GETTING INSIDE

Few teams in the country could lose as much talent as Gonzaga did and still be considered the conference favorite. But, as usual, the Bulldogs are the pick to win the West Coast Conference.

Certainly, the Bulldogs are vulnerable this season. Four starters are gone from last season's team. They do not look like a national top 10 power as they have in recent years. Their run of nine consecutive league championships could end.

But there have been similar tales over the past decade, and every year Mark Few comes up with enough to win the conference.

Gonzaga may have the best backcourt in the conference, but its frontcourt has to be rebuilt from scratch.

All three frontcourt starters -- Josh Heytvelt, Micah Downs and Austin Daye -- are gone, and Daye's early departure to the NBA was a particularly crippling blow.

So was the graduation of Jeremy Pargo, the WCC Player of the Year in 2008.

The Bulldogs retain one star player, versatile guard Matt Bouldin. Two other guards, Steven Gray and Demetri Goodson, should give the Bulldogs plenty of quickness and defense on the perimeter.

Defense has been one of Gonzaga's calling cards, and they may have to apply more pressure on the perimeter this season.

Most of the Bulldogs' points will have to come from that backcourt trio, because Few will be relying on newcomers to fill the voids up front.

Seven-footer Robert Sacre is back after missing all but five games last season with a broken foot. He has some starting experience, but he has never been much of a scorer.

Will Foster, who is 7-foot-5, has shown potential, too, but he does not look like he's ready to dominate.

The rest is up to the youngsters, and Gonzaga has nine freshmen or redshirt freshmen on its roster.

One of the redshirt freshmen -- 6-11 Andy Poling -- needs to contribute immediately, and several of the true freshmen must develop in a hurry if Gonzaga is to make it through its meat-grinder schedule in good shape.

The fact that the conference in general is not as strong as it has been in recent years gives Gonzaga a little leeway, but it will still have to get quality performances from unproven players to win the conference again.

Another NCAA Tournament berth seems likely, but the Bulldogs could enter the postseason with double-digit losses, especially since they again play by far the toughest nonconference schedule in the WCC and one of the toughest in the country.

NOTES, QUOTES

--The Bulldogs' nonconference schedule includes a road game against Michigan State, neutral-court games against Duke and either Wisconsin or Arizona, and games in Spokane against Wake Forest and Oklahoma.

--G Matt Bouldin was one of 50 players named to the preseason watch list for the Wooden All-American and Player of the Year awards.

--Former Gonzaga great John Stockton was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame during the summer.

LAST YEAR: 28-6, 14-0 in the WCC, first place; lost in third round of NCAA Tournament.

HEAD COACH: Mark Few (career 264-65); 11th year at Gonzaga (264-65).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm sure some feel this is the right time to get us." -- Gonzaga coach Mark Few.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Nine players who are new to the program are on Gonzaga's roster, and although none looks like an immediate star, several figure to help this season. Three of them are from Canada and one from Germany, which makes it a little hard to assess.

A 6-11 redshirt freshmen (Andy Poling) and 6-11 true freshman (Sam Dower) will be given an opportunity to fill the vacancies up front. Another redshirt freshman, G Grant Gibbs, probably will play some, although there is less of a need in the backcourt. True freshman G.J. Vilarino could get some time in the backcourt, too. The wild card could be 6-6 Bol Kong, a transfer from Douglas College who sat out last season. He could become a star.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: The Nov. 17 game at Michigan State will get a lot attention, but the Bulldogs probably won't be ready to challenge such a national power on the Spartans' homecourt. A better indicator will be the Bulldogs' trip to Lahaina for the Maui Invitational, where Gonzaga will play Colorado and either Arizona or Wisconsin and one other quality team.

Those teams are not out of Gonzaga's range and will show how much progress the Bulldogs have made early in the season. Somehow Gonzaga convinced Wake Forest to come to Spokane and play at the McCarthey Center, which gives the Bulldogs a chance.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: The Bulldogs will be down this season after being nationally ranked in most seasons, but this is not an indication that the program is on its way to mediocrity. Gonzaga continues to be the West Coast Conference's dominant program, and looks like it will continue to be for some time.

Few programs are as stable as this one, with Mark Few feeling comfortable at Gonzaga after 10 successful seasons. This season may not compare favorably with many of the others, but the Bulldogs will rise again in the years to come.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Matt Bouldin, SG Demetri Goodson, SG Steven Gray, PF Andy Poling, C Robert Sacre.

ROSTER REPORT:

--Sophomore wing Bol Kong, a native of the Sudan who spent most of his life in Canada, was supposed to be at Gonzaga last season, but had his application for a visa denied three times. He finally got a student visa this summer just in time to enroll for the 2009-2010 school year. The fact that the Sudan has been on the United States' terrorist watch list is probably the reason Kong had such trouble obtaining a visa.

--Freshmen Mangisto Arop and Kelly Olynyk played for the Canadian Under-19 team that finished seventh in the world championships in New Zealand over the summer.

--Freshman guard G.J. Vilarino signed with Kentucky in November 2008, but requested his release after Kentucky made a coaching change. Vilarino then signed with Gonzaga in April.

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LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT

GETTING INSIDE

Loyola Marymount is not about to challenge for the West Coast conference title, but there is reason to believe the Lions will be dramatically better than they were last season and could be the surprise team of the conference.

