coreyschucky
11-08-2004, 01:03 PM
From CBSSPORTSLINE.COM
Western Athletic Conference preview
By Gregg Doyel
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Stock Chart
Team Stock
1. UTEP
2. Rice
3. Louisiana Tech
4. Boise State
5. Nevada
6. SMU
7. Hawaii
8. Fresno State
9. Tulsa
10. San Jose State
Contrary to common belief, reigning player of the year Kirk Snyder didn't leave the WAC after leading Nevada into the Sweet 16. He just left Nevada. You'll see him this season at Rice, playing under the pseudonym "Michael Harris."
Filiberto Rivera and a deep lineup will keep UTEP from missing former coach Billy Gillispie.(Getty Images)
Don't be fooled.
Harris is another Snyder, from his muscular body to his deceptively advanced perimeter game (48.5 percent on 3-pointers last season) to his role as the best player on what should be one of the bigger surprise teams of the season. And like Snyder, who is -- in fact -- in the NBA this season, you'll see Harris playing for pay at this time next season.
In the meantime, there is that matter of a streak to be snapped. Rice hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 1970, but that should change in Harris' senior season. The WAC is almost always good for two NCAA bids, and the only teams with that kind of talent this season are at UTEP and Rice.
UTEP might have lost coach Billy Gillispie, but the Miners have the league's best point guard (Filiberto Rivera) as well as the WAC's best pair of interior players (Omar Thomas, John Tofi).
As for Nevada ... yikes. The Wolf Pack lost their star (Snyder), their starting backcourt (Todd Okeson and Garry Hill-Thomas) and their coach (Trent Johnson, who left for Stanford). Unexpectedly good center Nick Fazekas is back for his sophomore season, but he's about to see how much more difficult college basketball can be when you go from being the team's third offensive option to its only offensive option.
UTEP
Top three: G Filiberto Rivera, F Omar Thomas, C John Tofi.
On the rise: One year after tying the NCAA record for the biggest one-season improvement, the Miners could take another (smaller) step upward even with the loss of Gillispie to Texas A&M. Recruiting whiz Doc Sadler was elevated to coach, and he'll have at his disposal the WAC's best returning trio in Rivera, Thomas and Tofi, who combined to average roughly 40 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists per game last season. Throw in junior guard Jason Williams, who was good for 11 points and six rebounds, and the Miners have the best quartet in the WAC.
Imagine how good UTEP would be if its fifth starter was Alex Galindo, the freshman turning heads this preseason with his perimeter shooting at Kansas. Galindo opted out of his letter of intent after Gillispie left.
Rice
Top three: F Michael Harris, G Jason McKrieth, G Brock Gillespie.
On the rise: The WAC has just two active players with more than 1,000 career points in Division I -- and they're both at Rice. That would be Harris and McKrieth, and before the season is over they'll be joined in the 1,000-point club by Gillespie. When Gillespie reaches that mark, it will be the first time in Rice history that three teammates had 1,000 points each.
Any wonder SportsLine.com feels so good about the Owls' chances to end their 34-year NCAA Tournament absence? Rice had better do it this season, because the future is uncertain. Harris, McKrieth and Gillespie are seniors.
Louisiana Tech
Top three: F Paul Millsap, G Corey Dean, G Donell Allick.
On the rise: Millsap (15.6 points, 12.5 rebounds per game) was an even bigger freshman revelation than Nevada's Fazekas last season, becoming only the second freshman to lead the country in rebounding since the NCAA began tracking that statistic in 1951.
Millsap is the anchor down low, while Dean and Allick are a potent wing tandem after combining to average nearly 25 points per game last season. The Bulldogs would have returned all five starters had JueMichael Young not been dismissed from the team this summer. With Allick moving to shooting guard, the starting point guard is expected to be junior-college transfer Daevon Haskins.
Boise State
Top three: G Jermaine Blackburn, F Jason Ellis, G Coby Karl.
On the decline: Even though they won 23 games a year ago, the Broncos had just three players with positive assist-to-turnover ratios -- and all three are gone. That's not good. Developing a point guard is third-year coach Greg Graham's most important task this season, and his best options probably are sophomores Eric Lane and Franco Harris.
