A capsule look at the WAC Tournament . . .
WAC TOURNAMENT
WHAT: Western Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament.
WHERE: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas
WHEN: Thursday through Saturday
SEEDS: 1, Nevada; 2, New Mexico State, 3, Idaho; 4, Utah State; 5, Louisiana Tech; 6, Hawaii; 7, Fresno State; 8, San Jose State
THURSDAY SCHEDULE: Idaho vs. Hawaii, 12 p.m.; New Mexico State vs. Fresno State, 2:30 p.m.; Nevada vs. San Jose State, 6 p.m.; Utah State vs. Louisiana Tech, 8:30 p.m.
FRIDAY SCHEDULE: Idaho-Hawaii winner vs. New Mexico State-Fresno State winner, 6 p.m.; Nevada-San Jose State winner vs. Utah State-Louisiana Tech winner, 8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY SCHEDULE: Championship, 9 p.m., ESPN2.
NEVADA WOLF PACK
RECORD: 25-5 overall, 13-1 in WAC
HEAD COACH: David Carter (3rd year, 59-37)
WAC TOURNEY RECORD: 15-9.
WAC TOURNEY TITLES: 2004, 2006
LAST NCAA TOURNAMENT: 2007
PROBABLE STARTERS: Deonte Burton, 6-1 guard (15.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists), Malik Story, 6-5 guard (14.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists), Dario Hunt, 6-8 center (10.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.4 blocks), Olek Czyz, 6-7 forward (13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, Jerry Evans, 6-8 forward (6.7 points, 4.8 rebounds).
KEYS OFF BENCH: Jordan Burris, 6-7 guard (2.7 points), Jordan Finn, 6-4 guard (1.5 points), Devonte Elliott, 6-10 center (1.7 points), Patrick Nyeko, 6-6, guards (1.5 points), Kevin Panzer, 6-9 forward (2.7 points), Keith Fuetsch, 6-0 guard (1.4 points).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Burton (WAC Player of Year, First Team), Czyz (First Team), Dario Hunt (Second Team, All-Defense), Story (honorable mention), Evans (All-Defense), Carter (WAC Coach of Year).
NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES
RECORD: 23-9, 10-4
HEAD COACH: Marvin Menzies (5th year, 99-67)
WAC TOURNEY RECORD: 11-4
WAC TOURNEY TITLES: 2007, 2010
LAST NCAA TOURNAMENT: 2010
PROBABLE STARTERS: Wendell McKines, 6-6 forward (18.5 points, 10.8 rebounds), Hernst LaRoche, 6-1 guard (12.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.8 steals), Tyrone Watson, 6-5 forward (6.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists), Hamidu Rahman, 6-11 center (10.4 points, 6.0 rebounds), Daniel Mullings, 6-2 guard (9.0 points, 3.8 rebounds).
KEYS OFF BENCH: Remi Barry, 6-7 forward (2.5 points), Tshilidzi Nephawe, 6-10 center (5.5 points, 3.6 rebounds), Bandja Sy, 6-8 forward (8.8 points, 4.2 rebounds), Renaldo Dixon, 6-10 center (2.2 points).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: McKines (First Team), LaRoche (Second Team), Rahman (honorable mention), Mullings (All-Newcomer),
IDAHO VANDALS
RECORD: 18-12, 9-5
HEAD COACH: Don Verlin (4th year, 68-58)
WAC TOURNEY RECORD: 1-6
WAC TOURNEY TITLES: None
LAST NCAA TOURNAMENT: 1990
PROBABLE STARTERS: Deremy Geiger, 5-11 guard (13.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists), Kyle Barone, 6-10 center (12.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.6 blocks), Stephen Madison, 6-5 forward (11.9 points, 5.7 rebounds), Djim Bandoumel, 6-7 forward (8.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks), Landon Tatum, 5-11 guard (7.1 points, 2.4 rebounds).
KEYS OFF BENCH: Connor Hill, 6-2 guard (5.9 points, 1.1 rebounds), Mansa Habeeb, 6-3 guard (3.5 points, 1.0 rebounds), Matt Borton, 6-5 guard (2.9 points, 2.4 rebounds), Mike McChristian, 6-2 guard (2.3 points, 1.9 rebounds), Wendell Faines, 6-8 forward (1.4 points, 1.5 rebounds).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Barone (Second Team), Geiger (honorable mention), Tatum (All-Defense), Bandoumel (All-Newcomer),
UTAH STATE AGGIES
RECORD: 17-14, 8-6
HEAD COACH: Stew Morrill (14th year, 341-117)
WAC TOURNEY RECORD: 12-4
WAC TOURNEY TITLES: 2009, 2011
LAST NCAA TOURNAMENT: 2011
PROBABLE STARTERS: Preston Medlin, 6-4 guard (16.6 points, 4.1 rebounds), Brockeith Pane, 6-1 guard (12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists), Kyisean Reed, 6-6 forward (9.8 points, 5.0 rebounds), Morgan Grim, 6-7 forward (8.7 points, 6.0 rebounds).
