United Athletic Conference

California Baptist's Reed Nottage has been named TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for January 25 through January 31.

 

Nottage, a sophomore guard from Sydney, Australia, averaged 21.0 points per game as the Lancers split a home series with Dixie State. In Friday's game, the Australian scored 16 points, including four three-pointers, to go with six rebounds and three assists over 38 minutes played. He followed that up with 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists in a four-point loss to the Trailblazers on Saturday. On the season, Nottage is averaging 15.2 points per game and is tied for the league lead in three-pointers per game at 2.7.

 

Other nominees included: Dixie State's Cameron Gooden averaged 19.5 ppg and dished out six assists to go with four steals in the Trailblazers' win over California Baptist on Saturday … Grand Canyon's Asbjørn Midtgaard led the Lopes to a sweep of rival NM State, averaging 13.0 ppg and 9.5 rpg  with a .733 shooting clip … NM State's Wilfried Likayi averaged 14.0 ppg for the Aggies, who returned from nearly a month off for games against Western New Mexico and two at Grand Canyon … Tarleton's Jonathan Jackson led the Texans to their first WAC win in program history, scoring 16 points with a pair of blocks in a 70-62 win at Utah Valley … Utah Valley's Fardaws Aimaq averaged a double-double as the Wolverines split a home series with Tarleton.

 

After playing six of eight scheduled conference games last week, the WAC hopes to continue to get games in with some intriguing matchups across the league. California Baptist makes the trip to El Paso, Texas to take on NM State for a pair. Grand Canyon will also head to the Lone State State, taking on UT Rio Grande Valley at Bart Ogden Arena. The final matchup features Seattle U traveling to newcomer Dixie State for a pair in St. George.

 

California Baptist leads the WAC in scoring offense (83.5), free throw percentage (.760), assists (19.5), assist/turnover ratio (1.4) and three-pointers made (10.6). Grand Canyon is the leader in scoring defesne (61.3), scoring margin (+17.6), field goal percentage (.516), field goal defense (.372), rebounding defense (29.8), rebounding margin (+10.0) and defensive rebounds (29.3). Tarleton holds the top spot in three-point FG percentage (.408), steals (9.9) and turnover margin (+7.00) and UT Rio Grande Valley is the leader in three-point FG defense (.257), rebounding offense (41.6) and offensive rebounds (14.6). Utah Valley has the statistical lead in blocked shots (4.9).

 

Individually, SU's Riley Grigsby is the leading scorer at 18.7 points per game and is also the leader in minutes played (35.8). UVU's Fardaws Aimaq has the rebounding lead at 14.9 per game and also has the lead in blocked shots (2.0), offensive rebounds (4.5) and defensive rebounds (10.4). GCU's Asbjørn Midtgaard is the leader in field goal percentage (.744), CBU's Tre Armstrong is the leader in free throw percentage (.919) and Tarleton's Montre' Gipson is the leader in three-point FG percentage (.576). SU's Darrion Trammell has the lead in assists (6.1) and steals (2.1) with UVU's Blaze Nield holding the lead in assist/turnover ratio (4.2). CBU teammates Reed Nottage and Ty Rowell are tied for the lead in three-pointers made at 2.7 per game each.

 

In WAC-only play, Seattle U is the leader in scoring offense (92.0), free throw percentage (.825), turnover margin (+11.0) and the Redhawks are tied with CBU for the lead in three-pointers made (9.0). UT Rio Grande Valley holds the lead in scoring defense (57.0), scoring margin (+20.0), three-point FG defense (.150), rebounding offense (41.5), assists (20.0), steals (13.0) and offensive rebounds (15.0). Utah Valley holds the top field goal percentage (.508) and is also the leader in rebounding defense (27.4), rebounding marign (+12.8), blocked shots (6.2) and defensive rebounds (29.6). Grand Canyon is the leader in field goal defense (.374) and Tarleton has the lead in assist/turnover ratio (1.3).

 

Individually, SU's Trammell has the lead in WAC scoring at 26.0 points per game, three-pointers made (3.0) and is tied with teammate Aaron Nettles for the lead in steals (5.0). UVU's Aimaq has the rebounding lead (14.8), and also leads in offensive rebounds (4.2) and defensive rebounds (10.6), while GCU's Midtgaard holds the field goal percentage lead at .756. Five players are tied for the lead in three throw percentage at 1.000 and SU's Vasja Pandža holds three-point FG percentage lead at .667. UTRGV's Javon Levi has the lead in assists (9.5) and teammate Jeff Otchere has the lead in blocks (3.5). NM State's Evan Gilyard II holds the top assist/turnover ratio (6.0). SU's Grigsby is the leader in minutes player at 43.0.

 

On Jan. 14, the WAC announced the addition of five new schools in the upcoming years. Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin and Southern Utah were all offered and accepted membership invitations. With the addition, the WAC will have six schools in Texas, more than any other conference in the country, and three schools in Utah, also a national best. The four Texas schools will join the league on July 1, 2021 and Southern Utah will follow 365 days later, officially joining the WAC on July 1, 2022.