The offensive production should come from Blackburn, Ellis and Karl, who averaged a combined 31 points per game last season. Karl is especially intriguing, in part because he became just the fifth Boise State freshman to score 300 points in a season, and in part because his father is longtime NBA coach George Karl.
Nevada
Top three: C Nick Fazekas, F Kevinn Pinkney, G Ramon Sessions.
On the decline: This is a big-time drop we're projecting, with Nevada plummeting from one of the country's top 16 teams last season to only the fifth-best team in the WAC. That's what'll happen, though, when you lose three of your best players -- and your coach -- without bringing in much in the way of impact freshmen.
Sessions could be an exception. A late signee after becoming academically eligible in the summer, Sessions was fabulously productive in high school in South Carolina. He'll need to score on his own while making sure the offense flows through the 6-foot-11 Fazekas, which is a lot to ask of a freshman. Sophomore Marcelus Kemp could have eased Sessions' transition, but he suffered a summer knee injury that will sideline him for the season.
SMU
Top three: G Bryan Hopkins, F Patrick Simpson, C Eric Castro.
On the rise: Mike Dement couldn't get it done with Hopkins, the Mustangs' best player in years. Now the job falls to Jimmy Tubbs, the former Oklahoma assistant who replaced Dement after last season's disappointing 12-19 finish.
Hopkins is the WAC's leading returning scorer, and Simpson and Castro also were good for double-figure scoring most nights. Those are nice pieces to have at guard, forward and center, and they'll be complemented by junior-college transfer Ike Ofoegbu at power forward and freshman Derrick Roberts on the wing.
Hawaii
Top three: F Julian Sensley, F Jeff Blackett, G Bobby Nash.
On the decline: Once upon a time, Sensley was considered a future college All-American. Boy, could the Warriors use one of those right about now.
Only Nevada lost more talent than Hawaii, which must replace four starters. Sensley is the only returning starter, and he was a good one last season at 12.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Those numbers are tame compared to what has been expected of him, but Sensley is only a junior. He has time to become the franchise player many expected him to be -- though the Warriors need him to hurry up and get there.
Fresno State
Top three: G Marcus West, C Mustafa Al-Sayyad, F Dreike Bouldin.
On the decline: Last year was ugly off the court, with players getting suspended left and right and one ex-Bulldog, Terry Pettis, being charged with murder after the season.
This season will be ugly on the court, with the Bulldogs unlikely to match last season's modest records of 14-15 overall and 10-8 in the WAC. The best four players from last season are gone, though three of them -- Pettis, Renaldo Major and Jonathan Woods -- were gone by midseason.
The biggest loss of all was senior point guard Shantay Legans, who left behind no clear-cut replacement.
Tulsa
Top three: F Jarius Glenn, F Anthony Price, C Oswaldo Gonzalez.
On the decline: The Golden Hurricane can throw out some nice numbers, like returning 90 percent of their rebounding from last season and 65 percent of their scoring. Or the four starters who are back.
Poppycock.
Tulsa couldn't win 10 games last season with stud Jason Parker at point guard. How many games will Tulsa win now that he's gone?
San Jose State
Top three: F Marquin Chandler, F D.J. Brown, F Michael McFadden.
On the decline: It's hard to go down after a 6-23 season that included a 1-17 league record. And we're not suggesting the Spartans will go 0-18 in WAC play this season.
But San Jose State must replace two of its top three scorers in addition to its starting point guard. While none of those players were all that great -- you don't go 6-23 with above-average players -- they must have been better than whatever else was in the program.
The Spartans' best hope lies with transfers Donta Watson and Eric Bloom, swingmen who scored more than 1,000 points each in two years of junior college.
Accolades
First team
F -- Michael Harris, Rice
F -- Nick Fazekas, Nevada
C -- Paul Millsap, Louisiana Tech
G -- Jason McKrieth, Rice
G -- Filiberto Rivera, UTEP
Second team
F -- Omar Thomas, UTEP
F -- Julian Sensley, Hawaii
C -- John Tofi, UTEP
G -- Bryan Hopkins, SMU
G -- Donell Allick, Louisiana Tech
Player of the year
Michael Harris, Rice
Newcomer of the year
Eric Bloom, San Jose State
Breakthrough player
Bobby Nash, Hawaii
Western Athletic Conference preview
By Gregg Doyel
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Stock Chart
Team Stock
1. UTEP
2. Rice
3. Louisiana Tech
4. Boise State
5. Nevada
6. SMU
7. Hawaii
8. Fresno State
9. Tulsa
10. San Jose State
Contrary to common belief, reigning player of the year Kirk Snyder didn't leave the WAC after leading Nevada into the Sweet 16. He just left Nevada. You'll see him this season at Rice, playing under the pseudonym "Michael Harris."