Being improved from last season is no great accomplishment, since the Lions won just three games in 2008-2009 and finished last in a conference that was not particularly strong.

However, the addition of two transfers who are now eligible, the return of a key player who missed last season with an injury, and the maturation and return of virtually the entire team suggest this season will be better.

The fact that the coaching situation is stabilized should help, too.

The sudden departure of Bill Bayno early in his first season shook the program from the start, and interim coach Max Good was not named the permanent head coach until later in the season. Injuries that sidelined three starters made a young team with little depth even younger and thinner. The Lions did show improvement late last season.

Good is back with a working knowledge of what he has.

The Lions still won't be great outside shooters or rebounders, and those deficiencies will limit how much progress they can make. But if they can simply cut down on their turnovers, the Lions may move out of the WCC basement.

Vernon Teel, the team's top scorer last year when he averaged 14.6 points in half a season of activity, is healthy after missing the first 15 games last season with a broken foot. Jarred DuBois, LaRon Armstead and Kevin Young return after showing moments of brilliance last season as freshmen.

Tim Diederichs is also back after missing last season with a shoulder problem.

The pivotal players, though, are Drew Viney, who transferred from Oregon, and Larry Davis, who transferred from Seton Hall.

Davis apparently is all right after injuring his Achilles' tendon in April, and the Lions need him to be at full strength to provide a consistent scoring threat.

Both Davis and Viney can score and should considerably improve LMU's feeble offense.

LMU did surprisingly well in recruiting, bringing in one of the conference's top freshman classes, and if those four contribute as expected, LMU could advance several places in the standings of a conference that is not particularly strong this season.

This remains a young team with no seniors on the squad; 12 of the 15 roster members are freshmen or sophomores. This is not a great shooting team, and scoring will be an issue. But if Good can slowly build some cohesiveness and confidence through the season, the Lions might be competitive by season's end.

NOTES, QUOTES

--Even though they won just two WCC games and finished last, the Lions showed marked improvement over the final month of the season. They held second-half leads in six of their final eight games, although they were unable to finish, losing six of the eight.

--SF Drew Viney remains a mystery. He initially committed to California as a high school senior before changing his mind and signing with Oregon. But he played only 12 games as a freshman because of a stress fracture in his foot, and then decided to transfer. He then sat out last year, so it is has been awhile since he played meaningful minutes in a game.

--F Larry Davis' health is a major issue for the Lions. He started 21 games for Seton Hall in his two seasons there, and could be a star in the WCC. But that depends on how well he recovers from surgery he had in April to repair a torn Achilles' tendon. It could take him awhile to regain top form.

LAST YEAR: 3-28, 2-12 in the WCC, eighth place.

HEAD COACH: Max Good (244-249 career), second year at Loyola Marymount (3-28).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We relied heavily on three freshmen last year, maybe too much. But we really had no choice and they got better because of it." -- LMU head coach Max Good, on Jarred DuBois, LaRon Armstead and Kevin Young.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: The two key newcomers were actually at Loyola Marymount last year -- Drew Viney and Larry Davis, who sat out last season as transfers. They should help the Lions' offense considerably, and LMU needs a lot of help at that end, particularly in terms of outside shooting.

All four freshmen could help this season, but the one with the most potential is G Given Kalipinde, who eventually could become a big-time scorer, something LMU desperately needs. Edgar Garibay, a 6-10 freshman, adds some much-needed height.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: The Nov. 18 game against UC Irvine is the Lions only home game in its first five contests, and it is one LMU could and should win.

That could provide a launching point for the Lions, who then play tough road games against Southern California and Tulsa. LMU begins the season in a tournament in Missoula, Mont., and games against Boise State and Montana should show Max Good what he has. The Lions should come out of it with a win over North Dakota, which is transitioning to Division I. The Lions could win two of their first four games, and that would be a boost.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: The program bottomed out last season, when it was one of the worst in the country, and should begin a slow, upward climb this season.

It has had only two winning seasons in the past 17 years, so the program has a ways to go to gain respectability, and it may never again match the success it had when Bo Kimble and Hank Gathers were around. Max Good became the school's fifth head coach in 10 years, so the program has lacked stability, direction and identity for quite a while.

But Good has some good young talent, and teams can make a lot of progress in a short period in the WCC.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: G Jarred DuBois, G Vernon Teel, SF Drew Viney, SF Larry Davis, PF Tim Diederichs

ROSTER REPORT:

--F Ashley Hamilton missed all but six games last season with a bad back and was granted a medical redshirt, making him a freshman again. His back remains a problem, but he was expected to be ready for the season.

--Sophomore F Kevin Young played for Puerto Rico in the 2009 Under-19 World championships. (His mother is Puerto Rican.) Young averaged 23 minutes, 7.7 points and 5.0 rebounds for Puerto Rico, which finished sixth with a 5-4 record.

--F Tim Diederichs sustained a shoulder injury during 2008 preseason practice, and, after playing just three games, had season-ending shoulder surgery. He was granted a medical redshirt and is now a sophomore who seems to be completely recovered. Two years ago, he became the first LMU freshman to start every game in his first season.

--F Brad Sweezy has played in 61 games for LMU, nearly twice as many as any other player on the roster.

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PEPPERDINE

GETTING INSIDE

Pepperdine was one of the youngest teams in the country last season, which is why its 5-9 conference record exceeded expectations.

