The Only Conference Preview You Need To Read: The WAC

Summer officially ends on September 22nd, but for me, the end of summer always coincided with the end of August. Or when I had to go to school. (That first day was always the worst, wasn't it?) Anyway, school is right around the corner, which means that college basketball season is around the corner, down the street, through two lights, and on the left. Since we've all had a fight with our GPS at one time or another, we at BIAH will take this week to roll out our way-too-early, all-encompassing conference previews.

To browse through the other conferences, click here.


Preseason Awards

Player of the Year: Adrian Oliver, San Jose State

Oliver averaged 22.5 ppg to lead the WAC in scoring last season, and there is no reason he cant put up the same numbers again. He doesn't always have the greatest efficiency numbers, and a lot of times he is forced to take tough shots, but that is more a result of a lack of offensive firepower surrounding him. How good is this kid? The Spartans lost basically every except for Oliver and Justin Graham, their starting point guard, from a team that was under .500 and 6-10 in conference play, good for sixth in the league. And they are actually being predicted to be better this season than last season. Trust me when I say its not a result of a recruiting class filled with all-americans.

Ed. Note: For those asking, leaving the Player of the Year off of the all-conference first-team was intentional. Maybe its because I grew up following the Big East (they always put six on the first team), but its the way I've always done it. Its not an oversight.


And a close second goes too: Tai Wesley, Utah State

Wesley deserves some notoriety on a national level. He's a big, strong power forward with some athleticism and a ton of energy. He rebounds the ball well, he can score in the paint, he was second on the team in assists last season and led them in blocks. He's the best player on a team that will garner top 25 votes all season long. The Aggies are deep and they are talented, which means that Wesley won't necessarily put up the numbers that others in this conference will, but that shouldn't have a bearing on how good of a player he is.

Breakout Star: Troy Gillenwater, New Mexico State

Its a shame that most people only know Troy Gillenwater for one of two reasons: either because he spent the first two-thirds of New Mexico State's season academically ineligible last year, or because he was the guy that committed the lane violation late in the Aggie's first round loss to Michigan State. And while Gillenwater has put up impressive numbers in his first two seasons with the Aggies, he was always the third or fourth option, behind Jahmar Young, Jonathon Gibson, and Wendell McKines. With Young and Gibson gone, Gillenwater will have a chance to be one of the focal points of Marvin Menzies' attack. He's a versatile scorer, a 6'8" forward that can score inside and out. Expect Gillenwater to make a national name for himself this season.


All-Conference First Team:

• G - Olu Ashaolu, Louisiana Tech, Jr.
  
• F - Wendell McKines, New Mexico State, Sr.
  
• F - Troy Gillenwater, New Mexico State, Jr.
  
• F - Tai Wesley, Utah State, Sr.
  
• C - Greg Smith, Fresno State, So.

All-Conference Second Team:

• G - Deonte Burton, Nevada, Fr.
  
• F - Bill Amis, Hawaii, Sr.
  
• F - Daequon Montreal, Boise State, Sr.
• F - Olek Czyz, Nevada, Jr.
• C - Nate Bendall, Utah State, Sr.
  

Newcomer of the Year: Deonte Burton, Nevada, Fr.

Burton is walking into a seemingly ideal situation at Nevada. He's a big time scoring guard that isn't afraid to take a lot of shots on a team that is losing quite a few of their shot takers this season. He's an athletic finisher, a tough penetrator, and has range out beyond the college three point line. Burton has the potential to be the next great guard for the Wolfpack.


What Happened?:

• The MWC raids the WAC: It started with Boise State's decision to leave. Then, after Utah left the MWC for the Pac-10, Fresno State and Nevada were poached as well, leaving the WAC without their premiere football program and two of their best basketball programs. More on this in a bit.


• Roster turnover: It really is quite incredible how different the WAC is going to look this season. With the exception of Utah State (who returns the majority of their WAC title team) and New Mexico State (who brings back their front line), every team in this conference is going to run out a line-up that will look totally different from last season. Sure, San Jose State will still have their star Adrian Oliver, but his supporting cast -- save Justin Graham -- will be completely different. Nevada may as well be a completely different program from the one that Mark Fox left in 2009. Fresno State brings back their starting center, and that's about it. (You get the point, right?) Continuity is not the WAC's strong suit, I guess. Unless you're Utah State. All they do is win.


