This Week In WAC Men's Basketball - Dec. 27
This Week In WAC Men's Basketball - Dec. 27
SAM HOUSTON ENTERS WAC PLAY AT THE FRONT OF THE WAC RESUME SEEDING RANKING
In the latest WAC Resume Seeding System ranking on Dec. 27, Sam Houston remained as the top live seed in the WAC after a 10-2 start to the season. The Bearkats tallied 2.47 points to place ahead of 9-4 Utah Valley (1.37 points). Other teams with positive point totals were Seattle U (9-4, 1.17), Grand Canyon (9-4, 1.15), NM State (7-5, 0.35) and Utah Tech (8-5, 0.23).
CONFERENCE PLAY HAS ARRIVED
WAC teams are prepared to officially open conference play for the 2022-23 season on Dec. 28 when Southern Utah travels to NM State for a 7 p.m. local tip. Five league matchups are on tap for Dec. 29 and six conference tilts will follow on Dec. 31. WAC teams posted a combined 100-62 (.617) record in nonconference play and 12 of the league’s 13 members enter the conference schedule at .500 or better for the season.
UVU’S WOODBURY NAMED LOU HENSON NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Utah Valley guard Trey Woodbury captured Lou Henson National Player of the Week honors on Dec. 26 following a stellar performance for the Wolverines in a 77-72 win at Oregon on Dec. 20. Woodbury, who also earned the WAC Player of the Week award for Dec. 27, poured in 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting (.500) with nine rebounds, six assists and three steals for Utah Valley in the win in Eugene, which moved the Wolverines to 9-4 for the season and into the number two spot in the latest WAC Resume Seeding rankings that were released on Dec. 27.
WHO WILL FINISH ATOP THE WAC STANDINGS IN 2022-23?
After a three-way tie for the regular-season championship in the WAC one season ago, 13 teams are set to compete for both the top spot in the conference standings and the coveted NCAA Tournament automatic bid awarded to the WAC Tournament winner in March. NM State has earned at least a share of the WAC regular-season crown in four of the last five campaigns and is the conference leader with 10 tournament titles as a WAC member. The only other active league member with a WAC Tournament trophy is Grand Canyon (2021).
8-5 IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
Entering games on Dec. 28, five different teams in the WAC finished nonconference play with matching 8-5 records. California Baptist, Southern Utah, Abilene Christian, Stephen F. Austin and Utah Tech each turned in identical won-loss marks. Three of those five teams had won at least two straight games prior to play on Dec. 28, with Utah Tech’s five consecutive victories the second-longest active winning streak in the conference (Utah Valley, six).
THE WAC IN THE NATIONAL STATS RANKINGS
In the latest NCAA DI national statistics rankings that were released on Dec. 25, UTRGV ranked first in the country in team free throws attempted per game (28.6), second in team free throws made per game (19.7), third in team field goal percentage (.513) and fourth in fastbreak points (19.08). Sam Houston was at the top of the nation in bench points per game (40.75) and scoring margin (27.8), second in rebound margin (12.0) and fourth in field goal percentage defense (.350) and scoring defense (52.7). Southern Utah was third in team scoring offense (90.0 points per game) and Stephen F. Austin was fourth in turnovers forced per game (20.77). Individually, UTRGV’s Justin Johnson was first in free throw attempts (103) and Seattle U’s Cameron Tyson was fifth in made 3-pointers per game (3.91).
THE WAC AGAINST THE CONFERENCES
As expected, WAC teams have taken care of business in matchups against non-Division I opponents, posting a 35-0 record as of games played on Dec. 25. Highlighted records against peer DI conferences to start the season include a 15-4 (.789) combined mark against the Big Sky and a 9-3 (.750) record against the Big West. WAC programs have added wins against members from the ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 to date in the 2022-23 season.