Pepperdine Aims to Solidify NCAA Resume

If Pepperdine needed any added incentive to win the West Coast Conference men’s basketball tournament, the league’s coaches may have provided it this week by selecting Gonzaga’s Mark Few as coach of the year.

Many in Malibu feel that was a slap in the face to Paul Westphal, who in his first season as coach guided a rebuilt Pepperdine team to the WCC co-championship with favored Gonzaga after the Waves were picked to finish fourth in a preseason coaches’ poll.

“The players are aware of it, but Paul hasn’t made it an issue,” said a source close to the team, pointing out that Few also won the award last year. “Nobody picked us higher than fourth. Gonzaga had all the horses.”

Pepperdine and No. 7-ranked Gonzaga lost only to each other in conference play, and no one would be surprised if the rubber match came in Monday’s 9 p.m. tournament final that will be televised nationally by ESPN.

The tournament champion earns the WCC’s automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. Gonzaga is probably already in, based on its national ranking, but Pepperdine needs a strong showing to avoid having its bubble burst by the NCAA selection committee.

The Waves are seeking their fourth consecutive postseason berth, having reached the National Invitation Tournament last year and in 1999 and the NCAA tournament in 2000.

If there is a spoiler in the field, it could be host San Diego, which took Pepperdine into double overtime and Gonzaga down to the wire in close losses at Jenny Craig Pavilion. The Toreros’ slow-down tactics could give Pepperdine problems if the teams meet in the semifinals on Sunday.

A look at today’s first-round games at Jenny Craig Pavilion:

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No. 2-seeded Gonzaga (26-3) vs. No. 7 Loyola Marymount (9-19), noon, KXLU (88.9-FM)--This game could get ugly. Gonzaga has won 11 in a row since losing at Pepperdine, 88-79, on Jan. 18, the same date Loyola won its last game before starting an 11-game losing streak. Guard Dan Dickau, the WCC player of the year, averages a league-best 20.6 points and has made 102 three-point baskets, becoming only the fifth player in conference history to have more than 100 three-point baskets in a season. He had one of his best performances in Gonzaga’s 94-60 blowout over host Loyola on Jan. 19, scoring 34 points and making nine three-point baskets, all in the first half. Dickau deservedly gets most of the credit for the Bulldogs’ success, but center Cory Violette and forward Zach Gourde, two 6-foot-8, 250-pound bruisers, also play key roles. Violette averages 12.4 points and 8.1 rebounds; Gourde averages 13.6 points and 6.9 rebounds. Loyola relies on center Greg Lakey, averaging 10.8 points and 5.5 rebounds.

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No. 1 Pepperdine (20-7) vs. No. 8 Portland (6-23), approximately 2:15 p.m., KPLS (830)--The Waves’ success has been rooted in balance and depth. Five players have double-figure scoring averages, led by all-WCC forward Jimmy Miggins (15.3) and freshman guard Terrance Johnson (13.9). Center Cedric Suitt provides the Waves with a defensive force, leading conference players with 80 blocked shots. Pepperdine has won 15 of its last 16 games, including 21- and six-point victories against Portland. The Pilots have lost 19 of their last 21 games but, in what has to rank among the biggest upsets of the college basketball season, defeated Oregon, 79-78, on Dec. 2. Portland is basically a two-man show: forward Coky Rochin, who averages 15.7 points and 9.6 rebounds, and sophomore guard Casey Frandsen, who averages 19.2 points. Pepperdine forward Glen McGowan, a key reserve who played his two best games against Gonzaga, is available again after sitting out the last two regular-season games because of a bruised knee.

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No. 4 San Francisco (13-14) vs. No. 5 San Diego (15-12), 6 p.m.--Although San Francisco is the higher-seeded team, San Diego appears to be the favorite based on its 88-55 shellacking of the Dons at Jenny Craig Pavilion on Feb. 16. San Francisco has lost three of four games since losing point guard LyRyan Russell to a torn knee ligament on Feb. 9. Adding to the Dons’ run of bad luck is the fact they are playing the tournament host in the first round for the third consecutive year. San Diego relies on forward Jason Blair, who leads the WCC in field-goal percentage.

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No. 3 Santa Clara (13-14) vs. No. 6 St. Mary’s (8-19), approximately 8:15 p.m.--Santa Clara reached the tournament final last year before losing to Gonzaga, but the Broncos didn’t look like a contender last Saturday in an embarrassing 96-58 loss at Pepperdine. St. Mary’s, under former Pepperdine assistant Randy Bennett, won three games in February after going 0-8 in January.