By Kyle Jorrey and Hailey Amato
Sports Editor and Staff Writer
Despite sub-par win-loss records, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams still have a shot at the big prize — an invitation to the 2004 NCAA Tournament.
All they’ve got to do to get there is win the annual West Coast Conference Tournament.
Starting two weeks from this Friday, the WCC tournament is college basketball’s version of king of the mountain. That’s because when all is said and done, only two teams, one men’s, one women’s, will receive an automatic berth to the Big Dance.
“The WCC tournament is a new life where the winner gets the best prize, to go to the NCAA tournament,” assistant women’s coach Jody Wynn said. “In the WCC tournament it only matters what you do there, those games. So we have a chance to win the tournament and move on.”
Running March 4 to 8, the end of the season tourney is being held this year at Santa Clara University’s Leavey Center. The WCC’s premier event, the tournament consists of 14 men’s and women’s games over a five-day period. The women’s event features the regionally televised WCC Women’s Basketball Championship March 7 while the entire event culminates with the nationally televised WCC Men’s Basketball Championship Game March 8.
Though neither Pepperdine team is assured any seeding as of yet, both teams have already begun the process of sizing up their opponents.
On the men’s side, Gonzaga remains far-and-away the team to beat; after that, the field basically remains open.
“The teams that I think have proven they have a legitimate chance to win, and even to knock off Gonzaga in this tournament … I think St. Mary’s has the best chance,” men’s Head Coach Paul Westphal said. “I think San Francisco can get a win anytime they play, but it’s hard to picture them beating Gonzaga.”
Though the Waves will have to win at least one, maybe two, tournament games just to get a date with the Bulldogs, Westphal said that goal has been driving his team all season.
“Our focus ever since Yakhouba (Diawara) had to sit out 17 games was let’s get our team rolling at the end of the year and see if we can do this,” Westphal said. “And that’s where we are at right now.”
Though Gonzaga (23-2) currently sits fourth in the country and have won a school-record 16 straight, Pepperdine guard Terrance Johnson said his teammates will approach the possible matchup with their usual tenacity.
“Regardless if they won 16 straight or lost 16 straight, we still have to go in there and play basketball,” Johnson said. “They’re a good team and we know that, but they are also going to have to respect us because they know what we’re capable of doing, we just haven’t been able to put it together yet.”
Westphal said all his team can hope for is a chance.
“(Gonzaga) deserves to have the record they have, but having said that, they’re still college kids and stuff can happen,” Westphal said. “Our focus is to put ourselves in a position so we can make that stuff happen in one game against them … I’ve been on both ends, upsets happen, and it would be an upset for us to beat Gonzaga. But we can do it.”
Capturing the win or go home mentality of the tournament, Johnson said he’s ready to place all the cards on the table for another chance at the Zags.
“It’s all or nothing from here on out,” Johnson said. “We got to win the first game and we have to win that championship game. We have to leave everything on the floor now; there ain’t no looking back… the next step is the (NCAA) tourney, and everybody wants to get there.”
With two weeks left until the start of the WCC tournament, the women’s team, like the men’s, is still fighting for the second seed and two-byes into the semifinals.
“It’s very important (getting the bye),” Wynn said. “It’s a matter of playing two games in conference versus perhaps three or four. No one has ever won the tournament who had to win four.”
February 26, 2004