2008-09 Opponent Breakdown: University of Memphis

Memphis and Gonzaga have become the most recognizable non-BCS programs in the nation. The Memphis Tigers, under the outstanding leadership of John Calipari, have had some of the most exciting teams in recent years. When Memphis takes the court, you can usually assume that they have the best five athletes in the gym no matter who they play. From guys like Darius Washington to Rodney Carney and now with Tyreke Evans, Coach Calipari has assembled teams that have excelled in the college ranks. The Gonzaga and Memphis series has been extraordinarily exciting and even though the Tigers have beat the Zags the past three years, each game has been a showcase of great basketball. Memphis will be traveling back to Spokane this year and it should be a game the entire nation is watching. ESPN Gameday will be in attendance and it promises to be another great match up between two programs who have broken through the "mid-major" title.

Last Season's Results: If you are a college basketball fan, you know how Memphis' season ended last season. The Memphis Tigers cruised through the regular season. They lost one game, let me repeat that, one game throughout their regular season schedule and in their conference tournament. After winning the Conference-USA title, the Tigers entered the NCAA Tournament as a #1 seed. They faced an extremely tough road to the title and many national pundits thought they would be the first top-seed to lose. They killed UT-Arlington in the first round and then were very tested by Mississippi State. They escaped with a three point victory and their reward was a game with Michigan State. They dominated the Spartans and moved on to the Elite Eight where they defeated the Texas Longhorns. The Tigers became the popular pick to win the title at this point and they stream rolled fellow #1 seed UCLA in the Final Four. In one of the most exciting national championship games, Memhis took on the Kansas Jayhawks. Questions had been raised about Memphis' poor free throw shooting and in the championship game, free throws caught up with them. Derrick Rose had the chance to ice the game with some late free throws but he failed to capitalize and left the door open for Kansas. Mario Chalmers hit the biggest shot in Jayhawks history and sent the game to overtime and the rest is history.

New Faces: Coaches like John Calipari don't ever really have to worry about rebuilding. Memhis has always recruited very well under Cal and this year's class will have to fill in for plenty of lost productivity. They lost Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts, and Joey Dorsey from last years team. Derrick Rose was the first overall selection in the NBA Draft, Douglas-Roberts was their "Mr. Consistency" and go-to wing, and Joey Dorsey was one of the most physically imposing big man in the nation. Most programs would need a few years to recover from those type of losses but Memphis is expected to be a top team once again. Arguably the most naturally talented 2008 recruit in the nation is now a Memphis Tiger. Tyreke Evans (right), a point guard from Pennsylvania, will be stepping in for Derrick Rose. While Evans is not as college ready as Rose was when he entered, expectations are still high. Evans fits the system perfectly and can create off the dribble very well. Another huge newcomer for Memphis is Wesley Witherspoon. Witherspoon fits the Memphis system more than any other player they have recruited. He is a lengthy 6'8'' wing who can also play...the point guard? Witherspoon came to Memphis as a likely forward but he has been practicing at the point guard spot with Antonio Anderson. Look for him to make his career at the wing position but he should get some minutes at the point. Roburt Sallie was originally a Nebraska Husker but after some admittance issues, he now is enrolled at Memphis. Sallie spent one year in junior college before making the leap and is a very athletic guard who had three steals for Memphis in their exhibition opener. The status of four-star recruits Angel Garcia and Matt Simpkins are still up in the air. They have not been cleared to participate by the NCAA but a decision should be coming soon. Garcia was recently injured so he may be shelved for the entire season anyway. The Tigers need Simpkins however as he will provide some much needed size down low for Memphis. C.J. Henry is the last newcomer for Memphis. C.J. went down a similar road to Zag forward Ira Brown. Henry played a couple years of minor league baseball before deciding that basketball was right for him.

Players to Watch: I'm very interested to see how Robert Dozier performs this season. He is the only returning starter up front for Memphis and is going to be heavily relied on to lead this team. If Memphis is going to have a successful year, this has to be his team. He is the leading returning scorer and rebounder with nine points and seven boards a game. Dozier is extremely long and athletic and he will have to increase his scoring output in the 08-09 season. The front court should be interesting this year for Memphis and another player to watch is Shawn Taggart. The Iowa State transfer will step in at center for the departed Joey Dorsey. Taggart has better offensive skills than Dorsey but no one played better post defense than Joey. Taggart is able to take his game to the perimeter and can even shoot the three ball. He is another very long and athletic post man who should be able to average double figure points. Everyone is going to be watching Tyreke Evans this season. Evans had a pretty high profile recruitment and by committing to Memphis, he took on a huge responsibility to keep this proud program afloat. He has plenty of talent around him but their is a bunch of pressure on the youngster. He is extremely talented on the offensive side of the ball and all the reports from Memphis are positive. Evans has been learning how to become the complete guard for Coach Calipari and if he does...watch out because Memphis could be excellent once again.

TKR's Concern-O-Meter: Gonzaga is once again playing one of the best non-conference schedules in the nation. This game is different however. Memphis has had Gonzaga's number for the duration of this series and you have to believe that this is one of the most important games for Mark Few's squad. Last year the situation was different. Memphis had the experience edge and they took advantage of that and dominated Gonzaga. This year the tables are turned. Jeremy Pargo is the only Zag who has played in all four years of this match up and you know he wants this one badly. It won't be easy. Memphis oozes athleticism and is going to present Gonzaga with some match up problems. Two years ago it was almost upset city in Spokane but Memphis fought through and beat Gonzaga in overtime but this time around, the edge has to go to Mark Few's squad. These two teams won't match up until February so who knows what can happen between now and then but personally, this is the game I am looking forward to the most.

What We are Watching for: Memphis is one of those teams that no one matches up well with. Their athleticism from top to bottom is unparalleled but this is a very athletic Gonzaga team as well. Jeremy Pargo had a great game against Memphis last year and I expect more of the same in this years match up. Evans and Anderson are good but I don't think they have enough to contain Pargo. Look for the Gonzaga guards to win the match up in the back court unless Evans goes off. If the Zags can D up the young freshman, it could be a great day in Spokane. I'm excited to watch the match up between Josh Heytvelt and Shawn Taggart. They play similar types of games as both can face up very well. I think Josh is the more talented overall offensive player but Taggart will be able to D him up very well. It should be a real battle in the post. Pierre Henderson-Niles is a monster in the paint and will help out in the interior game. The best match up of the night will be Austin Daye against Robert Dozier. Both players are gifted offensively and are both long, lanky athletes. This is the match up that Gonzaga has to win. Austin has got to be dominant on offense but I would expect Micah Downs to guard Dozier for most of the game. Memphis is athletic but guys like Pargo, Downs, Daye, and Heytvelt aren't slouches either.

