WAC Men's Basketball Weekly Release - Nov. 25
UTPA'S JOESAAR NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Texas-Pan American sophomore forward Janari Joesaar has been named Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 17-23. This is his first-ever WAC Player of the Week honor.
The Tartu, Estonia, native averaged 22.0 points on 52 percent shooting from the field and 55.6 percent shooting from three-point range, 13.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 3.5 blocks and 1.5 steals in a pair of wins last week to lead the Broncs to their first 3-0 start since the 2006-07 season. Joesaar opened the week with his second career double-double, finishing with 17 points, a career-high 18 rebounds, a career-high six blocks and a career-high four assists in a one-point win at UTSA. The 18 rebounds are the most by a Broncs player since before the 2008-09 season, while the six blocks tie for the seventh-highest single-game total in program history. Joesaar followed it up with a career-high 27 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals against Texas A&M-Kingsville. He also had a career-high three three-pointers and a career-high 12 free throws made, while tying his career highs in assists and steals in the game.
Other nominees included: Bakersfield's Aly Ahmed averaged 11.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks over three games last week ... Clarke Rosenberg of Chicago State averaged 20.0 points on 66.7 percent shooting, 3.5 steals and 3.0 rebounds in a pair of wins ... Grand Canyon's Royce Woolridge averaged 12.0 points, 3.67 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game as the Antelopes went 2-1 on the week ... Martez Harrison of Missouri-Kansas City averaged 16.5 points, 6.0 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals over four games last week ... New Mexico State's Remi Barry averaged 16.7 points on 65.4 percent shooting to go with 6.0 rebounds over three games last week ... Isiah Umipig of Seattle U averaged 17.0 points, 4.67 assists and 1.3 steals per game over three games last week ... Utah Valley's Mitch Bruneel averaged 17.0 points on 59.1 percent shooting and 6.0 rebounds per game as the Wolverines went 1-1 on the week.
WAC STAT LEADERS
Texas-Pan American leads the WAC in scoring (77.7), scoring margin (4.7), field goal percentage (48.0), field goal percentage defense (36.3), three-point field goal percentage (45.5), rebounding (40.7), blocks (6.0), assist-turnover ratio (1.07) and defensive rebounds (30.0). New Mexico State is tops in rebounding defense (31.2), rebounding margin (7.6) and offensive rebounds (17.4), while Grand Canyon leads the league in scoring defense (61.2) and three-point field goal percentage defense (20.4). Seattle U leads the WAC in assists (15.5) and three-pointers per game (7.0), while Bakersfield is tops in free throw percentage (74.4). Missouri-Kansas City leads the WAC in turnover margin (4.2), while Chicago State is tops in steals (10.8).
Individually, UTPA's Janari Joesaar leads the WAC in scoring (21.3), rebounding (13.0), blocks (2.67) and defensive rebounds (9.67). UMKC's Martez Harrison is tops in assists (5.4) and assist/turnover ratio (2.45), while teammate Shayok Shayok leads the WAC in field goal percentage (65.4). Isiah Umipig of Seattle U and Grand Canyon's Ryan Majerle have perfect free throw shooting percentages, while Umipig leads the WAC in three-pointers per game (4.5). Utah Valley's Marcel Davis leads the league in steals (2.67), while Shaquille Boga of UTPA is tops in three-point percentage (60.0). Pascal Siakam of New Mexico State leads the WAC in offensive rebounds (4.4), while Shaquille Boga of UTPA is tops in minutes per game (34.33).
TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN OFF TO 3-0 START FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2007-08 SEASON
After wins over Wayland Baptist, UTSA and Texas A&M-Kingsville, Texas-Pan American is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since the 2006-07 season. The Broncs play at Utah, a team that was ranked earlier in the season, on Thursday.
UMKC'S HARRISON EXTENDS DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING STREAK TO 23 GAMES
Missouri-Kansas City sophomore guard Martez Harrison has reached double-digit scoring in all five games this season to extend his streak to 23 consecutive games, good for fifth all-time at UMKC.
