WCC announces 2020-2021 conference schedules for men’s and women’s basketball

Paisley Johnson takes a layup against Pepperdine in the Marriott Center. The conference schedules for BYU Men’s and Women’s Basketball were released this week. (BYU Photo)

WCC announces 2020-2021 conference schedules for men’s and women’s basketball

The West Coast Conference released the men’s and women’s basketball schedules for conference play on Thursday.

Both BYU basketball teams will begin their seasons during the final week of 2020, with the women playing host to San Francisco on Monday, Dec. 28, and the men starting Thursday, Dec. 31, on the road at Pepperdine.

Women’s basketball

The women’s team starts its conference slate playing five games in 13 days, including three matchups on the road. Following a second home game against Santa Clara on Wednesday, Dec. 30, the Cougars go on the road against San Diego, LMU, and Pepperdine on Jan. 4, Jan. 7, and Jan. 9, respectively.

BYU women’s basketball then hosts Saint Mary’s on Jan. 14, and Pacific on Jan. 16, before hitting the road for matchups against Portland on Jan. 21, and Gonzaga on Jan. 23. San Diego, Pepperdine, and LMU come to town for home games on Feb. 4, Feb. 6, and Feb. 11. The team will travel to Moraga for a road game at St. Mary’s before playing Gonzaga at home on Feb. 20.

Senior Night at the Marriott Center will be held on Saturday, Feb. 20, against Portland, before closing out the regular season at Santa Clara and San Francisco on Thursday, Feb. 25, and Saturday, Feb. 27.

Men’s basketball

The men’s team will play its first conference home game on Jan. 7 against Pacific. The 16-game conference schedule features a home-and-home series against Gonzaga, Pacific, Pepperdine, Portland, Saint Mary’s, San Diego and San Francisco. It also includes a game at LMU on Feb. 20 and a home matchup against Santa Clara on Feb. 25.

The Cougars’ conference schedule is set to conclude with a senior-night matchup against Gonzaga at the Marriott Center on Saturday, Feb. 27. BYU upset the No. 2-ranked Zags 91-78 last season in Provo, setting up an enticing rematch between the two teams.

The West Coast Conference hopes to celebrate its 13th year in Las Vegas with the 2021 West Coast Conference Basketball Tournaments scheduled to be played at the Orleans Arena from Mar. 4-9, 2021.

Non-conference schedules for both teams, as well as broadcast plans for conference games will be announced at a later date.