UTAH VALLEY’S BRUNEEL NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Utah Valley senior forward Mitch Bruneel has been named Western Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 5-11. This is his first-ever WAC Player of the Week honor.
The Boise, Idaho, native posted his first – and the team’s first – double-double of the season in the WAC-opening win over Seattle U on Saturday. Bruneel finished with a career-high 27 points and matched his career high with 11 rebounds. He had 20 of his 27 points in the first half to help Utah Valley build a 38-14 halftime lead, going 7-of-8 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range. Bruneel, who entered the week averaging 12.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, shot 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from the field and 100 percent (3-of-3) from the free throw line on the game.
Other nominees included: Chicago State’s Josh Meier finished with 17 points on 67 percent shooting to go along with 10 rebounds and a block in a loss at Texas-Pan American ... DeWayne Russell of Grand Canyon finished with 24 points on 80 percent shooting, a career-high eight assists (and no turnovers), three rebounds and two steals in a win over Bakersfield ... New Mexico State’s Remi Barry averaged 15.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in a pair of wins last week ... Shaquille Boga of Texas-Pan American averaged 23.0 points on 58.6 percent shooting, 2.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals in a pair of wins last week.
WAC STAT LEADERS
Seattle U leads the WAC in three-point field goal percentage (38.5), rebounding (37.0), rebounding margin (5.9), assists (15.47), assist-turnover ratio (1.13), defensive rebounds (25.53) and three-pointers per game (7.73). New Mexico State is tops in scoring (69.3), scoring margin (5.4), field goal percentage (45.6), three-point field goal percentage defense (29.9), rebounding defense (30.6) and offensive rebounds (13.89), while Bakersfield leads the league in scoring defense (61.9), free throw percentage (72.3) and field goal percentage defense (39.6). Missouri-Kansas City leads the WAC in steals (8.89) and turnover margin (1.56), and Texas-Pan American leads the league in blocks (3.88).
Individually, UTPA’s Janari Joesaar leads the WAC in scoring (18.8), defensive rebounds (5.35) and minutes per game (33.94), while New Mexico State’s Pascal Siakam is tops in field goal percentage (54.7), blocks (2.06) and offensive rebounds (3.50). Kevin Mays of Bakersfield leads the league in rebounding (8.0), while Donte Williams of Utah Valley is tops in free throw percentage (79.3). UTPA’s Shaquille Boga leads the league in assists (3.94) and assist-turnover ratio (1.80), while UMKC’s Martez Harrison is tops in steals (2.0). Remi Barry of New Mexico State leads the WAC in three-point percentage (58.3), while Seattle U’s Isiah Umipig is tops in three-pointers per game (4.07).
In WAC games only, Chicago State leads the league in rebounding (40.0), rebounding defense (23.0), rebounding margin (17.0) and offensive rebounds (22.0), while Grand Canyon is tops in scoring (73.0), field goal percentage (52.2) and three-pointers per game (9.0), and is tied with Utah Valley in defensive rebounds (22.0). New Mexico State leads the WAC in scoring defense (45.0), field goal percentage defense (34.8) and blocks (6.0), and is tied with Utah Valley in scoring margin (18.0). UTPA leads the league in free throw percentage (81.3), steals (11.0) and assist-turnover ratio (1.78), while Utah Valley is tops in three-point field goal percentage defense (.071) and turnover margin (6.0). Bakersfield leads the league in three-point field goal percentage (40.0) and Seattle U is tops in assists (18.0)
Individually in WAC games, Utah Valley’s Mitch Bruneel leads the WAC in scoring (27.0) and three-pointers per game (4.0), while Grand Canyon’s DeWayne Russell is tops in assists (8.0), is tied with teammate Daniel Alexander, UTPA’s Dan Kimasa and Jack Crook and Williams Powell of Seattle U in field goal percentage (80.0). Russell, UMKC’s Reese Holliday, and Utah Valley’s Chad Ross and Marcel Davis are tied for the lead in three-point percentage (100.0), while Russell, teammate Royce Woolridge, UTPA’s Moe McDonald and Seattle U’s Emerson Murray are all tied in assist-turnover ratio (999.00). New Mexico State’s Pascal Siakam is tops in rebounding (12.0) , is tied with Grand Canyon’s Joshua Meier in offensive rebounds (7.0), and is tied with Kimasa in blocks (4.0). UTPA’s Shaquille Boga leads the WAC in minutes per game (40.0) and is tied with Utah Valley’s Zach Nelson in steals (4.0), while Alexander leads the league in defensive rebounds (8.0). Thirteen different players have perfect free throw percentages in WAC play.
BAKERSFIELD’S CORBIN RECORDS 100TH CAREER ASSIST
Bakersfield senior Tyrell Corbin had one assist at Grand Canyon on Jan. 10, the 100th of his career. The guard is in his second season with the Roadrunners.
NEW MEXICO STATE ON LONGEST WIN STREAK IN WAC THIS SEASON
The Aggies are in the midst of a four-game winning streak, the longest win streak in the WAC this season. The streak is also the longest for NM State since winning five straight from March 1-15, 2014.