The Waves are still a young team, but they have considerable experience for their age and have a chance to be the surprise team of the WCC.

Tom Asbury made significant strides last season, his first year in his second stint as Pepperdine coach, and it was hard to believe that the team he had at season's end was the same one he started with. The Waves were terrible for the first two months.

Those gains, the return of four starters, the addition of two freshmen who could man the point guard spot, and Asbury's second year at helm have given Pepperdine some much-needed stability and hope that it will be a contender in a year or two.

Eleven of the 15 players on the roster are sophomores or freshmen, and there is not a single senior on the squad, so Pepperdine probably is still a year away from having a say in the WCC title race. However, the Waves now should be competitive with everyone in the conference.

The key is the point guard spot.

Sophomore Lorne Jackson, who started 14 games last season, will get the first crack at it, but he was inconsistent last season. If either of two freshmen, Josh Lowery or Caleb Willis, can unseat him, it will mean the Waves have found a quality guard to direct the team.

The Waves are pretty well stocked at the other four spots, although scoring enough points to stay in games will continue to be an issue.

Sophomore guard Keion Bell, the team's leading scorer last season, has the athleticism and confidence to become something special if he can cut down on his turnovers and improve his shot selection. Junior forward Mychel Thompson is probably the best all-around player on the team.

Thompson will also have to become a team leader since he is the only scholarship player in the program with two years' experience.

Sophomore forward Taylor Darby has proved he can be a quality rebounder, and 6-10 sophomore center Corbin Moore gives the Waves some size inside.

Outside shooting will be a concern for the Waves, who were mediocre from long range last season and lost their best 3-point shooter, Michael Hornbuckle, to graduation.

The loss of senior Ron Holmes will hurt, too, from a leadership standpoint. He missed 12 games last season with a foot injury, and the Waves seemed to play better when he was on the court.

Pepperdine still needs to find an identity. Asbury used 11 different starting lineups last season as he tried to figure out which players could help in the long term and which combinations worked best. With eight freshmen on the roster last season, 2008-2009 became sort of a sizing-up process that started to stabilize in the final month.

Asbury proved in his previous time at Pepperdine that he could win consistently in the WCC, and the progress the team made over the course of last season showed the influence he can have.

NOTES, QUOTES

--It's difficult to tell what impact the two freshmen guards will have because neither played organized basketball last season. Caleb Willis sat out last season to get in better condition while attending Ware Prep Academy in Atlanta, Ga., and it appears he lost about 40 pounds. Josh Lowery did not play basketball in his senior year of high school because he had played varsity as an eighth-grader in Washington and was ruled ineligible for his final high school season at Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Ariz.

--Twelve letter-winners return this season, which is believed to be the most in Pepperdine history. Nine of those letter-winners started at least one game last season. Freshmen accounted for more than 57 percent of the team's points last season.

--Every player who was eligible to return did so. It's the first time in more than a decade that has happened at Pepperdine. It's an indication Tom Asbury is bringing some stability to the program.

--A number of Pepperdine players participated in the Say No Classic, a summer league in Los Angeles, and produced some impressive numbers. Keion Bell averaged 20.8 points, Dane Suttle Jr. averaged 18.0 and Mychel Thompson averaged 21.6.

LAST YEAR: 9-23, 5-9 in the WCC, sixth place.

HEAD COACH: Tom Asbury (219-170 career), eighth year at Pepperdine, second year in current stint (134-82).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're going to be better. We're going to be more consistent. We're going to be stronger physically. But I still think our (nonconference) schedule is going to be challenging and maybe even a little bit over our heads. But that was done by design." -- Pepperdine coach Tom Asbury.

STATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: This is an unusual recruiting class, although all three could contribute in their first season.

Tanner Kerry is a 6-9 Australian who will add depth and size to the frontcourt, but the two other freshmen will vie for the starting point guard spot, even though neither played organized ball last season.

Caleb Willis is a tough, physical point guard, has a good feel for the game and is a good on-court leader. He needs to improve his shooting, however. The 5-11 Willis sat out a season to get in shape and dropped more than 40 pounds after being up to about 250. Josh Lowery is an aggressive combo guard who is not a great athlete but plays hard at both ends of the court. He can score but needs work on his passing.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: A Nov. 17 home game against Big West Conference title contender Long Beach State will tell a lot about the Waves, whose mental toughness will be tested in a Nov. 23 road game against UCLA.

Pepperdine will have a tough time beating Wyoming on the Cowboys' home court on Nov. 29, especially since it will be the Waves' third game in three days. But Wyoming will not outclass Pepperdine, and if the Waves can somehow pull that game out, it may launch the Waves to unexpected success.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: Tom Asbury has the program headed in the right direction, but there was a lot to fix. Asbury became the Waves' fourth head coach in four years, and the program was in disarray, having lost 20 games or more in each of the previous three seasons.

In just his second season, Asbury has stocked the team almost exclusively with players he has brought in. The progress is obvious, but there is still a ways to go. Asbury is 64 years old, so it remains to be seen how much longer he will coach.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Lorne Jackson, SG Keion Bell, SF Mychel Thompson, PF Taylor Darby, C Corbin Moore.

ROSTER REPORT:

--G Keion Bell was the first Pepperdine player in six years to lead the team in points, assists and steals, and he did it as a freshman. However, he also averaged 3.8 turnovers, most in the WCC and 11th most in Division I.