• Coaching changes: Longtime Mark Few assistant Leon Rice has been tabbed as the new head man at Boise State. Not a bad mentor when it comes to building a program outside of the Big Six. Gib Arnold, a former USC assistant coach, got the head job at Hawaii this offseason. Both will have their work cut out for them, as Hawaii's program is in need of a serious jump start, while Boise State football is the equivalent Gonzaga basketball.


• Senque Carey leaves the college game: At least he did it on his terms this time. Carey was suffered a pretty severe spinal cord injury back in 2002 that essentially ended his playing career. He eventually became a D-I assistant coach, and last season spent the year with Fresno State. But Carey decided to leave his post in October to take over a local coaching position in order to spend more time with his family.


• Players behaving badly: La'Shard Anderson of Boise State was arrested after police were called to his apartment for a loud house party. He has to do some community service and pay a fine.
  
  Utah State's Anthony DiLoreto didn't get off so easily. You remember this kid, the seven-foot bank robber? Stew Morrill gave him a shot to turn things around, and DiLoreto promptly got busted for pot and kicked off the team.
  
  Hawaii's Dwain Williams spent much of last season suspended, and finally decided to part ways with the university in May. He turned pro.


• Williams wasn't the only one to go pro: Obviously, Luke Babbitt, Paul George, and Armon Johnson left and were NBA bound. Two other notable players were the professional route as well. New Mexico State's leading scorer Jahmar Young decided not to return for his senior season, although its unclear how much an arrest for battery of a peace officer had to do with that decision.
  
  CJ Webster of San Jose State also decided not to return for his senior season, although his decision was influenced by the birth of his daughter in February.


• New Orleans player resurfaces: JL Lewis, who was a forward for New Orleans last year, will play for Louisiana Tech next season. New Orleans, unfortunately, is being forced to drop to D-III athletics.
  

What's Next?:

• What will the WAC look like in 2011?: So Boise State, Fresno State, and Nevada are all leaving the WAC, or attempting to leave the WAC, after this season. The WAC sued both Fresno State and Nevada for a $5 million exit fee (which apparently is being negotiated), but it doesn't too outlandish to assume that the two schools will be gone come July 2011. So the question becomes who replaces them? Texas State? UT-San Antonio? Denver? UC Davis? There have been a lot of names thrown about, but can any of those schools really replace the athletic void left by Boise, Fresno, and Nevada? Will the WAC be able to survive these losses?


• Can anyone catch Utah State?: Utah State is one of the most underrated basketball programs in the country. They just keep winning -- 23 or more W's the last 11 years, nine years with WAC titles (either regular season or tournament or both), and seven trips to the NCAA's. This year, they bring back the majority of their roster. They also have one of the best home courts in the country. The Aggies get slept on a bit because they don't play an incredibly tough schedule, but this team is good. Ask BYU. They lost by ten at the Spectrum last season.
  

Power Rankings

1. Utah State: Utah State is arguably the most underrated program in the country. They've won at least 23 games each of the past 11 years, with nine of those seasons resulting in either a WAC regular season or tournament title and seven seeing them earn NCAA Tournament bids. Last year, USU won 27 games, went 14-2 in the WAC, won the conference by three full games, and earned an at-large bid to the dance. And, for the second straight season, they only graduate one senior, meaning that this is going to be a very good, very experienced group once again. The 2010-2011 version of the Aggies will center around their bigs. Tai Wesley has proven himself to be one of the best players in the conference. He's a high energy guy that can rebound and score in the paint, while also finishing second on the team at 3.3 apg. Joining him up front is Nate Bendall, a 6'9" senior that did an admirable job filling in for Gary Wilkinson last season. Brady Jardine and Matt Formisano should provide solid minutes once again off the bench, while freshman Ben Clifford has the make-up -- 6'8" face-up forward with some athleticism and a jump shot -- to be a solid player in the offense. In the back court, the loss of Jared Quayle, who was arguably the best all around point guard out west last season, is going to hurt, but there are some pieces here to fill that void. It starts with returning starters Tyler Newbold and Pooh Williams. Newbold is more of a shooter while Williams is more of a slasher (and an excellent defender), but both are going to need to be more aggressive and selfish this season on the offensive end to pick up some of the scoring slack. At the point, there are a few options. Brian Green seems like he could slide into the position, while JuCo transfer Brockeith Pane may also be good enough to fill this role. JuCo transfer Antonio Bumpus and James Walker should give the back court a boost in athleticism, while Preston Medlin, EJ Farris, and Leon Cooper will also provide depth. Once again, Utah State is going to be deep and talented.