Helpful Links:

Official Memphis Basketball Website
Last Season's Statistics
2008 Recruiting Class
Memphis Message Boards
ESPN the Magazine Memphis Breakdown

2006- Memphis v. Gonzaga at Spokane Arena

2008-09 Opponent Breakdown: University of San Diego

While many fans of the WCC figured that the regular season championship would be a hotly contested affair, not many fans expected USD to be one of the teams competing for it. However, it was the Toreros who pushed Gonzaga and St.Mary's until the very end of the season, and it was the Toreros who won the WCC tournament. In fact, USD was the final team representing the WCC in postseason play after the losses by Gonzaga and St.Mary's in the 1st round of the NCAA tournament. After such tremendous success last season, the question remains, can the Toreros prove that last season was not a fluke? With former Gonzaga assistant Billy Grier as head coach, and every rotation player from last season returning, there is no reason why the Toreros shouldn't compete for the WCC championship and a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Last Season's Results: While it was clear that USD was a good situation for Billy Grier to take over, I don't think there is anyone that could have imagined such a successful 1st season. Even as WCC play approached, it appeared that this was going to be another season that would end with USD in the middle of the WCC pack. The Toreros were able to secure an impressive victory at Rupp arena against the University of Kentucky, but for the most part, the Toreros struggled prior to WCC play. These struggles included losses to South Alabama, Stephen F. Austin, and Marshall. The only victory of note was the win over Kentucky that I mentioned before. USD entered WCC play with a record of 7-10, and were on the heels of back-to-back losses to Marshall and Cal State Bakersfield. However, once WCC play began, USD emerged as a different team. The Toreros jumped out to an 8-1 start in conference play, which included an impressive home victory over St.Mary's. USD kept up its impressive performance throughout conference play, and finished 11-3 in conference. With the WCC tournament being played on their home campus, USD was able to take advantage of the home court, and surprised both St.Mary's and Gonzaga on their way to an NCAA Tournament berth. The dream season continued, as the 13th seeded Toreros stunned UConn in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament. A De'Jon Jackson jumper with 1.2 seconds left in OT propelled them to a 70-69 victory. Their season ended with a loss to Western Kentucky in the next round, but with a 22-14 (11-3) record, the foundation was set for a tremendous 2008-2009 season.

New Faces: With nearly the entire roster returning from last season, USD only has three new faces for this season. The lone freshman is Devonier Braswell. Braswell is a 5'10 G from Detroit, Michigan. However, Braswell will miss the entire season after rupturing his Achilles tendon during preseason conditioning work. The two other new faces are Roberto Mafra and Matt Dorr. Mafra, a native of Brazil, is a transfer from Southeastern CC in Iowa. The 6'9 F should see immediate playing time as a viable option off the bench for the Toreros. Mafra garnered 3rd team JC All-American honors last season, and his emergence should allow for Rob Jones to move back to SF. Dorr is a native of Spokane, and attended Spokane CC last season. He should provide some stability in the backcourt, especially with the loss of Braswell for the season. Dorr is a terrific long range shooter, but I don't expect him to see much of the court this season.

Players to Watch: Billy Grier returns his entire rotation from last season. Leading the way for USD is Brandon Johnson (pictured). The senior combo guard has started the past three seasons, and last year saw him emerge as one of the top guards on the west coast. Johnson began to emerge as an elite player with a 27 point performance at Rupp arena. This was only the beginning, as he went on to score 26 against Gonzaga, 25 against St.Mary's, 25 against LMU, and then 28 against St. Mary's in the WCC tournament. On the season, Johnson averaged 16.9 points and 3.5 assists. If Johnson can improve on his 37% shooting from the 3 point line, he could challenge Jeremy Pargo and Patty Mills for WCC player of the year. The key returning post player is Gyno Pomare. Pomare has been a key figure in the rotation since his freshman year, and should be considered one of the top bigs in the WCC. Pomare is coming off a season that saw him average 14.1 points and 7.4 rebounds. In his NCAA tournament debut against UConn, Pomare demonstrated how talented he is, when he scored 22 points on 10-12 shooting. If Pomare can avoid the occasional disappearing act that has plagued his career, then I see no reason why he can't average a double-double. In Rob Jones, USD has one of the hardest working and energetic players in the conference. Jones started last season as freshman, and averaged 9 points and 5.8 rebounds. Jones has a terrific understanding of the game and of his body, which makes Jones an elite rebounder despite his shorter stature. Jones should significantly improve on those numbers this season, as he will likely see more time at his natural position of Small Forward.

TKR's Concern-O-Meter: With all the attention that the out-of-conference schedule gets, I think that USD will prove to be one of the toughest opponents that GU faces all season. Very few teams have as talented and experienced of a trio like USD has in Brandon Johnson, Gyno Pomare, and Rob Jones. USD also has the secret weapon that no other school has, and that is a former Gonzaga assistant as its head coach. There is no denying the advantage that USD has when matching up with Gonzaga. Billy Grier is a tremendously respected coach, and as long as he is at USD, then they will compete for the WCC championship.

What We are Watching for: This game if full of intriguing matchups that should make the casual basketball fans mouth water. It will be interesting to see how Gonzaga attacks Brandon Johnson. Last season, Steven Gray was given the task of tracking Johnson around the court, and he was quite successful in limiting Johnson to single digit scoring when the teams met in San Diego. It will also be fun to watch Josh Heytvelt and Gyno Pomare battle. After his terrific performance against Wayne State, it seems that Heytvelt is 100% healthy. If this is the case, then it will be difficult for Pomare or any other member of the Toreros to contain Heytvelt. Lastly, it should be wildly entertaining to watch Mark Few and Billy Grier. These are two of the finest coaching minds in the country, and the added background of being such good friends makes this a must see game.

Helpful Links:
ESPN Team Page
Official Team Page
Blue Ribbon Team Preview

2008-09 Opponent Breakdown: Saint Mary's College

Is there a more bitter and heated rivalry on the West Coast than when St. Mary's and Gonzaga face off? I understand that it is not the most storied rivalry in the world but when these two teams have matched up in recent years, you really get the sense that they hate one another. Gonzaga has been the top dog in the West Coast Conference for so many years but St. Mary's has signified the rebirth of this once very competitive conference. The Gaels, along with the University of San Diego, have challenged Gonzaga's dominance the past few years and last year the Torero's broke through with their upset of the Zags in the conference tournament. It will be a three horse race once again in 2008-09 and Gonzaga better be ready for Saint Mary's or else they may lose their stranglehold on the conference.

Last Season's Results: St. Mary's was outstanding a season ago. They came out of the gates red hot, losing only one of their first 13 games. Their sole loss came to Southern Illinois but during that stretch they took down Drake, then #11 Oregon, and Seton Hall. The pleasure cruise ended abruptly against 14th ranked Texas but the Gaels would go on to lose only three of their remaining regular season games. They lost in the conference tournament semifinals against San Diego but still received a bid to the NCAA tournament. Many picked the Gaels to be a Cinderella team in the tournament but they lost in the first round to Miami. Overall, St. Mary's finished 25-7 including a 12-2 record within the WCC. They only lost one game on their home floor to Kent State. Gonzaga and St. Mary's split their regular season series with each defending their home floor. Thankfully, Todd Golden is no longer enrolled at St. Mary's. The fifth year senior went 6-6 from three point land in Gonzaga's road loss in Moraga. It was a banner year for SMC and they will only improve this season as they graduated a few role players in Golden and Tron Smith who averaged 7 and 8 points a game, respectively.

New Faces: The Gaels will have four fresh faces taking the floor this season. Reaping the benefits of their recent successes, Saint Mary's was able to secure two solid recruits from the states in Collin Chiverton and Tim Williams. Chiverton took some time to realize his potential in high school but in his senior season he blew up and was one of the top players to come out of the state of California. Chiverton is a walking match up problem at the small forward position. At 6'5'', 200 lbs, Chiverton will be able to play inside and outside in the WCC. Many questions have been raised about whether or not Chiverton should be redshirted this season because of the Gaels' depth. With his talent, I'm sure Coach Randy Bennett will be able to find a spot for him in the rotation this season. Tim Williams, now listed at 6'9'', 235 lbs, racked up around 20 scholarship offers from all over the nation. At the power forward spot in high school, Williams was a double double machine. Much like Chiverton, Williams is a California boy who decided to stay close to home. Also like Chiverton, there are questions about Williams' playing time as a freshman. Those questions are being raised due to the arrival of Ben Allen. Allen, a 6'11'' transfer from the University of Indiana had to sit out last season due to transfer rules. He will be ready for this season and should serve as a solid backup to Omar Samhan. Allen, a native Australian, was a top recruit a few years ago and will enter Saint Mary's as a redshirt junior. He played sparingly at Indiana, starting only six games in two years but his inside-out game should be a welcome addition for Randy Bennett's squad. Another new face for St. Mary's is Clint Stendl. Stendl is another Aussie but he will probably take a year or so to develop. From all indications, Clint is a lights out shooter but will have to work on the rest of his game before entering the rotation at the guard position.

