What is WCC Basketball?
WCC Basketball is the men’s basketball program for the West Coast Conference (WCC). The West Coast Conference was founded in 1952, and consists of 10 teams from California, Oregon, Washington, Utah, and Arizona. The WCC is a very competitive conference and has produced numerous NCAA tournament teams, such as Gonzaga, St. Mary’s, and San Diego.
Teams in the West Coast Conference
The 10 teams that make up the West Coast Conference are:
- Gonzaga Bulldogs
- Santa Clara Broncos
- Pacific Tigers
- San Diego Toreros
- Loyola Marymount Lions
- Portland Pilots
- Pepperdine Waves
- Saint Mary’s Gaels
- San Francisco Dons
- BYU Cougars
History of WCC Basketball
The WCC has been a fixture in college basketball since its inception in 1952. The conference has produced numerous NCAA tournament teams, and a few national champions. The WCC has also seen some of the best players in college basketball history, such as Bill Walton and Klay Thompson.
WCC Basketball Tournament
The WCC Basketball Tournament is the annual tournament to decide the conference champion. The tournament has been held since 1952, and the winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The tournament is usually held in early March, and consists of 8 teams, with the top 4 teams receiving a bye to the quarterfinals.
WCC Basketball Champions
Since its inception, the WCC has had a number of different teams win the conference championship. The most successful teams in the conference have been Gonzaga, St. Mary’s, and San Diego.
- Gonzaga Bulldogs – 19 Conference Championships
- St. Mary’s Gaels – 11 Conference Championships
- San Diego Toreros – 9 Conference Championships
What Channel is WCC Basketball On?
The WCC Basketball tournament is broadcast on a variety of networks, depending on the region. The networks that broadcast the tournament are:
- ESPN – The ESPN family of networks carries the majority of the WCC Basketball Tournament games.
- CBS Sports Network – CBS Sports Network also carries a number of WCC Basketball Tournament games.
- Root Sports – Root Sports is the regional network for the West Coast Conference, and carries a number of WCC Basketball games.
How to Stream WCC Basketball Games
In addition to being broadcast on television, WCC Basketball Tournament games can be streamed online. The official streaming partner of the West Coast Conference is ESPN+, which offers a variety of games for a monthly subscription fee.
WCC Basketball Highlights
The WCC Basketball Tournament is full of exciting moments, and the conference has produced some of the best players in college basketball history. Some of the most memorable WCC Basketball Tournament highlights include:
- Bill Walton’s Triple-Double – In 1975, Bill Walton recorded the first triple-double in WCC Basketball Tournament history. He had 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in a loss to San Francisco.
- Gonzaga’s Cinderella Run – In 1999, Gonzaga made an improbable run to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament, becoming the first WCC team to do so.
- Klay Thompson’s Record-Setting Performance – In 2011, Klay Thompson set a WCC Tournament record with 43 points in a win over San Diego.
WCC Basketball Players of the Year
The West Coast Conference has produced some of the best players in college basketball history. Here is a list of the WCC Player of the Year award winners:
- Bill Walton (1973)
- John Stockton (1984)
- Dan Dickau (2002)
- Adam Morrison (2006)
- Kevin Pangos (2013)
- Kyle Wiltjer (2016)
- Johnathan Williams (2018)
- Brandon Clarke (2019)
WCC Basketball Coaches of the Year
The WCC also has a number of excellent coaches, many of whom have won the WCC Coach of the Year award. Here is a list of the WCC Coach of the Year award winners:
- Mark Few (1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019)
- Randy Bennett (2008, 2014)
- Bill Grier (2010)
- Ernie Kent (2015)
- Lamont Smith (2017)
- Kyle Smith (2018)
Conclusion
WCC Basketball is one of the most competitive conferences in college basketball, and produces some of the best players in the country. The WCC Basketball Tournament is broadcast on a variety of networks, including ESPN, CBS Sports Network, and Root Sports. The games can also be streamed online through ESPN+. The WCC has also produced a number of great players, such as Bill Walton and Klay Thompson, and coaches, such as Mark Few and Randy Bennett.