WCC basketball power rankings: Gonzaga on top as San Francisco closes gap

The Dons climb to No. 2 in our latest WCC power rankings

Gonzaga men's basketball team. / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

There hasn't been a more compelling men's college basketball season in the 72-year history of the West Coast Conference than the 2024-25 campaign.

The league is as deep as it's ever been after bringing in Washington State and Oregon State as affiliate members for the next two years. With nonconference play wrapped up, the WCC has six teams ranked inside the top 75 of the NET Rankings, which is as many as the 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference (the Beavers are No. 58, ahead of the Cougars at No. 67).

Gonzaga was picked to win the conference regular season title once again in the preseason coaches poll, but there are contenders waiting for their chance to knock the Bulldogs off the top of the totem pole.

Saint Mary's returned key pieces from last season's squad that beat the Zags twice to finish atop the standings and take home the conference tournament championship. San Francisco brought back two all-conference guards and the reigning freshman of the year. Santa Clara also has a deep backcourt and boasts continuity from top to bottom.

Here's a look at our eighth WCC power rankings of the season as we head into the thick of conference play.

1. GONZAGA BULLDOGS

Last result: W, 89-82 vs. Pepperdine (Dec. 30)

2024-25 record: 10-4, 1-0 WCC

Stat to know: The Zags went just 2-for-15 (13.3%) from 3-point range in their win over the Waves. It's just the second time since 2015 that Gonzaga won a game in which it made just two 3-pointers.

Up next: Thursday vs. Portland, 6 p.m., KHQ/SWX (ESPN+ for out of market)

2. SAN FRANCISCO DONS

Last result: W, 97-94 OT vs. Santa Clara (Dec. 30)

2024-25 record: 12-3, 2-0 WCC

Stat to know: Senior guard Malik Thomas is second in the WCC and among the top 35 players in the country in scoring at 19.3 points per game. The Fontana, California, native recorded his second 30-point game of the season in a 34-point outburst in the win over the Broncos.

Up next: Thursday at Pacific, 7 p.m., ESPN+

3. SAINT MARY'S GAELS

Last result: W, 70-60 vs. Pacific (Dec. 30)

2024-25 record: 11-3, 1-0 WCC

Stat to know: Following a 10-point, 13-rebound effort in the victory over the Tigers, sophomore forward Paulius Murauskas moved into a tie for the fourth-most double-doubles in the country (seven).

Up next: Saturday vs. Pacific, 5 p.m., ESPN+

4. WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS

Last result: W, 73-59 vs. Loyola Marymount (Spokane Arena, Dec. 30)

2024-25 record: 12-3, 2-0 WCC

Stat to know: The 14-point win over the Lions was the only game this season that the Cougars didn't record at least three blocks as a team. WSU far and away leads the WCC in blocks per game at 5.5, which is the 17th-most in the country.

Up next: Saturday vs. San Francisco, 7 p.m., ESPN+

5. OREGON STATE BEAVERS

Last result: W, 89-79 vs. Portland (Dec. 30)

2024-25 record: 11-3, 1-0 WCC

Stat to know: The Beavers went 35-of-57 (61.4%) from the field in their WCC opener, their highest field goal percentage against a Division-I opponent since 2013 (64% vs. Southern Illinois-Edwardsville).

Up next: Thursday vs. LMU, 7 p.m., ESPN+

6. SANTA CLARA BRONCOS

Last result: L, 97-94 OT at San Francisco (Dec. 30)

2024-25 record: 9-6, 1-1 WCC

Stat to know: The Broncos shot below 30% from 3 through their first seven games (3-4 record); since then, they've knocked down at least 10 triples in each of their last eight games (6-2 record).

Up next: Thursday at San Diego, 7 p.m., ESPN+

7. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT LIONS

Last result: L, 73-59 vs. Washington State (Spokane Arena, Dec. 30)

2024-25 record: 8-6, 0-2 WCC

Stat to know: The Lions' leading scorer, Caleb Stone-Carrawell, is also top 10 in the WCC in field goal percentage (48.3%) while putting up 13.4 points per game.

Up next: Thursday at Oregon State, 7 p.m., ESPN+

8. PEPPERDINE WAVES

Last result: L, 89-82 vs. Gonzaga (Dec. 30)

2024-25 record: 6-9, 0-2 WCC

Stat to know: Led by Jaxon Olvera's career-high 27 points, the Waves fell to the Bulldogs in the slimmest margin between the two schools since the 2009-10 season.

Up next: Thursday at Saint Mary's, 7 p.m., ESPN+

9. PORTLAND PILOTS

Last result: L, 89-79 at Oregon State (Dec. 30)

2024-25 record: 5-10, 0-2 WCC

Stat to know: The Pilots held double-digit leads on the road against both of their in-state rivals Oregon and Oregon State this season, though couldn't hang to secure a win in either scenario.

Up next: Thursday at Gonzaga, 6 p.m., KHQ/SWX (ESPN+ for out of market)

10. SAN DIEGO TOREROS

Last result: W, 75-65 vs. Pacific (Dec. 30)

2024-25 record: 4-10, 1-0 WCC

Stat to know: The 10-point win over the Tigers marked San Diego's first win in a WCC opener since beating San Francisco on Dec. 28, 2017.

Up next: Thursday vs. Santa Clara, 7 p.m., ESPN+

11. PACIFIC TIGERS

Last result: L, 75-65 at San Diego (Dec. 30)

2024-25 record: 5-11, 0-2 WCC

Stat to know: After falling to the Toreros, the Tigers are still looking for their first WCC regular season win since Feb. 25, 2023 (20 consecutive losses).

Up next: Thursday vs. San Francisco, 7 p.m., ESPN+

MORE GONZAGA NEWS & ANALYSIS

• How to watch every Gonzaga WCC men's basketball game in 2025

• ESPN Bracketology projects San Francisco will win WCC over Gonzaga

• Gonzaga basketball plane nearly collides with Delta jet at LAX

• Men's college basketball rankings: Gonzaga continues plunge down AP Top 25 poll

• Gonzaga's Drew Timme is on the move following NBA G League trade

• Gonzaga to honor Domantas Sabonis in pregame ceremony

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