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FOUR WAC TEAMS TO PARTICIPATE IN POSTSEASON PLAY
Half of the WAC's men's basketball teams will participate in postseason play this year. CSU Bakersfield earned the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament and will face Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, Okla., at 3 p.m. (CT) this Friday, March 18. As WAC regular-season champion, NM State received an automatic berth into the National Invitational Tournament, where it will face Saint Mary's in the first round at 8 p.m. (PT) on Tuesday, March 15. Grand Canyon brings a 25-6 record into the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, where it will host South Carolina State in the first round at 7 p.m. (PT) on Monday, March 14, and Seattle U hosts Idaho in the College Basketball Invitational at 7 p.m. (PT) Wednesday, March 16.
CSU BAKERSFIELD TO FACE OKLAHOMA IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
The 2016 WAC Tournament Champion CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team will take on No. 2-seed Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament in Oklahoma City at 3 p.m. (CT) this Friday, March 18. The Roadrunners (24-8), who enter the tournament as a No. 15 seed, are making their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance at the Division I level after Dedrick Basile's thrilling buzzer-beater in the WAC Tournament title game Saturday. CSU Bakersfield takes on Oklahoma (25-7), which finished third in the Big 12 Conference and fell in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament. The Sooners are led by two-time Big 12 Player of the Year Buddy Hield, who averages 25.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. CSUB has five players that average double-digit scoring - Aly Ahmed (12.9), Kevin Mays (12.5), Basile (12.0), Damiyne Durham (11.8) and Jaylin Airington (10.3). Coached by WAC Coach of the Year Rod Barnes, the Roadrunners rank 14th nationally in scoring defense (63.2) and 16th in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 39.1 percent shooting. CSUB made 21 NCAA Division II appearances, winning three national championships.
NM STATE TO FACE SAINT MARY'S IN NIT
NM State received an automatic bid to the NIT and will face Saint Mary's in the first round at 8 p.m. (PT) Tuesday, March 15. The game will air on ESPN2. The Aggies (23-10) are seeded No. 7 in their region - Valparaiso is the No. 1 seed - with the Gaels (27-5) as the second seed. NM State is led by WAC Player of the Year Pascal Siakam, who averages 20.3 points on 55 percent shooting, 11.6 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.7 assists per game. He has 26 double-doubles on the year. NM State fell 57-54 to CSU Bakersfield on a buzzer beater in the championship game of the WAC Tournament Saturday, but earned an automatic bid to the NIT as the WAC regular-season champion. This is NM State's fifth overall appearance in the NIT and first since the 2000 season. The Aggies are 1-3 all-time against Saint Mary's. NM State fell 83-71 in the last meeting on Nov. 18, 2014. The winner of the game will play the winner of No. 3 seeded Georgia (19-13) and No. 6 seeded Belmont (20-11) in the second round.
GRAND CANYON TO HOST SOUTH CAROLINA STATE IN COLLEGEINSIDER.COM TOURNAMENT
Grand Canyon (25-6) will host South Carolina State (19-14) in the inaugural Coach John McLendon Classic, a first round game of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT), at 7 p.m. (PT) on Monday, March 14, at GCU Arena. The game will be broadcast live on the CBS Sports Network. The Lopes are led by All-WAC first team selection Joshua Braun, who averaged 16.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and second team All-WAC selection Grandy Glaze, who led the team with 12 double-doubles. South Carolina State advanced to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) finals where it fell to Hampton. All-MEAC second teamer Eric Eaves and Tashombe Riley were named to the MEAC All-Tournament team. Eaves leads the Bulldogs in scoring (17.3), while Ed Stephens adds 13.0 points per game.
SEATTLE U TO HOST IDAHO IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL
For the second consecutive year, Seattle U will compete in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI), hosting Idaho in a first round game at 7 p.m. (PT) Wednesday, March 16, at the Connolly Complex. The Redhawks, who lost to eventual tournament champion CSU Bakersfield in the semifinals of the WAC Tournament, are led by Brandon Westendorf, an All-WAC, All-Defensive and All-Newcomer Team honoree who averages 12.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Idaho brings a 21-12 record into Wednesday's game, advancing to the semifinals of the Big Sky Tournament before losing to Montana. The Vandals, who have won seven of their last nine games, are led by Victor Sanders, who averages 16.2 points per game, and Perrion Callandret, who adds 13.9 points per contest. This will be the 31st meeting between the schools, with Seattle U holding a 16-14 advantage. This is the 16th time in Seattle University's Division I history that the men's basketball team has competed in a national postseason tournament, including 11 NCAA Tournaments, 2 NITs, the 1951 National Catholic Tournament, and this being the second CBI appearance.