Players to Watch: Unless you were living under a rock during the Olympics, you heard the name Patty Mills. I have not seen this much hype surrounding a WCC player since Adam Morrison was shooting teams out of the building. Mills broke out on the international stage over the summer, leading the Australian Olympic team to a nice showing. He had an outstanding game against the United States and since then, Patty Mills has become a player everyone expects to compete for a spot on the All-American team. Mills averaged 14 points and 3.5 assists a game last season. I think Mills is an outstanding player but I think he makes a better shooting guard but since SMC doesn't have any other proven point guard, Mills will have to assume the responsibility. Much like Jeremy Pargo in his early years, Mills made some questionable decisions a season ago. If he corrects his turnover issues, Patty will soar; but that remains to be seen. Mills is outstanding, but the driving force of this team is Diamon Simpson. If I could steal one player off of any WCC team and put him on Gonzaga, it might have to be Simpson. The 6'7'' senior forward plays with a mean streak and does everything right. He is outstanding on the offensive side of the court, averaging nearly 14 points a game and he is equally, if not more impressive on defense. Simpson was rewarded for his abilities by being named WCC Defensive Player of the Year. Another player that could have gone in the new faces portion of this breakdown is Wayne Hunter. Remember Wayne? Hunter averaged nine points a game two seasons ago but redshirted last season. A super-athletic shooting guard, Hunter will see plenty of time and I believe that he should start alongside Mills. He showed flashes of excellence in 2006 and can fill up the stat sheet. If Hunter sees quality minutes, he could be another player that puts in double-digit point totals. I struggled between writing about Ian O'Leary and Hunter. Watch out for O'Leary though, if he plays well, the Gaels seem to always win.

TKR's Concern-O-Meter: How can I not be worried? There is no team in the WCC that I dislike and fear as much as Saint Mary's. Like most Gonzaga fans I can't stand the "Beat the Zags" shirts and when Samhan runs up and down the court screaming and cursing at Gonzaga fans. I do respect what Randy Bennett has done with their program. Realistically, I see Gonzaga splitting the season series with SMC again. I don't see them coming to Spokane and taking down the Bulldogs however. If Patty Mills doubles his assist total from last year, Gonzaga could be in some serious trouble in both games. That's the key.

What We are Watching for: There will be so many story lines heading in to the Zags-Gaels match ups. You have to believe that this is a game that Jeremy Pargo is looking forward to. The WCC Player of the Year last year has been overshadowed by Mills over the off season. Some writers even believe that Mills is a better point guard than Pargo at this point. The match up should be excellent but I don't think one will dominate the other. Just like last year, both will get their share of points but the game will come down to who can find the open man the best. Both teams have so many weapons at their disposal that the point guard match up may be a total wash. It's going to be a great match up in the front court. Saint Mary's has some talented bigs with O'Leary, Simpson, and Samhan but the Zags can counter that with their lineup of Downs, Daye, and Heytvelt. Samhan is a good post player but I think Josh is going to explode this season and can win that match up. The intriguing piece for Gonzaga is how to guard Simpson. Downs is probably Gonzaga's best defender and can match up with his size. Few may even try some Ira Brown to push Simpson around. Brown gives up a lot of height to Simpson but his sheer density should give the Zags some quality minutes. There is plenty to watch for but the rotations of both teams are still very much up in the air, we will soon know the answers to these questions when the season kicks off.

Helpful Links:
Official St. Mary's Basketball Website
Last Season's Statistics
2008 Recruiting Class
St. Mary's on ESPN
St. Mary's Message Board

2008-09 Opponent Breakdown: Loyola Marymount

Before I get into the season preview for the Loyola Marymount Lions, I just want it to be known that this is a program that will challenge Gonzaga for WCC supremacy in the near future. In no way does this mean that Gonzaga is going to "fall off", but instead I really believe that something special is happening in Los Angeles. While the "resignation" of Rodney Tention was a surprise, LMU hit a home-run with the hiring of Bill Bayno. Bayno is a highly respected recruiter, who had a very successful run at UNLV. He led the Runnin' Rebels to the NCAA tournament twice, but was fired because of recruiting violations (he was never implicated in the NCAA report). Bayno has already acquired Drew Viney and Larry Davis, two high profile transfers from Oregon and Seton Hall respectively. Equally exciting for LMU fans was the commitment of Terrell Vinson, a top 100 prospect who held offers from Georgetown and Maryland. Although this year might be a struggle, the future is very bright for LMU.

Last Season's Results: After spending the last paragraph talking about how great the LMU program will be, it is depressing looking back at last season. The disaster that was last season saw the Lions go 5-26 (2-12) and finish last in the WCC. The only two victories that the Lions had over DI teams outside the WCC were Mercer and Boise State (this was actually an impressive victory). The Lions were blown out by such perennial powerhouses as Arkansas-Little Rock (71-40), Cal State Bakersfield (98-64), and Sam Houston St. (83-66). The only two victories that LMU managed in conference were wins over Portland and USF. Their season ended in the 1st round of the WCC tournament, when they were blown out by USF. This was a fitting end to a season that saw very little go right.

New Faces: Much like many of the other struggling programs in the WCC, LMU has brought in a host of new faces. The Lions will be relying on four freshman, as well as one JC transfer. LaRon Armstead is a freshman that should crack the starting lineup from the beginning. Armstead, a 6'5 F from Los Angeles, could be the surprise freshman in the conference. He has range that extends all the way to the three point line, but can score from everywhere on the court. Armstead has good size for his position, and will put up impressive stats from day one. Another freshman that could come in and start for the Lions is Jarred Dubois. Dubois, a PG from Westchester high school, is not a prolific scorer, but always makes the right decision with the ball. He is a great leader for any team, and his savvy on the court could really help the Lions this year. A lot is expected of JC transfer Vernon Teel. Teel, a SG from Queens, New York, is a prolific scorer and an excellent on ball defender. He averaged over 35 points per game his senior year of high school, and his ability to score will be helpful to the Lions. The rest of the incoming freshman include Kevin Young and Ashley Hamilton.

Players to Watch: LMU saw its top two scorers from last season transfer out of the program. Therefore, the top returning scorer for the Lions is Tim Diederichs. The 6'9 PF became the first freshman in team history to start every game of his freshman year. He was impressive in averaging 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds. Diederichs ended the season in strong fashion as he scored in double-digits in each of the last five games. As he gets comfortable with his new teammates and coaches, I expect Diedrichs to average double figure points this year. One of the rare success stories last year was the emergence of Corey Counts. Counts was a walk-on who found himself inserted into the starting lineup. Gonzaga fans will remember Counts vividly, as he scored a career high 21 points against the Zags. On the season, Counts averaged only 6.1 points, but his story was a bright spot in an otherwise dismal season. There is a reason that a lot is expected of JC transfer Vernon Teel. He was known as a scorer when he came out of college, but he adapted his game to the next level during his year in junior college. Teel uses his size and quickness to get to the basket, and does an excellent job of finding his open teammates. He has the athleticism and skill to contribute at a high level next season.

TKR's Concern-O-Meter: While I don't think that LMU is ready to challenge the upper level of the WCC on a regular basis, I really hope that the Zags do not overlook this team. The Lions have an abundance of young and talented players who will be looking to impress their new head coach. Bill Bayno is an excellent coach, and if he can get this group of players to buy into his message and play as a team, then LMU can really surprise some people. They are clearly not as talented as GU, but I think their athleticism and talented guards could give the Zags some trouble if they do not give LMU all of their focus.

