That’s especially true when a juicy story comes along that’s sure to rile up the masses, generating lots of readers and charged opinions. Those stories force editors and reporters to make critical decisions about the validity of sources and effort required to seek comment from an opposing side.

In the emerging brouhaha about the transfer of Todd O’Brien from Saint Joseph’s to UAB, we have an awful lot of information spewing from the O’Brien side and almost nothing from the Hawks’ side.

If you missed the background, Sports Illustrated’s website ran a lengthy column by O’Brien, who outlined his journey through college basketball, which has landed him at UAB as a graduated senior with one remaining year of eligibility. However, before O’Brien can play for the Blazers, Saint Joseph’s must grant him a full release from his scholarship. And supposedly coach Phil Martelli refuses to do so. Without that release, O’Brien won’t play college hoops again.

Frankly, it’s hard to imagine a legitimate reason for not letting a guy play, especially for a team in a different conference and not on the Hawks’ schedule. But that’s not the point.

As the media outcry has sided with O’Brien — who is seeking legal recourse to force his way onto the court — only a handful of commentators have taken a measured approach to this story. So I tip my hat to CBS Sports’ Gregg Doyel, a man with plenty of strong opinions, for leaping into the fray waiving a gigantic caution flag.

While everyone is crying foul, Doyel cried, “Wait!” He rightfully observed that Saint Joseph’s is remaining mum because they are respecting student-athletes’ privacy. The bottom line is we don’t know the Saint Joseph’s side of the story, and we might not for some time. So it’s presumptuous at best and flat-out wrong at worst to side with the supposed victim in this story.

Of course, it’s far less engaging to remain on the fence when others are going all in and calling for Martelli’s ouster. That bloodlust is unhealthy and not reflective of this country’s innocent-until-PROVEN-guilty judicial system. If mob rule dictated justice, we’d have a lot of major mistakes to apologize for whenever we learned the truth — if we ever learned the truth.

A good journalist’s duty is to present clear, accurate and precise information. Commentators who espouse opinions based on incomplete information aren’t doing anyone any good. As unsexy as it may be, we all need to follow Doyel’s lead and wait and see. Let the established rules play out in the NCAA, and if the courts get involved, let the state and local laws as interpreted by the courts decide the matter.

But there’s no need to call for Martelli’s head on a platter until there’s substantiated evidence that he acted like a callous, vindictive control freak.

We go coast to coast with news from around the college basketball nation.

Kentucky had no problems getting past Samford, 82-50, even without Terrence Jones, who missed the game to recuperate from a dislocated pinky, writes the Associated Press’ Colin Fly.

California will be without one its big men this week as sophomore Richard Solomon recovers from a left foot injury, writes Diamond Leung for ESPN.com’s “College Basketball Nation” blog. The sophomore forward is one of the team’s best rebounders, averaging 6.9 rpg, and he’ll miss at least the team’s games against UNLV Dec. 23.

Miami will get back DeQuan Jones, who figured to play a bigger role for the Hurricanes this season — if for no other reason than he’s one of the bigger players on the teams. Jones missed the first month and a half of the season because the school suspended him for the season while the NCAA investigated his possible involvement in the recruiting scandal that has rocked the university. However, according to an Associated Press report, the Hurricanes have reversed that decision, and Jones could be back in the lineup as early as this week.

Some tech-savvy pranksters punked Oregon’s website Sunday night and Monday morning, writes the Washington Post’s Steve Yanda, and the hackers posted some disparaging comments about Virginia that were attributed to Oregon coach Dana Altman. The Ducks lost to the Cavaliers 67-54, and the hacker made up comments ranging from Mike Scott’s hair to the Ducks’ pregame meal. Oregon apologized to the Cavaliers for the malfeasance.

New Mexico State is bringing suspended guard Christian Kabongo back into the fold after the sophomore had been suspended for two games for making obscene gestures in a game against UTEP, writes ESPN.com’s Diamond Leung for the “College Basketball Nation” blog.

NCAA Division I programs couldn’t get enough support to overturn a rule that bans universities from hosting high school prep tournaments, according to an Associated Press report.

Houston boosters might have lost as much as 40 percent of their investments in the David Salinas Ponzi scheme affair, according to the Associated Press. Salinas committed suicide last year, a few weeks before the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit that detailed the deceptive investments and behavior that swindled a bunch of Division I programs and coaches.

The NCAA is entering new levels of ridiculous mismanagement. The Associated Press reports that the NCAA might reconsider giving new scholarship student-athletes a $2,000 stipend, though it would have to allow players who have already signed letters of intent to receive the extra cash while banning those who sign later.

Ohio State superstar Jared Sullinger is still hurting from recurring back spasms, and coach Thad Matta didn’t want to say when Sullinger will be back in the lineup for the Buckeyes, according to a CBS Sports.com wire report. But Sullinger answered that question Wednesday night when the Buckeyes beat down USC Upstate 82-58 and Sullinger played 24 minutes and got 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Nobody will face criminal charges in the Xavier/Cincinnati brawl, the Associated Press reports. Joe Deters, a Hamilton County, Ohio, prosecutor, looked into the matter, deciding not to pursue charges against anyone. One of the factors was Xavier center Kenny Frease’s satisfaction with an apology from Cincinnati’s Yancy Gates, who decked Frease in the head during the debacle.

Seton Hall will gain some more depth this weekend with the return of freshman Brandon Mobley, who had been out with a dislocated shoulder and torn labrum since the summer, according to the Associated Press.

Don’t skip your court appearances. Nothing good can happen. Just ask Kansas’ Ben McLemore. The freshman is under arrest after skipping a Dec. 6 court appearance for a citation related to underage alcohol possession, according to a CBS Sports.com wire report.

Also on the list of bad behavior is taunting fans by grabbing your crotch. New Mexico State sophomore Christian Kabongo did that, and now he’s suspended, writes Diamond Leung for ESPN.com’s “College Basketball Nation” blog.

Syracuse still has Melo — Fab Melo that is. If you thought I was talking about Carmelo Anthony, well, I kinda was. The NBA star who led the Cuse to a championship is convinced that Melo 2.0 and the rest of the crew have the talent to win another championship for the first time since 2003.

I’m not gonna lie — I love the fan experience. And if you tell me that a team in California’s tradition is to throw tortillas when a victory is in hand, I find it amusing. I mean, a flying tortilla — presumably uncooked soft tortilla — won’t hurt anyone. Except when your team is only up two and the officials consider giving the home crowd a technical. Yep, that’s how UC-Santa Barbara’s 65-61 win against San Diego went down, writes Diamond Leung for ESPN.com. When the fans started tossing tortillas, the officials considered tossing out a T. They opted to go with a public announcement that any more thrown items would produce two free throws for the Toreros. The fans settled down, and the Gauchos won.

College sports have had a rough run in recent months. Throughout the summer, fans had to try to figure out which conference their favorite team would be playing in when all the moving and shaking subsides. The motivation for conference realignment is all about the dollar bills, often at the expense of any sport not named football — and with little consideration for rivalries that make sports thrilling to watch and play.

But conference realignment was utterly benign compared to the chaos that erupted in State College, Pa., when one of the NCAA’s premier football programs crumbled under the weight of allegation after allegation of sexual misconduct by Jerry Sandusky, a former coordinator. Exacerbating the situation, coach Joe Paterno and Penn State officials appear to have covered up the activities, and it cost one of college football’s legends his job.

Then scandal crept into college hoops, at another sacred program. Coach Jim Boeheim has built Syracuse into a top program, and he relied on his top assistant, Bernie Fine, to help get the Orange there. But allegations of sexual abuse have surrounded Fine, and university officials fired him. Syracuse has received plenty of criticism for possibly failing to do enough to report the rumors of the abuse to police nearly 10 years ago, and Boeheim passionately defended his friend and assistant when ESPN first reported the allegations. He has had to backtrack from those statements, and some experts are calling for his ouster.

Yuck.

With such greed and alleged corruption percolating in college sports, it’d be easy to become disillusioned.

But resist the urge. Or to put it another way: “Don’t ever give up.”

Former NC State coach Jim Valvano made that phrase the motto of the foundation named for him after he died of cancer in 1993. Since his death, ESPN has partnered with the Jimmy V Foundation to raise funds for cancer research. The money goes directly to research, and it goes to a broad range of medical experts toiling to find a cure, not just for popular causes such as breast or prostate cancer but also rarer cancers that have a far worse death rate.

The annual Jimmy V Classic serves as a forum for ESPN to reach a national audience to urge donations, in addition to showcasing a few of the country’s best teams. If that’s not a great role for sports in U.S. society, I don’t know what is.

We go coast to coast with other news from the college basketball nation

Utah doesn’t have a Division I win yet on the season, and the Utes could struggle some more to pick that up after indefinitely suspending Josh Watkins, according to the Associated Press. Watkins has been Utah’s best player by far, averaging 17.7 ppg and 4.9 apg.

Things aren’t much better for one of the Utes’ biggest rivals, the Utah State Aggies. Diamond Leung, of ESPN.com’s “College Basketball Nation” blog, writes that Brady Jardine could be out all season after injuring his foot Nov. 19 in the team’s win against Southern Utah. Jardine is one of the team’s top rebounders, averaging 7.7 rpg.

West Virginia v. the Big East continues to froth in the legal system, with the Big East’s lawyers moving for a dismissal of West Virginia’s lawsuit attempting to get the Mountaineers out of the conference and into the Big 12 ahead of the Big East’s mandatory 27-month waiting period, according to the Associated Press’ Vicki Smith.

