By Gregory Crawford---TV, Print and Radio Basketball Analyst---on twitter @wchoops @crawssportsbiz @kcsportsmgmt
D-1 Basketball--- Here are 9 things I will be watching in relationship to west coast basketball this year. Teams on the west coast are getting better and getting much more attention, much better to follow for all basketball fans.
1. Will this be the year that Gonzaga goes deep into the postseason? I think so. I will go far as to say they will be a Final Four team for the first time. Great guards and such a good shooting team should propel the Bulldogs.
2. Although everyone seems to be giving the regular season title in the Pac-12 to Arizona, do not sleep on UCLA or Colorado this year. The Bruins and Buffs are so well coached by Steve Alford and Tad Boyle, respectively, not to forget both UCLA and Colorado have deep benches.
3. Maybe I might be the only one watching this, but anxious to see how Idaho will do in the Big Sky, in there first year back in the Conference since the 60s.
4. Can Ernie Kent bring some respectability back to the Washington State Cougar program? Kent seems to be a perfect fit in Pullman, we know he won big at times during his tenure at the University of Oregon.
5. Oregon State has not been to the NCAA basketball tournament since 1990. That is correct 1990 and it has been so long, Gary Payton was a member of that team. Wayne Tinkle was a great hire for Oregon State and he should bring Beaver basketball back. Already Tinkle has a top 10 recruiting class coming in for 2015-16.
6. Will this finally be the year Cameron Dollar has some success at Seattle University. Dollar was brought in to lead the program back to D-1 prominence and so far his teams have been major disappointments. Seattle U. has an iconic history in basketball, their court is named after Elgin Baylor and you can only hope Seattle U. will have a great year in the WAC Conference.
7. It will be fun to watch the Portland State Vikings and its coach Tyler Geving. Geving is an underrated coach and on paper he has his best roster in his six years at Portland State. They should contend for the Big Sky title, no doubt.
8. Can Lorenzo Romar regain the flash in Seattle with his Huskies? The last two years have not been good for Washington basketball, fans are starting to get a little impatient. Romar is a good coach, good person and almost certainly will bring Husky basketball back.
9. Who will win the NWAACC South. Yes, the NWAACC is a great community college league in Oregon and Washington, with outstanding longtime coaches and great players, many who go onto four year schools. The Southern Division of the NWAACC is always tough, really tough and a fun league to watch for sure.
Email Gregory at kiyokawacrawford@gmail.com
Other blogs: http://crawfordsgolfdaily.blogspot.com
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