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PLAYER OF THE WEEK SMU guard Bryan Hopkins, a junior from Dallas, Texas (Lincoln HS), scored 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a 77-43 win over Baylor last Thursday. Hopkins was 10-of-15 from the field, 5-of-10 from behind the three-point line and added five assists and four steals in 30 minutes of play. It is Hopkins first career WAC Player of the Week award.
Others nominated:
Jermaine Blackburn, Sr., G/F, Boise State - averaged 19.5 points in a split of two games. He had 17 against Eastern Washington and 22 versus Oregon State.
JaVance Coleman, So., G, Fresno State - scored 23 points against Oregon including 10 in a 14-0 run to help Fresno State regain the lead in the final minutes of the game.
Donell Allick, Sr., G, Louisiana Tech - scored a career-high 23 points on 6-of-7 shooting in a win over McNeese State. He also had five assists, three steals and three rebounds in the game.
Nick Fazekas, So., F, Nevada - scored 22 points in back-to-back wins over Florida Atlantic and Eastern Illinois. He was 17-of-21 (.810) from the field and 6-of-7 (.857) from three-point range for the week.
Michael Harris, Sr., F, Rice - averaged 21.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in a split of two games.
Jason Williams, Jr., G/F, UTEP - averaged 17.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in a sweep of New Mexico State.
Jarius Glenn, Sr., F, Tulsa - scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds against Wichita State. It was his fourth double-double of the year.
HAWAII IMPROVES TO 6-0 After a nine-day layoff, Hawaii returned to action on Monday night in the first round of the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic and beat Long Beach State, 54-45. The win kept the Rainbow Warriors as the only undefeated team in the WAC and one of 14 in the nation without a loss. Its six-game winning streak is tied for the 15th longest in the nation. Hawaii plays in the semifinals of its tournament on Wednesday evening when it hosts Oral Roberts (8-0) who has an eight-game winning streak, tied for the second longest in the nation. The championship/consolation games will be played on Thursday. Hawaiis opponent in that game will come from a pool of teams consisting of UAB, Clemson, USC and Indiana State.
RICE ROAD TRIP CONCLUDES WEDNESDAY Rice finishes its two-game road trip on Wednesday night against seventh-ranked Syracuse. The trip began on Sunday with a game against Connecticut in which the Owls lost, 81-72. The two opponents are the last two national champions as Syracuse won in 2003 and Connecticut won this past season.
SENSLEY, GLENN LEAD TEAMS Hawaiis Julian Sensley and Tulsas Jarius Glenn each lead their teams in scoring, rebounding and assists. Sensley averages 15.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while Glenn averages 18.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. In the WAC statistics, Glenn is sixth in scoring, third in rebounding and sixth in assists while Sensley is 10th in scoring, seventh in rebounding and 10th in assists. Six other schools feature players that lead their teams in two of the three categories:
Jermaine Blackburn, Sr., G/F, Boise State (15.2 ppg, 3.1 apg)
Paul Millsap, So., F, Louisiana Tech (21.1 ppg, 12.6 rpg)
Michael Harris, Sr., F, Rice (19.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg)
Marquin Chandler, Sr., F, San Jose State (19.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg)
Bryan Hopkins, Jr., G, SMU (15.8 ppg, 4.9 apg)
Omar Thomas, Sr., F, UTEP (19.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg)
MILLSAP LEADS NATION IN REBOUNDING Louisiana Tech forward Paul Millsap moved up to first nationally in this weeks rebounding statistics. The sophomore is averaging 12.6 rebounds per game. Last year, he became the first WAC player to finish the season as the nations leading rebounder with 12.5 boards per game.
CASTRO SECOND IN FG PERCENTAGE SMU senior Eric Castro is second nationally in field goal percentage (.694) in this weeks NCAA rankings. Castro was 14-of-21 last week. Prior to last week, he was shooting .707 from the floor, but had not made enough field goals to qualify (minimum 5 field goals made per game).
WAC TRIO RANKED TWICE In this weeks NCAA rankings, three WAC players are ranked in at least two different statistical categories. Louisiana Tech sophomore Paul Millsap is 11th nationally in scoring with 21.1 points per game and 1st in rebounding (12.6 rpg). He leads the WAC in both scoring and rebounding. Rice senior Michael Harris is 26th in scoring (19.7 ppg), 9th in rebounding (10.7 rpg) and 46th in field goal percentage (.588). Fresno State senior Mustafa Al-Sayyad is 23rd in field goal percentage (.625) and 35th in blocks (2.3 bpg).