2. New Mexico State: When last season ended, New Mexico's Aggies looked like they might sneak above Utah's Aggies as the favorite in the WAC. NMSU was as good as anyone in the conference once they got Wendell McKines and Troy Gillenwater academically eligible, making a run to the WAC tournament title. They lost in the first round of the dance on a controversial lave violation, but nonetheless, there was a lot of hope heading into this season. That changed when leading scorer Jahmar Young decided to go pro a year early, leaving head coach Marvin Menzies without his terrific back court as Jonathon Gibson graduated. Where last year's group was centered around back court play, this year the Aggies will feature a strong front court. Gillenwater and McKines are both versatile forwards that can make a play on the perimeter, score in the paint, and knock down a three ball. 6'11" Hamidu Rahman has gone from a walk-on to one of the better centers in the conference, while there is some potential on the bench in the form of Abdoulaye N'doye, Tshilidzi Nephawe, and Renaldo Dixon. Bandja Sy is more of a perimeter player, but he has enough potential to warrant a profile on Draft Express, and Tyrone Watson is undersized but tough enough to earn minutes on this team. The back court will be more of a question mark. Hernst Laroche proved to be a capable point guard last season, although his scoring will need to see a bump this year. Gordo Castillo is a knockdown shooter from deep that should help spread the floor for the big guys inside. Christian Kabongo should provide some quality minutes in the back court as well.


3. Nevada: The last two offseasons have not been good to the Wolfpack. Last summer, they lost their head coach to Georgia, one player to transfer, one player to legal issues, and two recruits to academics. This summer? Their two best players graduated and two other starters graduated, as did their sixth man, which is not a good sign for a team that had, at most, a seven man rotation. Dario Hunt, a 6'8" junior, started last season and gets after it on the glass, but he needs to develop his offensive repertoire. Marko Cukic is a 6'9" post that played in every game last season, but he averaged less than nine minutes per game on a team with a short bench. The good news is that there is help on the way. Olek Czyz, who transferred to the Wolfpack from Duke, is an athletic, 6'7" forward that will make an impact when he becomes eligible after the first semester. Devonte Elliot, a 6'10" post player that was a three-star recruit in 2009, has finally been cleared academically by the NCAA. Illiwa Baldwin is a 6'11", 24 years old JuCo transfer and native of Papua New Guinea that received some high major interest. Another big man, Kevin Panzer, a 6'9" forward, is a versatile and athletic four man with a nice stroke from the perimeter. While there will be a couple of familiar faces up front, the back court looks like it will be completely new. Deonte Burton looks like he could end up being a star for the Wolfpack. An undersized two-guard, the 6'1" Burton is explosive, both athletically and as a scorer. Burton is the jewel of the class, but there is a lot coming in on the perimeter to surround him. Derrell Conner is a JuCo point guard that signed with the program days before London Giles decided to transfer. Malik Story, a transfer from Indiana, and Jordan Finn, who prepped for a year at the Air Force Academy, are off-guards that bring size, toughness, and an all-around game. Jordan Burris, a freshman, and Jerry Evans, a redshirt freshman, bring some length and athleticism to the wing spot -- both are about 6'7". There are pieces on this Nevada roster, the question is whether David Carter can put the puzzle together.


