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WAC COACHES SELECT NM STATE, BRAUN AS PRESEASON FAVORITES
NM State is the preseason favorite to win the WAC title in 2016-17, while Grand Canyon redshirt junior
Joshua Braun was selected as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year in a vote of the league's eight head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.
The Aggies received 45 points and four first-place votes to edge out Grand Canyon for the top spot by one point. The Lopes captured second place with 44 points and three first-place votes, followed by CSU Bakersfield in third with 38 points and the other first-place vote. Utah Valley came in fourth place with 27 points, while Seattle U and UMKC tied for fifth place with 25 points apiece. UT Rio Grande Valley (13) and Chicago State (7) round out the poll.
Braun leads the list of Preseason All-WAC honorees. Joining him on the first team are NM State's
Ian Baker, CSU Bakersfield's
Dedrick Basile, UMKC's
Martez Harrison and Seattle U's
Brendan Westendorf.
Second team selections include
LaVell Boyd (UMKC),
Antonio Green (UT Rio Grande Valley),
Zach Nelson (Utah Valley),
William Powell (Seattle U) and
DeWayne Russell (Grand Canyon).
2016-17 Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll
| Rk. |
Team (1st-Place Votes) |
Pts. |
| 1 |
NM State (4) |
45 |
| 2 |
Grand Canyon (3) |
44 |
| 3 |
CSU Bakersfield (1) |
38 |
| 4 |
Utah Valley |
27 |
| T-5. |
Seattle U |
25 |
| T-5. |
UMKC |
25 |
| 7 |
UT Rio Grande Valley |
13 |
| 8 |
Chicago State |
7 |
2016-17 Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches' All-WAC Teams
First Team
Ian Baker, NM State
Dedrick Basile, CSU Bakersfield
Joshua Braun, Grand Canyon
Martez Harrison, UMKC
Brendan Westendorf, Seattle U
Second Team
LaVell Boyd, UMKC
Antonio Green, UT Rio Grande Valley
Zach Nelson, Utah Valley
William Powell, Seattle U
DeWayne Russell, Grand Canyon
Preseason Player of the Year: Joshua Braun, Grand Canyon
MEDIA SELECT NM STATE, BRAUN AS PRESEASON FAVORITES
The WAC men's basketball media have selected NM State as the preseason favorite to win the conference crown during the 2016-17 season and Grand Canyon redshirt junior guard
Joshua Braun as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year.
The Aggies received nine first-place votes, earning 167 points to edge out Grand Canyon for the top spot. The Lopes were picked to finish second with 165 points and eight first-place votes, followed by CSU Bakersfield in third with 147 points and two first-place votes. Seattle U was picked to finish fourth with 108 points and one first-place vote, followed by Utah Valley in fifth with 100 and two first-place votes and UMKC in sixth with 96 points and two first-place votes. UT Rio Grande Valley and Chicago State rounded out the poll in seventh and eighth place, with 56 and 25 points, respectively.
Braun was voted Preseason Player of the Year and is the on the Preseason All-WAC first team. Joining him on the first team are NM State's
Ian Baker,
Dedrick Basile of CSU Bakersfield,
Martez Harrison of UMKC and
Brendan Westendorf of Seattle U.
The Preseason All-WAC second team is comprised of CSU Bakersfield's
Jaylin Airington, UT Rio Grande Valley's
Antonio Green and
Dan Kimasa,
Zach Nelson of Utah Valley and Seattle U's
William Powell.
2016-17 Preseason Men's Basketball Media Poll
| Rk. |
Team (1st-Place Votes) |
Pts. |
| 1 |
NM State (9) |
167 |
| 2 |
Grand Canyon (8) |
165 |
| 3 |
CSU Bakersfield (2) |
147 |
| 4 |
Seattle U (1) |
108 |
| 5 |
Utah Valley (2) |
100 |
| 6 |
UMKC (2) |
96 |
| 7 |
UT Rio Grande Valley |
56 |
| 8 |
Chicago State |
25 |
2016-17 Preseason Men's Basketball Media All-WAC Teams
First Team
Ian Baker, NM State
Dedrick Basile, CSU Bakersfield
Joshua Braun, Grand Canyon
Martez Harrison, UMKC
Brendan Westendorf, Seattle U
Second Team
Jaylin Airington, CSU Bakersfield
Antonio Green, UT Rio Grande Valley
Dan Kimasa, UT Rio Grande Valley
Zach Nelson, Utah Valley
William Powell, Seattle U
Preseason Player of the Year: Joshua Braun, Grand Canyon
WAC TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO LAS VEGAS
The 2017 WAC Basketball Tournament returns to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for the seventh year in a row. The tournament will be held March 8-11, and will include all seven eligible men's and women's teams.
ESPNU TO TELEVISE WAC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
ESPN will once again broadcast the WAC men's tournament championship game from the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on March 11. The men's championship game will be broadcast by ESPNU at 8 p.m. (PT).
