2008 WAC Hoops Preview

When you win at least a share of five consecutive conference championships and become a fixture in the postseason, you can overcome losses.

Nevada has become a master at it. Four years ago, Kirk Snyder went to the NBA. Last year, Nick Fazekas and Ramon Sessions were second-round NBA picks and coach Mark Fox’s team didn’t miss a beat. This year, Fox said goodbye to first-round draft pick JaVale McGee and leading scorer Marcelus Kemp. Despite losing that duo along with Demarshay Johnson, Fox and the Wolf Pack expect to continue their run of WAC championships.

Nevada will be younger this season — fifth-year player Lyndale Burleson is the only senior, and Fox will be counting on numerous freshmen and sophomores to continue the Pack’s winning ways.

“We had our youngest team ever a year ago, and this group is even younger,” Fox says. “So again we’ll have to learn some things on the job. That may lead to some public growing pains, but the maturation process is never a painless one.”

Last year’s squad struggled with consistency, partly because Nevada was starting a new backcourt and adjusting to life without Fazekas, the school’s all-time leading scorer. A difficult early schedule and the expected growing pains led to a slow start, but the Wolf Pack eventually jelled and won a share of the regular-season title and earned a spot in the inaugural CBI.

“This time we return our backcourt instead of having to replace it so we should benefit from at least having experience there,” Fox says.

Point guard Armon Johnson returns for his sophomore campaign. As the WAC’s Freshman of the Year last season, Johnson averaged 11.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

Johnson’s backcourt mate Brandon Fields, a junior, also returns. Fields shot 44.3 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from 3-point range.

None of the other five letterwinners returning scored more than Burleson’s 2.7 points per game, so Fox addressed the scoring issue by signing former Indiana forward Joey Shaw (he played last year at the College of Southern Idaho) and high school All-American Luke Babbitt, a Reno resident who had committed to Ohio State. Babbitt will be one of five true freshmen on the roster.

But youth isn’t the biggest concern. A lack of size just might be. No Wolf Pack player is listed taller than 6'9", which could create problems on both ends against the conference’s taller teams. “Luke’s just a shade under 6'9", so we’re not completely 6'8" and under,” Fox says. “But we do not have a true center on this team, so we’ll adapt and hopefully use our improved ability to shoot the ball.”

You get the feeling that the Wolf Pack will — just like they always do.

The marquee game on Nevada’s schedule is a Dec. 31 home game against what is expected to be a No. 1-ranked North Carolina team.

2. Utah State (24–11, 12–4); Postseason Prediction: NIT

It’s a season of change for the Aggies. Not only must Utah State adjust to life without school scoring leader Jaycee Carroll, but Aggie coach Stew Morrill also lost top assistant Don Verlin to the head coaching job at Idaho.

Losing Carroll and his 22.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game will be tough. The four-year starter scored 2,522 points in his career. “Obviously, when you lose an (honorable mention) All-American and the Player of the Year in the WAC, there is valid reason for concern,” Morrill says. “We can’t replace Jaycee with just one player. Instead we must have everyone elevate their game if we are going to be successful.”

Carroll isn’t the only loss. Starting point guard Kris Clark and talented sixth man Stephen DuCharme also will need to be replaced if the Aggies are going to vie for the title in what is expected to be an ultra-competitive WAC race.

The good news for Utah State: Its frontcourt duo of Gary Wilkinson and Tai Wesley is as talented and hard-working as any pair in the WAC. Wilkinson, a 6'9" senior, averaged 13.3 points and 7.0 boards, while the sophomore Wesley chipped in 9.9 points and 4.5 rebounds.

They, along with 6'4" sophomore guard Tyler Newbold (5.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg), are the returning starters.

The only other returnees are seldom-used sophomores Pooh Williams, Matt Formisano and Modou Niang.

The rest of the team is comprised of four freshmen and three junior college transfers.

“Our youth and inexperience is a concern with four freshmen and five sophomores,” Morrill says. “We do return three starters, and we will rely on those players a great deal in terms of leadership.”

