Two years ago, Gonzaga fans might have circled this home stretch on the calendar as a couple of easy wins. But college basketball is anything but predictable, and the landscape has shifted dramatically.
Let's talk about Pacific. In the 2023-24 season, they hit rock bottom with a 6-26 record and a crushing 102-43 loss to Pepperdine in the West Coast Conference Tournament.
Fast forward, and those tough times are just a memory. Enter second-year coach Dave Smart, who's orchestrated a remarkable turnaround for the Tigers.
As Pacific heads to McCarthey Athletic Center for a Saturday showdown at 6 p.m. (KHQ/ESPN+), they're knocking on the door of the top 100 at KenPom, sitting at No.
- If the season ended today, the Tigers, with a 17-12 overall record and 8-8 in conference play, would secure a bye to the WCC Tournament quarterfinals as the fourth seed.
Gonzaga, meanwhile, is gearing up for a crucial stretch. After Pacific, they host Portland, a team that Mark Few’s squad can't afford to underestimate. The Pilots are currently tied for eighth in the WCC standings.
For the Zags, these games are must-wins if they want to hoist the WCC regular-season trophy. This pivotal eight-day stretch kicks off with Pacific and wraps up against Saint Mary’s.
“We just finished a tough back-to-back in the Bay Area,” Mark Few commented following their 80-59 victory over San Francisco. “That was a challenging stretch. Now, we need to get home and rest up.”
Gonzaga's path to securing the No. 1 seed in the WCC Tournament requires two wins in their final three games. If Gonzaga, Santa Clara, and Saint Mary’s end up with identical records, the Zags hold the tiebreaker due to their 2-0 record against the Broncos. The Gaels, having dropped their first game against Santa Clara, will face them again soon.
For Gonzaga, the simplest route to their first outright WCC championship since 2021-22 is to win all three remaining games. If Santa Clara and Saint Mary’s each lose once, the Zags could clinch the title with a 2-1 record.
First up is handling a much-improved Pacific. The Tigers have come a long way from last year’s 9-24 record and are eyeing a 20-win season for only the third time since 2008-09 and the first since 2019-20.
The top three teams in the WCC have distanced themselves from the pack, but Pacific is among seven teams vying for fourth place and a valuable bye to the tournament quarterfinals.
“Pacific’s having a heckuva year,” Few remarked. “The best I can remember.”
Pacific's resurgence is fueled by a revamped roster, with Elias Ralph leading the charge. Ralph, a preseason All-WCC pick, is averaging 16.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
Senior guard TJ Wainwright, a transfer from Long Beach State, is also making an impact, scoring 13.7 points per game. Joining him are fellow transfers Isaac Jack from Dayton, Jaden Clayton from Maine, and Justin Rochelin from UC San Diego, all contributing significantly.
Smart, a highly successful coach from Carleton University, took over at Pacific in March 2024. Despite a late start, he's built a competitive roster in Stockton, Calif.
“Last year, we had to scramble to find players,” Smart said at WCC Media Day. “This year, we recruited like we did at Carleton. We want players who aspire to be high-level pros.”
Pacific has embraced a defense-first mentality, ranking No. 58 nationally in scoring defense and No. 59 in rebounds per game.
Gonzaga has dominated this matchup historically, winning all 22 games against Pacific under Few and 24 of the last 25 overall. But with the Tigers on the rise, Saturday’s game promises to be anything but routine.