We don’t place a ton of stock in the polls in general, but Harvard’s arrival this week is newsworthy. As CBS Sports.com reports, it’s the first time that the Crimson have ever appeared in the top 25, and they are the first Ivy League team to reach the polls since Princeton in 1998.

Games to watch Tuesday

• Missouri vs. Villanova, 7 pm EST (Jimmy V Classic)
• George Mason at Virginia, 7 pm EST
• Kent State at James Madison, 7 pm EST
• Robert Morris at Duquesne, 7 pm EST
• Iowa at Northern Iowa, 8 pm EST
• Washington vs. Marquette, 9 pm EST (Jimmy V Classic)
• Long Beach State at Kansas, 9 pm EST
• Memphis at Miami, 9 pm EST

However, the Longhorns fell into a tailspin and finished the season by losing nine of 16 games. Instead of receiving a No. 1 seed, Texas will have to face a No. 1 seed in the second round. The selection committee gave the disintegrating Longhorns a No. 8 seed in the East region. The Longhorns will face No. 9 Wake Forest in New Orleans with a possible second-round match up against No. 1 Kentucky. That’s a dramatic fall in less than two months.

A few other teams appeared on pace for great seeds before faltering down the stretch.

• Purdue fell to No. 4 after remaining in consideration for a No. 1 seed as recently as two weeks ago. The loss of forward Robbie Hummel might derail the Boilermakers’ Final Four aspirations.
• Wake Forest lost five of its final six games, including an opening-round ACC tournament game to No. 12-seed Miami. As a result, the selection committee dropped the Demon Deacons to a No. 9 seed, which could be considered generous.
• Utah State looked to be in contention for a No. 8 or 9 seed before losing the WAC championship game to New Mexico State. The selection committee gave Utah State a No. 12 seed as a result.
• Tennessee has wins against Kansas and Kentucky this season, but the Volunteers’ last game was a 30-point drubbing to the Wildcats in the SEC tournament. A lack of other quality wins and that blowout led to the Volunteers falling to a No. 6 seed.

While some teams played their way down to worse seeds, a few other stormed through February and early March to rise in seeding. Notre Dame is the most notable ascender because the Fighting Irish were barely in bubble contention when superstar Luke Harangody went down to injury. But the Irish found a way to rattle off six straight wins before falling to West Virginia in the Big East tournament semifinals. That win streak included upsets of Pittsburgh — twice — Georgetown, Connecticut and Marquette. The streak added several great wins to a profile that already featured a marquee win in South Bend against West Virginia. The late season resurgence delivered Notre Dame an invitation to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 6 seed, one of the most remarkable late-season charges in recent years.

Here are some of the other late bloomers.

• En route to a No. 3 seed, Georgetown also had a late run in the Big East with wins against Cincinnati, Syracuse and Marquette.
• Before losing to Georgia Tech in the ACC tournament quarterfinals, Maryland had won nine of 10 games, including a huge victory against Duke in College Park and road wins at Virginia, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State and Florida State. The selection committee gave the ACC co-champion a No. 4 seed.
• Ohio State enters the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed thanks to a sensational finish in which the Buckeyes won 13 of their last 14 games, including three wins against Illinois and solid victories against Minnesota and Michigan State.

As Selection Sunday arrives, the Mock Tournament has once again undergone significant changes. We have a new No. 1 seed, West Virginia, and fewer major conference bubble teams thanks to upset victories by Houston and New Mexico State. UTEP and Utah State take two at-large bids, turning the Conference USA and WAC into two-bid conferences.

The bubble could contract further today if Mississippi State wins the SEC championship. Today’s action could produce other changes to the brackets.

• Temple and Richmond could swap spots as No. 4 and No. 5 seeds if the Spiders beat the Owls.
• Florida would be the first team out if the Bulldogs win.

We have only four more games to go before all automatic bids are accounted for. Enjoy the games, and check back later to see how closely the Mock Tournament comes to predicting the field.

Here are the latest brackets and links to previous projections.

• Mock Tournament 9.0
• Mock Tournament 8.0
• Mock Tournament 7.0
• Mock Tournament 6.0
• Mock Tournament 5.0
• Mock Tournament 4.0
• Mock Tournament 3.0
• Mock Tournament 2.0
• Mock Tournament 1.0

Teams in bold have won an automatic bid.

Three conference tournaments in particular figure to stress out the fringe tournament teams. The Horizon League, Missouri Valley Conference and Western Athletic Conference have the looks of one-bid conferences. But if those conferences’ leaders fail to receive the automatic bid by winning their conference tournament, they have a good shot of making the tournament with an at-large bid.

Butler is the most comfortable conference leader of the three, as the Bulldogs remain undefeated in the Horizon League. Despite posting only two wins against the RPI top 50, the Bulldogs are ranked No. 17 in the RPI, thanks largely to a non-conference slate ranked No. 14 in difficulty. The good news for bubble teams is that the Horizon League tournament will be in Butler’s backyard in Indianapolis. And Butler has dominated the Horizon League’s most likely threats, beating Cleveland State, Wright State and Green Bay six times by an average of 14 points.

In the Missouri Valley, Northern Iowa has four more conference wins than second-place Wichita State. The Panthers sport a higher RPI than Butler at 15, though that will likely change tomorrow because Northern Iowa dropped a road game to Bradley, only the team’s second loss in conference play. Despite two losses to teams outside the RPI top 100, Northern Iowa still figures to receive an at-large bid if necessary because the team is 22-3 and has two wins against the RPI top 50. However, Northern Iowa’s road to the conference’s automatic bid is tougher than Butler’s. The tournament will be in St. Louis, and the Panthers have not exactly blown out most MIssouri Valley opponents — winning by less than 10 points in six of 13 victories.

Utah State would likely join the bubble if the Aggies lose in the WAC tournament in Reno, Nev. Although the Aggies have the best marquis win of Butler, Northern Iowa and Utah State — against BYU — they also have the most losses, six, including two against teams outside the RPI top 100. Utah State has a respectable strength of schedule hovering around 100, and the Aggies might continue to rise if they finish strongly in the 10th toughest conference. With four home games remaining, the Aggies could easily enter the WAC tournament with 24 wins. However, playing in Reno means the Nevada Wolf Pack will have home-court advantage knowing they must earn the conference’s automatic bid to make the NCAA Tournament. If Utah State loses to the Wolf Pack in the WAC championship game, the conference could end up with two bids in the NCAA Tournament.

With nearly half the Big East on the bubble, several prominent teams, such as Louisville, Connecticut and Marquette, will need to hope that Butler, Northern Iowa and Utah State ensure that seemingly one-bid conferences don’t unexpectedly become two-bid conferences. All three conference favorites will face upset-minded opponents in their tournaments, especially when their opponents know they can only earn an NCAA Tournament bid by receiving an automatic bid.

Western Athletic Conference 2007-08 Preview

by Phil Kasiecki

Although perceived as a mid-major by many, the WAC had a solid season in 2006-07 by any standard. New Mexico State and Nevada went to the NCAA Tournament, while Utah State and Fresno State had strong teams that didn’t quite make it. Four teams reached 20 or more wins, the most in the conference since 2003-04, and all four teams that participated in the BracketBusters won their game.

While this season shapes up to be a nice one for the conference, the times will only get better if recent recruiting efforts are any indicator. Conference schools have long been able to pick up transfers from high-major schools and some junior college stars, but several schools have hauled in excellent players from the prep ranks this year as well. Several freshmen could easily have played in BCS conferences, and others are solid pickups that might be a slight notch below that level but should be excellent players in this conference. The best freshman in the conference, Herb Pope, could have played in any BCS conference, and players like Louisiana Tech’s Olu Ashaolu and D.J. Wright also come in with nice reputations.

This recruiting is important in the immediate because while a majority of the teams return three starters, no team returns more than that and a couple of teams return just one. That means there is playing time available, particularly in the form of starting jobs, and a good number of them could go to talented newcomers.

One interesting note with newcomers is that a half of the teams could see a new starter at the point guard spot. In most cases, the starter from last season has departed, and in a couple a newcomer looks like a good bet to supplant last year’s starter. As the point guard spot is notoriously difficult to adjust to in Division I, this could have a sizeable effect on how their teams live up to their potential.

Three teams had a coaching change since the end of last season. Louisiana Tech saw the end of Keith Richards’ tenure after some recent struggles, although he had his share of success. Kerry Rupp was hired to take his place, and while the Bulldogs will be young, Rupp’s presence is already being felt with the work he did on the recruiting trail late in the spring and summer. Hawai’i did not renew the contract of Riley Wallace, replacing him with long-time assistant and former player Bob Nash. In June, Reggie Theus left New Mexico State for the Sacramento Kings in the NBA, replacing him with Marvin Menzies. Like Theus, Menzies was an assistant at Louisville before taking this job.