KEYS OFF BENCH: Danny Berger, 6-6 guard (5.8 points), Ben Clifford, 6-7 forward (4.1 points, 3.3 rebounds), E.J. Farris, 6-2 guard (3.0 points, 1.3 rebounds), Adam Thoseby, 6-4 guard (2.0 points), Jordan Stone, 6-10 center (2.5 rebounds).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Medlin (First Team), Pane (honorable mention), Reed (All-Newcomer).
LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS
RECORD: 16-15, 6-8
HEAD COACH: Michael White (1st year, 16-15)
WAC TOURNEY RECORD: 4-9
WAC TOURNEY TITLES: None
LAST NCAA TOURNAMENT: 1991
PROBABLE STARTERS: Raheem Appleby, 6-2 guard (13.8 points, 2.5 rebounds), Trevor Gaskins, 6-2 guard (11.0 points, 3.9 rebounds), Brandon Gibson, 6-5 guard (7.6 points, 4.5 rebounds), Romario Souza, 6-10 center (6.9 points, 3.0 rebounds), Kenneth Smith, 6-3 guard (3.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists).
KEYS OFF BENCH: Cordarius Johnson, 6-5 guard (10.1 points, 4.0 rebounds), Kenyon McNeail, 6-1 guard (7.3 points, 2.3 rebounds), Michale Kyser, 6-9 forward (4.0 points, 2.6 rebounds), J.L. Lewis, 6-8 forward (3.5 points, 3.6 rebounds).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Appleby (Freshman of Year, Second Team, All-Newcomer), Gaskins (honorable mention, All-Defense).
HAWAII WARRIORS
RECORD: 15-15, 6-8
HEAD COACH: Gib Arnold (2nd year, 34-28)
WAC TOURNEY RECORD: 21-23
WAC TOURNEY TITLES: 1994, 2001, 2002
LAST NCAA TOURNAMENT: 2002
PROBABLE STARTERS: Vander Joaquim, 6-10 center (14.0 points, 9.5 rebounds), Joston Thomas, 6-7 forward (14.0 points, 5.5 rebounds), Zane Johnson, 6-6 guard (14.0 points, 3.2 rebounds), Jeremiah Ostrowski, 5-9 guard (4.0 points, 6.7 assists), Hauns Brereton, 6-6 forward (7.3 points, 3.0 rebounds).
KEYS OFF BENCH: Shaquille Stokes, 5-10 guard (7.6 points, 1.3 rebounds), Trevor Wiseman, 6-7 forward (6.2 points, 4.6 rebounds), Garrett Jefferson, 6-3 guard (3.2 points), Bobby Miles, 6-1 guard (2.2 points), Davis Rozitis, 7-0 center (3.2 points, 2.6 rebounds).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Joaquin (First Team, All-Defense), Johnson (honorable mention),
FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS
RECORD: 13-19, 3-11
HEAD COACH: Rodney Terry (1st year, 13-19)
WAC TOURNEY RECORD: 11-16
WAC TOURNEY TITLES: 2000 (had to vacate title because of rules violations).
LAST NCAA TOURNAMENT: 2001
PROBABLE STARTERS: Jerry Brown, 6-7 forward (8.9 points, 5.5 rebounds), Tyler Johnson, 6-2 guard (9.6 points, 2.5 assists), Kevin Olekaibe, 6-2 guard (18.0 points, 3.3 rebounds), Steven Shepp, 6-2 guard (5.5 points, 5.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds), Jonathan Wills, 6-6 guard (10.5 points, 4.3 rebounds).
KEYS OFF BENCH: Garrett Johnson, 6-4 guard (3.9 points, 2.3 rebounds), Kevin Foster, 6-8 forward (7.8 points, 5.4 rebounds).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Olekaibe (Second Team),
SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS
RECORD: 9-21, 1-13
HEAD COACH: George Nessman (7th year, 77-140)
WAC TOURNEY RECORD: 4-14
WAC TOURNEY TITLES: None
LAST NCAA TOURNAMENT: 1996
PROBABLE STARTERS: Wil Carter, 6-8 forward (13.0 points, 8.7 rebounds), D.J. Brown, 6-2 guard (7.9 points, 2.6 rebounds), Stephon Smith, 6-8 forward (3.8 points, 2.8 rebounds), Keith Shamburger, 5-11 guard (13.3 points, 5.2 assists, 1.2 steals), James Kinney, 6-2 guard (16.2 points, 3.6 rebounds).
KEYS OFF BENCH: Calvin Douglas, 6-3 guard (5.8 points, 1.2 rebounds), Chris Jones, 6-4 guard (3.1 points, 2.6 rebounds), Matt Ballard, 6-9 forward (1.7 points, 4.0 rebounds), Lavanne Pennington, 6-4 guard (3.9 points, 2.2 rebounds).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Kinney (All-Newcomer).
