BASKETBALL PREVIEW
2017
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BASKETBALL PREVIEW
2017
CONTENTS team info season schedule............6 depth charts...............10 opponent previews.......26
MANAGING EDITOR
feature stories
Thomas Sorenson
another year older, wiser and better can an experienced aggie team compete in the conference?
identity crisis can koby mcewen provide the identity the aggies need?
......12
.......20
SENIOR WRITERS Daniel Hansen Jaden Johnson
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Matt Harris Jason Walker Lauren Lomeli
MANAGING DESIGNER Emmalee Mangum
CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS Grady Bing Savannah Candland Holley Stringham Haley Yoder Megan Nielsen
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BASKETBALL PREVIEW
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2017
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BASKETBALL PREVIEW
“i
2017
want to be the greatest basketball player to ever play here.”
— koby mcewen
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BASKETBALL PREVIEW
men’s schedule 2017
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 10
7:00 PM
SATURDAY JANUARY 6
@ WEBER STATE MONDAY
@ UNLV
NOVEMBER 13
7:00 PM
VS MONTANA STATE WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 15
7:00 PM
WEDNESDAY
JANUARY 10
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 18
8:00 PM
SATURDAY
JANUARY 13
SATURDAY
JANUARY 20
8:00 PM
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 24
1:00 PM
SATURDAY JANUARY 27
11:00 AM
WEDNESDAY
6:00 PM
SATURDAY
7:00 PM
FEBRUARY 10
7:00 PM
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14
7:00 PM
@ NEW MEXICO
VS BYU WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 6
7:00 PM
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 17
SATURDAY DECEMBER 9
4:00 PM
VS NEVADA
VS UC IRVINE 5:30 PM
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 24
2:00 PM
@ AIR FORCE
@ UTAH DECEMBER 16
7:00 PM
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 20
7:00 PM
VS YOUNGSTOWN STATE WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 27
7:00 PM
VS SAN JOSE STATE SATURDAY DECEMBER 30
8:00 PM
@ SAN DIEGO STATE WEDNESDAY JANUARY 3
WEDNESDAY
FEBRUARY 28
8:00 PM
@ SAN JOSE STATE
VS LIFE PACIFIC
7:00 PM
VS FRESNO STATE
6
7:00 PM
VS BOISE STATE
@ VALPARAISO SATURDAY DECEMBER 2
FEBRUARY 7
@ WYOMING
@ NEW HAMPSHIRE TUESDAY NOVEMBER 28
5:00 PM
@ FRESNO STATE
@ NORTHEASTERN SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25
7:00 PM
VS AIR FORCE
@ PORTLAND STATE
6
7:00 PM
VS WYOMING
MONDAY NOVEMBER 20
SATURDAY
6:00 PM
@ BOISE STATE
@ GONZAGA
NOVEMBER 24
7:00 PM
VS COLORADO STATE
VS MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE
FRIDAY
8:00 PM
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SATURDAY
MARCH 3
7:00 PM
VS UNLV
women’s schedule
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 10
8:00 PM
SATURDAY JANUARY 13
@ UC IRVINE TUESDAY
NOVEMBER 14
12:00 PM
WEDNESDAY
JANUARY 17
7:00 PM
SATURDAY
JANUARY 20
NOVEMBER 21
5:00 PM
WEDNESDAY
JANUARY 24
MONDAY NOVEMBER 27
7:00 PM
SATURDAY JANUARY 27
DECEMBER 1
9:00 PM
@ MONTANA STATE DECEMBER 2
11:00 PM
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 31
WEDNESDAY
FEBRUARY 7
DECEMBER 6
3:00 PM
SATURDAY
FEBRUARY 10
3:00 PM
DECEMBER 16
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14
7:00 PM
VS NEW MEXICO
VS UTAH VALLEY 2:00 PM
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 17
3:00 PM
@ NEVADA
VS DENVER DECEMBER 18
7:00 PM
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 24
2:00 PM
VS AIR FORCE
VS UTAH DECEMBER 28
8:00 PM
@ SAN JOSE STATE SATURDAY
2:00 PM
@ BOISE STATE
SATURDAY DECEMBER 9
THURSDAY
7:00 PM
VS WYOMING
@ BYU
MONDAY
7:00 PM
@ NEW MEXICO
@ OREGON STATE
SATURDAY
2:00 PM
VS FRESNO STATE
@ IDAHO STATE
WEDNESDAY
7:00 PM
@ AIR FORCE
@ SOUTHERN UTAH
SATURDAY
2:00 PM
@ WYOMING
VS ARIZONA
FRIDAY
7:00 PM
VS BOISE STATE
NOVEMBER 17
TUESDAY
2:00 PM
VS NEVADA
VS DIXIE STATE FRIDAY
2017
DECEMBER 30
2:00 PM
VS SAN DIEGO STATE WEDNESDAY JANUARY 3
TUESDAY
FEBRUARY 27
7:00 PM
VS SAN JOSE STATE FRIDAY
MARCH 2
7:00 PM
@ UNLV
8:00 PM
@ FRESNO STATE SATURDAY JANUARY 6
2:00 PM
VS UNLV WEDNESDAY JANUARY 10
7:00 PM
@ COLORADO STATE
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MEN
PROJECTED STARTERS
KOBY MCEWEN
SAM MERRILL
DEANGELO ISBY
