For years, the West Coast Conference belonged to the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
That is not necessarily the case this season. It’s the Saint Mary’s Gaels who enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed, and it seems destined that they’ll once again face Gonzaga in the tournament final.
The two teams split the season series with each taking one game.
Will we see a rubber match in the final? Let’s dive into the tournament odds, schedule, prediction, and dark horse pick.
West Coast Conference tournament odds
West Coast Conference tournament standings and bracket
Here’s a look at the standings and bracket for the 2023 Horizon League Tournament.
West Coast Conference tournament schedule (Dates, time, channel)
The Horizon League Tournament will begin on March 2, with games between No. 9 San Diego and No. 8 Portland, as well as No. 7 Pacific against No. 10 Pepperdine.
The first and second rounds will be broadcast on regional sports networks. The quarterfinals will be televised on ESPN2, and the semifinals will be on ESPN and ESPN2. The championship game will be aired on ESPN.
West Coast Conference tournament prediction and pick
There’s no other team outside of Gonzaga or Saint Mary’s that’s worth betting on. Don’t even bother with a long shot or a dark horse pick. It’s a waste of money.
So, which of the two top teams should you bet on?
I’m going with Saint Mary’s.
The offensive numbers between the two teams are comparable, but the Gaels have a massive advantage on defense. Saint Mary’s ranks seventh in the country in defensive efficiency, while Gonzaga ranks 192nd.
Gonzaga is also a two-point shooting team, but the Gaels have a strong interior defense, keeping teams to shooting just 44.8% from down low.
Give me the Gaels to win the West Coast Conference tournament for the fifth time in school history.
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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