What We are Watching for: I will be interested to see how quickly this team can mesh under Bayno. He has brought in a very talented recruiting class, and has some decent talent returning from last season. If Bayno can get everyone on the same page, this team could be very good. As for individual matchups, it will be fun to watch Steven Gray and Vernon Teel. Teel is an elite level defender who will make life very difficult for Steven. It is imperative that Steven does not only rely on his jumper, but keeps Teel honest by attacking the rim. Gray will also be tested by Teel on the defensive end. Teel is strong and quick, but in no way should he be able to dominate Steven.

Helpful Links:

Official Team Page

ESPN Team Page

Athlon WCC Preview

2008-09 Opponent Breakdown: Pepperdine University

It worked once, why not try it again? This seems to be the thought process of the administration towards the Pepperdine basketball program. After a forgettable coaching effort by Vance Walberg, Tom Asbury returns to Pepperdine after coaching the Waves from 1989-1994. During Asbury's first stint at Pepperdine, the Waves were actually a force to be reckoned with in the WCC. Asbury was 125-59 and led the Waves to three NCAA Tournaments. The Waves were conference champions in three of his seasons and were never worse than second place in his six years at the helm. Asbury returns this season and has his work cut out for him. The Waves appeared to be the up and coming team after high school stars Tyrone Shelley and Malcolm Thomas came to Pepperdine but that notion died once both players transferred over the summer. It's basically a brand new team in Malibu with eight newcomers including seven true freshmen.

Last Season's Results: It's hard to see the validity in doing Pepperdine's last season's results because the team is going through such a major transformation. But for the sake of being objective we will. The Waves went 11-21 last year including a 4-10 record within the conference. They had nail biters against Long Beach State, Northern Arizona, and Portland but they pulled each game out in overtime. They played some talented teams such as Memphis, Oregon, and BYU but never really competed. They had three players average in double figures last season, only one of which is still on the team. Tyrone Shelley and Malcolm Thomas were the standouts on the team, averaging 15 and 13 points a game, respectively. Rico Tucker, who actually returns this year, averaged 11 points a game last season. It was a tumultuous season for the Waves to say the least. After the midyear resignation of Walberg, two players left the team due to his resignation, including his son. Another player left to return home to Australian and seek a professional basketball career there and another left the team to focus on his studies. Hopefully Asbury can restore order to this once-proud program but it is not going to happen overnight.

New Faces: There's no good way to attack this section of the breakdown because it may take all night. There are eight new players for Pepperdine...who wouldn't want to play in Malibu? The three standouts appear to be Keion Bell, Lorne Jackson, and Corbin Moore. Each player was a three-star as rated by Rivals and should be able to come in and impact the lineup immediately. Keion Bell averaged 22 points a game in his senior season at Pasadena High School and is a freak athlete. I'll post a video at the end of this breakdown that should make you very impressed by the athletic ability of Mr. Bell. Lorne Jackson is a point guard from Simi Valley who averaged 23 points a game in high school. He was offered by George Mason and San Diego but decided that Pepperdine was the place for him. Corbin Moore should bring some much needed size to Pepperdine's roster. Moore, according to Scout, was one of the best center prospects of 2008 and has an excellent face up game including a solid jump shot. Moore was recruited by Northwestern and Long Beach State but decided to stay close to home. Dane Suttle and Andy Shannon will also work their way into the lineup this season. Suttle is a nice looking shooting guard with plenty of athleticism and Shannon, a 6'10'' forward out of Sacramento, possesses plenty of upside to go along with his long frame. Denis Agre comes to Pepperdine via Central Arizona Community College and should provide some maturity for the young waves. Small forwards Jonathan Dupre and Taylor Darby round out the recruiting class for Asbury's Pepperdine Waves.

Players to Watch: The key to this year's team will be Rico Tucker. However, an injury to Tucker's knee may leave him sidelined for the beginning of the season. He didn't participate in Pepperdine's Midnight Madness and his status is relatively uncertain at this point. Obviously the Waves hope he can go but you never know with a knee injury. If Tucker's injury is serious enough for him to miss a good portion of the year, you can probably go ahead and save this team a seat at the bottom of the WCC. Tucker averaged 11 points a game last season and led the WCC is steals and was sixth in assists. The knee injury came in a late season game with San Diego. The transfer from Minnesota will have to be the court general for this very inexperienced team; no one else on this team has enough skill or maturity to make this team go like Rico can. Another guy that will be key for the Waves is Mychel Thompson. The 6'7'' sophomore attended prep school before joining Pepperdine and started as a freshman. He averaged eight points and three boards a game in limited action and will be expected to make a big leap in his sophomore season. Even though he's got a big frame, Thompson can light it up from anywhere on the floor. If he gets in a groove, he won't miss for a long time. Even though he is a sophomore, Thompson will be called on to be a leader of this team from day one. On such a young team, it's hard to know where the leadership is going to come from to drive these guys but if Asbury can gather all the skill in to one concentrated effort, the Waves could succeed down the road.

TKR's Concern-O-Meter: I'm not going to doubt the coaching ability of Tom Asbury. The man is a legend at Pepperdine and led them to their only three WCC Tournament championships. His best coaching night could not beat this year's Zags. Gonzaga is just too experienced and too solid from top to bottom to suffer a lapse big enough to lead to a defeat. I don't believe that Pepperdine will be at the bottom of the WCC when the season ends but I don't think they will be in the top-half. They will be battling with LMU and Portland for the 6,7, and 8 spot in the conference. Asbury's got talented young players but for this season, the gap should be quite large between these two programs.

What We are Watching for: There's not really any match up in this game where a Gonzaga player should be challenged. Rico Tucker and Mychel Thompson are Pepperdine's best players but I don't think either of them will be able to go off on Gonzaga. I'll be interested to see how the young Waves play against Gonzaga. They play a pretty solid non-conference schedule as they take on Arizona State, USC, and Georgia Tech but the WCC games should be a real eye-opener. That feels weird to say but consider this: from January 15th to January 22nd, the Pepperdine Waves will be taking on San Diego, St. Mary's, and Gonzaga all in a row. Only the Gonzaga game will be in Malibu. This stretch of games could bury the Waves if they aren't ready. By far the class of the conference, these three teams could send the Waves in to a tailspin all the way to the bottom of the conference. It's going to be a learning experience for Pepperdine, and I'm excited to watch their development over the year.

Helpful Links:
Official Pepperdine Basketball Website
Last Season's Statistics
Pepperdine on ESPN
2008 Recruiting Class
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2008-09 Opponent Breakdown: University of San Francisco

USF spent lots of time in the national media last season, but not for the right reasons. In perhaps one of the most awkward coaching situations in college basketball history, Jesse Evans took a "leave of absence" during the season and was replaced by Eddie Sutton. Sadly, the lone reason that Sutton was hired was so that he could selfishly pursue his 800th career victory. Even more pathetic was the fact that USF volunteered its program and its fans to this charade. The matter was made worse because Evans revealed that this "leave of absence" was not his choice, and that he was given an ultimatum to be fired or take the "leave of absence" This event was the tip of the iceberg in a season that saw the Dons lose the most games in school history (21). The task of rebuilding this once proud program falls on Rex Walters. Walters was formerly the head coach at Florida Atlantic, where in two seasons he recorded one winning season. The hiring of Walters was curious due to his inexperience and lack of success, but maybe he will be the one to get the program on the right track.

Last Season's Results: As I mentioned earlier, last season will go down as arguably the worst in USF history. The Dons are coming off a season that saw them go 10-21 (5-9) and finish 5th in the WCC. I'm not trying to be unfairly harsh on the Dons, but there are very few highlights from their performance last season. In non-conference play, the Dons were defeated by such perennial powers as Utah Valley, Weber St., UC Irvine, and Long Beach State. The top non-conference victory was a a 93-63 victory over Sacramento St. Once the Dons hit conference play, the results were not much better. Of their five victories in conference, four were over Portland and Pepperdine. It seemed that the coaching change and the unnecessary attention facing the program took its toll on the players, as they struggled throughout the final month of the season.