NO. 1 | HT. 6-4 POSITION: GUARD
NO. 3 | HT. 6-5 POSITION: GUARD
NO. 0 | HT. 6-5 POSITION: GUARD
DWAYNE BROWN, JR. NO. 25 | HT. 6-6 POSITION: FORWARD
ALEX DARGENTON NO. 11 | HT. 6-8 POSITION: FORWARD
KEY BENCH PLAYERS
QUINN TAYLOR NO. 10 | HT. 6-8 POSITION: FORWARD
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JULLION PEARRE NO. 5 | HT. 6-3 POSITION: GUARD
WOMEN
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
2017
PROJECTED STARTERS
ELIZA WEST NO. 1 | HT. 5-5 POSITION: GUARD
OLIVIA WEST NO. 3 | HT. 5-6 POSITION: GUARD
RACHEL BREWSTER NO. 22 | HT. 5-11 POSITION: GUARD
SHANNON DUFFICY
DEJA MASON
NO. 5 | HT. 6-2 POSITION: FORWARD
NO. 44 | HT. 6-4 POSITION: CENTER
KEY BENCH PLAYERS
VICTORIA PRICE NO. 21 | HT. 5-8 POSITION: GUARD
HAILEY BASSETT NO. 12 | HT. 6-2 POSITION: FORWARD
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There were instant positives when the Utah State women’s basketball team began practice. One of them was that there was little time needed for introductions—it’s pretty easy to get the ball rolling for a team that is returning nearly everyone. All five starters are back—only two seniors left—and four freshmen joined the program. The Aggies only have 30 practices to establish themselves as a team prepared for the season to start, and less time to get to know each other means a lot. The Aggies, the least-experienced team class-wise in the Mountain West Conference last season, again hold that label in a season in which they do not have a single senior on the roster. Juniors on the team are guard Rachel Brewster (USU’s leading scorer at 13.5 points per game), center Deja Mason, and guard Lizzy Klinker. Despite the overwhelming youth, USU sports the roster with arguably the most starting experience in the conference, and much of it can be owed to the return of the Aggies’ core group of Brewster, Mason, sophomore Shannon Dufficy, sophomore Eliza West,
and sophomore Hailey Bassett. With the rest of the bench, backups Klinker and sophomore Jessie Geer combined for 11 starts in relief last year. The relative inexperience of the team last year didn’t stop the Aggies from having their most successful year of Finkbeiner’s tenure with a 17-15 record, 9-9 in the Mountain West. Now, the return of the starters provides the setting for Finkbeiner to make a much-needed change. Finkbeiner described last year’s game plan as “maintenance,” in which they played a conservative game to hide Utah State’s greenness. “We went to a safe style,” Finkbeiner said. “Our defense really tightened up, half-court this side, half-court that side. It’s a safe game plan… to have a chance at the end of the game.” Over the offseason, Finkbeiner saw in his young team a budding ability to score and defend full-court, and now, he’s shifting the squad to a new—and hopefully better—identity. It starts with the system as a whole, where Utah State plans to switch from a traditional 5-position offense to an offense of four guards and a center. It’s a system often employed
by teams with lineups lacking in height, one of the few things the Aggies lost with the departure of two senior forwards. The system will take Dufficy, the second-highest scorer and leading rebounder last year, and put her in a more basketfacing role, and the 6’4” Mason will control the inside, backed up by freshman center Laura Dalton. Brewster, USU’s star player, said that the systematic change brings adjustments to her play style. “It’s a little bit different from my game, I’m more of a mid-range player,”
Brewster said, “but I’m trying to focus more on my defense this season.” The defensive side of USU’s game plan this year focuses on creating turnovers and getting steals, and Brewster hopes that the result will be a lot of fast-break scoring opportunities for her. Overall, Brewster says the transition to the 4-guard system is working out great for her, and it mostly is creating adjustments to her defense. As the shots begin falling in greater volume, Brewster believes that West,
