Around the WCC

Gonzaga announced earlier this week that tickets were still available for both tonight’s showdown against conference-leading Saint Mary’s and Saturday’s game against Santa Clara. But according to university officials, all 120-some tickets returned by the two visiting schools were snapped up by Bulldog Club members less than eight minutes after going on sale Wednesday morning. … Loyola Marymount’s 63-46 win over Pepperdine on Saturday snapped a 13-game losing streak against the Waves. It also marked the return of Lions starters Brandon Worthy and Daryl Pegram, who had missed a combined total of 11 games with knee injuries. … The WCC, led by Gonzaga at No. 20, is one of three conferences with each of its member institutions ranked in the top 140 in this week’s Sagarin ratings. The other two conferences are the Atlantic Coast and the Pacific-10. … At the halfway point of the WCC schedule, Saint Mary’s (6-1) has carved out a one-game lead. According to San Diego coach Brad Holland, it is no fluke that SMC sits atop the standings. “They’re an outstanding team,” Holland said of the Gaels. “They’re every bit as good as Gonzaga, if not better. They’re legitimate.”