 

After a couple pauses due to positive COVID-19 tests, NM State got back on the hardwood on Jan. 25 against Western New Mexico and then opened up WAC play on Jan. 29 at Grand Canyon.

 

After going over two years without losing a WAC game, NM State's nation-leading conference winning streak came to an end at 31 on Jan. 29 at the hands of rival Grand Canyon.

 

Citing an insufficient number of healthy players, Chicago State has made the decision to suspend all games for the remainder of the 2020-21 season. "It was a difficult decision, but a necessary decision in order to prioritize the health, wellness, and academic success of the student athletes," said Elliott Charles, Athletics Director at Chicago State University.

 

UT Rio Grande Valley senior guard Javon Levi is quickly moving up a pair of WAC career statistical lists. His 222 steals rank ninth all-time while his 557 career assists rank 11th all-time, having moved past former Wooden Award winner and BYU star Danny Ainge last week. Tulsa's Eric Coley is the WAC's all-time leader in steals at 299 while Utah's Jeff Jonas holds the career assist record with 778.

 

Due to increased public health restrictions in the state of New Mexico, the NM State men's basketball team temporarily relocated to Phoenix for nearly two months to prepare for the 2020-21 season. The Aggies practiced at the Arizona Grand Resort. State restricitions have since allowed the Aggies to return to Las Cruces for practice and the preseason favorites are expected to play home games in neighboring El Paso, Texas as a site to be determined.

 

The 2020-21 season is bound to be full of cancelations for a variety of reasons and the WAC has already seen the first wave. So far, the WAC has seen 36 men's basketball non-conference games canceled due to the pandemic. A complete list is below:

 

Nov. 25 IUPUI at Chicago State (COVID)

Nov. 25 Utah Valley at Stanford (COVID)

Nov. 28 Chicago State at DePaul (COVID)

Nov. 28 Weber State at Dixie State (COVID)

Nov. 28 Howard Payne at Tarleton (COVID)

Nov. 28 Park (Ariz.) at Grand Canyon (COVID)

Dec. 1  Florida A&M at California Baptist (Travel Restrictions)

Dec. 1 NM State vs. Park (Ariz.) (COVID)

Dec. 5 Prairie View A&M at Grand Canyon (COVID)

Dec. 5 NM State at Santa Clara (COVID)

Dec. 7 NM State at Cal Poly (COVID)

Dec. 8 UC Davis at California Baptist (Travel Restrictions)

Dec. 8 Tarleton at Gonzaga (COVID)

Dec. 10 Alcorn State at California Baptist (COVID)

Dec. 12 NM State at Arizona (COVID)

Dec. 13 Tarleton at Kansas (COVID)

Dec. 14 UT Rio Grande Valley at UIW (COVID)

Dec. 15 Tarleton at Baylor (COVID)

Dec. 15 Dixie State at Utah State (COVID)

Dec. 15 SAGU American Indian at Grand Canyon (COVID)

Dec. 16 California Baptist at Arizona (COVID)

Dec. 19 Long Beach State at California Baptist (COVID)

Dec. 19 Idaho State at Utah Valley (COVID)

Dec. 21 Southern at California Baptist (COVID)

Dec. 21 California Baptist at Loyola Marymount (COVID)

Dec. 22 Chicago State at Iowa State (Too Few Players)

Dec. 23 Tarleton at Pepperdine (COVID)

Dec. 23 Utah Valley at Air Force (COVID)

Dec. 29 San Diego Christian at Utah Valley (COVID)

Dec. 29 Denver at Grand Canyon (COVID)

Dec. 30 Bethesda at Grand Canyon (COVID)

Dec. 31 Paul Quinn at Tarleton (COVID)

Dec. 31 NM State vs. Santa Clara (COVID)

Jan. 2 SAGU American Indian at Dixie State (COVID)

Jan. 2 NM State at UC Riverside (COVID)

Jan. 3 NM State at UC Riverside (COVID)

 

Before the season began, Chicago State head coach Lance Irvin announced that due to health concerns, he will not be on the sidelines this season. A two-time cancer survivor, Irvin was initially diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in 2010 and received a bone marrow transplant in 2012 after the cancer returned. Despite not being on the sidelines, Irvin will still be considered the coach-of-record for the Cougars and his career record will reflect CSU's 2020-21 record.

 

NM State is the preseason favorite to win the Western Athletic Conference men's basketball title in 2020-21, while the Aggies' Jabari Rice was selected as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year in a vote of the league's nine head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.

 

The Aggies received 64 points and eight first-place votes to earn the top spot. Grand Canyon captured second place with 52 points and one first-place vote. UT RioGrande Valley was third with 45 points, followed by California Baptist in fourth with 43 points. Seattle U was selected fifth with 33 points with newcomer Tarleton coming in sixth with 31 points. Utah Valley was picked seventh with 28 points, followed by Dixie State in eighth with 20 points and Chicago State in ninth with eight points.