New Faces: It seems the first task of Rex Walters was to completely revamp the roster. This meant bringing in seven new faces to the team. Of the new faces, the one most likely to contribute this season is Chris O'Brien. The 6'4 SG is a highly skilled offensive player, who will be able to contribute immediately on the offensive end for the Dons. Another guard who will be relied on is Kwame Vaughn. The 6'3 combo guard from Oakland is a very strong catch and shoot weapon. Vaughn is very solid with the ball in his hands, and is capable of making plays for his teammates. The last of the newcomers who will make an impact this year is JC transfer Blake Wallace. Wallace may be familiar to some Gonzaga fans, as the Zags showed interest in Wallace coming out of high school. However, Wallace ended up attending Pepperdine University for one season, but transferred to USF after his freshman year. Wallace is a very good wing, who can score from anywhere on the court. Finishing out the list of newcomers is JC transfer Dontae Bryant, as well as Angelo Caloiaro, Peter Smith, and Rashad Green (transfer from Manhattan).

Players to Watch: The one shining light for the Dons last season was the play of Dior Lowhorn. The Texas Tech transfer was arguably the best player in the WCC last season. Lowhorn averaged 20.5 points and 7.4 rebounds in his debut season in the WCC. This included an incredible 26 point performance against Oklahoma, as well as 30 points against Sacramento St. The great season earned Lowhorn a spot on the WCC 1st team and he was honored as as a Mid-Major All-American. Lowhorn is as talented a player as anyone in the conference, and I would be surprised if he didn't average a double-double this season. USF also has leadership at the PG position with the return of Manny Quezada. The senior has been at USF for what seems like forever, but he is coming off a season that saw him average 13.9 points and 4.6 assists. Quezada began the season on fire, highlighted by a 30 point performance against Oregon. However, his lack of effort on the defensive end did not sit well with Eddie Sutton. Once Sutton took over, Quezada lost confidence and playing time. If he can regain his pre-Sutton form, USF would have a dynamic duo with Lowhorn and Quezada. Much will be expected of JC transfer Blake Wallace. Wallace was a 4 star recruit coming out of high school, and ended up at Pepperdine. Wallace had a very good freshman year at Pepperdine, in which he averaged 5.7 points and 2.7 rebounds during WCC play. After transferring out of Pepperdine, Wallace spent last year playing at Irvine Valley CC. Wallace will be relied on to be a shooting threat for the Dons, as Lowhorn will spend much of the game double and triple teamed.

TKR's Concern-O-Meter: It's a shame that a player as talented as Lowhorn is stuck in such a crappy situation. USF is years away from being a competitive program in the WCC, and should provide no challenge for Gonzaga or any of the other top WCC teams. The hiring of Rex Walters was stunning because Walters was only able to manage a 15-18 record last year at FAU. I don't think that type of record for a coach is cause to celebrate. With all the new faces in the program, USF will serve as a bottom feeder in the WCC, and should serve as no problem for the Zags.

What We are Watching for: It should be fun to see the talented Lowhorn matchup with Daye and Heytvelt throughout the game. Lowhorn is strong enough and skilled enough to score against any big man in the nation. His desire and work ethic should be applauded, but it will be interesting to see if the length of Daye and Heytvelt can bother his post game. If the Zags can neutralize Lowhorn, it will eliminate the only true scoring threat that the Dons have, and will allow for the Zags to coast to victory.

Helpful Links:
ESPN Team Page
Official Team Page

2008-09 Opponent Breakdown: Santa Clara University

Remember February 2nd, 2008? Gonzaga and Santa Clara played one of the most exciting games in WCC history a season ago in Santa Clara. If the game would have resulted in a Gonzaga loss, it would have been devastating to the Bulldogs' season. In all honesty, the game should have ended in a Santa Clara upset. After John Bryant blocked a shot in the final four seconds, all that was left was a simple in bounds pass to run the clock out. Sometimes though, the good teams even catch the breaks and Gonzaga caught a huge one. The pass was tipped in the back court and Steven Gray was plowed into by Brody Angley. Gray nailed the subsequent free throws and the game was sent into overtime and, at that point, Gonzaga had all the momentum. They went on to a 87-82 victory and the rest is history. That sort of game is something Gonzaga is hoping does not happen this season against the Broncos of Santa Clara but with the improvement the WCC has shown over the years, you just never know.

Last Season's Results: Last season was a struggle for Kerry Keating's squad. The Broncos finished the season 15-16 overall and were never able to gather enough momentum to put a run together. Gonzaga saw their potential first hand in that nail biting victory but other than that, the year was pretty rough for SCU. They went 6-8 in conference play and aside from games against Nevada, Stanford, and Minnesota, their non-conference schedule was not that demanding. The brightest spot on the team by far was John Bryant. The big man was dominant game in and game out. He led the team with 18 points a game and also added nearly ten rebounds. His efforts throughout the season were good enough to get him a spot on the All-WCC team. Brody Angley and Mitch Henke were the other two top performers for the Broncos last year. Both started every game for Santa Clara and averaged 11.5 and 9.7 points a game, respectively. Both have graduated and moved on from Santa Clara and it will be difficult for the Broncos to replace their production.

New Faces: Santa Clara will be bringing in five new recruits but the new face that they are most excited about is Decensae White. The transfer from Texas Tech will be eligible to play in December and should make an immediate impact for the Broncos. White played in 30 games during his freshman season at Texas Tech. Although only averaging five points, he scored in the double figures five times and showed that he could be a player in division one basketball. After playing a couple games his sophomore season, he decided to get out of Lubbock and head for California (can you blame him?). The 6'6'' forward should be a pleasure to watch live at the McCarthey Athletic Center. James Rahon, Marc Trasolini, Troy Alexander, Kevin Foster, and Perry Petty make up the rest of the 2008 recruiting class for Santa Clara. The standouts of the class will be James Rahon and Perry Petty. Petty is a junior college transfer and should add some experience to a young team. Rahon was rated as one of the top jump shooters in the West and can really light it up. He was receiving recruiting interest from Arizona before he signed on with Keating and the Broncos. Keating is also tapping into the Canadian pipeline with Marc Trasolini. Trasolini is a 6'8'' forward from Vancouver and many writers believed he was one of the top players in Canada during him time there. Look for him to make an impact this season. The strength of the new faces will be Decensae White but Keating's five new recruits should make his attempt to turn around the program much easier.

Players to Watch: The big fella in the middle will be the driving force on this team. Bryant will be relied on heavily this season and I think he will be able to carry the load. There is not player in the WCC that can match up with him physically. The transformation he has made since his freshman year at Santa Clara is mind-blowing. I never would have thought that he would wind up as a top player in the conference, but I was proven wrong. He really committed himself to trimming down and increasing his stamina and it has worked out beautifully. I wish Gonzaga had a player like him this season. If you put Bryant with Heytvelt, Sacre, and Daye the result could be an NCAA championship. I can't wait to watch Decensae White play for Santa Clara. He was one of the top players in California when he decided on Texas Tech and should really boost this program from jump street. He's a very fundamentally sound big man and any freshman that can start for Bobby Knight and survive is a stud in my book. I'm also interested to see how Scott Thompson, a 7'0'' red shirt freshman impacts the lineup. He was a very solid player in his high school days in Idaho and with that kind of size, you have to think he will work his way into the rotation.

TKR's Concern-O-Meter: For our home game with Santa Clara, it shouldn't be much of a contest. With the amount of talent we have, playing the Broncos at home should not be a challenge. With any WCC team, especially Santa Clara, St. Mary's, and San Diego, I always fear playing them on the road. It won't be a blowout when the Zags travel to Santa Clara just because it is the game that everyone circles on their schedule. St. Mary's and San Diego are on the ascent but there is no program with as rich a history as Gonzaga and that is why the rest of the WCC goes all out to beat the Zags. While I do believe that the Zags will pull both victories out, I know it will be a game in Santa Clara.

