Zags, Toreros control their own destinies

As the final buzzer sounded on the WCC Tournament Championship nearly two weeks ago, the fortunes of two teams were dramatically altered.

Now, both teams will be fighting to change or secure their reputations as they step onto the biggest stage possible - the NCAA Tournament.

One team finds itself in a familiar place but unfamiliar territory as the tournament opens, with their high hopes marred season-long by inconsistencies, and now must prove to themselves that they have not fallen down the Division-I ladder. The other team is in the midst of a storybook season - no one expected them to be so good so soon.

Over the next few weeks, or possibly only days, we will witness the beginning of the next chapter for the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the San Diego Toreros.

For the first time in recent memory, the entire scope of the WCC is changing, a fact made more evident thanks to that championship game.

With the Toreros' sudden arrival and the Bulldogs' sudden unpredictability, for the first time in years things are looking interesting, as the last meeting between the two has changed the outlook and ambitions for both teams.

For San Diego, everything from here on out this season is just icing on the cake. First-year head coach Bill Grier came into this season simply looking to lay the groundwork for a young team. By the end of the year, they were conference champions, upsetting the Zags after the former Bulldogs assistant molded this Toreros team like he helped to mold Gonzaga, from doormats to darlings.

For Gonzaga, everything from here on out this season is about restoring their standing. Mark Few came into this season with one of his deepest and most talented squads ever, and fans had high expectations about what this group could accomplish. By the end of the year, it was impossible to know which Bulldog team would show up to the game: the one that had looked so impressive in road wins against Connecticut and St. Joeseph's, or the unsure, tentative group that gave away wins against Oklahoma and Washington State. The Bulldogs still went 7-6 against 10 eventual NCAA Tournament teams, but never showed consistency, and were outplayed and outmatched in the WCC final by San Diego.

For San Diego, their tournament matchup is a can't-lose. If they pull off the more and more possible upset of Connecticut, it's gravy. If they lose, they can build on their experience for the future.

For Gonzaga, their tournament matchup is a must-win. They have the ability to decide which way their season will be defined - by inconsistencies and lapses, or by proving that the talent they have on paper can translate to the court. While Davidson is no pushover, a Zags loss will be the ultimate blow to a team that has struggled to establish itself.

For San Diego, the future has arrived early.

For Gonzaga, all eyes are on the here and now.

Two teams with several different possible destinies, and both now on the brink of determining their fates thanks to the outcome of one game.

The next few games could determine whether that game meant nothing, or everything, whether the WCC will stay as it has been for 10 years, or if a new era has arrived.

As the new chapters for these two teams begin, what will appear on those pages will be what the Zags and the Toreros each allow to be written during this NCAA Tournament. Only one thing is certain: no matter the outcome, it will sure be an interesting read.