College Basketball is back! Tip-off has happened, games have begun, and the road to March is on. As we near the end of our team-by-team and conference-by-conference preview, next up is the West Coast Conference. Let’s dive into this edition of the College Basketball 2026-27 West Coast Conference preview, odds, and best bets.
It was another strong season for the West Coast Conference last season. Headlined by Gonzaga once again. They went 31-4 overall and 16-2 in the conference. Shared the regular-season WCC championship. Won the conference tournament. Received a No. 3 NCAA Tournament seed. Saint Mary’s matched Gonzaga’s pace, going 27-6 overall and 16-2 in conference play. They shared that regular-season title with Gonzaga. Finished the year ranked No. 22 nationally. Earned a No. 7 NCAA Tournament seed.
Big changes came in the offseason to the West Coast Conference. Gonzaga, who has won the WCC tournament 23 times and the regular season title 29 times, has left the conference. They’ve joined the rebuilt PAC-12. Oregon State and Washington State, the legacy members of the PAC-12 who spent the last two seasons as affiliate members of the WCC in basketball, return to their rebuilt conference as well. Three new teams join the WCC to replace the departing members. Denver, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara.
Odds to Win West Coast Conference Regular Season
Saint Mary’s +110
Santa Clara +200
Loyola Marymount +1100
Pacific +1500
Seattle +1600
Pepperdine +1800
San Francisco +2000
San Diego +2200
Portland +8000
Denver +8000
West Coast Conference Best Bets
Saint Mary’s Under 11.5 Conference Wins (+120)
Saint Mary’s had an outstanding season last year. Now with Gonzaga out of the way, they are the favorites to win the conference. But I’m just not sold. Randy Bennett won 589 games at Saint Mary’s. That is a lot of games to replace. Yes, Mickey McConnell was on Bennett’s staff for a long time and can keep the identity of the program together, but he’s got to rebuild the team almost entirely.
Saint Mary’s lost 77% of its scoring from last season, including Paulius Murauskas, who followed Bennett to Arizona State. They have eight new players on the roster this fall. That’s a lot of chemistry and uncertainty going on.
Santa Clara to Win Regular Season West Coast Conference (+200)
Santa Clara wasn’t mentioned above, but they also had an impressive season last year. The Broncos were 26-9 overall, 15-3 in conference. Finished just one game behind the co-champions. Beat Saint Mary’s in the conference semifinals. Reached the WCC championship game, where they lost to Gonzaga 79-68. Earned a No. 10 NCAA Tournament seed; their first time in the Big Dance since 1996, they took Kentucky to overtime.
Now, Gonzaga is gone; we’ve just highlighted Saint Mary’s rebuild. This is Santa Clara’s conference to lose in my opinion. Herb Sendek is entering his 11th season at Santa Clara. He’s built the program into a consistent winner, including five consecutive 20-win seasons. That coaching continuity, along with bringing back three key pieces to last year’s team in Sash Gavalyugov, Jake Ensminger, and Thierry Darlan, seals the deal for me.