--Sophomore G Lorne Jackson sustained a knee injury in the offseason but was cleared to participate in preseason practice.

--C Andy Shannon, a 7-foot sophomore, has gained about 40 pounds since arriving at Pepperdine.

--Junior F Mychel Thompson, the only player on the team who has been a regular starter the past two seasons, was named team captain.

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PORTLAND

GETTING INSIDE

If any team can challenge Gonzaga for the West Coast Conference title, it's the Pilots.

They return five starters from last season's third-place team that brought Portland its best season in 13 years.

The Pilots must show last season's surprising success was not a fluke and that they can handle the pressure of high expectations. Last season was like a fairy-tale ride in which nothing was expected and everything seemed to go the Pilots' way.

Picked to finish sixth in the WCC, the Pilots came in third and earned their first winning season in 10 years.

They showed signs of cracking late last season when the stakes rose, and a year of maturity may enable the Pilots to avoid a drop-off this time. Most of their key players are seniors this season.

Eric Reveno was named conference Coach of the Year for making a contender out of a team that seemed headed for eternal mediocrity, and he has brought in players that fit his style.

Portland has more talent than any WCC team, with the possible exception of Gonzaga.

T.J. Campbell was the chief reason for the Pilots' dramatic and unexpected rise last season, because he gave the Pilots a steady floor leader who can hit the 3-pointer. In fact, the Pilots were one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country, and it will be interesting to see if they can keep it up.

Jared Stohl did not start last season, but played starter's minutes and he was nearly as good on 3-pointers as Campbell.

Nik Raivio is the team's top scoring threat and is very capable of leading the conference in scoring this season.

Forward Robin Smeulders seems to be a better player than his numbers show, and he could emerge as a star this season.

Kramer Knutson does not score much, but he does what is needed from a center in Reveno's style.

Add Luke Sikma, and the Pilots have more good big men than any team in the WCC, which is short on inside players this season.

All the pieces seem to fit together nicely for Portland, a good passing team that likes to run and share the ball, all of which is orchestrated by Campbell, a junior college transfer whose presence changed the entire dynamic of the team.

When he got in foul trouble or struggled, the Pilots had problems last season.

NOTES, QUOTES

--Portland went to Australia in May to play four exhibition games, winning three. Teams are allowed to take overseas trips once every four years, and teams often have good seasons after one of those trips, partly because it provides them with extra practice time.

--Cody Mivshek joined the team as a walk-on this season. He was a two-time all-state high school performer in Colorado.

--Portland played in the Collegeinsiders.com postseason tournament last year. It is the least prestigious of the four postseason tournaments, but it was important to the Pilots because it was their first postseason berth in 10 years.

--Portland ranked second nationally in 3-point shooting percentage last season (41.8 percent), and all the shooters are back this season.

LAST YEAR: 19-13, 9-5 in WCC, third place

HEAD COACH: Eric Reveno (37-58 career), fourth year at Portland (37-58)

QUOTE TO NOTE: "T.J. (Campbell) made as big an impact on the team as any one individual on any team." -- Eric Reveno, on the influence of point guard T.J. Campbell, a junior college transfer who joined the Pilots last season.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: The only two players the Pilots added were walk-ons, and neither is expected to play much. The Pilots will rely on the same personnel as last year, because it had no seniors on last season's squad.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: The Nov. 21 home game against Oregon is one the Pilots can win and gain some momentum, but a bigger test comes in the 76 Classic in Anaheim, from Nov. 26-29. The Pilots open with UCLA and then face either Minnesota or Butler and will finish up against another strong team (West Virginia, Long Beach State, Clemson or Texas A&M). The Pilots cannot expect to win the event, but these teams are not out of their league anymore. It's a bold nonconference schedule for Portland, and shows the kind of team Eric Reveno thinks he has.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: The Pilots have been going straight up since the arrival of Eric Reveno before the 2006-2007 season.

The Pilots had been a perennial cellar-dweller, and the general belief was that Pilots would never be able to compete in the WCC, for any number of reasons. But after two tough, rebuilding seasons, Portland emerged as a WCC contender last season and figures to stay there this season.

It would seem that Portland will remain in the title chase as long as Reveno remains head coach.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG T.J. Campbell, SG Nik Raivio, SF Ethan Niedermeyer, PF Robin Smeulders, C Kramer Knutson.

ROSTER REPORT:

--C John Hegarty, a 7-footer who joined the team at midseason last year, was granted his release in May and signed with a professional team in France.

--G Cody Miyshek and F Ryan Schaefer have joined the team as freshmen walk-ons.

--PG T.J. Campbell led the WCC in 3-point shooting at 53.1 percent, and would have led the country if he had made enough 3-pointers to qualify. He made 76 3-pointers, just four shy of what he needed to qualify.

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SAN DIEGO

GETTING INSIDE

In Bill Grier's first season as a college head coach, everything seemed to go right.

In his second year, everything seemed to go wrong.

He's back for a third season with San Diego, hoping things go smoothly again and that his team can get over the changes that affected the team last season and continued into the offseason.

The 2008-2009 season was a bust. Expected to contend for the WCC title with five starters back from a team that had upset Connecticut in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament, the Toreros started slowly and sank into oblivion after Brandon Johnson tore his Achilles' tendon eight games into the season.

