WAC Men's Basketball Weekly Release - March 23
SEATTLE U DEFEATS PEPPERDINE IN CBI, HOSTS COLORADO IN QUARTERFINALS MONDAY
In its first national Division I postseason appearance since 1969, Seattle U defeated Pepperdine 62-45 in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational last Wednesday. The Redhawks advance to the CBI quarterfinals, where they will host Colorado on Monday, March 23.
Isiah Umipig led all players with 24 points, including five three-pointers, to go along with seven rebounds. Jarell Flora added 20 points, while William Powell pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.
The Redhawk defense held Pepperdine to just 21 second-half points. The Waves shot just 29.6 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from three-point range and 52.9 percent from the free throw line on the game.
NEW MEXICO STATE FALLS TO NO. 2 KANSAS IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Aggies fell 75-56 to second-seeded Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last Friday at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb., snapping a 13-game winning streak. With the loss, NM State closes out the season 23-11.
Kansas out-shot New Mexico State 54 percent (27-of-50) to 35.7 percent (20-of-56). The Jayhawks also shot 69.2 percent (9-of-13) from three-point range, while the Aggies were 5-of-15 (33 percent) from downtown.
DK Eldridge led the Aggies with 11 points, while Remi Barry and Tshilidzi Nephawe added 10 each.
GRAND CANYON FALLS TO NORTHERN ARIZONA IN COLLEGEINSIDER.COM TOURNAMENT
Grand Canyon's season came to an end last Wednesday with a 75-70 loss to Northern Arizona in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. The Antelopes finish the season 17-15.
Royce Woolridge led all players with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting in his collegiate finale. De'Andre Davis added 17 points, while Daniel Alexander posted a double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds. Joshua Braun also chipped in 11 points.
Grand Canyon out-shot NAU 41.2 percent to 39.7 percent and was a perfect 11-of-11 at the free throw line. The difference in the game was three-pointers, as the Lumberjacks connected on 9-of-22 (40.9 percent) from downtown, while the Antelopes made just 3-of-22 (13.6 percent).
NEW MEXICO STATE WINS WAC TOURNAMENT
No. 1 New Mexico State defeated No. 3 Seattle U 80-61 to claim its fourth consecutive WAC Tournament title March 14 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The Aggies defeated fourth-seeded Bakersfield 57-53 in the semifinals.
Tshilidzi Nephawe was named tournament MVP after averaging 18.5 points on 55 percent shooting and 12.0 rebounds over the two games. Teammate Remi Barry joined him on the all-tournament team after averaging 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 three-pointers per game over the two games.
All-Tournament Team
Aly Ahmed, Bakersfield
Remi Barry, New Mexico State
Reese Holliday, Missouri-Kansas City
Tshilidzi Nephawe, New Mexico State (MVP)
Isiah Umipig, Seattle U
FIVE WAC TOURNAMENT RECORDS BROKEN OR TIED
Five WAC Tournament records were either tied or broken during the 2015 WAC Tournament in Las Vegas. The records are listed below.
Individual
Three-point field goals made - game 8 Isiah Umipig, Seattle U (vs. UMKC)
Team
Free throws made - game 30 New Mexico State (vs. Seattle U)
Steals - game 14 Chicago State (vs. Seattle U)
Fewest points allowed - half 12 Seattle U (vs. Chicago State, second half)
Field goal percentage defense - game .267 Bakersfield (vs. Utah Valley, 12-45)
ALL-WAC HONORS ANNOUNCED
The 2014-15 All-WAC teams were named following a vote of the WAC's eight head coaches. Missouri-Kansas City's Martez Harrison headlined the awards, earning WAC Player of the Year honors, while New Mexico State's Pascal Siakam was named WAC Freshman of the Year and New Mexico State's Marvin Menzies earned Don Haskins WAC Coach of the Year honors.
In WAC play, Harrison led the conference in scoring (17.5), ranked fourth in steals (1.57), fifth in assist-turnover ratio (1.85), sixth in assists (3.57) and ninth in three-pointers per game (1.64). He scored in double digits in all but one WAC contest and had 20 or more points in five of his 14 WAC games. He was also named WAC Player of the Week on Nov. 17. Only a sophomore, Harrison is the first player in UMKC history to be named Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year in his career.
Siakam earned WAC Freshman of the Year honors after scoring in double figures in 12 of 14 WAC games with four double-doubles. In conference games only, he led the WAC in rebounding (8.4) and field goal percentage (61.5), ranked second in blocks (1.57), fifth in free throw percentage (82.3), sixth in scoring (13.9) and seventh in minutes per game (34.5). He was twice named WAC Player of the Week on the season.
Menzies was named WAC Coach of the Year after leading the Aggies to their first-ever outright WAC regular-season title with a 13-1 league record. New Mexico State posted a 14.2 scoring margin in WAC games and ranks in the Top 50 nationally in seven statistical categories.
First Team All-WAC
Aly Ahmed, Bakersfield
Martez Harrison, Missouri-Kansas City
Daniel Mullings, New Mexico State
Pascal Siakam, New Mexico State
Isiah Umipig, Seattle U
Second Team All-WAC
Remi Barry, New Mexico State
Jarell Flora, Seattle U
Janari Joesaar, Texas-Pan American
Tshilidzi Nephawe, New Mexico State
DeWayne Russell, Grand Canyon
All-Defensive Team
Jerome Garrison, Grand Canyon
Dan Kimasa, Texas-Pan American
Kevin Mays, Bakersfield
Daniel Mullings, New Mexico State
Pascal Siakam, New Mexico State
All-Newcomer Team
Josh Braun, Grand Canyon
Reese Holliday, Missouri-Kansas City
Janari Joesaar, Texas-Pan American
DeWayne Russell, Grand Canyon
Pascal Siakam, New Mexico State
Player of the Year: Martez Harrison, Missouri-Kansas City
Freshman of the Year: Pascal Siakam, New Mexico State
Don Haskins Coach of the Year: Marvin Menzies, New Mexico State