BYU Basketball Picked Second Behind Gonzaga In 2020 WCC Preseason Poll
Oct 26, 2020, 11:31 AM
BYU basketball guards Alex Barcello and Brandon Averette compete in practice. (BYU Photo/Jaren Wilkey)
(BYU Photo/Jaren Wilkey)
PROVO, Utah – The WCC is Gonzaga’s world, and programs like BYU basketball are just living in it until someone knocks the Zags off their throne.
On Monday, the WCC released its 2020-21 Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll with the Zags atop the poll. No news there as Gonzaga begins its quest to win a ninth consecutive regular-season conference title.
.@ZagMBB picked for that top #WCChoops spot pic.twitter.com/nCpK7WJwr7
— WCC Basketball (@WCChoops) October 26, 2020
BYU is one of the few teams in the WCC’s top-heavy power structure that might have a chance to knock off the Zags from their championship perch. That’s reflected in the WCC’s preseason poll.
BYU was picked second in the preseason poll voted on by league coaches. The Cougars received one first-place vote. That came from Gonzaga’s Mark Few, who isn’t allowed to vote for his own team.
WCC 2020-21 Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Gonzaga (9)
2. BYU (1)
3. Saint Mary’s
4. Pepperdine
5. San Francisco
6. Santa Clara
7. Loyola Marymount
8. Pacific
9. 10. Portland
***
Last season, the WCC was one of the top leagues outside the power conferences. According to Ken Pomeroy’s ratings, the WCC was the eighth-best league in college basketball last season. Both BYU and Saint Mary’s will need to replace a lot of departing talent. BYU with grad transfers Matt Haarms (Purdue) and Brandon Averette (Utah Valley) appear poised to maintain their position behind Gonzaga.
Saint Mary’s loses stars, Jordan Ford and Malik Fitts, but the Gaels have a talented freshman in Jabe Mullins who could make an immediate impact.
The WCC also released the conference Preseason Team that featured 10 players. BYU’s Alex Barcello, a senior guard, was the only Cougar named to the list. Three players from Gonzaga were on the preseason list.
Preseason All-WCC Team
Joel Ayayi – Gonzaga
Alex Barcello – BYU
Jamaree Bouyea – San Francisco
Kessler Edwards – Pepperdine
Corey Kispert – Gonzaga
Colbey Ross – Pepperdine
Eli Scott – Loyola Marymount
Matthias Tass – Saint Mary’s
Drew Timme – Gonzaga
Josip Vrankic – Santa Clara
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m., KSL Newsradio). Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