The problems continued when guard Trumaine Johnson, a key part of the 2007-2008 team, was suspended late in the season. He ultimately left San Diego.

Another setback occurred after the season when two-year starter Rob Jones transferred to be closer to his home in San Francisco.

But there was one bit of good news in the offseason and that came in June when the NCAA ruled that Brandon Johnson would be granted a fifth year of eligibility, a decision that had been expected.

Johnson provides the hard-nosed leadership and scoring at the point guard position that will make the Toreros a factor in the WCC race. He and the two returning starters, De'Jon Jackson and Matt Dorr, will give the Toreros a backcourt as strong as any in the conference.

However, the loss of Jones and all-conference power forward Gyno Pomare will make San Diego soft up front, making it unlikely it can challenge for a title.

San Diego must hope it gets a lot immediate help from the six newcomers to the program, particularly junior college transfer Rafael Crescencio, a 6-9 post player who has some skills and can block shots.

The Toreros hope the addition of Crescensio and 6-8 freshman Chris Manresa, and the return of 6-9 senior Robert Mafra, can give them an adequate frontcourt.

Most of the Toreros' points will have to come from the perimeter, which means their two top 3-point shooters -- Dorr and small forward Chris Lewis -- will need to have good seasons.

Grier's teams typically play solid defense, and that should be the case again this season. The problem will be scoring enough points, especially with a schedule that includes Oklahoma, Mississippi State, San Diego State, Houston, New Mexico and Southern Illinois.

The Toreros need to get into the conference season without having their spirit broken.

NOTES, QUOTES

--F Rob Jones said he left San Diego to be close to his ailing father in San Francisco. Jones reportedly will enroll at Saint Mary's in December, but he not be eligible until the 2010-11 season.

--PG Brandon Johnson had started 76 games in his career before tearing his Achilles' tendon late in the first half of the eighth game, against San Diego State. The Toreros were 4-3 at the time.

--Because of injuries, suspensions and inconsistent play, Bill Grier tried a lot of different lineups last season. Eleven players started at least four games, and players often switched positions. Brandon Johnson, Matt Dorr, Trumaine Johnson and De'Jon Jackson all got a crack at the starting point guard spot, which was the major problem last season. The Toreros had the same starting lineup for most of the 2007-2008 season.

LAST YEAR: 16-16, 6-8 in WCC, fifth place

HEAD COACH: Bill Grier (38-30 career), third year at San Diego (38-30)

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Certainly this schedule will have us battle-tested by the time we get to West Coast Conference play." -- San Diego coach Bill Grier, on the Toreros' challenging nonconference schedule.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Junior college transfer Rafael Crescencio is a native of Brazil who is skilled and is a good shot-blocker, and he should help right away.

Freshman power forward Chris Manresa is not very athletic but he is skilled and has a good feel for the game, which are perfect ingredients for success in the WCC.

Freshman G Jordan Mackie is an excellent athlete with potential, but it may take him some time to contribute. Freshman Ken Rancifer has shown promise because of his athleticism. C Chris Gabriel, a transfer from New Mexico State, should help next season after sitting out this year.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: The games against Oklahoma and Mississippi State will get more attention, but the first two games of the season may be more important. The Toreros open with a Nov. 13 home game against Stanford, a rebuilding Pac-10 team San Diego is capable of beating.

If it wins that game and its Nov. 16 road game against Pacific, San Diego might be able to build some needed momentum. If it loses both with the tough games in the Great Alaska Shootout later in November, it could get sticky in a hurry.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: The uplifting feeling Bill Grier brought with the surprising success of his first season was negated by the unexpected problems in his second year. The Toreros are back to being a middle-of-the-pack team, but they seem to have more potential for success under Grier than they did in previous years. This season's success depends in large part on how well Brandon Johnson has recovered from his torn Achilles' tendon.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Brandon Johnson, SG Matt Dorr, SG De'Jon Jackson, SF Chris Lewis, C Robert Mafra.

ROSTER REPORT:

--Freshman G Jordan Mackie was a late addition to the roster. He did not sign with San Diego until July.

--G Brandon Johnson, an all-conference selection two years ago, is fifth on San Diego's career scoring list with 1,385 points and second in assists with 425.

--G Matt Dorr, the only newcomer to San Diego's starting lineup last season, ended up starting more games than any other player -- 30.

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SAN FRANCISCO

GETTING INSIDE

Whatever happens with San Francisco is now is the responsibility of second-year coach Rex Walters, not his predecessors.

He began to assume ownership of the program late last season when he jettisoned four players, including one of his top scorers, for failing to follow instructions during a practice. That established that Walters was the man in charge, and that things would be done his way.

Walters completed the takeover of the program this season, because every player on the roster except for standout senior forward Dior Lowhorn was brought into the program by Walters.

Lowhorn is a vital piece, of course, and could be the best player in the conference this season. Whatever success USF has this season will be the result of Lowhorn's high-level all-around play.

But the Dons are not expected to challenge for the conference title this year, and Walters' chore is to groom the many young players on the team into a squad that can compete for the title in a year or two.

None of the four suspended players is back, and that includes Manny Quezada, a high-scoring guard who was a senior anyhow, and center Hyman Taylor, a frontcourt player who had another year of eligibility.

A more significant loss is the departure of guard Chris O'Brien, who started 20 games last season as a freshman but has transferred to Cal Poly.