Morrill has mixed his team with Utah natives (Wesley, Wilkinson, Newbold) and transfers, a combination that has helped the veteran coach amass a 237–86 record in 10 seasons.

The most promising transfer is Jared Quayle, a junior college All-American at Western Wyoming. He averaged 24.4 points per game and could help offset the loss of Carroll in terms of scoring and the steadying influence of Clark as a point guard. He isn’t the only transfer expected to contribute right away. Richard Sirju (Daytona Beach Community College) and Stavon Williams (San Jacinto College) also bring solid résumés to Logan. They are battling for Carroll’s spot as shooting guard.

One of Morrill’s primary concerns is depth up front. After Wilkinson and Wesley, sophomores Formisano (1.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg) and Niang (0.6 ppg, 1.2 rpg) are the only backups with experience.

Of course, Utah State still has the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, which is the best home court in the WAC. The Aggies were 17–0 at home last season and are 142–12 at home in Morrill’s 10 seasons.

Morrill’s recipe seems to work, so expect a 10th consecutive postseason appearance for the Aggies.

3. New Mexico State (21–14, 12–4)

It’s a year of transition for the Aggies, but that doesn’t mean expectations will be lowered. New Mexico State lost four senior starters from last season’s team that finished in a four-way first-place tie in the WAC and advanced to the tournament final where it lost to Boise State in an epic triple-overtime thriller.

The Aggies return forward Herb Pope, the highly touted sophomore forward who had a rollercoaster of a freshman season. Pope averaged 11.1 points and 6.8 rebounds in 16 games last season. He only played half a season while waiting to be cleared by the NCAA, and he also served a suspension after he was arrested for driving under the influence. But the former high school All-American is a candidate to be the WAC’s Player of the Year, and there are other weapons around him.

Junior Jonathan Gibson (12.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg) is the only returning starter and is expected to handle the point guard spot. Sophomore Jahmar Young (10.3 ppg) has the potential to be a high scorer; he had 33 points in a game last season at Boise State. Junior Chris Cole, who had 72 assists in 25 games last season, returns in his role as a backup point guard.

The rest of the team is filled with newcomers, including six freshmen and one junior college transfer (6'7" sophomore Robert Lumpkins). Two 7-footers — freshmen Abdoulaye N’doye and Hamidu Rahman — give NMSU size inside.

If second-year coach Marvin Menzies can mesh the new talent in with his trio of proven returners, the Aggies just might find themselves back in the postseason mix.

4. Boise State (25–9, 12–4)

Boise State had its best season in school history last year when the Broncos went 25–9 and landed their first NCAA Tournament bid since 1994. Coach Greg Graham’s team set school records for wins (25) and road wins (12) en route to the league tournament title.
Most of the firepower from last year is gone, but Graham has a new three-year contract, and the pieces are in place for his team to contend again.

Junior point guard Anthony Thomas (8.5 ppg, 4.1 apg) is the only starter returning. The former WAC Freshman of the Year will have several of last season’s role players to distribute the ball to. If those reserves from last season step into starting positions without a glitch, the Broncos shouldn’t miss a beat. All had double-digit scoring games last year, showing their potential.

Replacing four starters, however, never is easy, so expect some growing pains even though upperclassmen are taking over more prominent roles. Seniors Aaron Garner (1.8 ppg) and Jamar Greene (3.4 ppg) are expected to join Thomas in the backcourt, giving the Broncos three capable shooters. Sophomore Paul Noonan (4.8 ppg, 44.4 percent shooting) is expected to start at the small forward spot, while classmate Shawn Rouse may be the best athlete on the team.

The Broncos must replace their frontline as Matt Nelson and Reggie Larry were lost to graduation. That duo combined for 35.1 points and 16.5 rebounds per game.

Wyoming transfer Ike Okoye sat out last season and gives BSU a shot-blocking presence who also can score inside. Senior Mark Sanchez (3.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg) is a candidate at power forward, as is junior college transfer Sean Imadiyi, who played at New Mexico for a season. Junior Kurt Cunningham gives BSU added size and depth along the frontline, while 6'7" junior college transfer Robert Arnold can play numerous positions.