What We are Watching For: When Big John Bryant comes to town, you've got to watch him. There are few players in this conference that cause opposing teams bigger fits than the big man from Santa Clara. Gonzaga has no "beast" in the center. The status of Rob Sacre is still in the air and you just never know how those injuries will heal. Josh Heytvelt, while extremely talented, has never been confused for a banger. He has an outstanding face up game and is very versatile and has shown glimpses of playing tough in the post but you have to think that John Bryant likes the match up overall. I'm also excited to see how Few handles White. At 6'6'', I think we will see plenty of Ira Brown in this game. I'd expect a bigger lineup throughout the game just because of how good their front court is. You could see a lot of Austin/Micah at the three and Ira and Josh down low. This should be an exciting time for some interesting lineups from Few. Like many of Gonzaga's opponents this season, the front court match ups will be the main thing to watch for. The guard play for the Zags is just too talented and deep to make you think that any team can stop them. Pargo and the boys should give SCU's young back court fits all day.

Helpful Links:
Official Santa Clara Basketball Website
Last Season's Stats
Santa Clara's 2008 Recruiting Class
Santa Clara on ESPN

2008-09 Opponent Breakdown: University of Portland

Thank goodness the Portland Pilots have women's soccer. Sadly for the University of Portland, they are recognized as the perennial doormat for the majority of WCC sports. However, it appears that slowly but surely, Eric Reveno is starting to have an effect on the culture of the men's basketball team. Reveno, who made his name as the top assistant at Stanford during the Mike Montgomery era, has brought a toughness and commitment to the Portland program, that in year 3 of his tenure will hopefully start to pay dividends. The Pilots will know where they stand early in the season, as they take on Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and BYU before WCC play begins. If they can score a couple of upset victories, this season could prove to be a springboard for the program.

Last Season's Results: There are not many positive things to say about a season that saw the Pilots go 9-23 (3-11) and end up in 7th place in the WCC. Last season marked the 10th consecutive losing season for Portland, but the hope is that the freshman and sophomores that were relied on will continue to develop. While the Pilots were competitive in games against Washington and Portland State, there are no victories that jump out. In fact, two of their three conference victories came against last place LMU. However, Portland fans should take solace in the fact that many people involved in the Portland program expected last season to be a struggle. It is difficult to rely on so many young players, but the hope is that they will use last season as motivation and to provide a sense of unity among the team.

New Faces: While the results on the court have been slow to come, Coach Reveno has done a great job of luring talent to Portland. After bringing in six freshman last season, has brought in four new faces to the team. Leading the way will be T.J. Campbell, a JC transfer from Glendale CC. Campbell was a JC All-American, and will push for immediate playing time at the PG position. I would be very surprised if Campbell is not starting from day one, as he was selected one of the top 20 JC players in the entire country. The other recruit who will be interesting to watch is John Hegarty. Hegarty, a 7'0, 320(I've seem him listed at 350) pound center from Massachusetts could alter games just because of his sheer size. Hegarty lacks stamina and conditioning, but actually has soft hands and can finish relatively well at the rim. While he may not be able to contribute this season, Hegarty should be fun to follow the next fours. Rounding out the class are Eric Waterford and and Nemanja Mitrovic. Both are solid guard prospects, but because of the amount of returning players they will likely not make many contributions this season.

Players to Watch: Portland returns the core of its team from last season. Leading the way is a name that Gonzaga fans are very familiar with. Nik Raivio, younger brother of Derek Raivio, was the leading scorer last season, and he returns for his junior year. While Nik may not be the top level shooter that Derek was, he was very impressive in his first season of DI basketball. Last season saw Raivio average 12.6 points per game from the SG position. If he can improve on his measly 40% shooting from the field, Raivio could be in store for a big season. The top returning rebounder for the Pilots is Luke Sikma. The son of Seattle Supersonics (or should I say Oklahoma City Thunder) legend Jack Sikma made immediate contributions as a freshman last season. The high-effort PF led the Pilots with 7.3 rebounds per game, while also chipping in 6.1 points. Sikma has been battling a knee injury during the preseason, but coaches are cautiously optimistic that he will be ready to go for the opener. Sikma's toughness would be difficult to replace, and much is expected from him this season. Much is also expected out of 6'10 Robin Smeulders. Smeulders, a native of the Netherlands, began last season with a bang, when he scored in double-digits in the first five games. Smeulders continued to impress throughout the season, as he averaged 9.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. If both Smeulders and Sikma are healthy, the Pilots will have a very formidable duo in the paint.

TKR's Concern-O-Meter: While I am very impressed with what Eric Reveno is doing with the Portland program, there is no way that they should challenge Gonzaga. Portland lacks the athletes and the overall talent to compete with the top half of the WCC this year. I really like the toughness and skill of Sikma and Smeulders in the post, but they should not be able to give the combo of Daye and Heytvelt much trouble. I think that Portland is one year away from being able to make some noise in the WCC, and while there is no such thing as a guaranteed win, there is no excuse for this game to be close.

What We are Watching for: One player on the Pilots that could give the Zags some trouble is T.J. Campbell. Campbell is an ultra quick guard that could make life difficult for Pargo and Meech. From what I have read, the Pilots got a steal in Campbell, and he is the type of quick guard that can bother Pargo on the defensive end. For the sheer size of the matchup, it would fun to see Will Foster and John Hegarty matchup. Although Hegarty's sheer size would allow him to clear space in the paint, I think Foster's length would make life very difficult for Hegarty on the offensive end.

Helpful Links:
Official Team Page
ESPN Team Page
Athlon Team Preview

2008-09 Opponent Breakdown: University of Tennessee

Few coaches have impacted a school and its surrounding community as much as Bruce Pearl (above) has during his tenure as head coach of Tennessee. Until Bruce Pearl arrived, basketball was far from the minds of Tennessee fans; it was all football in Knoxville. While the Volunteer football program is still a very proud one, Pearl has created a program that creates as much enthusiasm as Phil Fulmer's football team. His intense but extremely personable attitude has rubbed off on the entire team and they are truly a pleasure to watch play basketball. It should be another special year for the Tennessee basketball squad. They are one of the elite teams again this season and have the pieces to make a deep tournament run. There is no doubt that the early January match up in Knoxville is a huge game for both teams and the winner will set themselves up nicely for a deep tournament run. Pearl has never led the Volunteers past the Sweet Sixteen; is that bound to change this season?

Last Season's Results: Like Gonzaga, Tennessee strives each season to fill their schedule with the best teams in the nation. Bruce Pearl demands that his team be challenged and they certainly were last year. The Volunteers played some outstanding competition a year ago with games against Memphis, Texas, Xavier, Western Kentucky, West Virginia, Gonzaga, and of course the challenging SEC. The difficulty of the schedule did not phase Pearl's squad as they rolled through with a 29-4 record in the regular season. They were blown out in the regular season by Texas and lost head scratchers to Arkansas and Kentucky as well as a rivalry loss to Vanderbilt. They entered the NCAA Tournament as a #2 seed where they dominated American University in the first round and won an overtime thriller against Butler. The Sweet Sixteen was the faltering point for the Vols as they were dominated by Rick Pitino and Louisville. Recently graduated Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith paced the Volunteers a season ago, scoring 15 and 14 points a game, respectively. 6'7'' junior Tyler Smith scored 13 points a game last year and is arguably the best player in the SEC this season. Excellent role players such as J.P. Prince and Wayne Chism also return for the Vols and will be counted on as the back court for Tennessee will be very young.

