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WAC TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO LAS VEGAS
The 2016 WAC Basketball Tournament returns to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for the sixth year in a row. The tournament will be held March 9-12, 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 12. 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).
STAT LEADERS BACK
The following are the returning statistical leaders in the WAC from the 2014-15 season.
Four of the top 10 scorers from last year are back as Missouri-Kansas City's Martez Harrison led the league last year (17.5). Also returning are CSU Bakersfield's Aly Ahmed (fourth, 13.9), Pascal Siakam of NM State (seventh, 12.8) and UT Rio Grande Valley's Shaquille Hines (10th, 12.2).
Seven top rebounders from last year return, including the top three - CSU Bakersfield's Kevin Mays (first, 8.0), Siakam (second, 7.7) and Ahmed (third, 7.2).The other top rebounders returning are UTRGV's Dan Kimasa (fifth, 6.5), Seattle U's William Powell (sixth, 6.4) and teammate Jack Crook (ninth, 5.6) and Hines (10th, 5.4).
Five of the top 10 shooters in the WAC return this season, led by Siakam, who led the league last season (57.2). Also returning are Hines (second, 50.9), Ahmed (fourth, 49.2), Mays (fifth, 47.7) and Grand Canyon's Joshua Braun (seventh, 46.0).
Four of the top 10 assist leaders return, led by last year's leader, Marcel Davis of Utah Valley (4.10). Also returning are Harrison (second, 3.91), CSU Bakersfield's Brent Wrapp (fourth, 3.36) and NM State's Ian Baker (eighth, 2.74).
Four of the top steals leaders return, including last year's top three - Harrison (first, 1.82), Baker (second, 1.47) and UMKC's Noah Knight (third, 1.36). Also returning is Mays (ninth, 1.13).
Seven of the top 10 shot blockers in the conference return, including the top three - Siakam (first, 1.79), UMKC's Thaddeus Smith (second, 1.47) and Kimasa (third, 1.42). Also returning are Braun (sixth, 0.81), Ahmed (seventh, 0.74), UMKC's Darius Austin (eighth, 0.70) and Chicago State's Trayvon Palmer (10th, 0.60).
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Of the five first team All-WAC players in 2014-15, three return for the 2015-16 season in Aly Ahmed of CSU Bakersfield, Martez Harrison of Missouri-Kansas City and Pascal Siakam of NM State. Just one of the five second team honorees return in DeWayne Russell of Grand Canyon.
Three of the five All-Defensive Team honorees from last year return, including Siakam, Dan Kimasa of UT Rio Grande Valley and CSU Bakersfield's Kevin Mays.
Three of the five All-Newcomer Team honorees from a year ago return - Russell, Siakam and Joshua Braun of Grand Canyon.
LETTERWINNER/STARTER CAPSULE
CSU Bakersfield, Grand Canyon and Missouri-Kansas City each return three starters this season, while Chicago State, NM State, Seattle U and UT Rio Grande Valley return two apiece. Utah Valley returns just one starter. NM State has a WAC-high eight letterwinners back, while CSUB and UTRGV have just four each.
| Team |
LR |
LL |
SR |
SL |
| CSU Bakersfield |
4 |
7 |
3 |
2 |
| Chicago State |
6 |
11 |
2 |
3 |
| Grand Canyon |
6 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
| Missouri-Kansas City |
6 |
7 |
3 |
2 |
| NM State |
8 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
| Seattle U |
6 |
6 |
2 |
3 |
| UT Rio Grande Valley |
4 |
7 |
2 |
3 |
| Utah Valley |
5 |
5 |
1 |
4 |
KEY NON-CONFERENCE MATCHUPS
WAC teams have several key non-conference matchups this season, including 30 games against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament or NIT last season. The complete list is below.
Games vs. 2015 NCAA Tournament Teams
Nov. 16 Chicago State at Iowa State
Nov. 17 Seattle U at Eastern Washington
Nov. 23 Eastern Washington at Seattle U
Nov. 24 Robert Morris at NM State
Nov. 25 CSU Bakersfield at Wyoming
Nov. 30 Hampton at Grand Canyon
Dec. 5 Grand Canyon at Louisville
Dec. 5 Missouri-Kansas City at Iowa
Dec. 11 Valparaiso at Chicago State
Dec. 13 Wyoming at NM State
Dec. 13 Seattle U at UAB
Dec. 18 Grand Canyon at San Diego State
Dec. 22 Grand Canyon vs. Wyoming
Dec. 22 Missouri-Kansas City at Louisville
Dec. 22 UTRGV vs. North Dakota State
Dec. 23 NM State at Baylor
Dec. 23 Utah Valley at Louisville
Dec. 28 NM State at Wichita State
Dec. 29 UMKC at Oklahoma State
Jan. 2 NM State at UC Irvine
Games vs. 2015 NIT Teams
Nov. 13 UTRGV at Miami (Fla).
Nov. 23 Chicago State at Illinois
Nov. 28 South Dakota State at UMKC
Nov. 28 UC Davis at Utah Valley
Nov. 29 CSU Bakersfield at Saint Mary's
Dec. 2 UTEP at NM State
Dec. 3 Central Michigan at Grand Canyon
Dec. 19 NM State at UTEP
Dec. 28 CSU Bakersfield at Arizona State
Dec. 28 Utah Valley at Saint Mary's
Dec. 28 UC Davis at Seattle U
Dec. 29 UT Rio Grande Valley at UTEP
Jan. 19 Green Bay at Chicago State