Preseason Awards
Player of the Year: Marcelus Kemp, Nevada
Top Newcomer: Herb Pope, New Mexico State
Defensive Player of the Year: Fred Peete, New Mexico State
Best NBA Prospect: Herb Pope, New Mexico State

All-WAC Team
Kevin Bell, Sr. G, Fresno State
Jaycee Carroll, Sr. G, Utah State
Justin Hawkins, Jr. G-F, New Mexico State
Marcelus Kemp, Sr. G, Nevada
Reggie Larry, Sr. F, Boise State

New Mexico State Aggies (25-9, 11-5 WAC)
Projected Starters:
So. G Jonathan Gibson (2.6 ppg)
Jr. G Fred Peete (9.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.5 spg)
Jr. G-F Justin Hawkins (15.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 spg)
Fr. F Herb Pope
Jr. C Hatila Passos (8.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: Nine home games highlight a challenging non-conference schedule, with half of them coming in two in-season events. After early trips to Ohio and Duke, the Aggies are in the Legends Classic at home and then go to Newark, NJ to play Texas and either Tennessee or West Virginia. They later host the Lou Henson Classic, then have New Mexico to start three more in a row at home, and they close it out at New Mexico (completing the in-season home-and-home) and at Louisville. They also host a BracketBusters game in February. WAC play begins with three of four on the road, but a three-game homestand that ends with Nevada and Utah State follows it.
Outlook: There may be a new man leading the way, but the Aggies still have the most talent in the conference and plenty of depth. There isn’t a senior on the roster, but Hawkins and Peete were big keys to last season’s championship and Passos was a solid role player inside who did some dirty work, and Martin Iti is another presence in the middle. Late signee Wendell McKines will also get some minutes right away. Pope instantly becomes this team’s most talented player, and along with Hawkins will form a deadly duo and Hartford transfer Paris Carter will be in the mix as well. The big question is at the point guard spot, and not just because they turned the ball over nearly 17 times per game last season. The Aggies will need someone to take over between Gibson, who played limited minutes last year, and newcomers Chris Cole (Hartford transfer) and JayDee Luster. The Aggies host the WAC Tournament, and that along with the talent should add up to a formula for another NCAA Tournament bid.

Nevada Wolf Pack (29-5, 14-2 WAC)
Projected Starters:
So. G Brandon Fields (2.1 ppg)
Sr. G Marcelus Kemp (18.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.4 apg)
Sr. F Demarshay Johnson (redshirt)
So. F JaVale McGee (3.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
Sr. C David Ellis (2.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: A four-game homestand in December highlights a challenging non-conference schedule. Included is part of an in-season home-and-home with Central Florida, while they also host West Coast contender Santa Clara and California. Among the road dates are UNLV, improved Pacific, Northern Iowa and North Carolina, as well as a BracketBusters game.
Outlook: The Wolf Pack lost a lot with the graduation of Nick Fazekas and the early departure of Ramon Sessions, along with two underrated starters, but don’t count them out yet. Not helping matters is that the fall hasn’t been good to them in terms of player turnover. The big blow among the holdovers is that Lyndale Burleson, who might have been the incumbent at the point, is academically ineligible for the fall semester. That means someone like Fields or freshman Armon Johnson will need to run the team in the early going. Kemp’s return gives them three senior starters, with Johnson a capable player as long as he can keep up the work in the classroom and Ellis needing to get better now that he’ll be the man in the middle. McGee showed some promise last year, and there is talent among the newcomers, including junior college transfer Roy Kraemer on the wing. Tyrone Hanson figured to get some time there, but he was kicked off the team in October, and Richie Phillips suffered a knee injury that will keep him out through most of non-conference play. Don’t expect the Wolf Pack to be near the top of the conference in scoring again with their personnel losses; instead, they key will be reproducing last season’s defensive effort as opponents shot less than 41 percent against them, third-best in the conference.

Utah State Aggies (23-12, 9-7 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Kris Clark (3.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 4.2 apg)
Sr. G Jaycee Carroll (21.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Sr. F Nick Hammer (3.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Sr. F Stephen Ducharme (10.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg)
Jr. F-C Gary Wilkinson (junior college transfer)
Schedule Highlights: The Aggies have nine home games in non-conference play, including two in the Gossner Foods Holiday Classic and a BracketBusters game. The home slate is highlighted by Ohio Valley favorite Austin Peay, West Coast contender Santa Clara and Summit League contender Oral Roberts. Road games include Big West contender Cal Poly and dark horse UC-Irvine, Utah, and two games in the South Padre Island Invitational against Vanderbilt and either Bradley or Iowa. They get a chance to begin WAC play with some momentum, as four of the first five games are in Logan, though the one road game is at Nevada and New Mexico State is one of the home opponents.
Outlook: Stew Morrill’s team continues to be a consistent winner, and this year should be no different as four seniors return and are joined by a talented group of newcomers. Carroll leads the way as one of the best players in the conference, having led the conference in scoring last season with his sweet stroke from long range. Clark is an underrated floor leader who had a 2.2 assist/turnover ratio last season, and he’ll have a few other options to get the ball to this year. There isn’t great experience behind them in the backcourt, but there is talent. Wilkinson should start right away and make an impact inside with Ducharme, and there is good depth here as talented newcomers Brayden Bell and Muduo Niang are available on the bench, while Hammer should move into the starting lineup. Although their offense can win them some games, the Aggies will need to improve defensively if they are to be a championship team. Opponents shot over 45 percent from the field against them last season, which was better than just one team.

Fresno State Bulldogs (22-10, 10-6 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Kevin Bell (9.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 5.6 apg, 1.3 spg)
Sr. G Eddie Miller (10.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
So. G-F Bryan Harvey (transfer from Louisville)
Sr. F Hector Hernandez (11.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
Sr. F Rekalin Sims (transfer from Kentucky)
Schedule Highlights: The first five games in non-conference play will be at home, including three in three days as they host the Pape Slam. They have five more home games in the non-conference slate, including Big West contender Pacific and a BracketBusters game. The most challenging road games will be at Southland contender Sam Houston State, UNLV, Arizona and Stanford.
Outlook: Even with the departures of Quinton Hosley and Dominic McGuire, the Bulldogs might have more talent than anyone in the WAC except New Mexico State, and there is some good experience, albeit not among some of their more talented players. That all adds up to them being a dark horse. Bell and Miller are a solid backcourt, with Bell posting a 1.15 assist/turnover ratio last season and leading the conference in assists. Harvey should give them a boost now that he’s back in his home state, and Dwight O’Neil is back after missing last season with an injury. In the frontcourt, Hernandez won’t get much pub but will produce, while Sims injects more talent into the group. There are plenty of options up front, from seniors Shawn Taylor and Alex Blair to junior James Tchana, who only played in six games due to injury last season and freshman Brandon Webster, who might be a redshirt candidate given the depth. The Bulldogs were the best defensive team in the conference last season, but they were out-rebounded. The latter is something they hope the frontcourt will improve upon.

Boise State Broncos (17-14, 8-8 WAC)
Projected Starters:
So. G Anthony Thomas (5.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.2 spg)
Sr. G Matt Bauscher (4.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Sr. F Reggie Larry (14.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.4 bpg)
Sr. F Tyler Tiedeman (4.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Sr. F Matt Nelson (13.5 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Schedule Highlights: The Broncos open the season with two of their eight non-conference home games, the second of which is against Washington State. They will also host Brigham Young and a BracketBusters game. Notable road games include West Coast contender San Francisco and Albany in a return of last year’s BracketBusters game. Early on in WAC play, they have a chance to get some momentum going, as the toughest of the first four games is against New Mexico State, and that game is at home. Right after that is a tough trip with games at Utah State and Nevada two days apart.
Outlook: Larry and Nelson form the top returning forward duo in the conference and will carry this team often. Both can score and rebound, and if they get help from Tiedeman or someone like junior college transfer Mark Sanchez, little-used sophomore Kurt Cunningham or freshman Zack Moritz, there won’t be any concerns at all up front. The real concern is in the backcourt with the departures of Coby Karl and Eric Lane. Thomas was the WAC’s top freshman last season, and he’ll likely be joined by Bauscher in the starting lineup. Bauscher should be pushed by late junior college addition Jamar Greene. The backcourt question marks are even more concerning since the Broncos turned the ball over more than all but two WAC teams last season.

Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (18-13, 8-8 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Matt Gibson (10.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.7 spg)
Sr. G Bobby Nash (11.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.1 apg)
Sr. F Riley Luettgerodt (6.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Sr. F P.J. Owsley (6.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Sr. C Stephen Verwers (2.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.0 apg)
Schedule Highlights: The Rainbow Warriors won’t be heading to the mainland much in non-conference play, as they’re at home for all but three games. They’ll hit the road for games at New Mexico and San Diego as well as a BracketBusters game. Highlights on the home slate include Illinois, hosting the Rainbow Classic, and they’ll also play New Mexico and San Diego at home. In WAC play, they have an early three-game homestand.
Outlook: A new era begins in Honolulu with Bob Nash now at the helm, although there’s probably not anyone in the college game who knows the program as well as he does since he played there and spent 24 years as an assistant before getting this job. He inherits a team with plenty of seniors and some good talent despite a couple of key personnel losses, and it starts with the backcourt of Gibson and son Bobby. Both will be expected to score more, while Luettgerodt is capable of scoring more and should be better in his second season. He could also be pushed out of the starting lineup to let talented freshman Kareem Nitoto run the team and push Gibson off the ball. Inside is where the question marks lie, as Owsley and Verwers are serviceable but don’t have much behind them. With their frontcourt questions, the Rainbow Warriors will need to replicate last season’s excellent defense as opponents shot just 40 percent from the floor against them. It wouldn’t hurt if they cut down on their league-leading turnover total at the offensive end as well.

