GU notebook: Saint Mary’s returns to title-chase mix

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Preseason magazines and polls picked Gonzaga to win the WCC, but the primary challenger was expected to be BYU.

That hasn’t materialized. Fourth-place BYU has already dropped three conference games and the league hasn’t even reached the halfway point. What has materialized is a flashback to the not-so-old days when Saint Mary’s was GU’s chief adversary.

Most figured that would change when BYU joined the WCC in 2012, but that year the Gaels ended Gonzaga’s run of solo or shared titles at 11. BYU finished third. The following year Gonzaga was first and the Gaels second by four games over the Cougars.

Gonzaga remained on top last season, followed by BYU. The Gaels slipped to fourth, their lowest placing since 2003, but they’re back in the mix this season. Saint Mary’s (15-3, 7-0) has rebounded from home losses to Boise State and Northern Arizona with nine straight wins.

“Just the rivalry we’ve had, even before I got here,” Zags senior guard Kevin Pangos said. “It goes way back so we know it’s going to be a really big game.”

GU-SMC hasn’t burned as brightly the last two years. The Zags have won six straight, the last five between 14 and 28 points. Two of those were at the WCC tournament in Las Vegas. Two of those were in Moraga, California, by 28 points last year and by 17 in 2013.

“The goal every year is trying to win a conference championship and they’re hard to win,” Gaels coach Randy Bennett said. “And one of the reasons they’re hard to win is because you have to go through Gonzaga. We’ve won a couple (2012 and a co-championship in 2011) so that is what’s made this a rivalry.”

Three returning Gaels have made big jumps in production. Senior center Brad Waldow, who averaged 11.2 points and six rebounds last year, is at 20.6 points and 10.1 rebounds. Senior guard Kerry Carter averages 12.9 points, up 3.6 from last season. Senior forward Garrett Jackson contributes 7.5 points, nearly doubling his 2014 average.

“They’re undefeated in league and have a great low-post player, one of the best low-post players in the country,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “They have a group of guys that can hurt you from 3 or can hurt you inside.”

Saint Mary’s also added transfers Aaron Bright (Stanford) and Desmond Simmons (Washington). Bright averages 11.6 points. Simmons can defend guards or forwards. GU’s Byron Wesley was teammates with Jackson for one season at USC and he’s familiar with Bright and Simmons from his three seasons in the Pac-12.

“For the most part (Jackson) was with the bigs and I was with the guards. He was one of the hardest workers (at USC),” Wesley said. “Bright is a quick, crafty guard, heady at the point and he makes plays. I played against Desmond in a high school tournament when he was a senior and I was a junior. He used to bring the ball up. In college, he’s a pick and pop ‘4’ or takes it off the dribble.”

The third-ranked Zags (18-1, 7-0) have four players averaging double figures and Domas Sabonis checks in at 9.9. Bennett said slowing GU’s transition game is a priority.

Sick bay

Eric McClellan had a check-up Tuesday and he’s been cleared for roughly 20 minutes of activity.

The junior guard became eligible Jan. 8, but his debut was delayed by a cracked bone in his foot, forcing him to rest the last two weeks.

• Freshman guard Josh Perkins continues his lengthy recovery from a broken jaw. He’s not able to practice, but can do some conditioning and shooting.

“He can’t get popped, because it’s still healing,” Few said. “It’s got to be totally healed.”

Perkins has regained 7-8 pounds of lost weight.