coreyschucky
11-09-2004, 07:20 PM
From CBSSPORTSLINE.COM
Big West Conference preview
By Gregg Doyel
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Stock Chart
Team Stock
1. Utah State
2. Pacific
3. UC Santa Barbara
4. CS Northridge
5. CS Fullerton
6. Long Beach State
7. Idaho
8. Cal Poly
9. UC Riverside
10. UC Irvine
You're going to notice, because SportsLine.com readers notice everything, that the Big West's stock report looks like a typical day at Wall Street -- down, down, down ...
Here's why:
Nate Harris will look to get Utah State to the big dance in March.(AP)
The top two teams in the league from last season, Utah State and Pacific, received downward arrows although they should comfortably remain the top two teams in the league. When you win 25 games overall and 17 in the league, as both programs did a year ago, it's difficult to improve on that -- especially considering both teams must replace a pair of starting guards.
That said, the Big West felt snubbed last season when the NCAA Tournament deemed it a one-bid league. Get ready for a hot conference tournament followed by another cold shoulder, Big West fans, because this looks like another one-bid season.
Utah State
Top three: C Nate Harris, F Spencer Nelson, F Jason Williams.
On the decline: The Aggies win big every season under Stew Morrill, which is why their best biggest victory of 2004 was off the court when Morrill decided not to get involved with the opening at Utah. Morrill will have a pair of guards to replace Cardell Butler and Mark Brown, but expect a slight dropoff.
Pacific
Top three: F Christian Maraker, C Guillaume Yango, G David Doubley.
On the decline: With all due respect to Utah State, it's Pacific that has the best frontcourt in the league. Maraker and Yango are international imports who combined to average nearly 23 points and 12 rebounds last season, and they will be joined this season by monster freshman Anthony Brown, who averaged a tidy 30-and-15 last season in prep school. If Tigers coach Bob Thomason has another guard or two to help Doubley, Pacific could end Utah State's reign atop the Big West.
UC Santa Barbara
Top three: F Casey Cook, F Cameron Goettsche, G Joe See.
On the rise: Like Pacific and Utah State, the Gauchos lost the bulk of their starting backcourt. Unlike Pacific and Utah State, the Gauchos return solid guards who should make the transition from the bench to the starting lineup. That includes See and Cecil Brown, who were almost de facto starters a year ago.
CS Northridge
Top three: G Ian Boylan, F Etoagwara Onyenegecha, G Davin White.
On the rise: The Matadors probably have the best backcourt in the league, with Boylan, White and Joseph Frazier among the team's five returning starters. If anything, they are a bit underrated at the No. 4 slot. If the Matadors slip ahead of either Utah State or Pacific, you can't say you weren't warned, though you can say SportsLine.com didn't have the guts to come out and predict it in the preseason.
Long Beach State
Top three: G Jibril Hodges, G Keion Kindred, F Onye Ibekwe.
On the rise: The 49ers finished last a year ago in the Big West, but the additions of three big-time transfers -- including Ibekwe from Oklahoma State and junior college wings Kindred and Shawn Hawkins -- should propel them upward in a big way.
CS Fullerton
Top three: G Jermaine Harper, G Bobby Brown, G Ralphy Holmes.
On the decline: The Titans will unveil three Division I transfers this season, including Virginia's Harper and Western Kentucky's Jamaal Brown, and also expect to get back 2002-03 star Holmes for the second semester. Still, keep expectations low because of the loss of franchise player Pape Sow. Harper and Holmes could be among the top scorers in the league, but the Titans' interior took a beating with the losses of center Sow and forward Anthony Bolton.
Idaho
Top three: G Tanoris Shepard, G Dandrick Jones, F Armend Kahrimanovic.
On the decline: The Vandals have plenty of talent on the perimeter, especially with the additions of junior college transfer Tihon Johnson, but they need some of their big men to put up bigger numbers. You listening, 6-10 David Radlovic and 6-8 Lionel Davis?
Cal Poly
Top three: G Kameron Gray, F Nick Enzweiler, C Phil Johnson.
On the decline: Nobody in the league lost two better players than the Mustangs, who bid adieu to Varnie Dennis and Shane Schilling and their combined 35 points per game. Gray is a legitimate all-league talent, and at 6-11, 260 pounds, Johnson is among the league's biggest players (though he missed last season to injury). But the Mustangs tied for eighth in the league last season, and that was with Dennis and Schilling.
UC Riverside
Top three: F Vili Morton, G Rickey Porter, G Larry Cunningham.
On the decline: The Highlanders were positioned to climb the league's ladder before leading scorer Nate Carter decided to transfer to Oklahoma. Cunningham is going to be a nice addition, but the loss of Carter gutted this season before it had a chance.
UC Irvine
Top three: G Jeff Gloger, G Ross Schraeder, F Greg Ethington.
On the decline: Some pundits say the Anteaters could be headed for an upper-division finish, but SportsLine.com doesn't see it. The entire frontcourt must be replaced from a team that finished eighth last season, and while Gloger is a well-rounded player, he's not enough.
Accolades
First team
F -- Spencer Nelson, Utah State
F -- Christian Maraker, Pacific
C -- Nate Harris, Utah State
G -- Ian Boylan, CS Northridge
G -- Jeff Gloger, UC Irvine
Second team
F -- Etoagwara Onyenegecha, CS Northridge
F -- Vili Morton, UC Riverside
C -- Guillaume Yango, Pacific
G -- Kameron Gray, Cal Poly
G -- Ralphy Holmes, CS Fullerton
Player of the year
Ian Boylan, CS Northridge
Newcomer of the year
Jermaine Harper, CS Fullerton
Breakthrough player
Tanoris Shepard, Idaho
Big West Conference preview
By Gregg Doyel
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Stock Chart
Team Stock
1. Utah State
2. Pacific
3. UC Santa Barbara
4. CS Northridge
5. CS Fullerton
6. Long Beach State
7. Idaho
8. Cal Poly
9. UC Riverside
10. UC Irvine
You're going to notice, because SportsLine.com readers notice everything, that the Big West's stock report looks like a typical day at Wall Street -- down, down, down ...