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (10-20, 7-9 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Drew Washington (4.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.1 apg)
So. G Kyle Gibson (4.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg)
Fr. G-F D.J. Wright
Fr. F Olu Ashaolu
Sr. F Keith Smith (4.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The non-conference schedule includes five home games with an in-season home-and-home with Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Southland contender McNeese State and a BracketBusters game are the highlights at home. Among the road games are trips to Mississippi State and Texas Tech, as well as three games in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic. WAC play gets difficult right away: after opening with Fresno State at home, they play three straight on the road and come home for Utah State and Nevada, then go on the road for Hawai’i and Fresno State.
Outlook: The Bulldogs are basically starting over all around, as they have just one senior who has played significant minutes, five freshmen and a new head coach in Kerry Rupp. There is some promise, however, and the Bulldogs could pull off a win or two that no one expects along the way. Washington is the lone returning starter, and along with Gibson and talented freshman Wright will form the perimeter unit. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Gibson pushed out by a newcomer like freshmen Orren Tims and Dwayne Lathan. Ashaolu is the team’s most talented player and was a steal for this program to pick up late, as he’s capable of putting up double-doubles. Smith is the only senior to play significant minutes in his career. They don’t project to be contenders, but the Bulldogs are starting to rebuild already under Rupp.

San Jose State Spartans (5-25, 4-12 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Jamon Hill (9.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.2 spg)
So. G Darion Goins (3.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg)
Jr. F DeVonte Thomas (4.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg)
Jr. F Tim Pierce (8.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
Sr. F Lance Holloway (3.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Spartans open the season in the First Shot Exempt Tournament at Middle Tennessee State. They won’t play their first of four home games until December, when they host West Coast contender Santa Clara and Big Sky contender Northern Arizona. A trip to Michigan State highlights the road games, while they also travel to Santa Clara to complete an in-season home-and-home and for a BracketBusters game. In WAC play, February begins with a tough five-game stretch: home against New Mexico State, at Nevada and Utah State, then Utah State at home two games later.
Outlook: The third season of coach George Nessman’s tenure may be where the Spartans begin to turn the corner after 11 wins the first two years and some roster turnover that leaves them with only Hill and Holloway as returning starters and neither being a sure bet to start this season. Hill is the incumbent to run the show, but either he or Goins could be supplanted by redshirt freshman Justin Graham, a 6’4″ combo guard. Pierce showed signs that he could be a good scorer last season, while Thomas and Holloway could be supplanted by newcomers like freshman Oliver Caballero or Pepperdine transfer Chris Oakes. The Spartans have plenty of room for improvement, but it is perhaps most pronounced at the offensive end as they were next-to-last in both scoring and field goal percentage last season.

Idaho Vandals (4-27, 1-15 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Terrence Simmons (junior college transfer)
Jr. G Trevor Morris (6.5 ppg)
Sr. F Clyde Johnson (4.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Sr. F Michael Cromwell (3.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Sr. F Darin Nagle (9.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.9 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Vandals have five home games in non-conference play, including half of their in-season home-and-home with South Dakota State. They have two early road tests at Gonzaga and Washington State, and later play at Arizona State and are on the road in a BracketBusters game. To start WAC play, the Vandals trade three-game stretches at home and then on the road, with the latter being a difficult one: Fresno State, Nevada and Utah State.
Outlook: Only five letterwinners return for the Vandals, making this another transition year as personnel goes. There are five junior college transfers among their nine newcomers, and each could start at some point in the season as only Nagle looks to be safe in the starting lineup among holdovers. Johnson and Cromwell figure to at least be key reserves if they don’t start, pushed by Jordan Brooks and Luis Augusto and freshman Phillip Thomas. Morris started three games last year, but will be pushed strongly by Brandon Brown and Mike Hall, as well as Washington State transfer Mac Hopson. The great deal of turnover will make winning this season exceedingly difficult, but if newcomers can come in and make a difference, it will be a step in the right direction for the program.

Conference Outlook

Another good year is shaping up for the WAC, with New Mexico State and Fresno State having the most talent. Neither team also boasts the most experience, which will open the door for teams with more experience like Nevada and Utah State, both of whom have excellent established coaches leading the way. Hawai’i will be a factor, if only from their ability to defend their home court, as they enter a new era, and don’t be surprised if Louisiana Tech wins a couple of games no one expects with their newcomers as Kerry Rupp already has that program moving forward.

The conference has a mix of holdovers and talented newcomers that will challenge coaches to meld together to win games. The challenge is a little higher since the recruiting of late has been so good that a number of the newcomers could easily come in and start right away. In the long run, that bodes well for the conference while it has challenges to manage egos in the short run.

Western Athletic Conference 2006-07 Preview

by Phil Kasiecki

It’s a new season, but a couple of things won’t be new in the Western Athletic Conference in 2006-07, notably places in the standings. Most notably, Nevada should still be the favorites with the return of Nick Fazekas, who tested the NBA waters in the off-season. His return, as well as that of three other starters and head coach Mark Fox, whose name came up for head coaching vacancies this off-season, ensures that the Wolfpack should stay atop the standings.

But the Wolfpack will have challengers in a conference with a lot of newcomers expected to play key roles. New Mexico State has veterans as well as touted newcomers, and the Aggies will contend if they all meld together come January. Fresno State has enough talent and experience to be dangerous as well, Hawaii always has a big homecourt advantage and Stew Morrill’s teams at Utah State always have enough players to contend.

Only one coaching change happened this off-season, with George Pfeifer taking over at Idaho. The Vandals have a new look in personnel this season as well, so contending looks to be a year or two away. As mentioned, Fox’s name came up in the off-season, but he opted to stay in Reno. Rumors continue to persist that Hawaii head coach Riley Wallace will retire in the foreseeable future, but he’s still there and has a team that could be a dark horse this season.

Most teams will count on newcomers to provide some help, with a few needing them to come through right away. A good number come from the junior college ranks, while there are also a few possible impact transfers from four-year schools, which means teams are getting newcomers that have college experience.

Preseason Awards

Player of the Year: Nick Fazekas, Nevada
Top Newcomer: Justin Hawkins, New Mexico State
Defensive Player of the Year: Kyle Shiloh, Nevada

All-WAC Team
Jaycee Carroll, Jr. G, Utah State
Nick Fazekas, Sr. C, Nevada
Quinton Hosley, Sr. F, Fresno State
Coby Karl, Sr. G, Boise State
Tyrone Nelson, Jr. F, New Mexico State

Nevada (27-6, 13-3 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Ramon Sessions (4.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.9 apg, 1.2 spg)
Sr. G Kyle Shiloh (8.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Jr. G-F Marcellus Kemp (15.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Sr. F-C Nick Fazekas (21.8 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.1 spg)
Jr. C David Ellis (1.6 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 8.2 mpg)
Schedule Highlights: Eight home games dot the challenging non-conference schedule, with notable home opponents including UNLV, Big West contender Pacific and America East contender Maine. Notable road games are at Oregon State, at California, at MAC favorite Akron and Gonzaga in Seattle. The most notable part of the WAC schedule is a three-game road stretch right after the BracketBusters game (in Reno) in late February.
Outlook: The Wolfpack are still clear favorites with Fazekas’ return, although they would still be a contender without him. As good as Fazekas is, he has an excellent support cast on the perimeter, led by a finally-healthy Kemp, the emerging Shiloh with his great stroke, and Sessions, who has started since his freshman year. As Sessions continues to improve, so will the team, although the more important barometer of the team’s success may be the development of the inside complements to Fazekas as there is not much experience there. Demarshay Johnson won’t play for at least the first semester due to academics, so it’s up to players like David Ellis and freshman JaVale McGee to give the Wolfpack another inside presence, and this team doesn’t have much proven depth. The non-conference schedule will prepare them well for WAC play, so they’ll get a chance to develop some depth along the way.

New Mexico State (16-14, 10-6 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Elijah Ingram (13.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.1 apg)
Jr. G Justin Hawkins (transfer from Utah)
Sr. F David Fisher (8.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg)
Jr. F Tyrone Nelson (17.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.6 spg)
Jr. C Martin Iti (transfer from Charlotte)
Schedule Highlights: Nine home games are on tap in non-conference, including hosting the Lou Henson Classic and a game in the BracketBusters. The home slate includes Big West contender Pacific, in-state rival New Mexico, and UTEP. Among the road games on tap are trips to Arizona, New Mexico and UTEP (completing a home-and-home for this year with the last two). In WAC play, the Aggies have a three-game road stretch and then host Nevada early, but finish the regular season with three straight at home before a trip to Nevada.
Outlook: The Aggies have talent, but also have to get several newcomers integrated into the scheme and have had distractions. Hawkins and Kansas State transfer Fred Peete will get plenty of minutes on the perimeter, where Ingram can run the show but needs to look less for his own shot. Nelson has the talent to be one of the WAC’s best, but two off-court incidents before the season mean that’s a concern. Iti was an underachiever at Charlotte, but he could help Nelson be that much better inside. Two key areas for improvement are defense, as only two WAC teams allowed opponents to shoot better from the field, and taking care of the ball, as Ingram’s 104 turnovers helped the Aggies lead the WAC in turnovers.