4. Fresno State: Despite having a lottery pick on their roster in Paul George, the Bulldogs struggled to a below .500 finish overall and in WAC play. It will be difficult not only to replace George, but to replace Sylvester Seay, the team's second leading scorer and rebounder, as well as transfers Michael Ladd and Brandon Sperling. There are some pieces, however. The biggest, literally and figuratively, is Greg Smith, a 6'11" center that was the WAC's freshman of the year a season ago. Originally an Arizona commit, Smith should be the centerpiece of the Fresno attack as a sophomore. Also back for the Bulldogs is junior point guard Steven Shepp, who proved to be a capable distributor in his first season with the job. Sophomore swingman Jerry Brown should see increased minutes with the departure of George and Seay, while big man Nedeljko Golubovic will return up front. There will also be quite a few newcomers on this roster. New Mexico transfer Jonathan Wills should be a rotational player, while freshman big man John Ryan will see time. Another freshmen, Tyler Johnson, will get time in the back court as well, but perhaps the most important newcomer is Tim Steed, a big time scorer on the wing transferring into the program from an Illinois JuCo.


5. San Jose State: San Jose State's season is going to rest squarely on the shoulders of their senior back court. Adrian Oliver is as good of a scorer as you are going to come across at this level. The Washington transfer led the WAC in scoring last year at 22.5 ppg, and there is no reason to believe he can't do it again. Oliver went for 30 eight times last season, and is good enough that he can single-handedly carry the Spartans. Justin Graham will once again be his back court mate. While Graham's shooting and scoring numbers have dipped as he has battled wrist problems (he shot 43% from three as a freshman), he has developed into a solid distributor and cut down on his turnovers. He'll need to provide more of a scoring output this season because of the seven players that averaged more than seven minutes a game last year, Oliver and Graham are the only returnees. Who steps up? Chris Jones, a 6'4" sophomore guard, is the only returner that can even be considered a rotation guy, and he fell out of favor during conference season. Joe Henson is the only big returning that even sniffed the court, and he didn't even play 100 minutes. Wil Carter and Brylle Kamen are JuCo transfers that should be able to help inside. Keith Shamburger joins SJSU after backing out on a commitment to Portland. Neither Derek Brown or Calvin Douglas, both back court players, seem like the answer. Oliver is one of the best players out west, and Graham is an above average guard in the WAC. But unless those two get some help, it will once again be a struggle for the Spartans to come up with wins.


6. Louisiana Tech: Last year was a weird year for the Bulldogs. Not much was expected of them in the preseason, but after taking care of business early in the season and starting the year with a 17-2 record, it seemed as if this team had a shot at earning an at-large berth into the tournament. But a lack of depth and injuries did them in. Graduation hit Louisiana Tech pretty hard this season, as they lost their three leading scorers (all of whom averaged over 30 minutes per game) and the only bench player that saw significant minutes. This year's club will likely be built around Olu Ashaolu, a 6'7" swingman that is very good on the glass and around the rim. If he can improve on his ability to knock down shots from the perimeter, he can be a dangerous player in the WAC, and could very well average a double-double. The Bulldogs will have a lot of new faces up front. Antwond Roshell is big-body that can defend and hit the glass, Romario Souza is a 6'9" Brazilian that is more comfortable on the perimeter, and James Johnson is a 6'7" freshman that may not quite be ready to contribute significant minutes at this level yet. They also added J Lewis, a transfer from New Orleans. The back court, however, could end up being a strong suit. DeAndre Brown, a 5'11" senior that averaged double figures at the point last season, will return. Kenyon McNeaill, a talented three star freshman from Arkansas, will also see minutes in the back court, although he is a point guard as well. Brandon Gibson, a tough, 6'5" guard should be healthy after breaking his foot last season and will, along with freshmen Lonnie Smith, Cordarius Johnson, and Darius Redding, provide some size on the perimeter. Jamison Sterns is an combo guard in the mold of a Nate Robinson -- short, but athletic, talented scorer -- but it appears he is ineligible this season (he's not listed on the roster).