WAC STAT LEADERS BACK
The following are the returning statistical leaders in the WAC from the 2015-16 season.
Four of the top 10 scorers from last year are back, led by Grand Canyon's
Joshua Braun who ranked second in the WAC last year (16.5). Also returning are UMKC's
Martez Harrison (third, 15.4), UMKC's
LaVell Boyd (seventh, 14.1) and NM State's
Ian Baker (10th, 13.8).
Three of the top rebounders from last year return, led by Chicago State's
Trayvon Palmer who ranked fourth in the WAC with a 7.8 average. The other top rebounders returning are Seattle U's
William Powell (sixth, 6.8) and UT Rio Grande Valley's
Dan Kimasa (seventh, 6.6).
Just two of the top 10 shooters in the WAC return this season, led by CSU Bakersfield's
Dedrick Basile, who last year ranked seventh in the WAC (46.9). Also returning is Kimasa (ninth, 44.9).
Eight of the top 10 assist leaders return, led by last year's leader,
DeWayne Russell of Grand Canyon (5.4). Also returning are Seattle U's
Brendan Westendorf (fourth, 4.3), CSU Bakersfield's
Brent Wrapp (fifth, 4.2), Harrison (sixth, 4.2), Baker (seventh, 3.7), Basile (eighth, 3.7), UTRGV's
Antonio Green (ninth, 3.0) and CSUB's
Justin Pride (10th, 2.8).
Eleven of the top steals leaders return, including last year's top six - Basile (first, 1.8), Westendorf (second, 1.8), Russell (third, 1.4), Palmer (fourth, 1.3), Harrison (fifth, 1.3) and Wrapp (sixth, 1.2). Also returning are Baker (eighth, 1.13), Grand Canyon's
Gerard Martin (T-ninth, 1.0), CSUB's
Damiyne Durham (T-ninth, 1.0), Powell (T-ninth, 1.0) and Utah Valley's
Ivory Young (T-ninth, 1.0).
Five of the top 10 shot blockers in the conference return, led by Utah Valley's
Andrew Bastien in third place (1.3). Also returning are Palmer (fifth, 1.0), Kimasa (sixth, 0.9), CSUB's
Matt Smith (eighth, 0.7) and Braun (10th, 0.7).
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Of the five first team All-WAC players in 2015-16, two return for the 2016-17 season in
Ian Baker of NM State and
Joshua Braun of Grand Canyon. Three one of the five second team honorees return in
Dedrick Basile of CSU Bakersfield,
Martez Harrison of UMKC and
Brendan Westendorf of Seattle U.
Three of the five All-Defensive Team honorees from last year return - Baker, Basile and Westendorf. Meanwhile, three of the five All-Newcomer Team honorees from a year ago return in Basile, Westendorf and
LaVell Boyd of UMKC.
LETTERWINNER/STARTER CAPSULE
Chicago State, Grand Canyon, NM State and Seattle U each return three starters this season, while CSU Bakersfield, UMKC, UT Rio Grande Valley and Utah Valley return two apiece. Chicago State has a WAC-high 10 letterwinners back, while Utah Valley has just three. The complete list of letterwinners returning and lost and starters returning and lost for each team is listed below.
| Team |
LR |
LL |
SR |
SL |
| CSU Bakersfield |
2 |
3 |
8 |
3 |
| Chicago State |
3 |
2 |
10 |
6 |
| Grand Canyon |
3 |
2 |
6 |
7 |
| UMKC |
2 |
3 |
8 |
6 |
| NM State |
3 |
2 |
8 |
5 |
| Seattle U |
3 |
2 |
9 |
2 |
| UT Rio Grande Valley |
2 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
| Utah Valley |
2 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
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. 2016 NCAA Tournament Teams
Nov. 11 Grand Canyon at Duke
Nov. 11 Utah Valley at Gonzaga
Nov. 14 Seattle U at Colorado
Nov. 15 CSU Bakersfield at Arizona
Nov. 16 Seattle U at Notre Dame
Nov. 17 Chicago State at Wisconsin
Nov. 20 UT Rio Grande Valley at Iowa
Nov. 21 UMKC vs. Green Bay
Nov. 22 Fresno State at CSU Bakersfield
Nov. 26 Chicago State at Notre Dame
Dec. 3 UMKC at South Dakota State
Dec. 6 UMKC at Kansas
Dec. 6 Utah Valley at Utah
Dec. 14 Grand Canyon at Arizona
Dec. 17 UMKC at West Virginia
Dec. 17 Utah Valley at Weber State
Games vs. 2016 NIT Teams
Nov. 11 UMKC at Creighton
Nov. 26 Utah Valley at Brigham Young
Nov. 26 CSU Bakersfield vs. North Florida
Dec. 3 San Diego State at Grand Canyon
Dec. 12 North Florida at UT Rio Grande Valley
Dec. 17 UT Rio Grande Valley at Houston
Dec. 22 Washington at Seattle U
Dec. 28 Chicago State at Valparaiso