OK, then it’s worth it. 
Does it actually get classified as a neutral, though? I think it will still be called a home, much like how St. John’s games at MSG or Creighton games in the Omaha arena or when Nova plays in the Sixers arena are home games. Don’t quote me on that, but I think for ranking purposes they will call it a home game because it was a voluntary move by USF to Chase rather than WMG.
Either way…I am with buckets. It’s a big mistake by USF. Chase will either be filled with Zag fans or feel like a mausoleum. Neither good for the Dons.
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wins a win, got what we needed out of this three game stretch, and got a showdown with SMC on tap
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I think Patty is correct on the home/neutral issue. Gonzaga played their first WCC game vs. Pepperdine on Jan 4th at the Spokane Arena, not on campus, and that was classified as a Home game (at least on Torvik which I trust).
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I would guess that the NCAA would want to avoid allowing for blatant gamesmanship of NET where a team moves the game against a conference opponent down the block to a high school or convention center just to move a 25-49 opponent from a Quad 2 to a Quad 1 game. I can totally imagine the AD moving our USF game to Bellarmine or SAP if they thought they could squeeze an artificial Quad 1 win out of it where it might matter. And if SCU would do it, then Kansas would have a standing contract with a local convention center to move its games from home to neutral at will.
This happens plenty already in OOC, which is why we have a million neutral games in Vegas or SLC or Phoenix.
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I like the way the schedule shapes up for the Broncos this week and next. The Broncos have the bye tonight and more time to rest and prep for SMC. And with our SMC game on Wednesday, it gives us an extra prep and rest day before playing USD on Saturday.
Back to Thursday’s games…in case no one noticed, SMC held Pacific to 28pts…28! 14pts each half. They held Pacific to 20% shooting and did so without fouling (13 fouls for the game).
Finally, not many games of interest tonight. None of the Top 4 play each other. Best game and one I’m going to try to catch a bit of is LMU at SMC on ESPNU & ESPN+.
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Also, don’t forget that we get SMC during their Gonzaga week. Granted, our game is on Wednesday, so the Gaels will have another day off to prepare for the Zags. And I don’t really think Bennett overlooks any opponent and especially SCU which has beaten SMC a handful of times in recent years.
But the players might be a bit too excited to get up to Spokane, giving SCU a possible window to get them on their heels.
I’m assuming that the typical furious second half is coming for Gonzaga. But they are down 1 to Pacific at the half which is…pretty funny. And bad. Very bad. Maybe Santa Clara should expect to win in Spokane? 
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And LMU tied w/ SMC 4mins in to the 2nd half.
The Zags are definitely in a down year. PU has more points at the half than they had all game vs SMC. I expect SMC to dismantle Gonzaga, and USF will probably beat the Zags at home. Broncos need to win against everyone else and at least split with USF and Hope for the best in Spokane. Would be nice to beat SMC but we need to up our D and go to the line more than they do… We are consistently outshot at the free throw line.
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The Zags fans must be having a meltdown on their message boards…
I actually do not expect SMC to dismantle Gonzaga. I think Gonzaga is going to get their stuff together by then. SAME as I EXPECT Santa Clara to do. Our guys were like deer in headlights and now that they have had a taste of the SMC bully style game - they may come back fighting round 2. Herb’s mistake with St Mary’s - he put his usual starting line up who has never dealt with them before. So the punch came quick and hard. Maybe next time use guys who have already fought that battle? (Which is now feasible since the new guys all got a taste of what a St Marys game is about)
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LMU plays at Gonzaga tonight, 8pm on ESPN/ESPN+.
LMU played SMC very close on Saturday, will be interesting to see if they can do the same vs. GU.
Zags are -16.5 for what it’s worth.
LMU getting slaughtered in Spokane right now. 72-36 Gonzaga. LMU looks like nightmare-version SCU in the game. Only 5 assists and 17 turnovers. LMU either drives and turns it over or tossed up a contested three after passing around the perimeter. We’ve seen that version of SCU. Hoping that Santa Clara doesn’t make the same mistakes in eastern WA.
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Latest ESPN bracketology just posted, no changes
Gonzaga one of first four out, SMC #10 seed and only WCC team in. Pac 12 has 3 teams, Mountain West 5
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Mountain West has def become a contender this year. So what happens if Santa Clara takes down St Mary’s in Vegas?
Mountain West also had 5 teams last year. There was a good piece in the athletic how the entire league basically got together got every team to both invest more and schedule better. Too bad half the WCC didn’t listen when Few called everyone out and told them to step their game up years ago.
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Last I looked, SMC is ranked #21 in NET ranking. How does that justify a #10 seed? Straight numbers suggest a #6 seed.
It’s time to get rid of the NIT, get rid of conference tournaments, let every team, or perhaps just the top 50% of all teams in, and have two extra rounds to take the place of conference tournaments. The idea of a “selection” committee introduces stupid human bias and predilections.
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What about Gonzaga #26 net and not being in?
Shows what people think of the WCC this season. NIT? with more and more teams declining to even play in it, just a matter of time as it’s nothing more then a higher CBI/CIT.
Kevin is correct on Mountain West, you get better by playing vs better and improving and then W/L will improve not vice versa. Does no good to continually play +200 net teams, build a 12-2 preseason record and fail in league. We lost to the last place MW team, how does our last place Pacific do vs 3rd place MW New Mexico? Since we lost by 30 I say they lose by 50
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I thought that the whole idea of the NET ranking was to reduce/eliminate human bias in selections and to create an objective standard by which to judge relative strength amongst all of the D1 teams.
On the other hand, how great would it be if our victory over Gonzaga ends up being the reason they are a bubble team, on the outside looking in?