WAC TO CHANGE IN 2005-06 Over the last year, the WAC issued invitations to Idaho, New Mexico State and Utah State effective July 1, 2005, the same date that Rice, SMU, UTEP and Tulsa are moving to Conference USA. In mens basketball last year, Idaho was 14-16, New Mexico State was 13-14 and Utah State was 25-4.
1,000-POINT SCORERS The WAC has four players that have scored more than 1,000 points in their collegiate careers: Rice senior forward Michael Harris (1,513); Rice senior guard Jason McKrieth (1,174); SMU senior forward Patrick Simpson (1,028); and SMU junior guard Bryan Hopkins (1,020). Tulsa senior forward Jarius Glenn has 944.
WAC ON ESPN/SPORTSWEST The WAC has a multi-year contract with both ESPN and SportsWest for coverage of WAC football and basketball. A minimum of 15 basketball games between the two networks are scheduled this season.
BRACKET BUSTER SATURDAY For the third year in a row, the WAC has partnered with ESPN and several other top college basketball conferences for Bracket Buster Saturday, a one-day mens basketball event matching potential NCAA tournament hopefuls against each other. All 10 WAC teams will be involved in this years event to be held on Feb. 19, 2005. ESPN and ESPN2 will present six games while five more games will be produced and distributed in the markets of the competing teams. The match-ups for Bracket Buster Saturday will be determined by ESPN in conjunction with the conferences on Sunday, Jan. 30, 2005.
2005 WAC TOURNAMENT The 2005 WAC Tournament will be held March 8-12 at the Lawlor Events Center in Nevada, Reno. Both the men and women compete during the same week. On the mens side, the seven, eight, nine and 10 seeded teams will play on Tuesday, March 8. The remaining eight teams will all play in the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 10 with the top seed competing versus the winner of the Tuesday eight-nine game, the No. 2 seed vs. the winner of the seven-10 game, the No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 and No 4 vs. No. 5. The winners will play in the semifinals on Friday and the championship game will be Saturday night.
HAWAII OWNS LONGEST HOME STREAK Hawaii owns the WACs longest home winning streak at nine in a row. In conference games only, Nevadas nine-game home winning streak is the longest in the WAC.
NATIONAL RANKINGS No WAC teams are ranked in the top 25, but Hawaii is receiving votes in both polls while Fresno State earned consideration in the AP poll. The top two WAC teams in the CollegeRPI.com ratings are Hawaii (37) and Rice (42).
HOME SWEET HOME The WACs 10 teams are a combined 38-12 (.760) at home this season. On the road and in neutral site games, the WAC is 12-16 (.429).
NON-CONFERENCE MARK The WAC is 50-28 (.641) in non-conference games this season, including a 44-28 (.611) mark against Division I teams. In 2003-04, WAC teams were 72-42 (.632) in non-conference games with a 61-41 (.598) mark against Division I teams. The WACs best record ever against non-conference opponents came during the 1974-75 season when it was 73-22 (.768).
HAWAII TOP TEAM OVER LAST FOUR YEARS Over the last four seasons, Hawaii is 73-30 (.709), the best record of any WAC team during that time. In conference games, Hawaii has won 35 games, the most in that same time period. The top five teams in wins (both overall and WAC) over the last four seasons:
Overall Record (Pct.) WAC Record (Pct.)
1. Hawaii 73-30 (.709) 1. Hawaii 35-19 (.648)
2. Nevada 66-39 (.629) 2. Nevada 33-21 (.611)
3. Fresno State 59-39 (.602) 3. Fresno State 32-22 (.593)
4. Tulsa 61-41 (.598) Tulsa 32-22 (.593)
5. Rice 56-42 (.571 ) 5. La. Tech 31-23 (.574)
TOP PLAYERS RETURNING A total of five players from both the all-WAC first and second-teams returned this year: Michael Harris, Sr., F, Rice; Filiberto Rivera, Sr., G, UTEP; Paul Millsap, So., F, Louisiana Tech; Jason McKrieth, Sr., G, Rice; and Omar Thomas, Sr., F, UTEP. Four of the five all-newcomer team honorees also returned from last year and include: Millsap, Rivera, Thomas and Nick Fazekas, So., F, Nevada. Millsap was last years WAC Freshman of the Year after averaging 15.6 points and a nation-best 12.5 rebounds per game.