Bassett, and backup Olivia West can be the players who step up and improve the most. “They’ve been doing really, really well at practice so far.” “We’re going up and down the floor more,” Finkbeiner said. “We’re going to full-court press more with a small lineup, get fast breaks more with a small lineup. It’s more of a full-court game. We’re going to score more points this year.” Scoring wasn’t a strength at all for the Aggies last year, averaging 58 points per game, second to last in the conference. With a faster game plan, Finkbeiner said that the offense looks to go from 58 points per game to consistently scoring in the 80’s. No team in conference play averaged more than 70 points per game last season, and Finkbeiner affirmed that being the highest-scoring team the Mountain West is indeed a goal for this squad. “We’re going to try to be the top 10 in the country,” Finkbeiner said. “We don’t mind broadcasting that. That’s our game plan, and this is my comfort zone as a coach.” Finkbeiner, at one point in his 23-year career, coached the highest-scoring offense in the nation during one of his seasons at Oral Roberts University, where he coached for 16 years. More scoring obviously means more shooting, which can lead to a great deal of rebounding opportunities, more than Dufficy’s team-high 8.7 per game. “I’ll look at it as a positive if I’m going to be involved more in the game getting offensive boards,” Dufficy said. “I’ll just take it as more of a step up from last year.”
Dufficy is putting more pressure on herself this year to take steps forward in her game and perform to expectations that have been set after her outstanding freshman year. For anyone who hasn’t seen a 4-guard offense in action before, Coach Dave Rose of the BYU men’s basketball team has employed the style for the last several years, and their program has consistently been one of the highest scoring offenses in the nation. Often in the small-ball oriented system, rebounding efficiency can become an unintended sacrifice. Finkbeiner noted that the experience of Dufficy, Brewster, and Bassett, who all played in the frontcourt in high school and then moved out to guard for the Aggies, will help to maintain control on the glass even when they are playing further from it. Colorado State won the conference title last season and sported a 2519 overall record, yet they still came nowhere close to the national top 25. Finkbeiner reported that the Mountain West is collectively looking to raise their conference strength in terms of RPI, and it’s a big reason the upcoming season for USU features the likes of No. 17-ranked Oregon State, Pac-12 programs Utah and Arizona, and instate power BYU. Hopefully, the new look of the offense will generate more interest from fans, as the Aggies average home attendance (672) was barely over a third of their road game average (1656). A team full of youth is now one year older, one year wiser, and as Finkbeiner hopes, a whole lot better.
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Utah State Aggies, 7-11, 8th place finish. The line feels so familiar it can hardly be called a bold prediction. On the brink of what will surely be another wild season in the Mountain West, Utah State is tabbed as the No. 8 team in the conference by preseason voters — and really, who can blame them? Nevermind the emergence of a dangerous young backcourt, budding star Koby McEwen’s preseason All-MW selection or Sam Merrill’s first full offseason since returning from an LDS mission. The preseason rankings are based on facts, and the fact is Utah State has now spent four years in the conference proving an inability to climb into the driver’s seat. With the era of four straight WAC titles squarely in the rearview, USU joined the MWC in 2013 with a squad of discontented kids who could hardly stand each other long enough to complete a game. Still, longtime coach Stew Morrill managed to extract a decent season from the unruly group, even squeaking out a conference tournament win over CSU in Las Vegas before being splattered by eventual conference champion San Diego State 73-39. “No matter,” fans thought. The leap into a new and exciting conference capable of sending multiple teams into the frenetic March Madness tournament meant some growing pains were in order. The Aggies finished an understandable 7-11, for an 8th place finish. An 11-7 season in 2014 certainly showed progress. The dual-threat frontcourt of David Collette and Jalen Moore playing out of position fell just two points short of toppling eventual conference champ Wyoming in the MW’s opening round, and the foundation of an Aggie hoops renaissance appeared unshakeable.
