciscoBol Dengdit, Portland14February 12, 2024Wayne McKinney III, San DiegoBraden Huff (4), Gonzaga15February 19, 2024Ryan Nembhard (2), GonzagaKevin Patton Jr. (4), San Diego16February 26, 2024Michael Ajayi, PepperdineRyan Beasley (2), San Francisco17March 4, 2024Graham Ike (2), GonzagaRyan Beasley (3), San Francisco
Postseason
WCC Tournament
NCAA Tournament
Seed Region School First round Second round Sweet 16 Elite Eight Final Four Championship 5 Midwest GonzagaDefeated (12) McNeese, 86–65Defeated (4) Kansas, 89–68Lost to (1) Purdue, 68–80 5 West Saint Mary'sLost to (12) Grand Canyon, 66–75 BidsW-L (%):1–1 ()1–0 ()0–1 ()0–0 ()0–0 ()TOTAL: 2–2 ()
NIT
Seed School First round Second round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final – San FranciscoLost to (2) Cincinnati, 72–73 (OT) W-L (%):0–1 ()0–0 ()0–0 ()0–0 ()TOTAL: 0–1 ()
All-WCC Awards and Teams On March 5, 2024, the West Coast Conference announced the following awards: +HonorRecipientSchoolPlayer of the YearAugustas MarčiulionisSaint Mary’sCoach of the YearRandy BennettSaint Mary’sDefensive Player of the YearMitchell SaxenSaint Mary’sNewcomer of the YearJonathan MogboSan FranciscoSixth Player of the YearDeuce TurnerSan DiegoFreshman of the YearRyan BeasleySan FranciscoAll-WCC First TeamMichael AjayiPepperdineAdama-Alpha BalSanta ClaraGraham IkeGonzagaAidan MahaneySaint Mary’sAugustas MarčiulionisSaint Mary’sJonathan MogboSan FranciscoRyan NembhardGonzagaMitchell SaxenSaint Mary’sAnton WatsonGonzagaMarcus WilliamsSan FranciscoAll-WCC Second TeamAlex DucasSaint Mary’sNolan HickmanGonzagaWayne McKinney IIISan DiegoTyler RobertsonPortlandDeuce TurnerSan DiegoAll-WCC Freshman TeamRyan BeasleySan FranciscoJake EnsmingerSanta ClaraTyler HarrisPortlandBraden HuffGonzagaKevin Patton Jr.San DiegoWCC Honorable MentionJoshua JeffersonSaint Mary’sHouston MallettePepperdineCarlos Marshall Jr.Santa ClaraAlex MerkviladzeLMUJevon PorterPepperdineNdewedo NewburySan FranciscoMalik ThomasSan FranciscoChristoph TillySanta Clara
References