STAT LEADERS BACK Statistically, five of the top 10 scorers returned for the 2004-05 season. SMUs Bryan Hopkins was third in the WAC in scoring last year with a 17.7 point per game average. Others coming back included: Michael Harris, Rice (17.5); Jason McKrieth, Rice (15.8); Paul Millsap, Louisiana Tech (15.6); and Omar Thomas, UTEP (15.5). Millsap was the leading returning rebounder with a 12.5 rpg average last season (1st in the nation), and UTEPs Filiberto Rivera returned after ranking third in the WAC in assists with 4.8 per game.
HARRIS NAMED PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR In a vote by the WACs head coaches and media, Rice senior forward Michael Harris was picked as the leagues preseason Player of the Year. Last season, Harris averaged 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds in leading the Owls to a 22-11 record and a berth in the NIT.
FIVE IN POSTSEASON Last year, the WAC had five teams that made appearances in the 2004 postseason tournaments. It was the most since the 1999 season when the WAC placed eight teams as a 16-team conference. In its six previous seasons as a 10-team conference (1993-94-95-96-02-03), the most teams placed into the postseason had been four teams in 1994, 1996 and 2002.
FIVE WITH 20 For the first time in seven seasons as a 10-team conference, the WAC had five teams with 20 or more wins last year. Boise State, Hawaii, Nevada, Rice and UTEP all hit that mark. The last time the WAC had five 20-win teams came in 1998-99 when it was a 16-team conference. The WAC did have five with 20 twice as a nine-team league in 1987-88 and 1989-90.
UTEP HAD NATIONS BIGGEST IMPROVEMENT After a 6-24 record in 2002-03, UTEP finished last year with a 24-8 mark. The 17-game improvement ties the NCAA record (that began being kept track of in 1974) set by Mercer in 2002-03 (6-23 to 23-6).
TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES
Boise State Broncos (5-4, 0-0 WAC)Is 1-1 in its current seven-game homestand (the longest of any WAC team this season) ... wont play on the road again until Jan. 13 when it travels to Fresno ... since winning its first two games of the season, Boise State has alternated losing and winning ... Boise State leads the WAC in three-point field goals made per game (7.11) ... senior Franco Harris leads the WAC in three-point field goal percentage (.388) ... senior forward Jason Ellis has 772 rebounds and needs 34 to become the schools all-time leader ... he has 16 career double-doubles, the third most of any active WAC player ... Ellis has started 71 straight games, the longest active streak in the WAC ... the Broncos finished last season with 23 wins, one shy of the school record.
(RV/--) Fresno State Bulldogs (6-1, 0-0 WAC)Is facing Pacific on Tuesday night for the 148th time, the longest running rivalry in school history ... has scored at least 80 points four times this year, one shy of matching its total in the past two years combined ... lost its first game (8-1) under head coach Ray Lopes when scoring 80+ points on Saturday against Oregon ... Oregon shot 53.2 percent from the field against the Bulldogs, the first Fresno State opponent to shoot over 40 percent this year ... features a roster with nine freshmen and 10 newcomers ... senior Mustafa Al-Sayyad leads the WAC in blocks with 2.29 per game ... the Bulldogs lead the WAC in scoring margin (+14.7 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (.354) ... has made more free throws (119) than its opponents have attempted (98).
(RV/RV) Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (6-0, 0-0 WAC)Is 6-0 for the first time since an 11-0 start in 1973-74 ... Julian Sensely had his streak of 10 straight games scoring in double figures come to an end last night when he scored nine against Long Beach State ... UH has won 10 straight games in the Rainbow Classic, winning the title the past three seasons ... sophomore Matt Gibson leads the WAC in free throw percentage (.833) ... UH has had at least 20 wins in two of the last three seasons ... has won 34 straight games when scoring 80 or more points ... Hawaii has won 57 of its last 62 games in Honolulu (91.9 percent) ... head coach Riley Wallace is in his 18th year with UH, the second longest stint in WAC history behind UTEPs Don Haskins (30 years) ... his 151 conference wins trails only Haskins 262 victories.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (5-4, 0-0 WAC)Sophomore Paul Millsap has scored in double figures in 13 straight games, tied for the longest active streak in the WAC ... Millsap led the WAC in double-doubles with 20 last season and has a WAC-high seven this year ... junior Daevon Haskins leads the WAC in steals with 1.9 per game ... Tech made 45-of-67 free throws last week (.672) after making only 53.3 percent of its attempts in the first seven games ... Tech has not allowed its opponents to score 100 points in a game for 318 contests, the longest such streak in the WAC ... the Bulldogs are 21-2 in non-conference home games under head coach Keith Richard ... Tech is 209-54 (.795) at the Thomas Assembly Center, the best winning percentage at home of any WAC team in its current arena.