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Chaos descended in the months that followed. Stew Morrill retired, Tim Duryea was hired, and Collette unceremoniously left the team days before the 2015 season. The unexpected shift unravelled Utah State’s intentions to finally step into a conference contender role, putting the Aggies’ best-laid plans on indefinite hold. The result was disappointingly familiar territory — 7-11, 8th place finish. And then, last year. Moore’s senior season. McEwen’s first look at Division I ball. Aggie nation’s introduction and subsequent love affair with Merrill’s defensive genius. There were highs, such as the 74-57 home win over an otherwise-dominant UNR. There were lows, like the 72-70 heartbreaker in Boise just three days later. But in the end, there they were, the Utah State Aggies, 7-11 for an 8th place finish. For a team so consistently good-not-great, perhaps no team in the Mountain West has a foggier future. Three out of the Aggies’ first four years in the conference illustrate an unmistakable floor, but what is the ceiling for a program still struggling to find an identity? The answer almost certainly relies on the play of Utah State’s greatest outlier, Koby McEwen.
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McEwen’s patented swish-and-snarl flair took the exaggerated expectations from last year’s Aggie faithful in stride, stuffing nearly 15 points per game through the rim in charmingly dramatic fashion. The freshman finished his introductory MW tour ranked No. 6 in 3-pt percentage, No. 6 in assists per game, No. 8 in points per game and ranked among the conference top 20 in both rebounding and field goal percentage — all while playing secondfiddle to Moore’s senior season. The team’s success or failure now rests squarely on McEwen’s shoulders, and the former Freshman of the Year hasn’t been shy about his intentions. “I want to be the greatest basketball player to ever play here,” McEwen told the Utah Statesman in an interview last year. “I think it’s very achievable. I want to be the Wayne Estes or the Jaycee Carroll of this generation at Utah State.” McEwen’s expectations for himself might sound like hyperbole if he wasn’t already re-writing the Aggie record books. McEwen’s 14.9 points per game set a Utah State freshman record last season, topping USU All-American Jaycee Carroll’s 14.7 freshman average from 2004. McEwen also dropped in 28 points in a single game last year against UNLV, tying USU’s freshman single-game scoring record— Carroll’s record. The Toronto native skimmed right over the typical adjustments even the most polished high school players endure in their first year of college ball, winning a starting spot and promptly justifying his 31 minutes of playing time. McEwen’s talent is enough to make the Aggies interesting, but for USU to break out of its 7-11 cycle the team needs more than a star in the making—it needs an identity.
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San Diego State sucks the life out of opponents with a tenacious full-court press and disciplined defense, it’s just who they are. Wyoming opens fire from beyond the arc for 40 straight minutes. Fresno plays fast and physical in transition. Boise State can hit from anywhere on the floor, at times unguardable but prone to cold streaks. Utah State displays no such trend besides a lackluster conference record and unfulfilled expectations. Of course, this concerns USU’s third-year head coach as much as its stud point guard. “One of the qualities about this conference every year is how deep it is,” Duryea said. “Every year one through nine usually has a very fine line, a narrow margin of finishing second or third or finishing seventh or eighth. A lot of it depends on experience and most of the teams picked in the top four or five have people coming back.” The Aggies’ only experience comes from unconventional places. Utah State’s only seniors, Alexis Dargenton and Julion Pearre, are solid in their probable starting roles but not necessarily the team’s central source of scoring or leadership. Duryea has extensive experience with USU athletics but only two full years as acting
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head coach. McEwen has experience winning, but not yet at the conference tournament level or beyond. None of them have experience making a name for themselves or transforming a sub.500 team into a contender — yet. Coach Duryea might be the man behind the wheel, but McEwen is the engine, gas pedal and Fast and the Furious-style NOS button. “Maybe next year” isn’t just a tired narrative for fans, it’s a label McEwen and company are actively trying to extinguish. “I like to think the guys respect me now as a player and as a leader,” McEwen said, “but I’m still working. I’ve gotta get better in certain areas in order to turn the culture around and become a winning team again. I’m working on that every day.” The sophomore will get his chance early and often this fall. The Aggies face 2016 NCAA runner-up Gonzaga in Spokane to kick off an early five game road trip in November, before returning home to face in-state rivals BYU and Utah in December. The 2017 Aggies’ proving grounds are set. All that remains is a determined effort to find an identity and stick to it.