7. Boise State: This is going to be a bit of an awkward season in the WAC in general, but particularly for Boise, who was the first school to jump ship to the Mountain West. The Broncos made the 2008 NCAA Tournament, but by now are in full on rebuilding mode. Former Gonzaga assistant Leon Rice should help that process -- working with Mark Few for 11 years should teach you a thing or two about building a competitive program. Its a good team for Rice to start with -- the top four are all seniors -- as he begins to bring his players into the program. One of Boise's issues last season was that they lacked a real go-to player, and losing leading scorer and rebounder Ike Okoye certainly won't help that. JuCo transfers Daequon Montreal, a 6'8" power forward, and Robert Arnold, a 6'6" wing forward, both proved to be capable of playing in the paint in the WAC. Throw Paul Noonan, who appears to be the only legitimate shooting threat Boise has on their roster, into the mix up front and Boise has a decent front line. 6'10" Zack Moritz should see minutes as well. The back court will be a bigger question mark. La'Shard Anderson has shown the potential to be a big-time scorer, but he has been maddeningly inconsistent. Point guard, and former WAC freshman of the year, Anthony Thomas gradautes, meaning that Westly Perryman, who missed much of last year with an injury, will likely be moved into the starting role if he can beat out JuCo transfer Tre Nichols. Nichols is one of seven newcomers on this Boise State roster (four true freshmen, two redshirt freshmen), which means that while Rice will have a mostly young and inexperienced bench, he will have a chance to develop some talent for the future.


8. Hawaii: The Rainbows will be in full-on rebuilding mode next season. Coming off of a disappointing year in which they finished last in the WAC, Hawaii will lose much of their roster and will have a new head coach in Gib Arnold. They will begin the season with just three returnees (only one of whom saw consistent minutes last season) on the roster. That said, the cupboard is not completely bare. Senior guard Hiram Thompson will be back, as will Bill Amis, a 6'9" forward that averaged 10.7 ppg and 6.4 rpg in 2008-2009. Throw Arizona transfer Zane Johnson into the mix, a 6'6" shooter that started 13 games in Tucson in 2008-2009, and Arnold has a capable and experienced core to work with. Beyond that, Arnold will be forced to work with nine newcomers next season. Anthony Salter, a JuCo transfer with two years of eligibility left, could slide into the starting role at the point, although freshman Bobby Miles will compete for playing time as well. Jordan Coleman, Bo Barnes, and Trevor Wiseman will also compete for minutes in the back court. Joston Thomas and Vander Joaquim, both of whom come to Hawaii after spending one season at a JuCo, look to be the likely candidates for the majority of the front court minutes alongside Amos. Once Dominick Brumfield recovers from a fractured knee cap, he should make a push for minutes as well.


9. Idaho: The Vandals had a disappointing season in 2009-2010, which is saying something considering the state of that program before Don Verlin took over -- 2009 was the program's first winning season in a decade, which resulted in their first postseason win since 1982. With four seniors in the starting lineup, including star Mac Hobson, Idaho had the look of a sleeper in league play. But after winning at Utah to kick off the season, everything went downhill. Whether it was a result of injuries, inconsistency, or team chemistry, the bottom line was that the Vandals did not live up to expectations -- having "expectations", however, is a step in the right direction for the program. This year, there may not be as many expectations. Four starters and five of the team's top six scorers graduate. There is some potential on this roster, however. 6'7" senior Luiz Toledo showed flashes of being an above-average scorer in the paint in the WAC, while redshirt sophomore Kyle Barone, a 6'10" center, could be primed for a breakout season. Brandon Wiley missed last season with a back injury, but was an excellent glue guy and a starter in 2008-2009. The x-factors up front will be JuCo transfers Djim Bandoumel and Renado Parker. Bandoumel is a run-and-jump, 6'8" forward while Parker is 6'6" bully on the block. The back court minutes seem to be up for grabs. Jeff Ledbetter (a shooter) and Shawn Henderson (a scrappy defender) are the senior returners. Landon Tatum, Deremy Greiger (the two players who will likely compete for the starting point guard role), and Idell Bell (an intense competitor and scorer from the wing) are the JuCo transfers. Matt Borton, Stephen Madison, and Gary Winston are the freshmen.