updated 9:34 p.m. ET March 1, 2006

SPOKANE, Wash. - Fifth-ranked Gonzaga may be the top program in the West Coast Conference, but that doesn’t mean other league coaches have to like it.

Jessie Evans, coach of San Francisco, complained Tuesday about the home court advantage the Zags will have in this weekend’s conference tournament. He also complained that referees are intimidated by the raucous sellout crowds at Gonzaga.

Evans was apparently referring to his team’s free throw deficit in Monday night’s last-second 75-72 loss at Gonzaga. The Dons made 3 of 7 free throws in the game, while Gonzaga sank 18 of 23.

“The stats don’t lie,” Evans said during a conference call for all WCC coaches prior to the tournament. “That’s been the case all along. I’m saying things publicly that the other coaches feel.

“It’s unfortunate that officiating gets intimidated a little bit,” Evans said.

Evans also complained about having to travel to Gonzaga, which is hosting the tournament for the first time.

He thought the tournament should be held at a “neutral” site, which Evans defined as San Francisco, Los Angeles or San Diego, where six of the eight WCC teams are based.

Gonzaga coach Mark Few said criticizing the officials hurts the integrity of basketball.

“I don’t think guys should ever say that,” Few responded. “They are questioning the integrity of the game of basketball, questioning the integrity of officials.”

Few said that when the WCC switched to a Saturday-Monday game schedule this year, the Monday officials are often the best on the West Coast.

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In 14 WCC games this year, Gonzaga made 268 of 346 free throws, for 77 percent. Its WCC opponents made 164 of 248, 66 percent.

Few said the discrepancy is because the Zags attack inside with J.P. Batista, and have Adam Morrison penetrating to the basket, both of which are intended to draw fouls.

The comments from Evans exposed some raw nerves in the WCC, which Gonzaga has owned in the past decade. The league of small religiously affiliated private colleges has three teams in the San Francisco Bay area, two in the Los Angeles area, one in San Diego and one in Portland, Ore.

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Spokane is the smallest and most remote market, but easily the biggest winner.

Few is 89-9 in WCC games in the seven years he has been coach, and the Zags have won a record six straight league titles. The Zags are 40-2 in the league the past three years, twice going undefeated through the conference.

The Zags lead the nation with 38 straight home wins and have won 23 consecutive WCC games dating to last season.

Adam Morrison on Tuesday became the sixth consecutive Gonzaga player to be named WCC player of the year.

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The league decides where the tournament will be in advance of the season, and Gonzaga has lobbied for years that it is unfair that the Zags win the league title and then have to travel to other gyms for the tournament.

With the opening of the 6,000-seat McCarthey Athletic Center last year, the largest arena in the league and a constant sellout, the league finally relented. Tickets for the league tournament were gobbled up by Gonzaga fans.

Coach Paul Westphal of Pepperdine said the Zags deserve the event.

“They have built the nicest building in the conference and had the most successful program,” Westphal said. “They are long past their turn to host.”

Dick Davey of Santa Clara said the enthusiastic crowds in Spokane also energize opposing teams.

“It creates a lot of vigor for the visiting team,” Davey said.

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