Filiberto Rivera and a deep lineup will keep UTEP from missing former coach Billy Gillispie.(Getty Images)
Don't be fooled.
Harris is another Snyder, from his muscular body to his deceptively advanced perimeter game (48.5 percent on 3-pointers last season) to his role as the best player on what should be one of the bigger surprise teams of the season. And like Snyder, who is -- in fact -- in the NBA this season, you'll see Harris playing for pay at this time next season.
In the meantime, there is that matter of a streak to be snapped. Rice hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 1970, but that should change in Harris' senior season. The WAC is almost always good for two NCAA bids, and the only teams with that kind of talent this season are at UTEP and Rice.
UTEP might have lost coach Billy Gillispie, but the Miners have the league's best point guard (Filiberto Rivera) as well as the WAC's best pair of interior players (Omar Thomas, John Tofi).
As for Nevada ... yikes. The Wolf Pack lost their star (Snyder), their starting backcourt (Todd Okeson and Garry Hill-Thomas) and their coach (Trent Johnson, who left for Stanford). Unexpectedly good center Nick Fazekas is back for his sophomore season, but he's about to see how much more difficult college basketball can be when you go from being the team's third offensive option to its only offensive option.
UTEP
Top three: G Filiberto Rivera, F Omar Thomas, C John Tofi.
On the rise: One year after tying the NCAA record for the biggest one-season improvement, the Miners could take another (smaller) step upward even with the loss of Gillispie to Texas A&M. Recruiting whiz Doc Sadler was elevated to coach, and he'll have at his disposal the WAC's best returning trio in Rivera, Thomas and Tofi, who combined to average roughly 40 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists per game last season. Throw in junior guard Jason Williams, who was good for 11 points and six rebounds, and the Miners have the best quartet in the WAC.
Imagine how good UTEP would be if its fifth starter was Alex Galindo, the freshman turning heads this preseason with his perimeter shooting at Kansas. Galindo opted out of his letter of intent after Gillispie left.
Rice
Top three: F Michael Harris, G Jason McKrieth, G Brock Gillespie.
On the rise: The WAC has just two active players with more than 1,000 career points in Division I -- and they're both at Rice. That would be Harris and McKrieth, and before the season is over they'll be joined in the 1,000-point club by Gillespie. When Gillespie reaches that mark, it will be the first time in Rice history that three teammates had 1,000 points each.
Any wonder SportsLine.com feels so good about the Owls' chances to end their 34-year NCAA Tournament absence? Rice had better do it this season, because the future is uncertain. Harris, McKrieth and Gillespie are seniors.
Louisiana Tech
Top three: F Paul Millsap, G Corey Dean, G Donell Allick.
On the rise: Millsap (15.6 points, 12.5 rebounds per game) was an even bigger freshman revelation than Nevada's Fazekas last season, becoming only the second freshman to lead the country in rebounding since the NCAA began tracking that statistic in 1951.
Millsap is the anchor down low, while Dean and Allick are a potent wing tandem after combining to average nearly 25 points per game last season. The Bulldogs would have returned all five starters had JueMichael Young not been dismissed from the team this summer. With Allick moving to shooting guard, the starting point guard is expected to be junior-college transfer Daevon Haskins.
Boise State
Top three: G Jermaine Blackburn, F Jason Ellis, G Coby Karl.
On the decline: Even though they won 23 games a year ago, the Broncos had just three players with positive assist-to-turnover ratios -- and all three are gone. That's not good. Developing a point guard is third-year coach Greg Graham's most important task this season, and his best options probably are sophomores Eric Lane and Franco Harris.