UTPA’S JOESAAR POSTS NINTH 20-POINT GAME
Texas-Pan American sophomore Janari Joesaar posted his ninth game this season with 20 or more points against Our Lady of the Lake on Jan. 7, finishing with 20. He now has more 20-point games than last year’s leader, Javorn Farrell, did (eight) with a minimum of 14 games remaining this season.
UMKC’S HARRISON EXTENDS DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING STREAK TO 36 GAMES
Missouri-Kansas City sophomore guard Martez Harrison has reached double-digit scoring in all 18 games this season to extend his streak to 36 consecutive games, good for second place all-time at UMKC. He also has 15 career games with 20 or more points.
NM STATE’S BAKER HITS GAME-WINNERS IN BACK-TO-BACK GAMES
New Mexico State sophomore point guard Ian Baker collected a pair of game-winning shots in leading NM State to a pair of wins. Baker’s layup with 2.2 seconds to play beat Texas Southern 54-52 on Dec. 30, and his three-pointer with 4.6 seconds remaining downed UC Irvine 70-67 on Jan. 3. His trey with four seconds to play in regulation tied No. 24 Colorado State on Dec. 27, sending the game to overtime.
UMKC’S HARRISON HAS FIRST 30-POINT GAME IN THE WAC THIS SEASON
Missouri-Kansas City point guard Martez Harrison had a career-high 34 points in a double overtime win at Indiana State on Dec. 28. The 34 points are the highest for any player in the WAC this season and the most for a UMKC player since Dane Brumagin scored 35 in February of 2007. It was Harrison’s second 30-point output of his career, making him one of just 11 players to score 30 or more points twice in his UMKC career. He tallied 29 of his 34 points after halftime.
BAKERSFIELD GETS FIRST WAC WIN OVER PAC-12 SCHOOL SINCE 2011-12 SEASON
Bakersfield defeated California 55-52 in Berkeley on Dec. 28 for the WAC’s first win over a Pac-12 school since Dec. 21, 2011, when Fresno State beat Arizona State 68-65. It was also Bakersfield’s first-ever win over a Pac-12 school.
UMKC’S SMITH BLOCKS SEVEN SHOTS AGAINST INDIANA STATE
Missouri-Kansas City junior Thaddeus Smith tied a 23-year old school record on Dec. 28 with seven blocks against Indiana State. He matched the program high of Hall of Famer David Robinson, who set it in 1991.
GCU’S GARRISON HITS 100TH THREE-POINTER, PLAYS 100TH GAME IN SAME WEEK
Grand Canyon senior guard Jerome Garrison hit his 100th career three-pointer on Dec. 17 against Incarnate Word. He followed it up with his 100th career game on Dec. 20 vs. St. Edward’s. He now has 102 career treys and has played in 105 career games.
UMKC PLAYS FIRST TRIPLE OVERTIME GAME IN DIVISION I ERA
Missouri-Kansas City played its first triple overtime game in the Division I era (since 1987) and first OT game of Kareem Richardson’s career in a Dec. 20 110-104 loss to Incarnate Word. The last triple overtime game for UMKC was in 1982 at the NAIA level. It was also first 100-point game for UMKC since 2007.
BAKERSFIELD’S MAYNOR CLIMBING CAREER THREE-POINTERS MADE CHART
In his third season at Bakersfield, senior Javonte Maynor has 177 career three-pointers, good for second place all-time. He trails only Kenny Warren, who hit 278 three-pointers from 1990-94.
CHICAGO STATE’S ROSENBERG SCORES 1,000TH CAREER POINT
Chicago State senior Clarke Rosenberg became the ninth player in Cougar history to surpass 1,000 career points when he hit a layup with 10:52 remaining in the game at Southern Illinois on Dec. 14. With 1,067 points, Rosenberg ranks eighth all-time in career scoring at Chicago State, six points shy of seventh place.
SEATTLE U’S UMIPIG CLIMBING CAREER THREE-POINTERS MADE CHART
In just his second season with the program, Seattle U’s Isiah Umipig currently ranks fourth all-time on the Seattle U career three-pointers list with 167, three shy of second place. The senior currently ranks second in the nation in three-pointers per game (4.07) and third in three-pointers made (61).
NEW MEXICO STATE’S 14-GAME HOME WINNING STREAK SNAPPED
When it fell 69-67 to instate rival New Mexico on Dec. 20, New Mexico State’s 14-game home winning streak was snapped. The Aggies are now 45-4 in their last 49 games at the Pan American Center and have had three home winning streaks of 11 games or more since the 2011-12 season.
BAKERSFIELD LOSING IN HEARTBREAKING FASHION
Of Bakersfield’s 12 losses this season, 10 have been my eight points or less. The Roadrunners have three one-point losses, two two-point losses, a four-point loss, a six-point loss, two seven-point losses and one eight-point defeat.
NM STATE’S MULLINGS IN NINTH PLACE IN CAREER SCORING
New Mexico State senior Daniel Mullings moved into ninth place on the NM State career scoring list on Nov. 26. Sidelined with a broken finger, he has 1,512 career points, nine shy of eighth place and 350 away from the record of 1,862 held by Eric Channing (1998-02).
UMKC SETS SCHOOL RECORD FOR STEALS IN A GAME
Missouri-Kansas City 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.
BAKERSFIELD PLAYS PROGRAM’S LONGEST GAME
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.
UMKC 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.
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.
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).