CSU BAKERSFIELD WINS WAC TOURNAMENT
After defeating seventh-seeded Chicago State 79-57 in the first round and No. 3-seed Seattle U 72-47 in the semifinals, CSU Bakersfield turned the 2016 WAC Tournament title game into an instant classic, using a last-second three-pointer to knock off defending champion NM State 57-54 to earn its first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament appearance. On the final play of the game, the Runners got the ball to Dedrick Basile, who nailed the long ball from just to the left of the top of the key. Basile was named tournament MVP and was joined on the all-tournament team by teammates Jaylin Airington and Damiyne Durham.
All-Tournament Team
Jaylin Airington, CSU Bakersfield
Ian Baker, NM State
Damiyne Durham, CSU Bakersfield
Pascal Siakam, NM State
MVP: Dedrick Basile, CSU Bakersfield
ALL-WAC HONORS ANNOUNCED
Following a vote of the WAC's eight head coaches, NM State's Pascal Siakam was named WAC Player of the Year, while UT Rio Grande Valley's Antonio Green was named WAC Freshman of the Year and CSU Bakersfield's Rod Barnes earned Don Haskins WAC Coach of the Year honors.
Siakam was the unanimous pick for WAC Player of the Year after posting double-doubles in 11 of 14 WAC games. In conference play, he led the WAC in scoring (18.8), rebounding (12.4), field goal percentage (54.6) and blocked shots (2.79), and ranked fourth in minutes per game (34.71) and sixth in steals (1.14). Siakam was named WAC Player of the Week five times this season.
Green earned WAC Freshman of the Year honors after scoring in double figures in eight of the 12 WAC games in which he played with 20 or more points twice. In conference games only, he led the WAC in minutes per game (35.17), ranked fifth in three-pointers per game (2.17), seventh in assist-turnover ratio (1.61), ninth in assists (3.08), 10th in defensive rebounds (4.08) and 16th in scoring (11.3).
Barnes was named WAC Coach of the Year after leading the Roadrunners to a tie for second place in the WAC. His team's nine-game turnaround from last season is tied for eighth-best nationally as CSUB posted its first 20-win season at the NCAA Division I level. The last time the Runners finished second in their conference was in 2005-06 at the Division II level.
NM STATE'S SIAKAM NAMED USBWA ALL-DISTRICT
NM State forward Pascal Siakam was named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association's (USBWA) All-District VIII Team. The 6-9 sophomore from Douala, Cameroon, is one of the 10 players chosen to the All-District Team and is now eligible for the USBWA's All-America team. Siakam is the only player in NCAA Division I averaging a double-double while also averaging 20 or more points a game. The USBWA's District VIII is composed of players from the states of Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and Montana. The teams are selected by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association based on voting from its national membership of 900-plus.
GCU'S BRAUN NAMED FIRST TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN®
Grand Canyon redshirt sophomore Joshua Braun was voted to the Academic All-America® men's basketball first team, becoming just the 23rd first team Academic All-American® in men's basketball in WAC history and the first since 2005 (Eric Castro, SMU). Braun is also Grand Canyon's first-ever first team selection in men's basketball and the first since Kevin Warren earned second team honors in 1986. A business management major, Braun currently carries a 3.83 cumulative grade-point average. He was named Academic All-WAC last year. He is one of two players in the WAC named to the mid-season watch list for the Lou Henson Award, given annually to the top Division I Mid-Major player.
NM STATE CLINCHES SECOND CONSECUTIVE WAC REGULAR-SEASON TITLE
With a win at Missouri-Kansas City on Feb. 27, NM State won its second consecutive WAC regular-season title and third in its history, all under head coach Marvin Menzies. NM State posted its fifth straight 20-win season and seventh in the nine-year Marvin Menzies era.
WAC STAT LEADERS
CSU Bakersfield leads the WAC in scoring defense (63.2), scoring margin (9.8), three-point field goal percentage defense (32.0), blocks (5.06), assists (15.66), steals (8.03), turnover margin (3.09) and assist-turnover ratio (1.28), while NM State is tops in field goal percentage (46.6), field goal percentage defense (38.9), rebounding (41.3), rebounding defense (31.4), rebounding margin (9.9) and defensive rebounds (29.12). Grand Canyon leads the WAC in scoring (76.8) and three-point field goal percentage (37.2), while Utah Valley is tops in free throw percentage (72.3) and three-pointers per game (8.53) and Chicago State leads the WAC in offensive rebounds (12.91).