Fresno State (15-13, 8-8 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Kevin Bell (7.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 5.9 apg, 1.6 spg)
Jr. G Dwight O’Neil (10.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.4 spg)
Sr. G Ja’Vance Coleman (17.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Sr. F Quinton Hosley (18.6 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 1.4 apg, 2.1 spg)
Jr. F Hector Hernandez (8.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.1 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Bulldogs open the season hosting a tournament with Winston-Salem State, UC Irvine and Sun Belt contender South Alabama. Six more home games are on tap in non-conference play, notably Creighton and Stanford, and a seventh is a home game in BracketBusters. They have a three-game road stretch mixed in, with Oregon State being the most notable opponent. After opening WAC play with back-to-back home games, they have a tough three-game road stretch that starts in Hawaii and ends in Nevada.
Outlook: The Bulldogs might have the most talent in the conference, but the talent mix might be a problem since a lot of it is on the wing. All five starters return, led by All-WAC candidates Hosley and Coleman, and California transfer Dominic McGuire and Louisville transfer Bryan Harvey both should figure into the equation; McGuire started 23 games at Cal two seasons ago. Bell should only get better as the steady floor leader with all the scoring options, though his leadership will be a key to their success. In the frontcourt, Hernandez is a good role player who could get some help from Rekalin Sims, who never lived up to his billing at Kentucky but might fare better with the change of scenery. Besides the talent, this team has a year under Steve Cleveland, which will only help, but the right mix of players must be found for the talent to be fully harnessed.
While the Bulldogs will score, they won’t win if they don’t improve on the defensive end, where they allowed opponents to shoot over 46 percent from the field last season, and improvement on the glass is a must after they had the worst rebounding margin in the WAC last season.

Utah State (23-9, 11-5 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Jaycee Carroll (16.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Jr. G Mikel Watson (redshirt)
Sr. G Durrall Peterson (7.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.1 apg)
Sr. F Chaz Spicer (7.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
Jr. C Arvydas Vaitiekus (redshirt)
Schedule Highlights: The Aggies have six non-conference home games on the slate, notably in-state rival Utah. Road games weren’t easy to come by, as the most notable one is at Brigham Young. They are also on the road in the BracketBusters and will be in the Top of the World Classic. After beginning WAC play with two road games, they trade three home games and three road games in a row, the latter concluding with a tough stretch at Nevada and at Hawaii.
Outlook: Stew Morrill’s teams have been consistent winners, but he has a tougher challenge this season thanks to the departure of three key starters from last season’s team. Returning starters Carroll and Peterson ensure that the wing will be fine, as Carroll has a sweet stroke and plays a solid all-around game. The questions come in at the point, where Watson doesn’t have much experience at this level, and the post, where Spicer needs to improve now that he’ll be a starter and Vaitiekus gives them size but is an unknown quantity.
Morrill’s teams are always efficient, so although last season’s 50 percent showing from the field will be tough to repeat, it’s not impossible. The real key will be repeating last season’s good rebound margin since they forced the fewest turnovers at the defensive end.

Hawaii (17-11, 10-6 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Matt Gibson (redshirt)
Sr. G Matt Lojeski (13.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 spg)
Jr. G-F Bobby Nash (redshirt)
Sr. F Ahmet Gueye (12.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.2 apg, 2.5 bpg)
Jr. C Stephen Verwers (transfer from Colorado State)
Schedule Highlights: The Rainbows will be tested in non-conference play, starting at UNLV (which returns the game in December) and hosting Oregon State before the Great Alaska Shootout, where they open with Hofstra and then play either Marshall or California. They host the Rainbow Classic, opening with San Francisco. In WAC play, they open with two straight road games and alternate with two straight home games the rest of the way. The toughest road swing is likely to be at the beginning of February, when Fresno State and Nevada loom.
Outlook: The Rainbows have talent, but questions loom about the effectiveness of a few likely starters due to injuries. Gibson and Nash redshirted last season, while Gueye tore up his knee in March and has had to rehab the entire off-season. It will be a challenge to integrate Verwers and the redshirts into the starting lineup and find the right mix, especially with four junior college transfers also figuring into the picture.
The Rainbows are always tough at home, meaning that some road wins are the key to reaching the NCAA Tournament. If they can repeat their defensive showing from last year, when they were third in the WAC in field goal percentage defense, they will have a chance even if they have some struggles on offense with the lineup changes.

Boise State (14-15, 6-10 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Eric Lane (11.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.1 apg)
Sr. G Coby Karl (17.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.0 apg)
Jr. G Matt Bauscher (8.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Jr. F Reggie Larry (junior college transfer)
Jr. F Matt Nelson (transfer from Eastern Washington)
Schedule Highlights: Seven home games are on tap in a challenging non-conference slate that includes a home-and-home with Colorado State. Notable home games are against Brigham Young and one in BracketBusters, while road highlights are at Wyoming, Washington State, Big Sky favorite Montana and West Coast Conference contender Loyola Marymound. WAC play begins with three of four and five of seven at home, but the first two aren’t easy: Utah State at home and Nevada on the road. They also close the season with a tough stretch: Nevada at home, then at Fresno State and Hawaii.
Outlook: Carl is one of the conference’s best, and Lane and Bauscher combine with him for an experienced perimeter unit. That’s a good start, but they were part of last season’s sub-.500 showing. Larry and Nelson figure to give them a lift, as does redshirt freshman guard Anthony Thomas. There looks to be enough talent and experience for this team to make a push toward the top, but they have to prove themselves with more consistency.
The Broncos should be among the leaders in scoring again, but they need to improve on the glass with two new starters and take better care of the basketball.

Louisiana Tech (20-13, 11-5 WAC)
Projected Starters:
So. G Drew Washington (2.2 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Sr. G Trey McDowell (5.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg)
Sr. F Jerome Richardson (5.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Sr. F Chad McKenzie (6.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.7 apg)
Jr. C Shawn Taylor (junior college transfer)
Schedule Highlights: The Bulldogs open in the Texas A&M Tournament, where the host school will pose a challenge as well as Saint Louis. Southern Illinois and Texas Tech highlight three non-conference home games, while they have a home-and-home with Southern (consecutive games one week apart). Road games with LSU and Arkansas close out a challenging non-conference slate. After starting with two home games in WAC play, the Bulldogs play five of six on the road.
Outlook: The Bulldogs return an experienced team, but they lost a good deal of talent with the departures of Paul Millsap and Daevon Haskins. Millsap dominated inside before leaving for the NBA Draft and was a big reason they led the WAC in rebounding margin last season, and he will be the toughest player to replace in the conference. Someone has to emerge as a go-to guy among the holdovers, while Washington moves into the starting lineup after capably backing up Haskins last season.
The loss of scoring is particularly striking because the Bulldogs scored less than all but two WAC teams last season, meaning they’ll likely have to repeat their excellent defensive showing (second in the WAC) to have a chance to win games.

San Jose State (6-25, 2-14 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Jamon Hill (junior college transfer)
Sr. G Carlton Spencer (9.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.0 apg)
So. F Tim Pierce (transfer from Arizona State)
So. F Kerry Wooldridge (transfer from Minnesota)
Sr. C Menelik Barbary (6.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: Just three home games are on tap in a difficult non-conference schedule, with the most notable opponent being Big West favorite Long Beach State. They open in the College Basketball Experience Classic at Stanford, then getting either Air Force or Long Beach State. Then the challenging road games keep coming: Arizona State, Saint Mary’s, Brigham Young, Big West contender Cal State Fullerton and Duke. The Spartans hardly get a break in WAC play: early on, a three-game homestand has Nevada, Fresno State and Utah State.
Outlook: Spartan fans will need a program, as there are eight newcomers that should help the program move in the right direction. Spencer and Barbary should be the leaders, while Hill, Pierce and Wooldridge look like the best newcomers. If they can make an impact, the Spartans have a chance to move up in the standings, but this season is a building block for the future.

Idaho (4-25, 1-15 WAC)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Mario Mackey (junior college transfer)
Sr. G Keoni Watson (10.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.2 spg)
Jr. G Miles Webb (junior college transfer)
Jr. F Mike Kale (junior college transfer)
Jr. F-C Darin Nagle (junior college transfer)
Schedule Highlights: Six home games are on tap in the non-conference slate, including an appearance in the BracketBusters event. Washington State is the most notable home opponent, while notable road games are at Gonzaga and Washington. They play home-and-home series this season with North Dakota State and South Dakota State. WAC play gets tough right away, with consecutive road games at Fresno State and Nevada, then New Mexico State at home.
Outlook: New head coach George Pfeifer takes over a team with just three players who return from last season, when he was an assistant. Eight junior college transfers join the program, which gives them college experience but not at this level. Watson looks to be the best holdover and will be counted on to lead the way. This is the beginning of a rebuilding phase for Pfeifer, and the success of his tenure won’t be judged on this season.

Conference Outlook

The WAC has six teams with solid postseason potential, with the top three teams looking particularly strong compared to the others. Utah State and Hawaii are dark horses, while Boise State could earn an NIT bid if their veterans play up to their experience. But there is one big variable in all of this, which is the newcomers: each team will have newcomers playing a key role in some way, shape or form. They may count on newcomers to start, play a key role off the bench, or find a way to integrate them into the rotation with holdovers. It all means that a good race should be ahead this season in the WAC, with some postseason bids following it.

Western Athletic Conference Notebook

by Mitch McLaughlin

Entering the 2005-06 season, all of the focus on the Western Athletic Conference was on the team that was picked by everyone to at least represent the conference in the Big Dance this March. That team, the Nevada Wolf Pack, was well on its way to being just the second WAC team since 2000 to be seeded lower than 8th in the NCAA tournament. Tulsa was a 7th seed in the South Region in 2000 and advanced all to the Elite 8 that season. Before last week, Nevada was 10-1 with their only being to no. 18 UCLA in a game that was played in nearby Anaheim. However in their last three games, the Wolf Pack are only 1-2 with losses to St. Mary’s and Hawaii and are no longer ranked in either of the top 25 polls.

One constant for Nevada has been junior forward Nick Fazekas, the conference’s player of the year a season ago. Fazekas scored a career-high 35 points in Nevada’s upset win at Kansas in November. He is the top scorer among conference performers with 21.7 ppg and is one of six WAC players to lead their teams in scoring and rebounding so far this season.

