Finalists Are No Surprise

The road to the NCAA tournament--or at least to the West Coast Conference’s automatic bid--goes through the University of San Diego’s home court.

And Gonzaga Coach Mark Few--his ticket to the NCAA tournament already punched--was fuming Sunday that his team had to play San Diego on the Toreros’ floor in Gonzaga’s hard-fought 87-79 semifinal victory at Jenny Craig Pavilion, claiming he considered pulling his team out of the tournament.

“To overcome all that and the position this ridiculous league put us in to come in here and play a home game on their court after being seventh in the country ... I give an unbelievable amount of credit to our guys,” he said.

“I’ll be honest, I thought long and hard about not bringing our team here. There’s no reason for us to be here. We’re in the NCAA tournament. We don’t need to come down here and play on other people’s floor and play with white jerseys on.”

Few is distressed at the thought of 28-3 Gonzaga’s RPI and seeding sinking as it plays the conference tournament, and at Pepperdine risking its strong position to be picked.

For all Gonzaga’s famous NCAA tournament success, the WCC tournament has been no cakewalk--and tonight’s final against Pepperdine, a 68-47 winner over St. Mary’s, should be the latest battle.

Gonzaga made the Sweet 16 last year only after surviving a shot at the buzzer by Santa Clara that could have tied the game, and made the Sweet 16 two years ago by beating Pepperdine in overtime.

San Diego (16-13) has been the Bulldogs’ semifinal opponent the last two years, and the Toreros gave Gonzaga quite a game Saturday, taking a 47-40 lead at halftime.

Roy Morris didn’t miss a shot in the first half, going five for five from the field, three for three from three-point range and two for two from the line to score 15 of his 19 points in the game.

Andre Laws was the Toreros’ other leader, scoring 21 points on eight-of-26 shooting.

Gonzaga’s Dan Dickau wasn’t at his best, scoring 22 points with five three-pointers but missing five threes in a row at one point, including an air ball.

It was Blake Stepp who stepped up and made the big shot, a three-pointer from 25 feet that turned a two-point lead to five with 50 seconds left in the game.

“I generally shoot it all the way out there,” said Blake, who finished with 26 points, six rebounds and three assists. “I try to get up to the line sometimes because Coach Few gets mad at me.”

It was a scintillating game, but it took a backseat to Few’s complaints afterward.

He said he would have preferred to play on No. 1 seed Pepperdine’s home court or a neutral site, and objected to the fact Gonzaga has never hosted the tournament.

It was also played at San Diego last year, and previously had been at Santa Clara.

WCC Commissioner Michael Gilleran reacted to Few’s rant by noting that the school presidents determine the site, and pointing out the financial difficulties “based on money, airline and hotel realities and history.”

The conference’s executive committee recently recommended to the presidents that the tournament return to San Diego for two more years.

“It’s easy to say get us a neutral site. It’s harder to do,” Gilleran said, explaining that coaches weren’t enthusiastic about what was considered the only viable alternative site, the San Diego Sports Arena.

As for Few’s claim he considered not competing, Gilleran said, “To me, that’s not within the realm of reasonable behavior. I prefer not to give credence to an unreasonable position.”

He has supported a ‘merit’ system as Few does, putting the tournament on the homecourt of the regular-season champion, but it would be somewhat impractical to promote a tournament that this year, for instance, would have been at Pepperdine in a decision determined on the final game of the season.

San Diego Coach Brad Holland wasn’t complaining about the site.

“Five out of my eight years it’s been at Santa Clara, one year at Loyola and two years here....

“Me personally, I’m happy the conference tournament is here.”

*

Tonight’s Final

* No. 1 Pepperdine (22-7) vs. No. 2 Gonzaga (28-3) at University of San Diego, 9 p.m. (ESPN)