The offensive production should come from Blackburn, Ellis and Karl, who averaged a combined 31 points per game last season. Karl is especially intriguing, in part because he became just the fifth Boise State freshman to score 300 points in a season, and in part because his father is longtime NBA coach George Karl.
Nevada
Top three: C Nick Fazekas, F Kevinn Pinkney, G Ramon Sessions.
On the decline: This is a big-time drop we're projecting, with Nevada plummeting from one of the country's top 16 teams last season to only the fifth-best team in the WAC. That's what'll happen, though, when you lose three of your best players -- and your coach -- without bringing in much in the way of impact freshmen.
Sessions could be an exception. A late signee after becoming academically eligible in the summer, Sessions was fabulously productive in high school in South Carolina. He'll need to score on his own while making sure the offense flows through the 6-foot-11 Fazekas, which is a lot to ask of a freshman. Sophomore Marcelus Kemp could have eased Sessions' transition, but he suffered a summer knee injury that will sideline him for the season.
SMU
Top three: G Bryan Hopkins, F Patrick Simpson, C Eric Castro.
On the rise: Mike Dement couldn't get it done with Hopkins, the Mustangs' best player in years. Now the job falls to Jimmy Tubbs, the former Oklahoma assistant who replaced Dement after last season's disappointing 12-19 finish.
Hopkins is the WAC's leading returning scorer, and Simpson and Castro also were good for double-figure scoring most nights. Those are nice pieces to have at guard, forward and center, and they'll be complemented by junior-college transfer Ike Ofoegbu at power forward and freshman Derrick Roberts on the wing.
Hawaii
Top three: F Julian Sensley, F Jeff Blackett, G Bobby Nash.
On the decline: Once upon a time, Sensley was considered a future college All-American. Boy, could the Warriors use one of those right about now.
Only Nevada lost more talent than Hawaii, which must replace four starters. Sensley is the only returning starter, and he was a good one last season at 12.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Those numbers are tame compared to what has been expected of him, but Sensley is only a junior. He has time to become the franchise player many expected him to be -- though the Warriors need him to hurry up and get there.
Fresno State
Top three: G Marcus West, C Mustafa Al-Sayyad, F Dreike Bouldin.
On the decline: Last year was ugly off the court, with players getting suspended left and right and one ex-Bulldog, Terry Pettis, being charged with murder after the season.
This season will be ugly on the court, with the Bulldogs unlikely to match last season's modest records of 14-15 overall and 10-8 in the WAC. The best four players from last season are gone, though three of them -- Pettis, Renaldo Major and Jonathan Woods -- were gone by midseason.
The biggest loss of all was senior point guard Shantay Legans, who left behind no clear-cut replacement.
Tulsa
Top three: F Jarius Glenn, F Anthony Price, C Oswaldo Gonzalez.
On the decline: The Golden Hurricane can throw out some nice numbers, like returning 90 percent of their rebounding from last season and 65 percent of their scoring. Or the four starters who are back.
Poppycock.
Tulsa couldn't win 10 games last season with stud Jason Parker at point guard. How many games will Tulsa win now that he's gone?
San Jose State
Top three: F Marquin Chandler, F D.J. Brown, F Michael McFadden.
On the decline: It's hard to go down after a 6-23 season that included a 1-17 league record. And we're not suggesting the Spartans will go 0-18 in WAC play this season.
But San Jose State must replace two of its top three scorers in addition to its starting point guard. While none of those players were all that great -- you don't go 6-23 with above-average players -- they must have been better than whatever else was in the program.
The Spartans' best hope lies with transfers Donta Watson and Eric Bloom, swingmen who scored more than 1,000 points each in two years of junior college.
Accolades
First team
F -- Michael Harris, Rice
F -- Nick Fazekas, Nevada
C -- Paul Millsap, Louisiana Tech
G -- Jason McKrieth, Rice
G -- Filiberto Rivera, UTEP
Second team
F -- Omar Thomas, UTEP
F -- Julian Sensley, Hawaii
C -- John Tofi, UTEP
G -- Bryan Hopkins, SMU
G -- Donell Allick, Louisiana Tech
Player of the year
Michael Harris, Rice
Newcomer of the year
Eric Bloom, San Jose State
Breakthrough player
Bobby Nash, Hawaii