Still, five players who started at least 12 games are back. Plus, the six newcomers will get a lot of playing time right away, and at least one could be in the starting lineup.

Guard Rashad Green, a transfer from Manhattan College, is eligible to play this season and will be counted on to help immediately in the backcourt. Dominique O'Connor is probably the best of the freshmen, and he may end up starting at point guard, a critical position for the Dons this season.

The centerpiece remains Lowhorn, who continues to expand his game by improving his perimeter skills.

Blake Wallace will probably join him in the frontcourt, with sophomore guard Kwame Vaughn expected to do big things this year after showing flashes of brilliance last season.

Without significant offensive help from Vaughn and sophomore swingman Angelo Caloiaro and improved outside shooting, defenses will continue to focus on Lowhorn, who was the Dons' only reliable scoring threat last season and was often smothered by opponents' defenses.

Three freshmen and a junior college transfer are expected to supply the size inside, because Lowhorn and Wallace are both about 6-7. None of the four new big men is likely to score a lot of points, though.

The Dons played better toward the end of last season, after Walters' suspension seemed to set the tone, and they should get better as this season goes along. The Dons want to run more this season, but that will require an improvement in their defense and rebounding, areas in which USF was lacking last season.

NOTES, QUOTES

--Rex Walters brought in three foreign players this season, and all three are big men -- Tomas Bruha, a 7-foot freshman from the Czech Republic; Nicola Stojiljkovic, a 6-8 perimeter player from France; and Moustapha Diarra, a 6-10 junior college transfer who is originally from France.

--Sophomore G Peter Smith will wear No. 20 this season in honor of his late father, Phil Smith, whose No. 20 was retired after his standout career at USF.

--USF's Memorial Gym will have a new look. A new floor was installed, replacing the one installed in 1959, and the antiquated baskets that were stabilized with wires to the stands have been replaced by stand-alone basket standards.

LAST YEAR: 11-19, 3-11 in WCC, seventh place.

HEAD COACH: Rex Walters (42-52 career), second year at San Francisco (11-19)

QUOTE TO NOTE: "He plays at a gear we haven't seen around here in a while." -- USF head coach Rex Walters, on the speed of freshman guard Dominique O'Connor.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Freshman PG Dominique O'Connor played for one of the best high school teams in the country (Westchester High School in Los Angeles) and will give the Dons the kind of quickness they have been lacking in the backcourt.

Freshman Perris Blackwell is a bulky 6-8 player who can give the Dons some inside muscle, and 6-10 junior college transfer Moustapha Diarra is a pretty good shot-blocker who has the potential to improve offensively. Rashad Green, who started 27 games as a freshman at Manhattan, may not help much in scoring, but he's a good rebounder for a guard and can do a variety of things.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: The two-game road trip against Arizona State on Nov. 20 and UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 23 will tell a lot about where the Dons stand early on. Arizona State is not nearly as strong as it was last season, and may finish toward the bottom of the Pac-10, while Santa Barbara is expected to challenge for the Big West title. If the Dons can stay competitive in those games and develop some team chemistry, it may bode well for the season.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: Rex Walters has not yet proven he can make at winner out of USF, but he seems capable of restoring some order, which had been lacking in the previous regime. USF is about as low as it can go at the moment, so upward movement would not be too difficult. Walters still has not completely stabilized the program, as young players are still finding their niche, and that may prevent consistent success this season. However, it should become clear during the season whether the Dons have things going in the right direction.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Dominique O'Connor, SG Dontae Bryant, SG Kwame Vaughn, SF Blake Wallace, PF Dior Lowhord.

ROSTER REPORT:

--F Dior Lowhorn was the team's top 3-point shooter last season at 43.2 percent. He is also the team's best low-post player so it's hard to know where to play him. Lowhorn led the team in rebounding while averaging 20.1 points last season. No other USF player averaged more than 10.8.

--Senior G Dontae Bryant started 24 games last season, and only Dior Lowhorn started more. He averaged just 4.1 points, but led the team in assists with 91.

--Sophomore G Peter Smith, who came to USF as a walk-on, earned a scholarship last season with some unexpected production. He did not play at all in nine of the first 16 games, and played only garbage-time minutes in the other seven. But he started to receive playing time late in the season -- mainly as an example of the kind of player Rex Walters wanted to have in his program -- and he also started to produce. He ended up starting three games and figures to get significant playing time this season.

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SANTA CLARA

GETTING INSIDE

Kerry Keating is almost starting from scratch in his third season as the Broncos' head coach, but he has some talented young players with which to work.

The loss of the WCC Player of the Year, 6-10 center John Bryant, will hurt the Broncos' inside scoring and rebounding, but his departure also allows Santa Clara to be more of a transition team, and it should play at a faster pace this season.

With no seniors on the squad and 10 of the 14 players on the roster being freshmen or sophomores, it is unlikely Santa Clara can challenge for the WCC championship this season, but if Keating can keep the current players at Santa Clara, he could be a contender in a year or two.

Keeping the players at Santa Clara is an issue, though, because four players left Santa Clara after Keating's first season, and three more departed after his second.

The recent personnel losses were more significant because they were players Keating recruited, and those players contributed last season when the Broncos improved considerably over the final few weeks. The departure of freshman James Rahon was particularly distressing because he was the top 3-point shooter on a team that will need more perimeter threats.

