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Provo • With four new head coaches in place, the 10-team West Coast Conference men's basketball scene will take on a different look this season.

Veteran coach Herb Sendek replaces Kerry Keating at Santa Clara — which visits BYU on Thursday night — while Kyle Smith takes over at San Francisco and former NBA players Terry Porter and Damon Stoudamire begin their coaching careers at Portland and Pacific, respectively.

But the view from the top won't change.

If nonconference performance is any indication, the WCC will be a two-horse race in 2016-17, and injury-riddled BYU isn't one of the lead horses.

Rather, a pair of teams that has resided in the Associated Press Top 25 poll the past two months, No. 7 Gonzaga and No. 19 Saint Mary's, are expected to battle it out for the regular-season crown.

"Well, I think the league is as good as it has ever been," BYU coach Dave Rose said, noting how Gonzaga is 12-0 for the first time in its history as a Division I school, and SMC has every starter back from a team that won 29 games last year and tied the Zags for the regular-season title.

The inexperienced and inconsistent Cougars (9-4) were everyone's pick to finish third in their sixth season in the league and perhaps push the Zags and Gaels at the top, but that was before they lost two starters, Elon transfer Elijah Bryant and senior forward Kyle Davis.

A combo guard who can also play on the wing, Bryant has battled a sore knee since undergoing meniscus surgery before the season started and still hopes to return in January, while Davis' career is over. Coach Dave Rose said Davis tried to come back from a knee injury suffered in the 114-101 loss to Utah Valley, and he played in four games since then, but it was determined he needs surgery soon.

It is a huge blow to BYU's hopes to contend for the WCC title and to make it back to the NCAA Tournament. Junior center Corbin Kaufusi has rejoined the team after playing football the past four months and will help make up for the loss of Davis. The 6-foot-10 Kaufusi started 23 games last season and is arguably a better defender than Davis, but not nearly as dangerous offensively.

All 10 WCC teams will begin conference play Thursday night, with the Cougars playing host to Santa Clara (6-7) and WCC Player of the Year candidate Jared Brownridge at 7 p.m. at the Marriott Center.

drew@sltrib.com Twitter: @drewjay —

WCC predicted order of finish

1. Gonzaga (12-0) • One of only six unbeaten teams in all of college basketball, the Zags have reloaded in a big way with the usual assortment of high-profile transfers.

2. Saint Mary's (10-1) • Junior Jock Landale (17.9 ppg.) has emerged as one of the best post players in the country, and he's got plenty of help, as all five starters return for Randy Bennett.

3. BYU (9-4) • Injuries and lack of perimeter shooting prowess will likely have them looking to hold off others for third.

4. Portland (7-5) • Senior Alec Wintering (21.5 ppg.) gives former NBA head coach Terry Porter a reliable scorer.

5. San Francisco (10-3) • The Dons knocked off Utah in Hawaii and were the biggest surprise in the preseason.

6. Pepperdine (4-8) • Utah transfer Chris Reyes joins the multi-talented Lamond Murray Jr. and guard Jeremy Major.

7. Santa Clara (6-7) • Perennial underachievers under ex-coach Kerry Keating won at Valparaiso last week.

8. Loyola Marymount (7-4) • Senior guards Brandon Brown and Buay Tuach boost improving Lions.

9. Pacific (6-7) • Senior guard T.J. Wallace returns for a team that stunned BYU in Provo last year.

10. San Diego (7-5) • Senior forward Brett Bailey has helped Toreros win five straight.