Here's why:
Nate Harris will look to get Utah State to the big dance in March.(AP)
The top two teams in the league from last season, Utah State and Pacific, received downward arrows although they should comfortably remain the top two teams in the league. When you win 25 games overall and 17 in the league, as both programs did a year ago, it's difficult to improve on that -- especially considering both teams must replace a pair of starting guards.
That said, the Big West felt snubbed last season when the NCAA Tournament deemed it a one-bid league. Get ready for a hot conference tournament followed by another cold shoulder, Big West fans, because this looks like another one-bid season.
Utah State
Top three: C Nate Harris, F Spencer Nelson, F Jason Williams.
On the decline: The Aggies win big every season under Stew Morrill, which is why their best biggest victory of 2004 was off the court when Morrill decided not to get involved with the opening at Utah. Morrill will have a pair of guards to replace Cardell Butler and Mark Brown, but expect a slight dropoff.
Pacific
Top three: F Christian Maraker, C Guillaume Yango, G David Doubley.
On the decline: With all due respect to Utah State, it's Pacific that has the best frontcourt in the league. Maraker and Yango are international imports who combined to average nearly 23 points and 12 rebounds last season, and they will be joined this season by monster freshman Anthony Brown, who averaged a tidy 30-and-15 last season in prep school. If Tigers coach Bob Thomason has another guard or two to help Doubley, Pacific could end Utah State's reign atop the Big West.
UC Santa Barbara
Top three: F Casey Cook, F Cameron Goettsche, G Joe See.
On the rise: Like Pacific and Utah State, the Gauchos lost the bulk of their starting backcourt. Unlike Pacific and Utah State, the Gauchos return solid guards who should make the transition from the bench to the starting lineup. That includes See and Cecil Brown, who were almost de facto starters a year ago.
CS Northridge
Top three: G Ian Boylan, F Etoagwara Onyenegecha, G Davin White.
On the rise: The Matadors probably have the best backcourt in the league, with Boylan, White and Joseph Frazier among the team's five returning starters. If anything, they are a bit underrated at the No. 4 slot. If the Matadors slip ahead of either Utah State or Pacific, you can't say you weren't warned, though you can say SportsLine.com didn't have the guts to come out and predict it in the preseason.
Long Beach State
Top three: G Jibril Hodges, G Keion Kindred, F Onye Ibekwe.
On the rise: The 49ers finished last a year ago in the Big West, but the additions of three big-time transfers -- including Ibekwe from Oklahoma State and junior college wings Kindred and Shawn Hawkins -- should propel them upward in a big way.
CS Fullerton
Top three: G Jermaine Harper, G Bobby Brown, G Ralphy Holmes.
On the decline: The Titans will unveil three Division I transfers this season, including Virginia's Harper and Western Kentucky's Jamaal Brown, and also expect to get back 2002-03 star Holmes for the second semester. Still, keep expectations low because of the loss of franchise player Pape Sow. Harper and Holmes could be among the top scorers in the league, but the Titans' interior took a beating with the losses of center Sow and forward Anthony Bolton.
Idaho
Top three: G Tanoris Shepard, G Dandrick Jones, F Armend Kahrimanovic.
On the decline: The Vandals have plenty of talent on the perimeter, especially with the additions of junior college transfer Tihon Johnson, but they need some of their big men to put up bigger numbers. You listening, 6-10 David Radlovic and 6-8 Lionel Davis?
Cal Poly
Top three: G Kameron Gray, F Nick Enzweiler, C Phil Johnson.
On the decline: Nobody in the league lost two better players than the Mustangs, who bid adieu to Varnie Dennis and Shane Schilling and their combined 35 points per game. Gray is a legitimate all-league talent, and at 6-11, 260 pounds, Johnson is among the league's biggest players (though he missed last season to injury). But the Mustangs tied for eighth in the league last season, and that was with Dennis and Schilling.
UC Riverside
Top three: F Vili Morton, G Rickey Porter, G Larry Cunningham.
On the decline: The Highlanders were positioned to climb the league's ladder before leading scorer Nate Carter decided to transfer to Oklahoma. Cunningham is going to be a nice addition, but the loss of Carter gutted this season before it had a chance.
UC Irvine
Top three: G Jeff Gloger, G Ross Schraeder, F Greg Ethington.
On the decline: Some pundits say the Anteaters could be headed for an upper-division finish, but SportsLine.com doesn't see it. The entire frontcourt must be replaced from a team that finished eighth last season, and while Gloger is a well-rounded player, he's not enough.
Accolades
First team
F -- Spencer Nelson, Utah State
F -- Christian Maraker, Pacific
C -- Nate Harris, Utah State
G -- Ian Boylan, CS Northridge
G -- Jeff Gloger, UC Irvine
Second team
F -- Etoagwara Onyenegecha, CS Northridge
F -- Vili Morton, UC Riverside
C -- Guillaume Yango, Pacific
G -- Kameron Gray, Cal Poly
G -- Ralphy Holmes, CS Fullerton
Player of the year
Ian Boylan, CS Northridge
Newcomer of the year
Jermaine Harper, CS Fullerton
Breakthrough player
Tanoris Shepard, Idaho