New Faces: Who wouldn't want to play for Bruce Pearl? Evidently plenty of players are itching to be a Vol as the 2008 recruiting class for Tennessee was one of the best. In my estimation, the best player in the entire class was Scotty Hopson. Hopson, who is now enrolled at Tennessee, is a 6'7'' shooting guard who's potential is off the charts. He comes to Tennessee fitting the exact mold of a prototypical wing. He oozes athleticism but is also very fundamentally sound. I believe that Hopson fits Bruce Pearl's style of play perfectly in that he will be able to run the floor and be active as Pearl demands a fast paced, action paced game. The Arizona program lost an excellent recruit when Emmanuel Negedu decided to ask to be released from his letter of intent. The 6'6'' Nigerian forward quickly made up his mind that Tennessee was the right school for him and will be joining the Vols this season. Another new face with plenty of expectations will be Bobby Maze. Maze, a junior college transfer from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas will be expected to contribute immediately and could possibly start for Pearl's team right away. With the departures of Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith, the back court for Tennessee will be very inexperienced as Pearl will be counting on Maze and Hopson to carry a significant load. Philip Jurick, Renaldo Woolridge, and Daniel West will also be newcomers to the program but Maze, Hopson, and Negedu will likely have the largest impact this coming season.

Players to Watch: This year's version of Tennessee basketball will be vastly different from the past few years. Chris Lofton is no longer enrolled at the institution and Tennessee will not depend on his three-point shooting ability. This may not be a bad thing, however. Tennessee is full of 'tweeners, guys that don't really fit any position. The epitome of this is Tyler Smith. Smith is only 6'7'' and at the power forward spot, he is very undersized. Size has never really mattered for Smith as he stepped in right away last season after transferring from Iowa. He can fill up a stat sheet, leading the Vols in assists and rebounds a season ago. Leading this relatively inexperienced team, I think Smith must average around 18 points a game if Tennessee is going to be successful. You could make an argument for every player on Tennessee being a player to watch. I'd love to say Scotty Hopson but I think his play will speak for himself. The guys I'm looking at on the Vols are Wayne Chism and J.P. Prince. Chism was expected to have a breakout season last year but that never really materialized. He averaged only a fraction higher of a point in his sophomore season and didn't really show any great improvements in his game. It is imperative that he improves this season. Smith and Chism will be the engines that drive this team, I'm interested to see how Chism responds. J.P. Prince is a player to watch because he is going to be forced to play a number of positions in the back court. Due to the academic issues with freshman Daniel West, Prince may have to rotate at the point guard spot with Bobby Maze. Prince, who is built like a wing, has earned the trust of the coaching staff to do this but the back court for the Vols is a huge question mark.

TKR's Concern-O-Meter: Extremely High. This is one of the defining games of the season for Gonzaga. I'm more worried about the quality of our play than if we actually win this game. If the game was in Spokane or some neutral site not located in the South, I think Gonzaga would have a good shot to win. Honestly, I have this game as a loss for the Zags but do believe they can win but it would take a perfect game. The Battle in Seattle last season saw the Volunteers completely dominate the Zags on the defensive end. Only Matt Bouldin (21 points) had a game worthy of writing home about. The nice thing to see is that Austin Daye and Josh Heytvelt had decent games a year ago and they are both expected to have huge impacts in this coming match up. Both these teams have to talent and ability to be in the Top 5 when they meet in January but both teams also have enough question marks to have the wheels fall off. We'll see which comes true when the Zags take on the Vols in Knoxville.

What We are Watching for: There is no doubt that the match ups to watch in this game are in the front court. The potential match up between Austin Daye and Tyler Smith should be outstanding. While Smith is more of a physical player than Daye, I think that Daye will be able to use his size to frustrate the undersized power forward. Speaking of size, the Zags have another advantage with the Josh Heytvelt and Wayne Chism match up. Chism is a 6'9'' forward/center and will draw the responsibility of guarding Josh. If he can keep his position on Chism, it will be a great day for Josh. He's got to play with some fire though. This seems like a perfect game for Ira Brown to get some minutes. Although Tyler Smith is listed at 6'7'', I'm not buying it. Brown is undersized but so are the Tennessee forwards. Mark Few should be able to use his extensive depth thanks to the size of the Vols.

Helpful Links:

Official Tennessee Basketball Website

Last Season's Stats

Tennessee on Rivals

Tennessee on ESPN

Unofficial Tennessee Blog on SB Nation

2008-09 Opponent Breakdown: University of Utah

Could the Mountain West Conference be the best conference on the west coast this season? With the Pac 10 lacking the quality of previous seasons, the senior-laden Mountain West is ready to emerge as the top non-BCS conference this season, and potentially the best conference in the west. One team that believes they can challenge for the MWC championship is the Utah Utes. The Utes return their entire starting five, and will have the comfort of being in their second season under Jim Boylen. Utah has scheduled like it can be an elite team, as this season they will take on Oregon, Cal, LSU, Utah St., Oklahoma, and Gonzaga. There is no denying that with the depth and experience this team will have, that Utah could be back on its way to the NCAA Tournament.

Last Season's Results: While Utah was able to have its first above five hundred season (18-15) in two years, last season was far from a success. In his first season as head coach, Jim Boleyn could only lead the Utes to a one game improvement in conference play from the previous season. The other issue for the Utes was that they made boneheaded decisions at the most important part of games. Finally, the Utes were plagued by foul trouble to key contributors, as their opponents shot 146 more free-throws throughout the season. This combination of a rookie head coach and poor decision making saw them lose 11 games by 8 points or less. One of these crushing defeats was a 61-59 loss to GU at the MAC. Had it not been for a career high 26 points from Matt Bouldin, the Utes very easily could have escaped from Spokane with a terrific victory. In Luke Nevill, Utah has an NBA caliber big man, that emerged as the top scorer for Boleyn last season.

New Faces: Jim Boleyn did a terrific job recruiting, as he brought in 5 new faces for this season. Although he was not the most heralded of the incoming recruits, it appears that Jordan Cyphers it the most likely to see immediate playing time. Cyhpers chose Utah over offers from Michigan and Illinois, and the Utes are counting on the 6'4 SG to contribute immediately on the offensive end. Cyphers is a great athlete who can be deadly from behind the 3 point line. Another freshman who could crack the rotation is Jace Tavita. Tavita, a native of Brighton, Utah, was not eligible until the beginning of October because of some transcript issues, could see immediate playing time at both PG and SG. The most heralded member of the class coming out of high school is Jason Washburn. The 6'11 big man was recruited by Vanderbilt, Indiana, and LSU, but chose to play for Utah. While there is no denying the potential that Washburn has, he may be a season or two away from contributing at this level. However, Washburn will be a force for the MWC to deal with once he adds some strength to his frame. Josh Sharp and Chris Hines round out the class, and while neither will see much time this season, both will be solid contributors for Jim Boleyn down the road.

Players to Watch: With 8 of the top 9 scorers returning from last season team, including the entire starting 5, there is no shortage of key contributors for Utah this season. Leading the way for the Utes is 7'2 Luke Nevill. The highly skilled big man is coming off a season that saw him average 15.2 points and 6.7 rebounds. Nevill has the talent to be first round pick in the NBA draft next season, but he most become a more dominating player for Utah to reach its potential. While Nevill was able to put up good stats throughout the season, it wasn't until the final five games that he began to dominate. If Nevill can begin this season the way he finished last year, then Utah could have one of the top big men in the entire country. One player who will be relied upon heavily this season is Tyler Kepkay. Kepkay came to Utah from the College of Eastern Utah, where he was the leading JC scorer in the entire country. Although Kepkay demonstrated this scoring ability at the beginning of the season, including a 23 point performance against Oregon, he lost his confidence throughout the season. This was highlighted by Kepkay being shutout in two of the final five games. He must improve on his 7.5 points per game, and regain the confidence he had before last season for Utah to be an NCAA Tournament team. Another player who must find some form of consistency is Shaun Green. Gonzaga fans will remember Green, as he hit 5 three pointers last season against the Zags. However, Green only managed to score in double figures on four other occasions after the game against Gonzaga. His scoring dipped from 11.1 points his sophomore season to 7.6 points his junior season. The 6'8 PF has good size for his position, and can shoot from anywhere on the court. If Green can return to his junior year form, it would provide the team with a solid second scoring option.