Individually, NM State's Pascal Siakam leads the WAC in scoring (20.3), rebounding (11.6), blocked shots (2.27), offensive rebounds (3.82), defensive rebounds (7.76) and minutes per game (34.33). Grand Canyon's Grandy Glaze is tops in field goal percentage (59.4), while teammate DeWayne Russell leads the WAC in assists (5.32) and Joshua Braun is tops in free throw percentage (87.3). CSU Bakersfield's Dedrick Basile, Damiyne Durham and Brent Wrapp are tops in steals (1.84), three-pointers per game (2.87) and assist-turnover ratio (2.78), respectively, while Missouri-Kansas City's LaVell Boyd leads the WAC in three-point field goal percentage (42.0).
In WAC games only, NM State led the WAC in scoring defense (61.6), scoring margin (12.8), field goal percentage (47.0), field goal percentage defense (37.0), rebounding (41.6), rebounding defense (32.6), rebounding margin (8.9), blocks (5.64) and defensive rebounds (29.43), while Utah Valley was tops in scoring (78.0), free throw percentage (74.7), assists (15.79), assist-turnover ratio (1.36) and three-pointers per game (9.64). CSUB led the WAC in three-point field goal percentage defense (30.3), steals (7.93) and turnover margin (3.43), while Grand Canyon was tops in three-point field goal percentage (37.1) and Missouri-Kansas City led the WAC in offensive rebounds (12.57).
Individually in WAC games, Siakam led the WAC in rebounding (12.4), field goal percentage (54.6), blocks (2.79), offensive rebounds (4.07) and defensive rebounds (8.29), and tied with Braun for the lead in scoring (18.8). Utah Valley's Marcel Davis was tops in assists (5.79), while NM State's Braxton Huggins led the league in free throw percentage (86.7). Basile led the WAC in steals (2.21) and Durham was tops in three-pointers per game (2.79). UTRGV's Dakota Slaughter led the league in three-point field goal percentage (42.3), while teammate Antonio Green was tops in minutes per game (35.17) and Grand Canyon's Russell led the league in assist-turnover ratio (3.00).
CSU BAKERSFIELD TIED FOR EIGHTH-BEST TURNAROUND
After capturing the WAC Tournament title with three-straight wins last week, CSU Bakersfield is tied for the eighth-best turnaround in the nation. The Roadrunners are 24-8 this season after posting a 14-19 record a year ago.
NM STATE'S MENZIES SEVENTH ON WAC WINS CHART
NM State head coach Marvin Menzies is seventh on the all-time WAC victories chart with 104 wins. He needs three more wins to tie Jim Brandenburg of Wyoming and San Diego State (1978-92) in sixth place with 106. Menzies is also third in WAC winning percentage (73.6) and eighth in overall wins (198).
CSUB'S DURHAM SETS SINGLE-SEASON THREE-POINTER RECORD
With four three-pointers in against Seattle U on March 5, CSU Bakersfield freshman Damiyne Durham set the program Division I record for three-pointers in a season with 81. With 89 this season, he is now one three-pointer shy of the all-time program record.
NM STATE BOASTS LOWEST FG PERCENTAGE DEFENSE SINCE 1958-59
NM State currently leads the WAC and ranks 10th nationally in field goal percentage defense at 38.9. The Aggies are on track to allow opponents their lowest first goal percentage since the 1958-59 season when they allowed opponents a 38.0 field goal percentage.
CSU BAKERSFIELD TIES PROGRAM RECORD FOR STEALS
In a win over Seattle U on March 5, CSU Bakersfield nabbed 16 steals, tying the program Division I single-game record. The Roadrunners forced 24 Redhawk turnovers, a season high for CSUB opponents, and scored 32 points off those miscues.
NM STATE'S SIAKAM CLIMBING PROGRAM BLOCKS CHARTS
NM State sophomore Pascal Siakam has 75 blocked shots this season, good for third all-time in the Aggie single-season record books. His 136 career blocks ranks fourth on the program career list, one shy of third place. Siakam also has 1,017 career points and 644 career rebounds.