Joining Fazekas are Coby Karl of Boise State (15.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Quinton Hosley of Fresno State (19.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg), Paul Millsap of Louisiana Tech (20.7 ppg, 11.9 rpg), Tyrone Nelson of New Mexico State (16.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg) and Nate Harris and Utah State (18.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg). Karl is the only player in the conference to lead his team in those two categories and assists as well.

Louisiana Tech junior forward Paul Millsap moved up to second nationally this past week in rebounding statistics with 11.9 per game. Arkansas-Little Rock’s Rashad Jones-Jennings is first with 12.1 per contest. Millsap was the nation’s leading rebounder in each of the past two seasons. As a freshman, he became the first WAC player to lead the nation in rebounding with 12.5 boards per game. Last year, he became the first player to lead the country in rebounding in back-to-back seasons since American’s Kermit Washington did it in 1971-72 and 1972-73. Millsap was also the first ever to take consecutive rebounding titles as a freshman and sophomore. No player has ever won three NCAA rebounding titles. He was also named conference player of the week after averaging 19.5 points, 15.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots in two road victories for the Bulldogs. It was Millsap’s second player of the week honor this season and fifth of his career.

Battle at the top of the standings this week – Both Hawaii and Louisiana Tech have started the season with 2-0 marks and the two teams meet in Ruston, La., this Thursday night. The Rainbow Warriors opened WAC play in mid-December with a win over Utah State and then beat Nevada at home last week. The Bulldogs won both of its games on the road last week at Boise State and Idaho. Hawaii is looking to go 3-0 for the first time since winning is first six WAC games of the 2001-02 season while Louisiana Tech has never been 3-0 in the WAC.

Team Notebooks

Hawaii (8-4 overall, 2-0 in conference)

The Rainbow Warriors opened the season with one of the biggest upsets so far in college basketball with their win over then No. 5 Michigan State 84-62 in Honolulu. That has catapulted them to a 7-1 home record and a good start to the conference season with wins over Utah State and Nevada, the teams projected to finish 1 and 2 in the conference standings. Senior forward Julian Sensley has led the team with his 15.7 points and 3.4 assists per game averages.

The Rainbow Warriors face a tough stretch to finish out January with four of six on the road. They face fellow 2-0 Louisiana Tech Jan. 12 and then travel to New Mexico State for a Jan. 14 contest. After two home games, they go to Nevada Jan. 28 and Utah State Jan. 31.

Louisiana Tech (9-6, 2-0)

After opening the season with a one-point loss at home to Yale, the Bulldogs have responded by winning their last five at home and enter this week 2-0 after two road wins at Boise State and Idaho. The Bulldogs had a tough non-conference road schedule playing and losing to three ranked opponents. They were defeated by then No. 18 Alabama 73-63 in late November and then last month lost to then No. 4 Memphis 76-58 and to then No. 22 Wisconsin 78-52. The Bulldogs have gotten great performances from Millsap as evident from his two player-of-the-week honors so far. The junior forward is the team’s only player averaging double digits in points.

After their two road wins, they get a break with three of the next four at home, including the conference’s two other undefeated teams in Hawaii and Fresno State. They then go to Utah State Jan. 18 in what should be another decisive game in the conference standings.

Fresno State (8-4, 1-0)

The Bulldogs opened the conference season last week with a big double-overtime victory over Utah State 99-96. They have opened the year 6-1 at home with their only loss being a one-point defeat to Iona. They have only two wins away from Fresno these being at Cal Poly and then against Iowa State who has an 11-4 record up to this point. The Bulldogs have three of the conferences best performers thus far this season. Junior swingman Quinton Hosley is one of two players averaging over 10 rebounds a game (10.2 rpg) and is third in the league in scoring his 19.8 ppg. They also have one of the more impressive backcourts with junior Ja’Vance Coleman who is fourth in the league in scoring with his 18.8 points and sophomore Kevin Bell is leading the conference in assists with his 6.7 average.

Fresno State has a tough stretch coming up with three of four on the road and they play some of the conferences best team in this stretch. After going to Las Cruces, N.M. to face New Mexico State, they play at Louisiana Tech Jan. 14 before a home game on Jan. 18 against Nevada, following that with a Jan. 22 road match-up against Hawaii.

Nevada (11-3, 1-1)

The Wolf Pack were the odds-on favorite to win the conference entering the season and even if they don’t win the conference tournament, they still have a good shot at getting in the field of 65 in March, but have been upset twice in the past few weeks. St. Mary’s upset them 89-80 in overtime, followed by a 73-69 loss in Honolulu. They are undefeated in Reno with a 6-0 record and have had some impressive wins over schools from bigger conferences. They won at UNLV and at Kansas in back-to-back games in November and last month defeated Georgia in Reno. Fazekas has showed that he is the conference’s best NBA prospect by averaging 21.7 ppg and 8.9 rpg thus far, but they have gotten help from Marcelus Kemp and Mo Charlo who are the only players averaging in double figures in points.

In the next four games, Nevada has three of them at home with a road match-up with Fresno State Jan. 18 followed by a Jan. 24 home game against Utah State.

Boise State (8-5, 1-1)

The Broncos were projected to be a team that would finish near the middle of the pack in the conference and that’s where they sit right now. They only played one team from a major conference in Arizona State and were defeated 64-49 in that game. They did play BYU and lost a close 80-77 game in Provo, Utah. They have two wins away from Boise in victories over Weber State and San Francisco. They did play seven of eight teams from the Big Sky with wins over Montana, Montana State, Weber, Sacramento State and Eastern Washington. Their top performer this year is junior guard Coby Karl who is making his push for conference honors being the only player in the WAC to lead his team in all three major statistical categories. He’s pacing the Broncos with 15.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Fellow guards Eric Lane and Matt Bauscher are their only other players averaging in double figures in points.

After opening conference play by splitting their two home contests (loss to La. Tech and win over New Mexico State) the Broncos will play five of their next seven on the road. They play two of the conference’s top teams each year in Utah State and Nevada this weekend, both games on the road, and will go to Hawaii Jan. 24.

New Mexico State (5-8, 1-1)

The Aggies were picked to finish in the bottom third of the conference and even though they’ve had some good performances they haven’t surprised anybody under new head coach Reggie Theus. They did split with interstate rival New Mexico, each team winning on its home court and they’ve won two games away from home including their conference opener at Idaho. A pair of sophomores has led the team so far. Forward Tyrone Nelson leads the team in both scoring and rebounding with his 16.7 and 8.3 averages and guard Mike Mitchell is second in both with 14.3 points and 4.0 rebounds.

This week, the Aggies get two of the top teams in the conference in Las Cruces with games against Fresno State and Hawaii. They then go on a three-game road trip highlighted by back-to-back contests against Louisiana Tech and Fresno State. They will play Fresno State twice over a four-game span.

Utah State (9-4, 1-2)

These Aggies would be the conference’s biggest disappointment thus far, but it’s only three games into the conference season and all of three of their games have been on the road. They lost to Hawaii 69-59 in mid-December before losing to Fresno State 99-96 in double overtime last weekend. The Aggies are 6-0 at home so far and will have plenty of chances to get back in the conference race with more home conference games left. They play their next three at home finishing up the home-stand with a big game with Louisiana Tech. They will face Nevada their next time out on Jan. 24.

Utah State is one of two teams in the conference with two guys averaging at least 18 points a game (Fresno State being the other) as Nate Harris and Jaycee Carroll are tied with the team lead at 18.1 ppg. Senior big man Cass Matheus is second on the team in rebounding and third in scoring. Those are the only three players averaging in doubled figures in points.

San Jose State (4-11, 0-2)

The Spartans and new head coach George Nessman were picked to finish towards the bottom of the conference but they have a chance to not finish in last place for the first time since 2002-03. The Spartans started the season 3-1 but have since lost 10 of their last 11 games. The lone win in that stretch came against Long Beach State. Surprisingly they are 1-6 at home and 3-5 on the road. They opened the conference season with two of the better teams at home with losses against Utah State and Nevada. After two road games this week at Boise State and Idaho they return for a three game home-stand with games against Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State and Boise State.

The top performer so far has been senior forward D.J. Brown. He’s leading the team in both scoring and rebounding averages (14.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg). Fellow senior Alex Elam is the only other player scoring in double figures with 12.5 points.

Idaho (3-9, 0-2)

The Vandals are in their first season in the WAC and after struggling last season in the Big West they are struggling once again this season. They do have three home victories over Southern Utah, Eastern Oregon and North Dakota State, but they haven’t faired very well against tougher competition. They opened the season with losses against the three top programs in the state of Washington. They lost at Gonzaga 69-60, to Washington 90-67 and to Washington State 63-37. Their only other road game was a loss at Portland State 81-48. They opened the conference season competitively with losses to New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech by only a combined 15 points. They will try to pull a major upset in their next four road games with games at Nevada, Utah State, Fresno State and Hawaii over the next month. They do have San Jose State and Boise in that stretch at home.

Western Athletic Conference 2005-06 Preview

by Mitch McLaughlin

Entering the 2005-06 season, the Western Athletic Conference is adjusting to a massive realignment. The domino effect of schools switching conferences, which started on the East Coast, has had a big impact on the WAC. Rice, SMU, Tulsa and UTEP all left for Conference USA, and New Mexico State, Utah State and Idaho have filled those vacancies. Utah State has been a power in the Big West the past few years, going to four of the last six NCAA tournaments, including an upset victory against Ohio State in the first round of the 2001 tourney.