TKR's Concern-O-Meter: I would like to introduce everyone to the definition of a trap game. With a huge game at the University of Tennessee looming, will the Zags give Utah the full attention they deserve? Salt Lake City is not an easy place for any opponent to win, and Utah will certainly believe they can win this game after the two point defeat last season. With 8 of the top 9 players from last year returning, and an abundance of senior leadership, Utah will be confident they can defeat any team this season. A win against Gonzaga could provide the Utes with the type of victory that catches the attention of the selection committee, and could help the Utes snag an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament.

What We are Watching for: The highlight of this game will be the matchup between Josh Heytvelt and Luke Nevill. After playing Michigan St., Arizona, and UConn, we should know whether Josh has returned to his elite form. Josh will need to be at his best for this game, as Nevill is a highly skilled big man, who can score in a variety of ways. Nevill is one of the rare big men who is as talented as Josh on the offensive end, and he will make Josh play hard on both ends of the court. I will also be interested to see how GU handles having to play a half-court game. The past couple of season have seen the Zags struggle when they are forced to rely on the half-court game to score baskets If the Zags can execute effectively in the half-court then they should be able to win this game, but if they get flustered and force up quick shots, then this is an upset waiting to happen.

Helpful Links:
Official Team Page
ESPN Team Page
ESPN Mountain West Breakdown

2008-09 Opponent Breakdown: Portland State University

In recent years, the amount of quality programs coming out of the Pacific Northwest has skyrocketed. An example of this outstanding growth is located in Portland with the Vikings of Portland State. The Vikings capped an impressive 23 win season with a trip to the NCAA tournament a year ago. PSU is one of the many tournament teams that Gonzaga will be taking on this season but one of the few they will be facing on their home court. San Diego, St. Mary's, and Portland State will be the only three tournament teams playing at the McCarthey Athletic Center. The Zags will have some home court advantage at two neutral site games when they take on Memphis at Spokane Arena and Connecticut at Key Arena in Seattle. Portland State will be catching Gonzaga during a brutal part of their schedule. The Zags will take on PSU on December 23rd, just three days after playing UConn in Seattle. It will get no easier as the Bulldogs following two games will be against Utah and Tennessee.

Last Season's Results: As I mentioned, Portland State went NCAA tournament dancin' last season. They were virtually unbeatable at home, going 13-1. They played some very tough competition in their non-conference schedule, taking on UCLA, Washington St., and Washington among others. They cruised through the weak Big Sky conference with a 14-2 record that included a Big Sky tournament championship. Because of the weak RPI of the Big Sky conference, the Vikings were given a 16 seed in the NCAA tournament. Their initial match up was with soon-to-be champion Kansas Jayhawks. Portland State was defeated 85-61 by Bill Self's squad but just getting to the tournament meant that it was a great season for the Vikings. PSU was led last season by the outstanding guard play of Jeremiah Dominguez. The 5'6'' guard was named last season's Big Sky Player of the Year by averaging 14.2 points a game and leading the team in assists. Dominguez carried the Vikings last year and he will be expected to duplicate that performance this season as he returns for his Senior season.

New Faces: Portland State will get a shot of youth this season as they have five newcomers on their roster. Along with five new recruits, the Vikings will have three transfers suiting up this year. Phil Nelson should be a familiar name for Gonzaga fans. The 6'7'' forward out of Oregon initially played at the University of Washington before coming home to Oregon. Dominic Waters, originally at Hawaii and Jamie Jones, a Portland Pilot to start his career, will be suiting up for Ken Bone's squad. All three of these players sat out last season because of eligibility issues but should be able to contribute immediately for the Vikings. It is crucial that Dominguez is still at PSU because he will be counting on eight new faces to produce. The 2008 recruiting class is headlined by Wendell Wright. The 6'4'' guard out of California who initially committed to Loyola Marymount will be taking his services to Portland to help the Vikings get back to the NCAA tournament. Wright had Gonzaga and UNLV after him for some time and definitely has some high-major talent. Paul Guede is another name to watch for the Vikings. Originally from London, England, Guede is a junior college transfer from Tallahassee Community College. He should be able to impact the PSU lineup immediately as long as he heals well from a foot injury he suffered earlier this year. Jason Conrad, a 6'11'' power forward will bring some much needed size to the Viking lineup. Conrad averaged a double-double in high school but is very slender. The maturation process may take a little longer for him because of his size. Rounding out the 2008 class for PSU is point guard Glen Dean and center Donatas Visockis.

Players to Watch: There is no doubt that the player to watch for Portland State is Jeremiah Dominguez. The shifty little point guard led the team in points, assists, and steals last season. This team will sport an entirely different look than last year and their starting lineup will be totally overhauled. Dominguez will have to guide this team during the transition. Helping carry some of the load will be Andre Murray. Like Dominguez, Murray is a senior guard who will be counted on for plenty of production. He averaged nine points a game last season and will have to elevate his game if the Vikings want to reach the tournament again. The other players to watch has to be the transfers. Jones, Waters, and Nelson will be expected to contribute and all three may find themselves in the starting lineup at some point this season. Waters, like Guede is battling a foot injury, but is expected to battle Murray for playing time. Nelson should start immediately as should Jamie Jones. The Vikings lost seven players from a season ago but luckily for Bone's squad, he has a lot of experienced players to fill in for the departed players. It's going to be interesting to watch the entire team and how they mesh. With that many new faces, it's bound to take some time for them to get on the same page.

TKR's Concern-O-Meter: This game screams trap game at me. If Gonzaga was playing away from their home gym I would be genuinely concerned. It's hard to predict this game because Portland State has so many new faces. There is no lack of skill for Ken Bone's team but it remains to be seen if the chemistry is strong enough to carry them through the season. If they mesh quickly, this game could be a struggle for Gonzaga. The game is over Christmas break so the students will not be there which means the McCarthey Athletic Center will be lacking a good deal of enthusiasm. Portland State shouldn't be rattled by the crowd noise so it is up to Jeremy Pargo and the guys to get up on them early and knock them out. Gonzaga should and probably will win this game but their are so many question marks that it is hard to definitively say what kind of game it is going to be.

What We are Watching for: Sadly the students will be home for Christmas break so we won't be able to witness one of the better match ups at home for Gonzaga. There are plenty of things to watch for in this game however. A lot of this game will rest upon how the Zags performed three days earlier in the Battle in Seattle. If the Bulldogs are able to come out with a win against UConn, I would be worried that this game could sneak up on them. It will take a solid effort for Gonzaga to defeat Portland State. There should be some fun match ups to watch in this game, especially in the back court. Dominguez, Murray, and Waters will provide tough match ups for Pargo, Bouldin, Gray, and Meech. Don't be surprised if Meech plays a lot in this game because of the sheer speed of Dominguez. The majority of Portland State's scoring will come from the back court so it is imperative that our guards match their effort. Josh Heytvelt and Austin Daye should have an absolute field day. If the Vikings stay healthy, Phil Nelson and Jamie Waters will make up their starting front court. Other than those two players, their is not much depth or experience in the PSU post. It should be a great game for both Austin and Josh and Will Foster will also see some quality minutes.

Helpful Links:
Official Portland State Basketball Website
Last Season's Statistics
2008 Recruiting Class
ESPN's Big Sky Conference "Shootaround"