CSU BAKERSFIELD WINS 20 GAMES FOR FIRST TIME IN DIVISION I
With its win over Grand Canyon on Feb. 27, CSU Bakersfield won its 20th game of the season, an achievement the ‘Runners had not accomplished in a decade. CSUB has now matched its 2005-06 squad, one of the last teams to compete entirely in Division II, with 21 wins.
UT RIO GRANDE VALLEY SNAPS 28-GAME ROAD LOSING SKID
With a win at Chicago State on Feb. 28, UT Rio Grande Valley picked up its first road win since Nov. 17, 2014, snapping a 28-game skid. It was also the Vaqueros' first win away from home since Nov. 29, 2014.
UMKC'S HARRISON SURPASSES 1,500 CAREER POINTS
Missouri-Kansas City junior Martez Harrison became the fourth UMKC player ever and the first since Michael Watson in 2004 to score more than 1,500 career points. The WAC's active leading scorer, Harrison has 1,553 points in his three years with the ‘Roos. He ranks third all-time at UMKC with 369 assists. Harrison is also the WAC's active leader in free throws made (496) and steals (148).
CSUB'S HOLLINS SETS GAME, SEASON BLOCKS RECORDS
CSU Bakersfield junior Justin Hollins tied the all-time program single-game record with six blocked shots in only 18 minutes played at Seattle U on Jan. 16. He is the first CSUB player to do so at the Division I level. Hollins now has 60 blocks on the season to hold the all-time single-season record.
NM STATE BOASTS 35-GAME WAC HOME WINNING STREAK
NM State is currently riding a 35-game WAC home winning streak, the second-longest in the country behind the 37 straight Southland wins by Stephen F. Austin. The Aggies' last WAC home loss was a 68-60 loss to Nevada on Jan. 26, 2012. NM State finished 7-0 at the Pan American Center in WAC play this season, went 7-0 in 2014-15, 8-0 in 2013-14, 9-0 in 2012-13 and 4-0 to close out the 2011-12 season.
CSU BAKERSFIELD DEFENSE DOMINATES
CSU Bakersfield has held its opponent to 30 or less points in the first half 24 times this season. The ‘Runners have held their opponent to 50 points or less five times this season and 60 points or less 11 times.
NM STATE'S SIAKAM SCORES 1,000TH CAREER POINT
With his final shot at Chicago State on Feb. 13, NM State sophomore Pascal Siakam recorded his 1,000th career point and now has 1,107. He became the first sophomore in NM State history to reach 1,000 points, was the seventh Aggie to reach the mark in his first two seasons and became the 33rd member of the NM State 1,000-Point Club.
CSU BAKERSFIELD'S AHMED JOINS 1,000-POINT CLUB
At the 18:06 mark in the second half against Utah Valley on Feb. 13, CSU Bakersfield senior Aly Ahmed scored his 1,000th career point, becoming just the 12th Roadrunner ever to score 1,000 points and just the sixth player ever to score 1,000 points and grab 500 rebounds. He now has 1,059 career points and 580 rebounds.
SIAKAM FINALIST FOR KARL MALONE POWER FORWARD OF THE YEAR
NM State's Pascal Siakam is one of the 10 finalists for the 2016 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award. The award is named after Hall of Famer and two-time NBA MVP Karl Malone. The honor, in its second year, recognizes the top power forwards in Division I. A national committee determined a watch list of 20 candidates, which has now been narrowed to 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Malone and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The winner will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's from Club Nokia in Los Angeles, Calif., on Friday, April 8.
ROADRUNNERS BREAK PROGRAM DIVISION I RECORD FOR BLOCKS
In a loss at Grand Canyon on Jan. 29, CSU Bakersfield blocked seven shots, including a career-high-tying four by Aly Ahmed, to break the program Division I record for single-season blocks. The ‘Runners now have 162 on the season and need four more to reach the CSUB all-time record.
SEATTLE U SWEEPS WAC ROAD TRIP FOR FIRST TIME EVER
On Jan. 29 and 31, Seattle U swept a WAC road weekend for the first time since joining the conference in 2012-13, defeating Utah Valley and Grand Canyon. Seattle U overcame a seven-point halftime deficit for its first-ever victory over the Lopes after five previous losses.
UTRGV'S HINES, KIMASA MOVING UP CAREER BLOCKS CHART
UT Rio Grande Valley's Shaquille Hines and Dan Kimasa are two of the best blocking threats in program history. Hines, a senior, is third all-time in career blocks (74), while the sophomore Kimasa is fourth (72).