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Air Force head coach Dave Pilipovich is heading into his sixth full season as coach of the Falcons. But after taking his team to an 18-14 record in his first full season in 2013-14, the Falcons have not finished above .500 the past three seasons, including a 12-21 finish last year and career-low four conference wins for Pilipovich. Last year’s squad averaged 73.1 points per game, which was sixth all time in Falcons history and best since 1999 (76.2). The leading scorer last year for the Falcons, Hayden Graham (12.6 points per game), graduated but his place will be suitably filled by center Frank Toohey (10.7) and guard Jacob Van (10.6). Van is the most versatile player on Air Force’s roster. As a junior last year, Van was third on the team in scoring and led the team in assists per game (2.8). Van is their most efficient shooter, ranking fifth all time for the Falcons in three-point field goal percentage.
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Sophomore forward Lavelle Scottie could emerge as one of the Falcons’ go-to scorers. Scottie finished 201617 on a strong note, scoring double figures in seven of his last nine games and six of his last seven. Three-point shooting has been a point of emphasis for the Falcons. As a team, they have made at least one three-pointer in 247 games, dating back to Nov. 21, 2009. Last year, the team ranked fifth in three-point attempts in the Mountain West. Five players on the team averaged at least one three-pointer made per game. Air Force’s lack of size could create matchup problems all year for them. The Falcons have only one upperclassman taller than 6’7,” Brendan Leonard (Leonard only played 10 minutes in 2016-17) and ranked second-to-last in rebounding last year. Two of Air Force’s leading rebounders in 2016-17, Graham and Zach Kocur, are no longer with the team.
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All of Air Force’s wins over the past two seasons can be counted on one hand. The lady Falcons 2016-17 campaign was technically an improvement over the previous year, with three more wins. But that is dampened by the fact that they still only managed four wins on the season. Unfortunately for the Aggies, one of those wins came against Utah State. Air Force finished last in the Mountain West last year and were last in several statistical categories, including assists (10.1 per game), field goal percentage (34.1), rebounds (34.5), points (53.5) and turnovers (19.4). Despite being one of the younger teams in the Mountain West last year with just one senior on the roster, the Falcons don’t return a lot of experience. Of the 17 players
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listed on the current roster, 10 are incoming freshmen. Air Force lost several of their leading scorers. Their top two scorers, Mariah Forde (11.0 points per game) and Kailin Davis (9.6), are not on this year’s roster. Ogden native Cortney Porter will be a major part of the Falcons on both sides of the ball. Porter was third in scoring and led the team in total assists (95), steals (49), was tied for first in offensive rebounds (50) and was second in total rebounds (160). Dee Bennett will anchor the Falcons’ frontcourt. The senior led her team in rebounds (8.2 per game) and is the second highest scorer among returning starters (8.1 per game). She also recorded a teamhigh six double doubles last year.
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The Bronco men have built themselves into one of the most solid teams in the Mountain West over the past few seasons and look primed to continue playing at the top of the conference in 2017-18. Boise State was picked to finish third in the preseason polls (behind 201617 champion Nevada and San Diego State), picking up two first-place votes along the way. Crucial to the Broncos’ success this year is Chandler Hutchison, who dipped his toes in the NBA’s pre-draft process but decided to return to Boise for his senior season. The 6-foot-7 guard earned first-team all-conference honors a season ago after averaging 17.4 points on 49.5 percent shooting and 7.8 rebounds. That performance propelled him to a spot on this year’s preseason all-con-
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ference team and a nod as the preseason player of the year. Joining Hutchison in the offensive attack is lightning-quick guard Paris Austin, who averaged 12.3 points on 49 percent shooting. Austin has struggled to shoot from deep historically, hitting just seven 3-point shots all of last season (on 33 attempts), making his ability to find creases in the defense even more impressive. Six-foot-6 sophomore guard Justinian Jessop started in all but one game for the Broncos last year, averaging 7.4 points per outing. He’ll be relied on to stretch the floor this season, as neither Hutchison nor Austin are volume 3-point shooters and the two best deep-range shooters a season ago have graduated.