But Keating still has guard Kevin Foster, who is not shy about shooting and was effective enough to share the conference Newcomer of the Year award last season as a freshman.

Foster, the team's leading scorer last season, is an aggressive player who has the look of a star.

If the Broncos find a suitable point guard, he could lead the WCC in scoring.

He joins two other players who saw significant playing time last season as freshmen -- guard Troy Alexander and forward Marc Trasolini.

It will be up to Trasolini to replace some of the inside scoring and rebounding lost with Bryant's departure, although he should get assistance from one of the six newcomers -- junior college transfer Troy Payne, a versatile 6-6 player.

The Broncos would like junior forward Ben Dowdell to return to the form he showed as a freshman after falling off significantly in virtually every statistical category last season.

Much of the Broncos' success will depend on the development of the freshmen, because they will play a lot.

Niyi Harrison, a strong, athletic 6-7 forward, and Robert Smith are the two most likely to help immediately. Smith could even be the starting point guard before the season is over, and if he plays well, the Broncos could finish third in the WCC.

NOTES, QUOTES

--G James Rahon left Santa Clara after his freshman season and transferred to San Diego State. He started 17 games last season as a freshman, and was the Broncos' No. 3 scorer, averaging 11.4 points.

--G Perry Petty transferred to Texas-Pan American after his junior season, his only year at Santa Clara. He started 11 games in 2008-2009 and led the team in assists, at 2.9 a game.

--After playing just six of their 17 nonconference games at home last season, the Broncos play 11 of their 17 nonconference games at home this season. Two of those games -- against Menlo and Dominican -- are against non-Division I teams, and that should help the young Broncos build a little early-season momentum.

--The Broncos have a good group of incoming freshmen, and they already have two touted players committed for next year -- F Chanse Creekmur and C John McArthur.

LAST YEAR: 16-17, 7-7 in the WCC, fourth place

HEAD COACH: Kerry Keating (31-33 career), third year at Santa Clara (31-33)

QUOTE TO NOTE: "He gives us that speed and on-ball defensive ability at the point position that we've really needed." -- Santa Clara head coach Kerry Keating, on freshman PG Robert Smith.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Junior college transfer Troy Payne is a versatile 6-6 forward who may not score a lot of points but can help in a number of ways. He's a good defender who can guard a number of positions, and he can rebound. The most highly touted of the freshmen is PG Robert Smith, who was recruited by some Pac-10 schools. He could be the Broncos' lead guard before long.

Niyi Harrison is a strong freshman who should get significant playing time immediately, and G Ray Cowels should see the court as a freshman, too. C Chris Cunningham may take a little longer to develop, but he has improved a lot in recent years.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Santa Clara will have trouble in its road game against San Diego State (Nov. 19) and home game against UNLV (Dec. 5), and the Broncos need to stay competitive in those games to prevent this young team from getting down on itself. The Nov. 28 home game against Fresno State and the Nov. 22 road game against Pacific should give a pretty good indication of what the Broncos have.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: The Broncos are in a holding pattern as Kerry Keating tries to impart his stamp on the team.

The large number of turnovers via transfers has prevented the program from gaining stability, but the recruits are among the highest rated in the WCC and the sophomores have shown promise, so there is reason to believe the Broncos are headed in the right direction.

The team will try to play at a faster pace this season, which is another transition in the program that could take some time.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Robert Smith, SG Kevin Foster, SG Mike Santos, SF Troy Payne, PF Marc Trasolini.

ROSTER REPORT:

--G Troy Alexander had hand surgery last January and was rehabilitating the hand and injured shoulder into the school year, but he expects to be ready for the regular season.

--F Decensae White was expected to help considerably after he transferred from Texas Tech, but he played just 10 games last season before being suspended for off-court reasons. He left the team at the end of the season, finished up his spring term at Santa Clara and then left school.

--F Marc Trasolini had mononucleosis last spring but played for the Canadian national team in the Under-19 world championships in July, averaging 7.0 points and 4.8 rebounds. Canada finished seventh.

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ST. MARY'S CALIFORNIA

GETTING INSIDE

The Gaels lost more talent than any other West Coast Conference team, and they will depend on freshmen brought primarily through their Australian pipeline to keep them near the top of the standings.

Losing three-time all-conference forward Diamon Simpson could not be avoided, but the departure of Patty Mills to the NBA with two years of college eligibility remaining was a major blow.

Saint Mary's has been the only threat to Gonzaga's supremacy over the past decade or so, but after losing three starters, including their best two players, the Gaels will have to exceed expectations to finish in the top two this time around.

The addition of two frontcourt transfers, Rob Jones (from San Diego) and Kenton Walker II (from Creighton), should put the Gaels back among the conference contenders in 2010-2011. But they can't play this season, when a lot will depend on the development of sophomore Mickey McDonnell and freshmen Matt Dellavedova if the Gaels are to get their third consecutive postseason berth.

Head coach Randy Bennett is the Gaels' biggest asset at the moment.

He will get the most out of his personnel, especially on the defensive end, and he may slow the pace a bit this season after trying to run on every possession when the speedy Mills was the focus of the team.

Saint Mary's probably has the conference's best big man in 6-11 Omar Samhan, who seems to improve each season.

A defensive liability two years ago, Samhan is at least adequate at that end now and he can score against anybody in this conference.