Nevada Wolf Pack (6-3, 0-0 WAC)Has started 6-3 for the second straight season ... junior Mo Charlo scored a career-high 17 points in just 10 minutes in the game against Eastern Illinois ... sophomore Nick Fazekas is second in the WAC in scoring with 20.6 points per game ... he has led the team in scoring in all nine games and has scored at least 10 points in each of those contests and at least 20 points in five games ... Fazekas, who is 6-11, leads the Pack in three-point field goal percentage (.444) ... freshman Ramon Sessions leads the WAC in assists with 6.67 per game ... Nevada leads the WAC in assists (18.0) and blocked shots (5.56) ... last year, its 25 wins tied for the most in school history as it was 25-8 in 1945-46 ... has won more games than the previous season in five consecutive years.
Rice Owls (5-2, 0-0 WAC)Senior Michael Harris has scored at least 20 points in four straight games ... Lorenzo Williams scored a career-high 13 points at Connecticut ... both Harris and Jason McKrieth have scored in double figures in all seven games for the Owls while Harris has a consecutive double figure game streak of 10 dating back to last year ... Harris had his four-game streak of recording a double-double come to an end at Connecticut on Sunday when he scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds ... Harris has 38 career double-doubles, the most of any active WAC player ... Rice leads the WAC in scoring (77.9), field goal percentage (.482) and three-point field goal percentage (.400) ... has made more free throws (129) than its opponents have attempted (118).
San Jose State Spartans (3-5, 0-0 WAC)Is the only team in the WAC with one player averaging in double figures (Marquin Chandler, 19.5)... Chandler has recorded double-doubles in three of his last five games ... Chandler has reached double figures in scoring in nine straight games ... has used a different starting lineup in each of the last five games ... has lost four of its last five games (including three in a row) after a 2-1 start ... SJSU has not scored 100 points in a game since beating Utah State, 101-85, on Jan. 25, 1979 (723 games) ... hired Tom Bowen as its new director of athletics ... previously, Bowen was a fund-raising and community affairs executive for the San Francisco 49ers.
SMU Mustangs (5-3, 0-0 WAC)Bryan Hopkins made eight three-point field goals against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, tied for the second most by any player in the nation this season ... his 32 points in that game are the most of any WAC player this year ... Hopkins leads the WAC in three-point field goals made per game (2.88) ... the Mustangs are 5-0 when outshooting their opponents ... SMU is the only team in the WAC with four players who average 10 or more points per game (Bryan Hopkins, 15.8; Patrick Simpson, 13.8; Eric Castro, 12.3; and Justin Isham, 10.1) ... SMU leads the WAC in rebounding margin (+7.5) and steals (9.1) ... has won 36 of its last 37 games when holding an opponent to less than 60 points.
UTEP Miners (7-2, 0-0 WAC)Senior forward Omar Thomas was 13-of-13 from the free throw line against New Mexcio State on Saturday ... the 13 made free throws are tied for the second most of any player nationally that made all of their attempts ... UTEP swept New Mexico State in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1985-86 and 1986-87 ... senior guard Filiberto Rivera returned to action last week and averaged 10.0 points and 8.0 assists against New Mexico State ... Thomas has scored at least 10 points in 13 straight games, tied for the longest active streak in the WAC ... UTEP leads the WAC in free throw percentage (.763) and scoring defense (59.9) ... has made more free throws (164) than its opponents have attempted (147).
Tulsa Golden Hurricane (2-4, 0-0 WAC)Senior Jarius Glenn had his fourth double-double of the season against Wichita State with 24 points and 13 rebounds ... Anthony Price tied his career-high with 19 points in that game ... the loss to the Shockers snapped an eight-game home winning streak against Wichita State ... Glenn has 944 points and 484 rebounds in his career and is looking to become the 14th Tulsa player to reach 1,000 points and 500 rebounds ... had its five-year streak of winning at least 20 games snapped last season ... every season that Tulsa has won 20 games, it has either played in the NCAA Tournament or won the NIT Championship.