5. Louisiana Tech (6–24, 3–13)

Last year, the Bulldogs took their lumps under first-year coach Kerry Rupp in what obviously was a transition year. Undersized and outmanned, Louisiana Tech didn’t have a player taller than 6'8" and only played with 11 eligible players.

What a difference a year makes.

Rupp’s Bulldogs are now as big as any squad in the WAC with three players — all Division I transfers eligible to play this season — who are 6'10" or taller. The gem of the bunch is expected to be Magnum Rolle, who transferred from LSU. The 6'11" center averaged 4.0 points and 4.1 rebounds off the bench for the Tigers in 2006-07. Kenny Cooper, from nearby Monroe, La., is coming home after two seasons at Oklahoma State where he averaged 4.7 points and 3.1 rebounds as a reserve. Also, Cornell transfer Shawn Oliverson (6'10") and ex-Nebraska guard Jamel White sat out last season, as did redshirt Olu Ashaolu (6'6" guard). They should each contribute this year.

Rupp also added David Jackson from the junior college ranks. Jackson played at Idaho his freshman season and enjoyed moderate success.

Kyle Gibson (16.5 ppg, 5.0. rpg) is the top returning player on a team that has only three players back from a year ago. Gibson was a one-man offensive show last season and should benefit from having more weapons around him.

Tech’s calling card last season was how hard it played despite being among the least talented teams in the conference. With talent added, if Rupp’s team can compete with the same sense of urgency, the Bulldogs could pull off an improbable worst-to-first story this season.

6. San Jose State (13–19, 4–12)

Just when it looked like San Jose State was ready to emerge from the bottom half of the WAC standings, the Spartans returned to their usual form.

Call it growing pains. Coach George Nessman is hoping that his program can learn from last season’s collapse and take the next step and be a factor in the conference.

The top five scorers (all starters) return from a Spartan team that beat Utah State and Nevada — two of the four teams that shared the WAC regular-season title. The Spartans also earned double-digit victories for the first time since the 2001-02 season but still wound up playing in the conference tournament play-in game and finished with the program’s 14th non-winning season in a row. SJSU hasn’t finished a season above .500 since 1993-94.

One reason the Spartans stumbled was an injury to point guard Justin Graham, who was having a brilliant redshirt freshman season until he sustained an elbow injury that knocked him out for six games in the middle of the WAC season. He returned but wasn’t as productive after the layoff. With Graham (10.7 ppg) healthy, everyone else on the Spartan squad figures to benefit.

SJSU may have the most proven frontline tandem in the league in Chris Oakes and C.J. Webster, who combined to average 21.6 points and 14.0 rebounds last season. Nessman would probably like to see more consistent shooting efforts from Tim Pierce (11.2 ppg) and DaShawn Wright (10.1 ppg).

The Spartans, who were the only WAC team to have all five starters average in double figures, also return backup center Oliver Caballero, forward DeVonte Thomas and guard Mac Peterson. Clint Amberry, a 6'10" redshirt freshman, also is back.

And just in time for conference play, Nessman will be able to play Adrian Oliver, a guard who transferred from Washington. The coach is hoping Oliver, a former top 100 national recruit, and junior college transfer Robert Owens can help the Spartans improve on their 32.2 percent shooting from behind the arc.

7. Hawaii (11–19, 7–9)

Bob Nash endured a difficult first season at the helm, and there is no guarantee that Year 2 will be much better considering the Warriors lost four senior starters and seven seniors overall. Junior Bill Amis (8.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.3 bpg) is the lone starter returning, and by the end of last season, the 6'9" forward was playing at a high level.

The key to Hawaii’s success this season will lie with the ability of its reserves from a year ago to step into larger roles. Nash needs juniors Adhar Mayen and Paul Campbell and sophomore Kareem Nitoto to be more productive this season. Each averaged less than 3.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per game a year ago.

