LAS VEGAS – Gonzaga men's basketball's Graham Ike, Ryan Nembhard, and Anton Watson were selected to the West Coast Conference Preseason Team Thursday. The team, along with the annual preseason poll, was released at the seventh annual #WCCHoops Tip-Off event at the Resorts World Resort.
 
The Zags were slated second in the league's preseason poll behind Saint Mary's. GU received 60 points in the poll, with four first place votes, while the Gaels grabbed five first place votes and 61 points. San Francisco was tabbed third with 45 points. The conference's preseason poll and team were selected by the league's 10 coaches. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own program.
 
Watson was tabbed Honorable Mention All-West Coast Conference last season. The Spokane native was second in the WCC shooting 60.8 percent from the field, while also topping the league in conference play at 64.8 percent. He started all 37 games in 2022-23, averaging a career-best 11.1 points per game, and 12.9 points per WCC contest. Watson had 66 steals, which was second in the conference and the fourth-most in a single season in program history. The Zags are 105-11 in his collegiate appearances.
 
Nembhard started 64 games the past two seasons for Creighton, averaging 12.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists this past season and 11.3 points and 4.4 assists as a freshman. Ryan is the younger brother of former Zag star, Andrew Nembhard, who is now flourishing with the Indiana Pacers. The Aurora, Ont., native, was crucial in the Bluejays' run to the Elite Eight this season, including finishing with a career-high 30 points and four three-pointers in a second-round NCAA tournament win over Baylor.
 
During the 2021-22 season, Ike averaged 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game as Wyoming went 25-9 and made the NCAA Tournament. The 6-9, 255-pound forward posted 17 points and nine rebounds in the Cowboys' loss to Indiana in the First Four. He was named First Team All-Mountain West Conference by the media and Second Team by the coaches. Ike was second in the league in scoring and rebounding. Ike missed last season due to an injury. He was the Mountain West Conference Preseason Player of the Year coming into 2022-23.
 
The Zags shared the 2022-23 West Coast Conference regular season title with SMC. It was GU's 11th straight regular season title and 26th overall. GU extended its current nationally best active streak of regular season titles, owned or shared. The Bulldogs have won 24 of the last 26 WCC regular season championships, 20 of which have been won outright. GU has won or shared 22 of the last 23 conference regular season titles. Gonzaga has appeared in 26 straight WCC Tournament Championship games, which is the longest streak of its kind in the nation. The Zags have won the conference tournament title 10 times in the last 12 years, including the last four.
 
Except for this season and 2017-18, the Zags have been first place in every West Coast Conference preseason poll since 2001. Gonzaga won the 2017-18 regular season title outright.
 
The Bulldogs open their season with an exhibition at home against Lewis-Clark State on Nov. 3, before starting the regular season versus Yale in Spokane on Nov. 10.
 
2023-24 WCC Men's Basketball Preseason Team
Alex Ducas - Saint Mary's
Graham Ike - Gonzaga
Keli Leaupepe - LMU
Aidan Mahaney - Saint Mary's
Houston Mallette - Pepperdine
Ryan Nembhard - Gonzaga
Jevon Porter - Pepperdine
Tyler Robertson - Portland
Mitchell Saxen - Saint Mary's
Anton Watson - Gonzaga 
 
2023-24 WCC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
Team (first-place votes) points
1. Saint Mary's – (5) 61
2. Gonzaga – (4) 60 points
3. San Francisco - 45
4. LMU - 42
5. Santa Clara - 41
6. Portland - 27
7. Pepperdine - 22
8. Pacific - 16
9. San Diego - 10