The metrics — and oddsmakers — indicated Gonzaga was far better than its record, and there was little doubt the Bulldogs had the ability to once again compete at a high level.

Maybe it was simply a matter of timing.

Braden Huff scored 18 points in just his second start of the season as Gonzaga avenged two regular-season losses to Saint Mary’s, beating the 19th-ranked Gaels 58-51 in the West Coast Conference Tournament championship on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

The Bulldogs (25-8) secured the WCC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, though both teams were safely in the field regardless of the outcome.

The Bulldogs also got some measure of revenge for losing to the Gaels in last year’s title game, which ended Gonzaga’s run of four conference titles and 10 of 11. Gonzaga also extended its national record to 18 consecutive 25-win seasons.

Saint Mary’s (28-5) had its seven-game winning streak stopped.

Virginia coach out: Virginia will not retain interim coach Ron Sanchez, who took over three weeks before the season began following Tony Bennett’s surprising retirement.

The Cavaliers’ season ended with a 66-60 loss to Georgia Tech in the second round of the ACC Tournament on Wednesday. Sanchez went 15-17 this year.

It’s the first time the Cavaliers have finished with a losing record since 2009-10, Bennett’s first season leading the program.

Cyclones hurting: No. 12 Iowa State could have two of its best guards at less-than-full strength in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals after Tamin Lipsey hurt his groin and Keshon Gilbert continued to deal with a muscle strain in a win over Cincinnati on Wednesday in Kansas City, Missouri.

Lipsey played 29 minutes and had 16 points before leaving with just over three minutes left in the 76-56 victory over the Bearcats. He was met by a trainer along the Cyclones bench and, after a brief chat, headed straight to the locker room.

Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger was optimistic that his point guard would be available Thursday, when the Cyclones play No. 17 BYU.

Otzelberger sounded less optimistic about Gilbert, the fifth-seeded Cyclones’ second-leading scorer, who had missed three of the previous five games because of his injury. Gilbert played 11 first-half minutes against Cincinnati, but he didn’t play in the second half.

“We’ll see what he can do,” Otzelberger said.

Also: Jae’Lyn Withers scored 21 points — all on 3-pointers — and Ven-Allen Lubin had 17 points and 10 rebounds in No. 5 seed North Carolina’s 76-56 rout of No. 12 seed Notre Dame in the second round of the ACC Tournament in Charlotte, N.C. ... Elijah Malone scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half, helping No. 16 seed Colorado beat No. 8 seed West Virginia 67-60 in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, Mo. The Mountaineers’ hopes for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid took a significant blow with the loss.