Hawaii also will be counting on nine newcomers — four players who redshirted last season and five signees. Highlighting the fresh faces is Roderick Flemings, a junior college transfer from Weatherford College in Texas who appears to be the recruiting gem. Flemings averaged a double-double last season (20.7 ppg, 11.7 rpg) and was heavily recruited by Connecticut, Kentucky, Georgetown and West Virginia before deciding to play his final two years of college ball on the islands. If he can deliver those kind of stats, Hawaii can be a darkhorse in the conference race.

Nash also will be counting on two other junior college transfers — 6'8" Petras Bolocka for interior scoring and rebounding and Lasha Parghalava for 3-point shooting.

The wild card for the Warriors could be how much production they get out of the four redshirts, namely 6'10" freshman Ji Xiang of China. Wings Conrad Fitzgerald, Beau Albrechtson and Gary Satterwhite also have a chance to steal playing time from last year’s reserves.

If Hawaii can stay healthy, get the production expected from its recruits and see last year’s reserves improve, the Warriors could make some noise.

8. Fresno State (13–19, 5–11)

To say things haven’t gone as planned for Fresno State would be an understatement. Defections, disciplinary issues, injuries and academic woes have slowed coach Steve Cleveland’s rebuilding process.

The Bulldogs finished a disappointing seventh in the WAC last year and lost three of their top four scorers to graduation, including hard-to-replace point guard and four-year starter Kevin Bell. Complicating matters is the fact that Fresno State lost three scholarships as a penalty for its historically low Academic Progress Rate (APR) and will have only nine or 10 scholarship players this season.

The biggest question mark surrounds guard Bryan Harvey, a former Louisville transfer. Harvey was ineligible for the second half of last season and his status for the coming season is questionable. If Harvey (10.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg in 17 games last season) plays, that would give Cleveland a proven scorer to go with a young team.

Junior forward Sylvester Seay, who sat out last year after transferring from Arizona State, is expected to be the biggest threat in the frontcourt. He joins rugged sophomores Nedeljko Golubovic (6'8") and Brandon Webster (6'10") as threats in the post.

Dwight O’Neil, who missed most of last season with a broken wrist, returns in the backcourt. He averaged 8.8 points in 14 games.

Cleveland will rely on four incoming freshmen, including high school teammates Reggie Moore and Mychal Ladd, to bolster the backcourt. Four walk-ons, including Justin Johnson, the son of former NBA great Eddie Johnson, round out the rotation.

For the Bulldogs to move up in the standings, they’ll need contributions from everyone.

9. Idaho (8–21, 5–11)

It’s starting to sound like a broken record in Moscow: The Vandals are starting from scratch. George Pfeifer was fired after two seasons, even after he guided Idaho to a sixth-place finish when the team was a near-unanimous pick for ninth.

Pfeifer isn’t the only one gone. New coach Don Verlin, who was Stew Morrill’s right-hand man for the past 15 seasons at Colorado State and Utah State, also jettisoned two of his best returning players in Jordan Brooks, a second-team All-WAC performer, and sharpshooter Mike Hall, who shot 40.8 percent from three last year.

The Vandals lost five of their top six scorers with senior wing Trevor Morris (7.4 ppg in 16 games) as the top returner. Backup guards Brandon Brown and Terrence Simmons also return.

Verlin does have three players who sat out last season, led by Washington State transfer Mac Hopson, a point guard. A pair of 6'8" redshirt freshmen forwards, Erekele Jgernaia and Phillip Thomas, can pair with 6'8" senior center Luis Augusto.

Verlin also has put his own stamp on the program, adding three junior college transfers and a high school recruit.

Verlin, known for his offensive sets, definitely has a rebuilding project for his first head coaching job. He added Ray Lopes, the former Fresno State head coach, as an assistant. Lopes had been out of the college game for three seasons after the NCAA slapped a “show cause” on him after a Kelvin Sampson-like scandal at Fresno State. Lopes worked under Sampson at Washington State and Oklahoma.

Last year showed that Idaho could win games in the WAC; it just might take a few years for Idaho to win consistently.

But then again, they’ve been saying that in Moscow for the past four seasons.