UTAH VALLEY MAKES 15 THREE-POINTERS TWICE THIS SEASON
Utah Valley made 15 three-pointers in its win at Chicago State on Jan. 23. It was the second time the team had tallied 15 made treys in a single game this season as the Wolverines also did it on Jan. 9 against UT Rio Grande Valley. The win over the Cougars also gave Utah Valley its first conference road sweep since 2014 as the Wolverines also defeated UMKC.
CSU BAKERSFIELD HAS FIRST SELLOUT SINCE 1993
A sellout crowd of 3,880 fans attended the double-overtime, buzzer-beating defeat at the hands of NM State, 68-67, on Jan. 23. The sellout was the third in CSUB's history and just the first since it happened twice in 1993.
GCU POSTS LONGEST WIN STREAK AT DIVISION I LEVEL
Before a loss to Seattle U on Jan. 30, Grand Canyon had posted a 12-game winning streak, the longest active streak in the country. It was the Lopes' longest winning streak since transitioning to Division I.
CSUB POSTS LONGEST ROAD WIN STREAK EVER AT DIVISION I
CSU Bakersfield has won four-straight road games for the first time as a Division I program and for the first time since the 2007-08 season, its final year as a Division II program. At 14-6 and with a minimum of 10 games remaining, CSUB has matched its win total from a year ago when it went 14-19.
BRAUN, SIAKAM NAMED TO LOU HENSON WATCH LIST
Two WAC student-athletes - Grand Canyon's Joshua Braun and NM State's Pascal Siakam - are among the 31 players named to the mid-season watch list for the Lou Henson Award, given annually to the top Division I Mid-Major player. The award is named in honor of former NM State coach Lou Henson, who coached 41 years. When he left the game in 2005, he was sixth all-time in career Division I wins with 779. The award is voted on by a 30-member panel, consisting of five current Division I head coaches, five retired head coaches, 10 current athletic directors and/or conference administrators, five members of the national media and five collegeinsider.com staff members.
UVU'S JACKSON BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD FOR THREE-POINTERS
In a win over UT Rio Grande Valley on Jan. 9, Utah Valley senior Jaden Jackson scored a career-high 31 points on a school-record nine three-pointers. The nine threes broke the previous Wolverine single-game record of eight and was one shy of tying the WAC record of 10.
CSUB EARNS 10 NON-CONFERENCE WINS FOR FIRST TIME
When it defeated UC Riverside on Jan. 2, CSU Bakersfield picked up its 10th non-conference win of the season for the first time in program Division I history, doing so the quickest since the 1997-98 season. It marks the fifth-straight season that Rod Barnes has led the ‘Runners to at least 10 victories, something that hadn't been done prior in the program's Division I history.
SEATTLE U POSTS LARGEST DIVISION I MARGIN OF VICTORY
With a convincing 98-36 victory over Northwest Indian College on Dec. 17, Seattle U secured its largest margin of victory as a Division I program. The 62-point margin of victory was the second largest in program history.
UTAH VALLEY SCORES 100 POINTS AT IDAHO STATE
When it defeated Idaho State 100-76 on Dec. 12, it was the first time that Utah Valley has ever scored 100 points in a regulation road game in program history. It also marks just the sixth time that UVU has hit the century mark in a game.
NM STATE ENDS 14-YEAR THREE-POINTER STREAK
NM State did not score a three-point field goal at New Mexico on Dec. 16, going 0-for-7 from beyond the arc. It was the first time in 14 years, to the day, the Aggies had not scored a long ball, as the last time NM State went without a three-pointer was Dec. 16, 2001, when they went 0-for-8 at The Pit against New Mexico. NM State followed it up with a season-best 11 three-pointers at UTEP, where it hit a season-best 57.9 percent (11-of-19) from long range.
UTRGV'S HINES JOINS 1,000-POINT, 600-REBOUND CLUB
UT Rio Grande Valley senior Shaquille Hines grabbed his 600th career rebound vs. Seattle U on Feb. 18 to become the seventh player in program history with 1,000 career points and 600 career rebounds. Hines closed out his career ranked ninth all-time in career scoring (1,325) and third in career blocks (74).
CSUB SETS PROGRAM DIVISION I RECORD FOR BLOCKS TWICE
In a 72-55 win over Northern Arizona on Dec. 5 and again in a 69-62 win over Dartmouth on Dec. 14, CSU Bakersfield blocked nine shots, a program Division I record.
