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Everyone Will Be Better
by Randy Harrison Journal Staff Writer , Albuquerque Journal
In short, all nine teams were young last year. Only 10 starters have moved on. Everybody brings back at least three.
The coach-speak of the preseason is predictable: Everybody in the league will be better, etc., etc. It's just that the numbers give credence to the talk, not to mention the budding stars wearing the various uniforms.
"I've had (NBA) scouts call and ask about our league," says Boise State coach Greg Graham, a former New Mexico assistant, "and you've got to talk about 12 to 15 players, which we've never had before."
So who should lead? Defending champ and rock-solid Utah State, which went a fantastic 30-5 and has all starters back except Player of the Year Gary Wilkinson?
How about Nevada? Granted, the Wolf Pack has a new head coach and only three returning starters. But the new coach, David Carter, was a longtime assistant there. The three starters back were their best players, among them 6-foot-9 Luke Babbitt, the super sophomore anointed to be the WAC's best player.
Or maybe New Mexico State, which has back All-WAC wing Jahmar Young and figures to field its best team since the 2007 NCAA Tournament squad? That is, it could happen if
The Aggies finished 17-15 last year, their second season under coach Marvin Menzies. They seemed to hit their stride at the WAC Tournament, a 71-70 semifinal loss to Utah State inflating morale after it at first crushed it.
"Last year I think we were the fourth youngest team in Division One," says NMSU assistant Mick Durham. "Just having some experience back in practice has been a big lift. We were disappointed in how last season ended. I think it gave us motivation, and it helps that we're a year older."
Its coaches say this will be the toughest the league has been in some time, and better than its No. 13 ranking of all 32 leagues (by the Sagarin ratings) at the end of last year. The WAC is only 1-6 in NCAA Tournament play since it went forward with its current nine-school lineup in 2005-06. That makes it hard to get more than the one required bid going to the WAC tourney champion.
Also, the chances to stun the nation by knocking off one of the big boys are few. WAC teams will play only five opponents who made it to the NCAAs last year from BCS leagues. That hurts when BCS schools swallowed up all but four of the at-large bids awarded last year.
"Everybody criticizes scheduling, but it's not as simple as some might think," says Utah State coach Stew Morrill. "The criticism always comes if we don't get a Big 12, Pac-10 or SEC team on our schedule. Heaven knows we've tried."
Instead, nonconference pairings like the Aggies' opener Friday at St. Mary's, a mid-major darling from last year, become critical, as do pairings with Mountain West Conference opponents (Idaho vs. Utah, Utah State vs. Utah, BYU at Hawaii, Fresno State at BYU, UNLV-Nevada among them).
The WAC does have the advantage of better exposure than the MWC, since 21 of its games will be on the ESPN family of networks.
The WAC in brief
(Order of finish predicted by the Journal.)
1. Utah STATE
Last year: 30-5, 14-2 Coach: Stew Morrill (23 years, 485-229) Starters returning/lost: 4/1 The leader: Jared Quayle (6-1 Sr. G, 13.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg) The key: Four starters returning from a great team bodes well, but the UtAgs will slip if the committee approach to replacing center Gary Wilkinson fails.
2. New Mexico STATE
Last year: 17-15, 9-7 Coach: Marvin Menzies (2 years, 38-29) Starters returning/lost: 5/0 The leader: Jahmar Young (6-4 Jr. G, 17.9 ppg, 3.2 apg) The key: The Aggies finish first if G Jonathan Gibson plays like a senior and F Wendell McKines and
3. Nevada
Last year: 21-13, 11-5 Coach: David Carter (1st year) Starters returning/lost: 3/2 The leader: Luke Babbitt (6-9 So. F, 16.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg) The key: A seamless transition to longtime assistant Carter, who wants to play faster, and for Babbitt to approximate his press clippings would work.
4. Idaho
Last year: 17-16, 9-7 Coach: Don Verlin (1 year, 17-16) Starters returning/lost: 4/1 The leader: Mac Hopson (6-2 Sr. G, 16.4 ppg, 5.9 apg) The key: Bigger, stronger and faster, but so is the rest of the WAC. If Pacific transfer G Steffan Johnson provides perimeter shooting, the Vandals will threaten the top three.
Last year: 15-18, 6-10 Coach: Kerry Rupp (3 years, 30-46) Starters returning/lost: 4/1 The leader: Kyle Gibson (6-5 Sr. G, 16.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg) The key: Tech finally has a true PG in DeAndre Brown, which may be the catalyst to one of the league's most athletic yet poorest shooting teams.
6. Boise State
Last year: (19-13, 9-7) Coach: Greg Graham (7 years, 145-100) Starters returning/lost: 4/1 The leader: Anthony Thomas (6-0 Sr. G, 9.5 ppg, 4.7 apg) The key: If Bronx, N.Y., G Westly Perryman can break down defenders off the dribble as Graham says, the Broncos won't need transition for all of their offense.
7. SAN JOSE STATE
Last year: 13-17, 6-10 Coach: George Nessman (4 years, 37-86) Starters returning/lost: 4/1 The leader: Adrian Oliver (6-4 Sr. G, 17.1 ppg, 2.1 apg) The key: This team has scorers and size, but Nessman must find a defensive stopper or two if the Spartans are to make headway in the league race.
8. Hawaii
Last year: 13-17, 5-11 Coach: Bob Nash (2 years, 24-36) Starters returning/lost: 4/1 The leader: Bill Amis (6-9 Sr. F, 10.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg) The key: Amis is under-the-radar solid. This team of six seniors and no frosh needs a big year from Providence transfer Dwain Williams (6-0 G, Jr.).
9. Fresno State
Last year: 13-21, 3-13 Coach: Steve Cleveland (12 years, 201-171) Starters returning/lost: 3/2 The leader: Paul George (6-8 So. F, 14.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg). The key: One of the nation's most exciting players, George and three fellow sophomores must grow up fast for the 'Dogs to exceed this prediction.
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