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The Bronco women are looking to build on their postseason performance from a season ago when the third-seed Broncos made a run to the Mountain West tournament championship. Boise State has yet to claim a regular season championship, but were picked first in the preseason conference rankings, earning seven first-place votes. Six-foot-1 senior forward Shalen Shaw earned preseason all-conference honors after averaging 10.1 points on 44 percent shooting, with a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game. Along with Shaw, four of the five highest scorers return for the Broncos, including honorable mention all-conference performer Marijke Vanderschaaf and all-freshman honoree Riley Lupfer. Lupfer provides the deep threat for Boise State, hoisting more than 150 3-point shots last season and connect-
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ing on almost two of them per game (on 36 percent shooting). If Lupfer can take a step forward in her sophomore season, she’ll open up space for Shaw and the 6-foot-3 Vanderschaaf to work inside. Vanderschaaf is the anchor of the defense, averaging a block per game last season (with a season-high of five against Nevada in February), and 24 steals. With the loss of the team’s leading scorer, she’ll need to increase her production on the offensive end, where she finished in single-digits in scoring in more than half of the games she appeared in. The Broncos have the talent to claim their first regular season title, but will need Shaw to play up to the preseason expectations and some of the young players on the roster to take another step forward.
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Last season, the Rams finished second in the conference with a 13-5 record in MW play, going 24-12 overall. That already illustrates what was an impressive year for Colorado State, but their grandeur becomes even moreso once you realize only seven players suited up more than 20 games last year. CSU was short-handed for much of last season and still finished second in the MW for scoring defense and third in scoring margin. A large reason for that was MW Player of the Year Glen Clavell, the team’s leading scorer and best defender, now with the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks on a two-way contract. The Rams also lost their second-leading scorer in Emmanuel Omogbo, who doubled as the team’s leading rebounder. Head coach Larry Eustachy has several questions to answer, or this team could struggle this season.
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Conventional wisdom would indicate that CSU will take a step back this year, but counting out this scrappy team from Fort Collins is probably a mistake. Junior guard Prentiss Nixon returns as the team’s leading scorer, and should see a jump in his usage and stats with the Rams needing new sources of scoring to replace the 34 combined points per game from Clavell and Omogbo. Colorado State will be relying on a lot of development from younger players to continue contending in the conference. Improved play from JD Page and Che Bob will be crucial to the Rams’ hopes in 2017-18, as will increased contributions from Braden Keolliker and Nico Carvacho. 3-star recruit Raquan Mitchell will be asked to contribute early, and could be a key factor in CSU keeping their place in the upper tier of the MW.
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Colorado State has finished first in the MW regular season standings in each of the past four years. However, the Rams have only won the conference tournament once in that same span. This year, opinions are mixed on CSU’s chances to once again claim the title, as the preseason poll has the Rams slotted third behind Boise State and Wyoming. Colorado State did receive six firstplace votes, however, one of five teams to receive a first-place vote, testifying to the openness of the conference title race this season. The Rams lose a lot of players from last year’s team, from MW Player of the Year and the team’s leading scorer
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Ellen Nystrom to Elin Gustavsson, the team’s second leading scorer. This season fits perfectly into the template of a rebuilding year. Hannah Tvrdy returns after averaging 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Sophomore Nathalie Linden debuts this season after sitting out due to NCAA amateurism rules, and will have to make an immediate impact. Junior Sofie Tryggedsson will also be required to make a jump for the Rams to reclaim their place as the conference’s elite. Appearances would indicate the Rams will struggle to do so, but four straight conference titles demands respect. Until Colorado State is knocked off the pedestal, it’s foolish to expect them not to be there.
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FRESNO
Fresno State finished fourth in the Mountain West last season with a mere 11-7 conference record, going 20-13 overall, but showed several signs of formidability nonetheless.
at 2.2, nabbing 71 on the season. Deshon averaged 12.5 ppg and was in the top 40 nationally in three throw percentage at just less than 88 percent.
Averaging 74 ppg as a team on 45.5 percent shooting, the Bulldogs’ tenacity took them all the way to the conference semifinals during the Mountain West tournament in Las Vegas, falling to eventual-champion Nevada, 83-72.
One of the Bulldogs’ greatest strengths last year was their ability to spread around the scoring. Four players, including those three returning starters, averaged double figures in scoring. A glaring weakness for Fresno State lies in its free throw shooting with a team percentage of 64 percent from the line.