BAKERSFIELD NEARLY SETS PROGRAM RECORD FOR FEWEST POINTS
When it fell 51-27 at No. 16 San Diego State on Nov. 20, Bakersfield nearly set a program-record for fewest points scored. A late three-pointer by Cortez Conners allowed the Roadrunners to surpass the 26 points scored at Cal Poly Pomona in 1978.
MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY BEATS MISSOURI FOR FIRST TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY
Missouri-Kansas City opened the season with a 69-61 win at Missouri, the program's first-ever win over the Tigers in school history (1-3). The victory was also the ‘Roos first over a BCS school since a 2003 victory against Kansas State.
BAKERSFIELD PLAYS PROGRAM'S LONGEST GAME IN SEASON OPENER
Bakersfield opened the season with a 100-99 quadruple overtime loss to High Point in the first game of the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu. It was the first time the ‘Runners played a quadruple overtime game, making it their longest contest since Feb. 11, 1989 at Cal State LA.
WAC TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO LAS VEGAS
The 2015 WAC Basketball Tournament returns to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for the fifth year in a row. The tournament will be held March 11-14, and will include all seven eligible men's and women's teams.
ESPNU TO TELEVISE WAC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
ESPN will once again broadcast the WAC men's and women's tournament championship games from the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on March 14. The women's game will be broadcast on ESPNU at 1 p.m. (PT). The men's championship game will also be broadcast by ESPNU at 8 p.m. (PT).
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Of the five first team All-WAC players in 2013-14, just one returns for the 2014-15 season in Preseason Player of the Year Daniel Mullings of New Mexico State. Three of the five second team honorees return, including Jerome Garrison of Grand Canyon, Tshilidzi Nephawe of New Mexico State and Seattle U's Isiah Umipig.
Four of the five All-Defensive Team honorees from last year return, including Mullings, Garrison, Aly Ahmed of Bakersfield and Utah Valley's Mitch Bruneel.
All five of the All-Newcomer Team honorees from a year ago return - Umipig, Daniel Alexander of Grand Canyon, Martez Harrison of UMKC, DK Eldridge of New Mexico State and Zach Nelson of Utah Valley.
KEY NON-CONFERENCE MATCHUPS
WAC teams have several key non-conference matchups this season, including 27 games against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament or NIT last season. The complete list is below.
Games vs. 2014 NCAA Tournament Teams
Nov. 14 Grand Canyon at Kentucky
Nov. 14 New Mexico State at Wichita State
Nov. 17 Missouri-Kansas City at Kansas State
Nov. 20 Bakersfield at San Diego State
Nov. 23 Delaware at Bakersfield
Dec. 3 New Mexico State at New Mexico
Dec. 3 Missouri-Kansas City at Milwaukee
Dec. 9 Missouri-Kansas City at Iowa State
Dec. 9 Utah Valley at Arizona
Dec. 17 Texas-Pan American at Saint Louis
Dec. 17 New Mexico State at Baylor
Dec. 20 New Mexico at New Mexico State
Dec. 20 Utah Valley at Weber State
Dec. 23 New Mexico at Grand Canyon
Dec. 30 Harvard at Grand Canyon
Games vs. 2014 NIT Teams
Nov. 14 Bakersfield vs. High Point
Nov. 14 Missouri-Kansas City at Missouri
Nov. 18 New Mexico State at Saint Mary's
Nov. 24 Chicago State vs. Georgia State
Nov. 26 Texas-Pan American at Utah
Dec. 6 Chicago State at Toledo
Dec. 19 Seattle U at Minnesota
Dec. 28 Missouri-Kansas City at Indiana State
Dec. 28 Bakersfield at California
Dec. 31 Chicago State at Green Bay
Jan. 3 UC Irvine at New Mexico State
Jan. 3 Utah Valley at Arkansas