Top seeds Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s stay on course for WCC showdown
By Gilbert Manzano Las Vegas Review-Journal
Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Johnathan Williams (3) dunks against the Loyola Marymount Lions during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Loyola Marymount Lions guard Jeffery McClendon (25) goes for a layup against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Loyola Marymount Lions guard James Batemon (5) goes up for a shot against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Josh Perkins (13) drives the ball against the Loyola Marymount Lions during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Loyola Marymount Lions forward Zafir Williams (1) takes the rebound from Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Killian Tillie (33) during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Josh Perkins (13) drives the ball against Loyola Marymount Lions guard Jeffery McClendon (25) during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Loyola Marymount Lions guard Jeffery McClendon (25) attempts a shot over Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Silas Melson (0) during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Loyola Marymount Lions guard James Batemon (5) shoots over Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Silas Melson (0) during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Loyola Marymount Lions guard James Batemon, center, looks for an opening through Gonzaga forward Rui Hachimura (21) and forward Killian Tillie (33) during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Loyola Marymount Lions guard Cameron Allen (3) and Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Johnathan Williams (3) fight for the ball during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Loyola Marymount Lions guard James Batemon (5) shoots over Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Silas Melson (0) during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Johnathan Williams (3) and Loyola Marymount Lions forward Zafir Williams (1) fight for the ball during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Loyola Marymount Lions guard James Batemon (5) goes up for a shot as Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Rui Hachimura (21) defends during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Killian Tillie (33) pulls in the rebound against the Loyola Marymount Lions during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Loyola Marymount Lions guard James Batemon (5) dribbles the ball as Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Rui Hachimura (21) defends during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Pepperdine Waves forward Kameron Edwards (20) pulls in the rebound over St. Mary’s Gaels center Jock Landale (34) during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Pepperdine Waves forward Matthew Atewe (41) looks to shoot as St. Mary’s Gaels center Jock Landale (34) defends during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Pepperdine Waves guard Amadi Udenyi (0) attempts a shot over St. Mary’s Gaels center Evan Fitzner (21) during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Pepperdine Waves guard Trae Berhow (11) blocks an attempt from St. Mary’s Gaels center Jock Landale (34) during the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
The annual West Coast Conference championship meeting between Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga was in jeopardy Saturday with the top two seeds struggling in quarterfinal games at Orleans Arena.
Saint Mary’s found itself down 15 in the first half against 10th-seeded Pepperdine and needed its player in the No. 24 jersey wearing goggles and a headband to bail out the Gaels.
Calvin Hermanson scored 11 straight points down the stretch as St. Mary’s escaped 69-66. The Bulldogs and the Gaels have met in the WCC tournament final seven of the past nine years, including the last two.
Top-seeded Gonzaga will face No. 4 San Francisco at 6 p.m. Monday in the first semifinal game. No. 3 Brigham Young will play Saint Mary’s at 8:30 p.m.
Gonzaga, the WCC tournament champion the past five years, had a flat start against Loyola Marymount before pulling away late for a 83-69 victory.
“We needed to toughen up a bit,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said about the poor start. “They were shoving us around. These first round games are always tough.”
BYU was the last team to interrupt the Gonzaga-Saint Mary’s championship meeting after making it to the final in 2015 and 2014. The Cougars are hoping to win their first WCC tournament title since leaving the Mountain West in 2011.
“Everyone has hope that they’re going to win the whole thing, so nobody is going to back down,” BYU forward Yoeli Childs said. “It’s really important to settle down and control the emotions.”
