WAC Men's Basketball Weekly Release - Dec. 2
SEATTLE U'S FLORA NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Seattle U senior guard Jarell Flora has been named Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 24-30.
The Bremerton, Wash., native finished with a season-high 23 points, including five three-pointers, a career-high nine rebounds and two assists in a win over CSUN last Saturday. After the Matadors closed to within one with 7:49 left in the game, Flora hit back-to-back three-pointers to put CSUN away for good. His nine boards also helped Seattle U win the rebounding battle, 40-30.
Other nominees included: Grand Canyon's Joshua Braun averaged 13.5 points on 53 percent shooting and 6.5 rebounds per game last week ... Martez Harrison of Missouri-Kansas City averaged 18.0 points, 4.5 steals, 3.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds as the Kangaroos went 1-1 last week ... New Mexico State's Paschal Siakam averaged 13.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.3 assists as the Aggies went 2-1 last week ... Janari Joesaar of Texas-Pan American averaged 19.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game over three games last week ... Utah Valley's Brenden Evans averaged 11.0 points, 2.5 rebounds 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game as the Wolverines went 1-1 on the week.
WAC STAT LEADERS
Seattle U leads the WAC in scoring defense (59.3), scoring margin (7.8), field goal percentage defense (37.3), three-point field goal percentage (42.1), rebounding (39.3), rebounding defense (31.3), rebounding margin (8.0), assists (15.83), assist-turnover ratio (1.19), defensive rebounds (27.0) and three-pointers per game (8.83). New Mexico State is tops in scoring (75.4), three-point field goal percentage defense (26.0) and offensive rebounds (15.43), while Missouri-Kansas City leads the WAC in steals (10.71) and turnover margin (5.71). Texas-Pan American leads the league in field goal percentage (46.5) and blocks (5.0), while Bakersfield is tops in free throw percentage (77.3).
Individually, UTPA's Janari Joesaar leads the WAC in scoring (20.5), rebounding (10.0), defensive rebounds (7.67) and minutes per game (34.33). UMKC's Martez Harrison is tops in assists (4.86), steals (2.86) and assist/turnover ratio (1.89), while Isiah Umipig of Seattle U leads the WAC in three-pointers per game (4.67) and is tied with Shaquille Boga of UTPA in three-point percentage (50.0). New Mexico State's Remi Barry leads the WAC in field goal percentage (61.1), while teammate Pascal Siakam is tops in blocks (2.0). Grand Canyon's Ryan Majerle has a perfect free throw shooting percentage and Kevin Mays of Bakersfield leads the WAC in offensive rebounds (4.17).
MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY SETS SCHOOL RECORD FOR STEALS IN A GAME
UMKC broke the school record for steals in a game with 22 against William Jewell on Nov. 29, besting the previous mark of 18 set in 2003 vs. Oklahoma State. The ‘Roos also forced 33 turnovers, matching the school record set in 2003 against Norfolk State.
NM STATE'S MULLINGS MOVES INTO NINTH PLACE IN PROGRAM HISTORY IN SCORING
New Mexico State senior Daniel Mullings moved into ninth place on the NM State career scoring list on Nov. 26 and became the ninth Aggie to score 1,500 points at Wyoming on Nov. 29. Mullings now has 1,502 career points, 360 away from the record of 1,862 held by Eric Channing (1998-02).
UMKC'S HARRISON EXTENDS DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING STREAK TO 25 GAMES
Missouri-Kansas City sophomore guard Martez Harrison has reached double-digit scoring in all seven games this season to extend his streak to 25 consecutive games, good for third place 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
|
Date |
Matchup |
Result |
|
Nov. 14 |
Grand Canyon at Kentucky |
L, 45-85 |
|
Nov. 14 |
New Mexico State at Wichita State |
L, 54-71 |
|
Nov. 17 |
Missouri-Kansas City at Kansas State |
L, 73-83 |
|
Nov. 20 |
Bakersfield at San Diego State |
L, 27-51 |
|
Nov. 23 |
Delaware at Bakersfield |
W, 70-52 |
|
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
|
Date |
Matchup |
Result |
|
Nov. 14 |
Bakersfield vs. High Point |
L, 99-100 (4OT) |
|
Nov. 14 |
Missouri-Kansas City at Missouri |
W, 69-61 |
|
Nov. 18 |
New Mexico State at Saint Mary's |
L, 71-83 |
|
Nov. 24 |
Chicago State vs. Georgia State |
L, 46-69 |
|
Nov. 26 |
Texas-Pan American at Utah |
L, 48-85 |
|
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 |
|
WAC AGAINST TEAMS IN USA TODAY COACHES TOP 25 POLL
Teams from the WAC are scheduled to play five games against teams that were ranked in the preseason USA Today Coaches' poll.
Games vs. USA Today Preseason Poll Teams
Nov. 14 Grand Canyon at No. 1 Kentucky
Nov. 14 New Mexico State at No. 11 Wichita State
Nov. 20 Bakersfield at No. 16 San Diego State
Dec. 9 Utah Valley at No. 2 Arizona
Dec. 9 Missouri-Kansas City at No. 14 Iowa State