Zack Farmer

Host: @UnoffWCCpod | Spotify: | YouTube: | SMC & USF grad | Also on IG, Twitch

[Zack Farmer @postsbyzack]

@DellyMouthguard

[Zack Farmer @postsbyzack]

One of my favorite Gaels returning to Moraga. Welcome home, @Rob_Jones22!

[Saint Mary's Hoops @saintmaryshoops]

He’s back!!!

Please join us in welcoming back to Moraga Rob Jones ‘12 as our newest assistant coach!

#GaelsRise @WCChoops

[Jon Rothstein @JonRothstein]

Sources: UC Santa Barbara is finalizing an agreement to join the WCC for the 2027-28 season.

The Gauchos are the third addition for the WCC in the past seven months, joining UC San Diego and Denver.

League will have 12 teams in 2027-28.

[Zack Farmer @postsbyzack]

I like the idea. But the biggest question with anything they end up implementing is if it can survive a legal challenge.

[Yahoo Sports @YahooSports]

The NCAA is exploring a significant change to its eligibility rule, per Yahoo Sports’ @RossDellenger.

Next week, an NCAA committee will discuss a new age-based standard for athlete eligibility that would grant athletes five full years of eligibility from the time of their 19th birthday or their high school graduation.

No waiver requests, redshirts or exceptions will be permitted, except for a small group of outliers (those on maternity leave, military service or religious missions).

[Joe Tipton @JoeTipton]

NEWS: Gonzaga guard Braeden Smith plans to enter the @TransferPortal, his agency ADS Sports told @On3. 

The 6-0 junior averaged 5.1 points and 3.6 assists in 17 minutes a game this season. Former Patriot League POY at Colgate.

https://t.co/78QUCewQCx

[Zack Farmer @postsbyzack]

We’re going to end up with a sub-.500 P4 team as an at large next year.

[Sports Business Journal @SBJ]

NCAA leadership is expected to finalize an expansion of the men’s and women’s tournaments to 76 teams soon after this year’s tournament 🏀

The proposal would add eight games to the First Four, with 24 teams playing in an opening round before advancing into the main bracket.

Via @YahooSports | https://t.co/p64Ssx3W8a

[Hoop Herald @TheHoopHerald]

NIL context

No names here but a Mid Major Freshman who averaged about 15 PPG on a 500 team, has been offered 550,000 by a Mid Level A10 team

Take that information as fact and a bar for the amount of money flying around

[Zack Farmer @postsbyzack]

@Denny_Bulcao @UnoffWCCpod @WCChoops @NCAA @RealPitino Greg Sankey is somewhere thinking “don’t threaten me with a good time.”

The P4 would take any reason to exclude mid majors from March if they could. Don’t make it that easy for them.

The NCAA and/or P4 need to find a legal remedy but the NCAA has taken repeated Ls in court.

[Zack Farmer @postsbyzack]

This one really stings

[Transfer Portal @TransferPortal]

NEW: Saint Mary's guard Dillan Shaw plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, per @JoeTipton.

Shaw was named to the WCC All-Freshman Team this past season.

https://t.co/MorD1lSVIl

[Sam Kayser @KayserHoops]

NEWS: San Diego forward Assane Diop intends to enter the transfer portal, he told @LeagueRDY.

The former four-star recruit began his career playing two seasons at Colorado before spending this season at San Diego.

He averaged 5.7PPG, 5.2RPG and 1.3APG this season.

[Travis Branham @TravisBranham_]

NEWS: JRob Croy, the No. 124 overall recruit in the class of 2026, has flipped his commitment from St. Mary’s to Arizona State, following Randy Bennett to Tempe, he tells @247Sports.

Story: https://t.co/DpmauYGX8z

[Zack Farmer @postsbyzack]

@haywardkjd Leader in the clubhouse

[Zack Farmer @postsbyzack]

Now, the big question is can they keep it rolling. Mickey McConnell being the reported replacement (internal and alum) helps with continuity.

In any case, this blows the landscape of the WCC next year WIDE OPEN.

Zags gone. RB gone. SCU on the rise. Who will step up?

[Zack Farmer @postsbyzack]

The job he did turning Saint Mary’s into one of the best and most consistent mid major programs cannot be understated.

Nearly 600 wins for a program that had all of two wins the year before he arrived.

The WCC will have a lot of changes this offseason.

[Zack Farmer @postsbyzack]

@plymkr8 @BontaHill @USFDonsMBB They could. I trust the coaches.

[Saint Mary's Hoops @saintmaryshoops]

Thank you, Coach Bennett!

#GaelsRise

[Zack Farmer @postsbyzack]

That. The NIL money. The reality of the sport if you want to compete.

[Rocco Miller @RoccoMiller8]

Many years of turning down bigger offers, Bennett preferred to build Saint Mary's instead. He has finally succumbed, due to the power of Gonzaga leaving the conference, and NIL money simply never going to be enough in Moraga to compete with the Top 10 teams in the sport.

[Zack Farmer @postsbyzack]

@kwsess Wouldn’t surprise me to see Dave get involved in that fight.

[Connor Pelton @ConnorPelton28]

@jeffborzello @PeteThamel First look at Randy Bennett with the Sun Devils

[Zack Farmer @postsbyzack]

The job he did turning Saint Mary’s into one of the best and most consistent mid major programs cannot be understated.

Nearly 600 wins for a program that had all of two wins the year before he arrived.

The WCC will have a lot of changes this offseason.

[Theo Lawson @TheoLawson_SR]

Randy Bennett's legendary run at #SMC appears to be over. Went 589-228 over 25 seasons with the Gaels, won seven WCC regular-season titles, made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances.

WCC loses #Gonzaga and Bennett in the same offseason.