But he will be shouldered with a much bigger offensive load, and it remains to be seen how effective he will be with defenses no longer concerned with the threats of Mills and Simpson. Samhan is also the team's chief rebounder now with Simpson gone.

His presence is the reason Saint Mary's may go to more of a half-court offense.

Finding a frontcourt complement for Samhan will be the challenge.

Improved Ben Allen will help, but he plays the same position as Samhan, and forward Phil Benson will contribute if his foot heals adequately.

Otherwise, 6-7 sophomore Clint Steindl, another Aussie, or redshirt freshman Tim Williams will have to step in.

Wayne Hunter and McConnell provide a decent backcourt.

Hunter is the team's best perimeter defender and showed late last season he can score, too.

McConnell became a significant part of the team when Mills was sidelined with his wrist injury, and he proved to Bennett and to himself that he can hold his own in this conference.

McConnell is also the best outside shooter for the Gaels, who will be lacking 3-point shooters.

Dellavedova, one of the three Australians to join the team this year and one of five Aussies on the team, will probably get the most playing time of the freshmen. If he is as good as some think, the Gaels could challenge Portland for the No. 2 spot in the standings.

Being a challenge to Gonzaga this season will require a lot of things to go right.

The schedule again includes an 11 p.m. home game on ESPN, and the Gaels play their first five games at home, albeit against good competition.

The bottom line is that Samhan could average a double-double, but Saint Mary's is low on experienced talent and could take a one-year dip in the standings.

NOTES QUOTES

--F Rob Jones, a starter at San Diego the past two seasons, is expected to enroll at Saint Mary's at the start of the winter term. He will be eligible to play at the start of next season. Jones wanted to go to school closer to home because his father, who lives in San Francisco, is ailing. Moraga is about 45 minutes from San Francisco.

The Gaels tried to get Jones eligible for this season because of Jones' hardship situation, but the fact that it was an intra-conference transfer worked against the Gaels.

--For the second straight year, Saint Mary's will be part of ESPN's 24 hours of basketball, which will require the Gaels to play San Diego State at 11 p.m. on Nov. 16. The fact that the game will be at Saint Mary's and will be televised nationally made it an easy choice for coach Randy Bennett .

When Saint Mary's played and beat Fresno State last year in a game that started at 11 p.m. (2 a.m. Eastern time), and it was one of the highest rated games of the day.

--F Colin Chiverton redshirted last season as a freshman and was expected to contribute this season, but he left Saint Mary's and is now at Salt Lake Community College.

--The Gaels thought they deserved an NCAA Tournament berth last season when they went 28-7, but the wrist injury that sidelined G Patty Mills not only cost Saint Mary's a chance to challenge Gonzaga for the conference title, but apparently helped dissuade the NCAA selection committee from giving the Gaels an at-large berth. Mills did not play as well when he returned for the final few regular-season games.

--The Gaels went 2-4 in their six-game exhibition tour of Australia over the summer. Omar Samhan, Phil Benson and Mickey McConnell were the biggest contributors for the Gaels.

LAST YEAR: 28-7, 10-4 in the WCC, second place

HEAD COACH: Randy Bennett (155-97 career), eighth year at Saint Mary's (155-97)

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Of our top 10 players, five will probably be freshmen. That's a lot. So the key is to get the young players not to play like they're young." -- Coach Randy Bennett.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: All five freshmen -- two of whom are from the Bay Area and three of whom are from Australia -- could get significant playing time.

G Jorden Page, G Matt Dellavedova and F Mitchell Young all played for the Australian Under-19 team in the world championships over the summer, and Dellavedova played on the Australian national team. Page and Dellavedova should help immediately, and their familiarity with each other should help.

Freshman F Tim Harris will help if his wrist heals quickly, and redshirt freshman Tim Williams should give the Gaels some needed inside muscle and could conceivably start.

Kenton Walker II is already on the squad after transferring from Creighton, but he can only practice until he becomes eligible to play next season. Rob Jones will arrive in December and will be eligible to play next fall.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: The Gaels' first three games, all at home, against New Mexico State, San Diego State and Vanderbilt, will be challenging and will provide a good assessment of Saint Mary's talent.

The fact that Saint Mary's got Vandy to come to play in its 3,500-seat gym, which is tough on opponents, is an accomplishment in itself.

The Gaels could win all three games, or they could lose all three, and the results could set the standard for the season.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: The early departure of a key player to the NBA is something new for the Gaels. It shows the quality of player Saint Mary's is producing now, but it is not at the point where it can lose a player of Patty Mills' caliber without feeling the effects.

The Gaels will be a factor in the WCC race as long as Randy Bennett is the coach, and he has already been around longer than many expected. The Gaels may not be a title contender this season, but that should be just a one-year situation. They are still the second-best program in the conference.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: G Wayne Hunter, G Mickey McConnell, G Matt Dellavedova, F Clint Steindl, C Omar Samhan

ROSTER REPORT:

--F Phil Benson is recovering from a stress fracture in his foot. Coach Randy Bennett was hoping Benson will be able to play some when the season starts.

--Freshman F Tim Harris has a wrist injury that limited his participation at the start of practice. If he has no setbacks, he should be all right when the season starts.

--C Ben Allen averaged a team-high 14 rebounds per game during the Gaels' six-game trip to Australia over the summer.