Utah State, like the rest of the conference, will focus on knocking off the conference’s best team, Nevada. The Wolf Pack enter the season as the favorite to win the conference once again and were ranked in preseason polls. It’s the first time a WAC team has been ranked in the preseason by the two major polls since Utah, New Mexico and TCU were in both polls in 1998.

There are many reasons the Wolf Pack enter the season as the favorite to represent the WAC in the NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive season. Nevada returns the reining conference player of the year in junior forward Nick Fazekas and starting guards Ramon Sessions and Kyle Shiloh.

Other noteworthy changes in the conference include a bunch of new coaches, as a third of the teams switched leaders. Former BYU coach Steve Cleveland is the new head man at Fresno State, former Cal assistant George Nessman is at San Jose State, and former Louisville assistant Reggie Theus arrives at New Mexico State.

Preseason Awards

1st Team All-WAC:
Nick Fazekas, Nevada
Paul Millsap, Louisiana Tech
Julian Sensley, Hawaii
Ja’Vance Coleman, Fresno State
Ramon Sessions, Nevada

Honorable Mention: Jaycee Carroll, Utah State

Player of the Year: Nick Fazekas, Nevada
Fazekas was the WAC’s top performer in 2004-05 as a sophomore, averaging 20.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Although he’s 6-11, he has the ability to shoot from the outside and is also difficult to defend in the paint.

Newcomer of the Year: Elijah Ingram, New Mexico State and Jerome Richardson, Louisiana Tech
Ingram enters as a junior after playing two seasons at St. John’s. He started in 47 of 52 games for the Red Storm, averaging double digits in scoring during both of his seasons there. He should see considerable action in the backcourt at New Mexico State this season. Richardson is a junior who spent the past two seasons at Frank Phillips College, where he was named a first-team NJCAA All-American last season after averaging 20.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. He is a projected starter for the Bulldogs.

Most Underrated: David Pak, Utah State
Pak’s impact doesn’t necessarily appear in the box score, but rather on the scoreboard. He only averaged 6.1 points and 3.1 assists per game last season, but he runs the offense and plays good defense. Utah State made the NCAA tournament with Pak running the team as the point guard a year ago.

Most Improved Player: Eric Lane, Boise State
Lane was supposed to have a breakout year last season, but struggled early and then had an off-court incident that slowed his season. He finished the year strong, scoring in double figures in seven of Boise State’s final nine games and putting the Broncos in the WAC tournament final.

Ascending Team: Hawaii
The Rainbow Warriors have a strong recruiting class and experience led by preseason All-WAC guard Matt Gibson. Hawaii is projected to be one of the top contenders behind Nevada after three of the top five teams from a year ago left the conference.

Descending Team: Idaho
The Vandals struggled in the Big West conference, finishing 6-12 in conference and 8-22 overall. They will have even a tougher time in the WAC.

Best Bets:
There are two. First, Nevada will make the NCAA tournament. The conference tournament will be in Reno, the home of Nevada, which means the Wolf Pack will most likely earn the conference’s automatic bid for the field of 65. Second, Louisiana Tech’s Paul Millsap will lead the country in rebounding for a third consecutive year.

Best Shooter: Jaycee Carroll, Utah State
Best Playmaker: Ramon Sessions, Nevada
Best NBA prospect: Nick Fazekas, Nevada
Best Defender: Kyle Shiloh, Nevada
Most Versatile: Julian Sensley, Hawaii

Team Capsules

1. Nevada Wolf Pack (2004-05: 25-7, 16-2, 1st)
Starters:
Sophomore guard Ramon Sessions
Junior guard Kyle Shiloh
Senior forward Mo Charloh
Junior forward Nick Fazekas
Senior center Chad Bell

Schedule Highlights:
The Wolf Pack start the preseason with away games at UNLV, at Kansas and against UCLA in Anaheim in the Wooden Classic. They have a key six-game stretch in January and early February with four of six on the road, including Fresno State, Boise State, Louisiana Tech and New Mexico State. Nevada will appear in an ESPN Bracket Buster contest Feb. 18 in Reno, and the conference season ends with a home game against Fresno State.

Outlook:
The loss of Kevinn Pinkney hurts the Wolf Pack more than any other player departure. Last season, the senior forward was the team’s most valuable player, averaging 12.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He was the team’s backbone because he did whatever it took to win games. The most likely replacements for Pinckney are Fazekas and fellow big man Bell, who will get the chance to start in the middle his senior season. He only averaged three points and 2.8 rebounds per game in 2004-05.

Another player who looks to help fill the void left by Pinkney is JuCo transfer Demarshay Johnson, a 6-9 post player who can block shots and score inside. Denis Ikovlev is another JuCo transfer who will get plenty of playing time.

Mark Fox returns for his second season with the Wolf Pack a year after his squad went 25-7 and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Two redshirt players will be active this season, guards Marcellus Kemp and Lyndale Burleson. Kemp missed 2004-05 with a knee injury but averaged 4.6 points per game two years when he helped the Wolf Pack reach the Sweet 16. He should see considerable time in the backcourt this year. Burleson, whose brother Nate plays wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, will enter his freshman year and is an excellent defensive point guard.

The Wolf Pack should earn the conference’s bid to the NCAA tournament for a third consecutive year partially because they have the conference’s player of the year in Fazekas. They also get to play the conference tournament on Nevada’s campus in Reno, a place where they have only lost six games in the past three seasons.

2. Utah State Aggies (2004-05: 24-8, 13-5 in Big West, 2nd)
Starters:
Senior guard David Pak
Sophomore guard Jaycee Carroll
Sophomore forward Nick Hammer
Senior forward Nate Harris
Senior center Cass Matheus

Schedule Highlights:
The Aggies’ biggest games before conference play are against the biggest in-state opponents: at Utah Nov. 30 and home vs. BYU Dec.22. They have an early conference tilt at Hawaii Dec. 17. Utah State also has a tough back-to-back set in mid-January against Louisiana Tech and Nevada. A couple of weeks later, the Aggies have two tough road games at New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech.

Outlook:
The Aggies lose only one starter from last year’s team, forward Spencer Nelson. Last season, he averaged 16.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. JuCo transfer Hammer will try his best to fill Nelson’s void in the starting lineup, but look for Carroll and Harris to pick up most of the slack. Those two were the only other players to average in double figures in points.

The Aggies have eight JuCo transfers this year, and they are hoping a few of them step up soon to give them the depth necessary to continue the level of play they’ve set as a standard during the past five years in the Big West. In addition to Hammer, Utah State needs contributions from Chaz Spicer, Durrall Peterson and Chris Session.

Utah State was a strong contender to reach the NCAA tournament every year when it played in the Big West conference. But with the move to the WAC, the Aggies will have a much tougher road to the tournament for a fifth time in seven years. With Carroll and Harris, they have two players who should be all-conference at the end of the season.

3. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (2004-05: 16-13, 7-11, 7th)
Starters:
Junior guard Matt Gibson
Junior guard John Wilder
Senior forward Matthew Gibson
Senior forward Julian Sensley
Senior center Chris Botez

Schedule Highlights:
Hawaii starts the season with a huge game against Final Four participant Michigan State before facing UNLV twice in a two-week span. Once again, the Rainbow Warriors host the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, which includes Oregon State, Iowa State and Colorado State. They start the WAC season by hosting Utah State in mid-December before two big games early in January against Nevada and Louisiana Tech. Hawaii ends the regular season with two games at home against New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech.

Outlook:
Hawaii loses two starters from last season, forward Jeff Blackett and guard Jake Statos. With the loss of Statos, the point guard position is a question mark because Gibson is better on the wing. He led the team in scoring a year ago, so the Rainbow Warriors need Gibson to put the ball in the hoop in addition to running the offense. Sensley is the other player the Rainbow Warriors will significantly count on. Those two are the only returning players who averaged in double figures in scoring last season.

Hawaii’s ability to play away from the island is going to determine what kind of post-season hopes they have come March. Last season, eight of their 11 losses in conference play were on the road. This team has the experience to make a run in the conference. Their five starters are either juniors or seniors, and only JuCo transfer Wilder lacks experience among the starters. If Wilder can play the point well and let Gibson play on the wing instead, the Rainbow Warriors should be in contention for a post-season birth.

4. Fresno State Bulldogs (2004-05: 16-14, 9-9, tied 4th)
Starters:
Senior guard Dekyron Hicks
Junior guard Ja’Vance Coleman
Sophomore guard Donovan Morris
Junior forward Quinton Hosley
Junior forward Renato Cesar

Schedule Highlights:
The Bulldogs will face two schools from major conferences early in the season. Oregon State comes to Fresno Nov. 26, and the Bulldogs travel to Iowa State Dec. 3. They have a tough stretch to start the conference schedule, including Utah State, New Mexico State, Louisiana Tech and Nevada.

Outlook:
The biggest change for the Bulldogs is new head coach Steve Cleveland. His hiring has also led to several defections, which could eventually be good. The only significant loss is Mustafa Al-Sayyad, who was a good shot blocker and defender. Al-Sayyad wasn’t the only starter who is gone. Forward Chris Berry also left. Cleveland will have three JuCo transfers starting this year: Cesar, Hosley and Nicks. Nicks has the onus of replacing point guard Kevin Bell, who will come off the bench this season.

The two returning starters, Coleman and Morris, were the team’s top two scorers last season, and Coleman should earn all-conference honors. The junior guard averaged 16.9 points and five rebounds per game last season. The key to this year’s team will be whether the transfers can take some of the load off Coleman, who will again be the team’s biggest threat. If Cesar and Hosley can defend, rebound and keep opposing defenses honest, some of that pressure on Coleman may decrease, which could propel the Bulldogs into the post-season this March.

5. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (2004-05: 14-15, 9-9, tied 4th)
Starters:
Senior guard Daevon Haskins
Senior guard Corey Dean
Junior guard Jerome Richardson
Junior forward Paul Millsap
Junior forward Chad McKenzie

Schedule Highlights:
The Bulldogs open the season against Nebraska Nov. 20 face Alabama a week later. In addition to those major conference opponents, Louisiana Tech plays at Texas Tech, Memphis and Wisconsin. During the most important part of its WAC schedule, Louisiana Tech plays Nevada, Utah State and Boise State at home in early February. Louisiana Tech will end the conference season with a road game at Hawaii.

Outlook:
The big addition to the Bulldogs’ attack is Richardson, a first-team All-American JuCo point guard. He is one of the favorites for conference newcomer of the year. If he’s able to run the offense and get the ball to Millsap, this team could surprise some people in the conference. This team will have to make up for the loss of two starters in guard Donell Alick and big man Wayne Powell. Both averaged in double figures in scoring a year ago, leaving only Millsap and Corey Dean as Bulldogs who averaged at least 10 points per game last season. The other new starter, McKenzie, is also a JuCo transfer and will join Millsap in the frontcourt.

Louisiana Tech will compete night in and night out because they have one of the league’s best players in Millsap. The 6-8 junior led the country in rebounds during his first two seasons and should do so again this year. He also poured in 20.4 points per game last season. Although Nevada’s Nick Fazekas gets a lot of attention, Millsap is the league’s best post player. The hopes for Louisiana Tech depend on whether Dean can provide the perimeter shooting necessary to open the inside game for Millsap. Also, Richardson must prove he can play the point guard position.

6. Boise State Broncos (2004-05: 16-18, 6-12, 8th)
Starters:
Junior guard Eric Lane
Junior guard Coby Karl
Junior forward Tyler Tiedman
Junior forward Seth Robinson
Senior forward Tezarray Banks

Schedule Highlights:
The Broncos play BYU Dec. 7 and Arizona State in the Sun Devils’ holiday tournament Dec. 21. Boise State opens the WAC season with five of seven tough games in January. They play at Utah State, Nevada and Hawaii during that run. This tough stretch ends with Nevada coming to Boise Jan. 26. The Broncos end the season with two of three at home and a road game at Fresno State.

Outlook:
Boise State must replace two major players, forward Jason Ellis and swingman Jermaine Blackburn. Blackbrun was the leading scorer last season, and Ellis was a four-year contributor who averaged nearly a double-double last season. JuCo transfer Tiedman will need to step up to replace Blackburn. Tiedman was forced to abandon a pitching career at Arizona because of an arm injury, but the coaches are high on his shooting ability and overall feel for the game. His progress will be a big factor in the Broncos’ success.

The Broncos are projected to finish anywhere in the middle part of the WAC standings. If Tiedman excels, they could finish as high as third thanks to their returning backcourt. Juniors Lane and Karl are back and make for an experienced guard duo. Lane averaged 9.5 points per game last season as the starting point guard, and Karl, son of NBA head coach George Karl, is the leading returning scorer at 12.7 per game. Karl also averaged more than three rebounds and three assists per game last year. He will lead the Broncos’ attack this season. If anybody can match Ellis’ production in the frontcourt, Boise State will surprise people in the WAC.

7. San Jose State Spartans (2004-05: 6-23, 3-15, 10th)
Starters:
Senior guard Donta Watson
Senior guard Alex Elam
Junior forward Harry Brown
Senior forward Demetruis Brown
Senior center Matt Misko

Schedule Highlights:
The Spartans play in Lubbock, Texas, as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic to start the season. After that tournament, the Spartans look forward to a Nov. 30 meeting at California. They open the WAC season with two home games against Utah State Jan. 5 and Nevada Jan. 7. San Jose State then ends the season against those same teams on the road.

Outlook:
The biggest change in San Jose is new coach George Nessman. The former Cal assistant has already had a big impact for the Spartans because he signed Devonte Thomas, making Thomas the first high school senior from the Bay Area in 21years to accept a Spartan scholarship. Previously, San Jose State has made a living by signing JuCo recruits.

JuCo recruits Brown and reserves Menelik Barbary and Julian Richardson will strive to produce enough points to cover the loss of three key contributors from last year’s squad. The departed players include leading scorer forward Marquin Chandler, who averaged 19.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. They also lost Eric Bloom and Michael McFadden, who both averaged more than seven points per game. The Spartans will welcome back redshirt senior Brown, who should provide a spark for this team. He’s a 6-6 forward who started 16 of 25 games in 2003-04 and averaged 7.5 points per game that year.

The Spartans lost a lot from last season, but they have some depth in the frontcourt with Misko and Barbary. Their frontline can match up with others in the conference. This team has experience, as most contributors will be juniors or seniors. Elam is the leading returning scorer after averaging 9.8 points per game last season. Misko, Watson and Brown are all seniors who should start this year, too. The Spartans have a good chance to escape the basement of the conference for the first time since the 2002-03 season.

8. New Mexico State Aggies (2004-05: 6-24, 1-14 in the Sun Belt Conference’s West Division, 6th)
Starters:
Junior guard Elijah Ingram
Senior guard Mike Mitchell
Junior forward Supo Jegede
Sophomore forward Tyrone Nelson
Senior center Tyrone Lawrence

Schedule Highlights:
The Aggies open the season at UCLA in the NIT Season Tip-Off. The Aggies also play two games apiece against UTEP and New Mexico. Texas Tech also comes to Las Cruces Dec. 29. The toughest stretch of the WAC portion will be at the beginning of February when the Aggies face Utah State and Nevada twice in four games. They play four of their final five conference games at home and finish on the road at Hawaii.

Outlook:
The most noteworthy off-season change for New Mexico State is the hiring of Reggie Theus as head coach. The former NBA star comes from Louisville, where he was an assistant under Rick Pitino. He has brought enthusiasm back to the New Mexico State program.

Two transfers will play an important role in directing the Aggies this season. Ingram came from St. John’s after playing two seasons for the Red Storm in which he started 47 of 52 games and averaged more than 10 points per game. Theus needs Ingram to embrace the point guard position. The other key addition is Nelson, who came from Prairie View A&M. Nelson was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference freshman of the year while at Prairie View. In his only season there, he started 23 games and led the Panthers in scoring and rebounding at 15.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. JuCo transfer Jegede is also a projected starter.

This season could indicate which direction Theus will guide the program. He will use the fast-paced system that has worked so well for Pitino in Louisville, which will be a revolutionary strategy in the WAC. But this team lacks the depth necessary to be successful with this style. This team lacks experience beyond Lawrence and Mitchell, who are both seniors. If this team can win five games in WAC play, Theus can consider his first campaign a success.

9. Idaho Vandals (2004-05: 8-22 overall, 6-12 in the Big West, 8th)
Starters:
Sophomore guard Jerod Haynes
Senior guard Tanoris Shepard
Junior guard Keoni Watson
Sophomore forward Mike Kale
Junior forward Desmond Nwoke

Schedule Highlights:
Idaho open the season with three games in the state of Washington: At Gonzaga, Washington and Washington State. The Vandals open the WAC season against New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech, and their toughest stretch is on the road at Nevada and Utah State in January. Idaho ends the regular season with three road games at New Mexico State, Louisiana Tech and Boise State.

Outlook:
The biggest change for Idaho is their move from the Big West conference to the WAC. After struggling to 6-12 in the Big West last season, the Vandals will have an even rougher season in the more competitive WAC.

Aside from switching conferences, the Vandals must also deal with the loss of two of their top scorers. Guard Dandrick Jones, who averaged more than 16 points per game, and forward Anton Lyons, who averaged 11.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, were the most reliable options on an already mediocre team. Idaho must replace a third starter in forward Lionel Davis, who was second on the team in rebounding. Watson, a JuCo transfer, must help Idaho adjust to a new lineup. He can play either guard spot. Nwoke took a medical redshirt last season but now must contribute early and often.

The Vandals haven’t had a winning season since 1998-99, and with the conference switch, it’s going to be some time before they have another one. The confidence of this team could be fragile. It must learn how to win, which will be difficult in this conference. Idaho does have some size, with four players who are 6-8 or taller. The loss of three starters, however, will yield a tough season in Moscow, Idaho.

Conference Wrap Up

The WAC has one of the country’s best mid-major teams in Nevada. They are the first WAC team in seven seasons to be in both major top 25 polls entering the season, so they are definitely the favorite to win the conference. The Wolf Pack advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2004 and to the second round last season, which means the fans in Reno have high expectations for this season.

In addition to the team expectations, the WAC has two of the country’s most accomplished and noteworthy big men in Nevada’s Nick Fazekas and Louisiana Tech’s Paul Millsap. Fazekas, the conference player of the year in 2005, is the preseason player of the year and the top player on the conference’s best team. He is the WAC’s best NBA prospect. Millsap has the led country in rebounding during his first two seasons at Louisiana Tech, and he should do it for a third consecutive year. Both of these players should average more than 20 points and 10 rebounds a game.

The WAC’s biggest question is whether it will be a one-bid conference come March. Nevada will be in the NCAA Tournament, but will another team join the Wolf Pack? Most likely, no other team will merit an at-large bid. But should one team knock off Nevada in the WAC tournament, there will be two teams playing in the NCAA Tournament. Last season, Boise State knocked off Nevada on its home court in the conference tournament. Can it happen again?