UTRGV'S ROZANSKI BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING
UT Rio Grande Valley Basketball Operations Coordinator Cassie Rozanski is one of just seven women on NCAA Division I men's basketball staffs, along with fellow basketball operations professionals Janna Eichelberger (Tennessee State), Mary-Carter Kniffen (Tennessee), Justine Miller (Mount St. Mary's), Katherine Vosters (Wisconsin) and Kreigh Warkentien (UNLV) and Director of Player Development Shannon Hodge (Rider). Rozanski and her husband, first year assistant coach Marc Rozanski, make up the only husband-wife duo on an NCAA Division I staff.
UMKC BEATS SEC SCHOOL FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR
Missouri-Kansas City defeated Mississippi State 72-67 on Dec. 12 to pick up a win over an SEC team for the second year in a row (the Roos beat Missouri in the 2014-15 season opener). With the win, UMKC improved to 6-4 on the season to give the Roos six victories at the earliest date (Dec. 12) in the Division I history of the program.
NM STATE'S SIAKAM HAS RECORD-SETTING GAME VS. UTEP
NM State sophomore Pascal Siakam posted the 10th 20-20 game in NM State history when he scored 24 points and grabbed 23 rebounds in the Aggies' win over UTEP on Dec. 2. The 23-board performance equaled the seventh-best in NM State history and was the most for an Aggie since Chris Jackson's 23-rebound game at North Texas on Feb. 1, 2003. It was also the most boards by a WAC player since Paul Millsap of Louisiana Tech grabbed 28 against San Jose State on Feb. 15, 2006.
UTAH VALLEY SCORES 100 POINTS FOR FIFTH TIME EVER
Utah Valley defeated Antelope Valley 104-60 on Nov. 20 for the third-highest single game point total in program history. It was the fifth time UVU has hit the century mark in a single game as six Wolverines posted career marks.
SIAKAM HAS HIGHEST SCORING TOTAL IN WAC SINCE 2014
Twice this season - against Robert Morris on Nov. 24 and vs. Oral Roberts on Dec. 21 - NM State's Pascal Siakam scored 35 points, the most by a WAC player since Seattle U's Isiah Umipig scored 36 points against Idaho on March 1, 2014. It is the most points by an Aggie since Justin Hawkins had 37 against Hawai‘i on March 8, 2008. Siakam has three 30-point games this season, the most for an Aggie since Troy Gillenwater had four 30-plus games in 2010-11.
CHICAGO STATE BREAKS, TIES RECORDS, AGAINST IIT
CSU broke two school records and tied another record in last Friday's home-opening win over Illinois Tech. The Green and White scored 137 points on 56 made field goals to beat the previous records of 131 points and 51 made field goals that were set nearly 20 years ago. The Cougars also tied the school record for steals in a game (26).
UMKC'S BOYD TIES PROGRAM RECORD FOR SCORING IN A DEBUT
Missouri-Kansas City junior guard LaVell Boyd tied the program record for most points in a debut when he scored 25 points at Minnesota Nov. 13 in the season opener. Dominique Johnson also had 25 in 2006. Boyd's seven three-pointers in that game were also the most for a UMKC player since Reggie Chamberlain hit seven in January of 2012.
KEY NON-CONFERENCE MATCHUPS
WAC teams had several key non-conference matchups this season, including 33 games against teams that advanced to last year's NCAA Tournament or NIT.
Games vs. 2015 NCAA Tournament Teams
Nov. 16 Chicago State at Iowa State
Nov. 18 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 Missouri-Kansas City at Louisville
Dec. 22 UT Rio Grande Valley vs. North Dakota State
Dec. 23 NM State at Baylor
Dec. 23 Utah Valley at Louisville
Dec. 29 Missouri-Kansas City at Oklahoma State
Jan. 2 NM State at UC Irvine
Feb. 15 NM State at Wichita State
Games vs. 2015 NIT Teams
Nov. 13 UTRGV at Miami (Fla.)
Nov. 23 Chicago State at Illinois
Nov. 28 South Dakota State at Missouri-Kansas City
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
March 1 Grand Canyon at Saint Mary's
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Of the five first team All-WAC players in 2014-15, three returned 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 returned in DeWayne Russell of Grand Canyon.
Three of the five All-Defensive Team honorees from last year returned, 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 returned - Russell, Siakam and Joshua Braun of Grand Canyon.