More on GU-LMU, GU-Pepperdine

Read on below for some more info on Gonzaga’s road trip, stats and a notebook item that will run on the S-R’s Four Corners page tomorrow.

GONZAGA

RECORD: 15-9, 5-3 WCC

COMING UP: Tonight at Loyola Marymount, Saturday at Pepperdine

OUTLOOK: The Lions, picked second in the coaches’ preseason poll, have a 1-8 conference mark, but they’ve been competitive with the top teams, losing by nine to Saint Mary’s in Moraga last Saturday and battling Gonzaga to a halftime tie before falling by 20. Drew Viney, who missed the Saint Mary’s game with migraines, leads LMU at 15.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Guard Vernon Teel chips in 12.8 points and 6 rebounds. The Lions knocked off GU last year at Gersten Pavilion. This is a matchup of two of the WCC’s best rebounding teams (GU plus-6.2, LMU plus-5). The Lions have been outrebounded just five times this season; Gonzaga six (including 40-39 by LMU last month). Pepperdine, which won three WCC games last year, notched its fourth by defeating San Diego last week. Mychel Thompson, who made a 35-foot shot to send the San Diego game to overtime, averages 13.3 points and 5.8 rebounds. GU defeated the Waves 92-75 last month.

GU STAT LEADERS

Steven Gray, 14.9 points, 4.1 assists

Robert Sacre, 13.5 points, 6.8 rebounds

Elias Harris, 11.9 points, 5.5 rebounds

Demetri Goodson, 3.0 assists

Kelly Olynyk, 4.2 rebounds

NOTEBOOK ITEM

The West Coast Conference title race should become much clearer by late Saturday night.

Gonzaga (15-9, 5-3 WCC) visits Loyola Marymount tonight and Pepperdine on Saturday. Conference-leading Saint Mary’s has road dates with Santa Clara, tied for third with Gonzaga, tonight and second-place San Francisco on Saturday.

“Definitely seeing the history of what Gonzaga has done, we just want to keep it going,” Bulldogs junior guard Marquise Carter said. “We know we’ve been struggling, but we know we’re a really good team when we put all our pieces together. That’s all we’re trying to do right now.”

So, are the program’s streaks of 10 consecutive WCC titles and 12 straight NCAA Tournament appearances added motivation or added pressure?

“It fuels us,” senior center Rob Sacre said, “because we have a tradition here of winning. It doesn’t faze us. I think it motivates us more so that when we win it’s a special thing.”

Only once during Zags’ run of WCC titles did they lose as many as three games (2007). It’s widely believed Gonzaga will have to win the WCC Tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament.