If there's a time to become healthy in college basketball, this is it. Which is why Gonzaga's stock as an NCAA tournament player this season may be climbing higher and higher as Ronny Turiaf finally rounds into shape.

Turiaf, GU's All-American candidate senior center, has been bothered by two sprained ankles much of the season. But now he's basically 100 percent, which he showed last weekend when he averaged 20 points and 11.5 rebounds in a sweep at Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount, earning West Coast Conference Player of the Week honors in the process.

"He's gaining the confidence in his ankles back," said GU assistant coach Leon Rice. "The sprained ankles took away a lot of his athleticism, but now he's getting it back."

Turiaf's recovery comes at the same time that the rest of a fairly young team appears to be jelling. The sweep in Southern California was GU's first on the road this season.

"We feel like our team is starting to mature a little bit," Rice said. "There's been a lot of pushing and prodding along the way, but we feel like we are making progress."

GU (19-4 overall, 9-2 WCC play) can clinch a share of the West Coast Conference regular-season title with wins at home this weekend against San Diego tonight and San Francisco on Saturday. It would be GU's fifth straight title and ninth since 1994. Any combination of GU wins or Saint Mary's losses totaling three will give Gonzaga the title outright.

Home sweet home

Gonzaga has won 22 straight at home, the third-longest streak, trailing only Oklahoma State (27) and Air Force (24). Southern Illinois has also won 22 straight at home. Tied for fifth with 20 are UW and Kansas.

• Erroll Knight shrugged off a nagging thumb injury to record the first double-double of his career with 14 points and 11 rebounds at Pepperdine.

• Gonzaga will retire the jersey of Frank Burgess, the school's all-time leading scorer, at Saturday's game. Burgess, who wore No. 44, is now a United States district judge for the Western District of Washington after being appointed by President Clinton in 1994.

Bob Condotta