<p><p>LAS VEGAS – Gonzaga was picked second in the West Coast Conference coaches preseason poll behind Saint Mary’s, just the second time the Zags weren’t in the top spot since 2001.</p></p><p><p>That was an obvious talking point at WCC Media Day on Thursday, but it probably didn’t garner as many inquiries as Gonzaga’s ongoing discussions with the Big 12 Conference.</p></p><p><p>Several WCC coaches, including Gonzaga’s Mark Few, and commissioner Stu Jackson weighed in on conference realignment and the possibility of the Zags joining the Big 12, which previously added former WCC member BYU.</p></p><p><p>“This is the WCC Media Day (and) we’re playing in the WCC this year, so I mean that’s kind of all I’m focused in on right now is this coming year,” Few said. “This stuff has been going on for a while. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”</p></p><p><p>The Zags and Big 12 have had steady dialogue for roughly a year. It returned to the forefront earlier this week with reports of high-level conversations involving GU’s administration and Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark, who is interested in bringing in the Zags as a 17th member to add to what is widely regarded as the best basketball conference in the country.</p></p><p><p>A final decision could come as early as next week. The Zags potentially could make the move after this season or in two years, according to reports.</p></p><p><p>“Totally,” Few responded when asked if it’s the reality of the current college landscape. “Whether it’s transfers, players and conferences, you just live today and live in the present and try to make it the best day possible and totally dialed in to trying to make it the best year we’ve ever had and the best year these guys (Anton Watson and Ryan Nembhard) have ever had.</p></p><p><p>“Kind of boil it down to that so it makes it easier, so I’m not fretting all this stuff that hasn’t happened or might not happen.”</p></p><p><p>Jackson, hired as WCC commissioner last March, oversees the current nine-team conference.</p></p><p><p>“I’m a New Yorker, I like the action,” said Jackson, asked if his first eight months on the job have been unsettling due to conferences shuffling membership. “In all seriousness, we all know we’re in a fluid landscape. It’s incumbent upon all of us that you have information so you understand what the landscape is.</p></p><p><p>“And to that end, you’re able to utilize that information to strategically help stabilize or point our conference in the right direction that makes sense for us.”</p></p><p><p>Jackson said expansion was probable, not inevitable after BYU departed for the Big 12, effective this season. Jackson, who had several coaching stints in his career, including one as an assistant at Washington State in 1983-85, said his approach as commissioner is like coaching.</p></p><p><p>“Any good coach worth his salt in this day and age, you have to manage your roster,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a lot different than being a commissioner. You just have to do your best to manage your roster every year.”</p></p><p><p>Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett had a one-word reaction to the Pac-12 dwindling to the Pac-2.</p></p><p><p>“Insanity,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense. They could have kept that league together. I don’t really care about the Pac-12, I do care about West Coast basketball, our west region. To blow that all up, that wasn’t good. I’m sure it happened for a good reason to somebody, but I think it could have been handled better.”</p></p><p><p>Asked specifically about GU and the Big 12, Bennett noted, “Anything can happen now. If we were talking last year and we were saying the Pac-12 wouldn’t exist anymore and it’d be the Pac-2, it wouldn’t have been a conversation. We would have said to each other, ‘You’re crazy.’</p></p><p><p>“I think the biggest deal on all that stuff is control what you can control. That’s what Gonzaga is doing. If that’s what’s best for them, I think that’s what they’ll do. Every school has to look at it that way.”</p></p><p><h3>LMU excited for Harris’ talent</h3></p><p><p>Loyola Marymount coach Stan Johnson had high praise for Gonzaga transfer Dominick Harris when he met with reporters in one of media day’s final sessions.</p></p><p><p>He also had a disclaimer.</p></p><p><p>“I was telling someone earlier, Dom’s still in the beginning stages of his ordeal,” Johnson said. “He still hasn’t played, so it’s putting the right expectations on him and giving him a chance to be successful.”</p></p><p><p>Johnson still envisions Harris filling a big role for LMU, which lost its top three scorers in the backcourt, including All-WCC first-team selection Cam Shelton, a 21.4 points-per-game scorer for the Lions in 2022-23.</p></p><p><p>Starting guard Justin Ahrens graduated and Jalin Anderson, a 14-game starter for LMU last season, entered the transfer portal before landing at Ball State.</p></p><p><p>Harris was the first of three players from Gonzaga’s 2022-23 roster to enter the transfer portal. He committed to LMU on March 4 after considering a few other schools, including former WCC rival BYU.</p></p><p><p>“We needed to add talent, guard depth,” Johnson said. “With COVID taking over, our teams the last few years – I feel like we just haven’t had depth like you have to have in this league. I loved who Dom was and I believed in his talent and I believe he’s a great kid.”</p></p><p><p>A former four-star recruit, Harris signed with Gonzaga as part of a loaded 2020 recruiting class that also featured eventual first-round NBA draft picks Jalen Suggs and Julian Strawther. Harris struggled to carve out a role in Gonzaga’s backcourt as a freshman and missed the 2021-22 season due to a foot injury.</p></p><p><p>Despite his offensive versatility and strengths as a defender, the injury setback made it difficult for Harris to crack Few’s rotation last season. Harris made just 13 appearances, totaling 57 total minutes.</p></p><p><p>“His talent’s great,” Johnson said. “Talent for talent, he might be our most talented player in terms of gifts.”</p></p><p><h3>Timme timeout</h3></p><p><p>Drew Timme often worked over WCC programs and nonconference foes during his decorated four-year career, but the three-time All-American has moved on to the pros.</p></p><p><p>The Gaels’ Bennett likes the idea of not having to prepare for Timme’s assortment of moves for the first time in four seasons.</p></p><p><p>“I won’t mind,” Bennett said. “He was a load, but they’ll have guys step up. They run a program like we run a program. Their guys develop. But I’ll go back to, it’ll be all right with me Timme’s not around. He was a tough matchup (for) all three guys we put on him.”</p></p><p><p>Timme is with the Milwaukee Bucks on an exhibition 10 contract.</p></p>
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