Best possible outcome for SCU short of overtime. Great work, Waves. Please celebrate extra hard (and late). And my apologies, @92bronc 
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PattyMac in a commanding lead:
If LMU wins, PattyMac will have it locked up. If WSU wins, then 92 could overtake Patty, but he’ll need to pretty much nail the score differential and total.
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Don’t jinx it, bettererer!
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Not looking like LMU is gonna make it happen at this rate 
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Final Results
Despise a great push by 92bronc in the final game, PattyMac was able to leverage his early commanding lead to hold the top spot.
- PattyMac
- 92bronc
- Dooger takes the bronze medal
- G-man
- Midwest
- Yours Truly finished in the cellar
Congrats to Patty for winning the inaugural WCC Bottom Feeder Bracket!
Now let’s take Pepperdine down tomorrow.
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Buckets,
Thanks for putting this together. Was lots of fun. Now lets go have some real fun against the Waves Sunday night.
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Thanks, G-Man. I just thought it introduced a reason to watch these early-round games, which have historically been horrendous. Overall, these were pretty entertaining. Might reflect an overall improvement in the league.
Any suggestions (format, scoring, etc) for next year’s Bottom Feeder Bracket would be greatly appreciated.
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Internet says Gaels saying that SMC being considered for PAC 12 membership. But only can fill one section at Orleans arena for WCC tournament despite being #1 seed . What a joke !
How many seasons over the past 20 years has the final game been SMC vs. Gonzaga? It feels like 15 at least, though it might just be recency bias on my part.
Lets see if the Don’s have anything to say about that. It wouldn’t break my heart to see the Zag fans leave twice today suffering losses (OSU beat the Zag women earlier today).
Zags have made the final ever year since ‘98 and have played the Gaels 14 times over that period for the title. Thanks Wikipedia
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Zags about to claim championship no. 23. The teams combined 1-30 from the three point line.
The Zags led throughout the close one and forced an incredible 18 Gael TOs.
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I’ve seen better 3pt shooting at an 8 yr old CYA game. There was an SMC fan who hit a half court shot last night during a media timeout and won $500…Randy could have used him tonight.
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For those who have not seen this, we’ll be returning to the Orleans for next year’s tournament. It’s up for grabs after 2026. Can the WCC fill the Orleans without GU, WSU, and OSU? Seems highly unlikely. Though Stu wants to stay in Vegas. Do we have to downsize to Lee’s Family Forum, which holds 5,500? It’s a nice facility, but not convenient to the Strip hotels.
Any chance that the Mountain West comes knocking? They are losing a bunch of teams to the new Pac-(XX). They have added UC Davis and Northern Ilinois (for football only). That has them at 10 teams for basketball.
It could certainly equal or improve our competition, with New Mexico and Nevada in the mix.
Probably more likely they will go poach from the Big Sky (like Idaho).
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The MWC’s continued existence basically depends on the Pac-12 having to pay tens of millions of dollars for the poaching penalty and the new P12 schools’ exit fees. They’ve promised a big chunk of that to UNLV and others to keep them from bolting. I’m not sure that I would want into the MWC at this point with the P12-MWC war of attrition likely materially harming both in the end and maybe destroying the Mountain West as the weaker entity. As lame as it might sound, I really do think that trying to build from within the WCC is best with the caveat that I would still invite UCSD and UC Irvine and maybe St. Thomas (MN).
Current WCC by NET:
- 8 Gonzaga
- 21 SMC
- 57 SCU
- 64 USF
- 85 Oregon State
- 111 Wazzu
- 161 LMU
- 228 Pepperdine
- 289 Portland
- 295 Pacific
- 323 San Diego
- Average: 149
Theoretical 2027 WCC by 2025 NET:
- 21 SMC
- 35 UCSD
- 57 SCU
- 62 UC Irvine
- 64 USF
- 118 St. Thomas (MN)
- 155 Seattle U
- 161 LMU
- 228 Pepperdine
- 289 Portland
- 295 Pacific
- 323 San Diego
- Average: 164
There’s no way to lose the Zags and make the conference better overall without huge improvements from the bottom. I think that Pacific will be significantly better next year, but I don’t see improvement coming for the others. But there are reasonable theoretical options that could help the WCC maintain a similar level overall.
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Some thoughts:
The WAC tournament starts today and they don’t fill the Orleans (maybe 60%; 2/3 being GCU fans.
I come to the tourney almost every year- I won’t come for a Henderson arena since I don’t rent a car and stay on the strip
St Thomas MN is Julie’ Sulivan’s for Univ
I agree. Henderson is a no-go.
After next year they will probably just rotate it through host schools like the good old days.
Without Gonzaga fans the Orleans is gonna be empty. Been to all the tournaments since they moved it to Vegas and it’s gotta be close to 85% Gonzaga fans.
The arena in Henderson is so much nicer than the Orleans it’s not even comparable. Seen the Broncos play 3 games there. Plus you have the District at Green Valley Ranch with food options that blow Orleans out of the water. The $45 Uber each way from the Strip is less than ideal.