 

Rice leads the list of Preseason All-WAC honorees. Joining him on the first team are NM State teammates Johnny McCants and Donnie Tillman, as well as Grand Canyon's Alessandro Lever and UT Rio Grande Valley's Javon Levi.

 

Second team selections include Grand Canyon's Jovan Blacksher and Oscar Frayer, Seattle U's Riley Grigsby, NM State's Evan Gilyard and Dixie State's Hunter Schofield.

 

 

The Western Athletic Conference men's basketball media have selected NM State as the preseason favorite to win the conference crown during the 2019-20 season and Aggies junior guard Jabari Rice as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year.

 

The Aggies received 10 first-place votes, totalling 150 points to earn the top spot. Grand Canyon was picked second with 125 points while UT Rio Grande Valley finished third with 114 points. California Baptist picked up two first-place votes to take the fourth spot with 105 points. Seattle U was selected to finish fifth with 84 points, followed by Utah Valley in sixth with 74 points. Newcomers Dixie State and Tarleton were picked seventh and eighth with 49 and 46 points respectively while Chicago State rounded out the poll in ninth place with 18 points.

 

Rice was voted Preseason Player of the Year and is joined on the Preseason All-WAC first team by NM State teammate Johnny McCants, Grand Canyon duo Jovan Blacksher and Alessandro Lever and UT Rio Grande Valley point guard Javon Levi.

 

The Preseason All-WAC second team is comprised of Evan Cole from Utah Valley, Gorjok Gak from California Baptist, Hunter Schofield from Dixie State and Evan Gilyard and Donnie Tillman from NM State.

 

The following are the returning statistical leaders in the WAC from the 2019-20 season. 

 

Just two of the top 10 scorers from last year are back. Grand Canyon's Alessandro Lever ranked third last season at 15.7 ppg while Chicago State's Xavier Johnson led the Cougars and was sixth at 15.4 ppg.

 

Four of the top rebounders from last season return, led by NM State's Johnny McCants (fourth, 6.2). GCU's Lever (seventh, 6.0), Seattle U's Riley Grigsby (ninth, 5.5) and GCU's Jovan Blacksher Jr. (10th, 5.5) also return.

 

Three of the top 10 shooters in the WAC return, led by NMSU's McCants (second, .578). GCU's Lever was fourth (.535) and NM State's Jabari Rice was 10th (.468).

 

UTRGV's Javon Levi is one of two assist leaders to return, having led the conference with 7.9 per game. Also returning is GCU's Blacksher Jr. (sixth, 3.6).

 

Levi and Blacksher Jr. are also two of three of the top steals leaders returning. Levi led the WAC with 2.4 per game, Blacksher Jr. was third with 1.6 per game and CSU's Johnson was eighth with 1.4.

 

Only two of the top shot blockers return as SU's Grigsby (ninth, 0.7) and CSU's Ke'Sean Davis (10th, 0.7) will look to control the paint.

 

Of the five first team All-WAC players in 2019-20, only NM State's Jabari Rice returns for the 2020-21 season. Two of the second team honorees return in Grand Canyon's Alessandro Lever and UT Rio Grande Valley's Javon Levi. 

 

Levi is also the only member of the All-Defensive team to return this season while GCU's Mikey Dixon and NM State's Evan Gilyard II are the lone remaining members of the All-Newcomer Team.

 

Chicago State and Dixie State each return four starters from last year while both California Bapist and Utah Valley head into the season with no returning starters. UT Rio Grande Valley leads the WAC with 10 letterwinners returning. The complete list of letterwinners returning and lost and starters returning and lost for each team is listed below. 

 

Two new schools join the WAC this season as Dixie State (DII Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) and Tarleton (DII Lone Star Conference) join the league, replacing CSU Bakersfield (Big West) and Kansas City (Summit League). Dixie and Tarleton join California Baptist as schools transitioning from Division II to Division I. CBU is entering its third transitional year and will be eligible for NCAA postseason in the 2022-23 season while both Dixie and Tarleton will be eligible for NCAA postseason in 2024-25.

 

The NCAA announced on Nov. 16 the relocation of 13 predetermined sites for the 2021 Division I Men's Basketball Championship with the goal to relocate the entire tournament to Indianapolis and surrounding areas. The decision was made to limit travel and provide a safe an controlled environment for competition and practice venues, medical resources and lodging for teams and officials. Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis was already slated to host the Men's Final Four from April 3-5, 2021.

 

After COVID-19 wiped away the 2020 WAC Basketball Tournament, the conference will head to #WACVegas again for the 2021 tournament at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The tournament will be held March 11-13, and will include all six NCAA-eligible teams as well as transitioning member California Baptist.

 

ESPN will once again broadcast the WAC men's tournament championship game from the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on March 13. The championship game will be broadcast by ESPNU at 7 p.m. (PT).