In their only matchup last season, Utah State beat Fresno State, 78-65, at the Spectrum. The Bulldogs made a postseason appearance in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), losing in the first round to TCU, 6659. Three starters return for the Bulldogs, former Colorado transfer Jaron Hopkins, junior guard Deshon Taylor, and senior guard Jahmel Taylor. Hopkins led the team in scoring, averaging 13.2 ppg last season, and was in the top 20 nationally in steals per game
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While Hopkins is more of a scoring metronome who will always get his 13-19 points every game, Deshon’s outlook provides intrigue. The former University of Missouri — Kansas City product burst onto the scene midseason and became the go-to offensive threat for the Bulldogs, averaging 20.2 ppg over the final 16 games of the season. Should Deshon take another step forward this year, the Bulldogs could be in contention for the conference title.
11/7/17 3:09 PM
O STATE
WOMEN AWAY JANUARY 3 HOME JANUARY 27
A season ago, everything the Fresno State Bulldogs did revolved around Bego Faz Davalos. The gifted junior led Fresno State to an 8-10 conference record, 18-15 overall, and a seventh-place finish in the Mountain West. She was a twotime MW Defensive Player of the Year, a nationally-compelling shot-blocker, and the crown jewel of the Bulldogs’ program, averaging a double-double in points and rebounds. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Davalos now plays for Duke University. The Bulldogs will turn to last year’s backup center Katelin Noyer to step up and fill the void left by Davalos, but Noyer only played more than ten minutes in a game three times last season, averaging two points and one rebound. Junior guard Candice White, who was the leading scorer last year at
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14.9 points per game, will also be expected to step up. She finished second to Devalos in rebounds with 5.2 per game. The Bulldogs, even with a prolific player last year, were on the outside looking in when it came to title contention. This season, the road will be even more difficult. Fresno State doesn’t have a single senior on this roster and will need the youth to hit the ground running as a home contest against Arizona State looms in just the second regular season game. The largest boost for the team will be the return of former all-Mountain West freshman first-team player Breanne Knishka, who started the first 13 games last season before a season-ending knee injury. Against Utah State last season, the Bulldogs lost their only contest, 5247 in the Save Mart Center in Fresno.
11/7/17 3:10 PM
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FEBRUARY 17
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After they ended Utah State’s season in March with a victory in the second round of the Mountain West Tournament, the Wolfpack are back, and they look as good as ever this year. In 2016-17, Nevada went 15-3 in conference play and cruised to a 29-6 overall record en route to its first ever Mountain West championship. This season, it was picked by the media in the preseason poll to repeat, receiving 19 of a possible 24 first-place votes. While Nevada loses two integral parts of last year’s team in Cam Oliver and Marcus Marshall, they won’t be without plenty of talent this season. The Wolfpack welcome back junior forward Jordan Caroline, a member of the preseason Mountain West all-conference team.
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NEVA
Caroline, who was the conference tournament MVP, averaged 15.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 35.1 minutes played per game last season. To add to the excitement for this season, Nevada also adds Mountain West preseason Newcomer of the Year Caleb Martin to this year’s squad. Martin, a 6’7 forward, redshirted last season after transferring to Nevada from North Carolina State. In two seasons at NC State, Martin appeared in 69 games and started 20, averaging 11.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. All-time against Nevada, Utah State leads the series 36-19. Although the Aggies handed the Wolfpack one of their few losses last season in Logan, Nevada has won four of last five meetings.
11/7/17 3:10 PM
VADA
WOMEN HOME JANUARY 13
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In Utah State’s 45 year program history, there are only six teams which the Aggies have faced more times than Nevada.
In the Mountain West Conference preseason poll, voters from the media picked Nevada to finish 10th in the conference again this season.
Dating back to 1980, the Aggies and the Wolfpack have played 27 times, and it’s been a rather competitive series. Utah State is 16-11 all-time, and is the winner of five-straight and six of the last seven games between the two teams.
While expectations are low for the Pack, they do bring back three starters from last season including junior forward AJ Cephas. Last season Cephas averaged 8.2 points, 7.5 rebounds (ninth in the MW), and 1.7 blocks (third in the MW) per game.
In 2016-17, USU delt Nevada a loss in Reno by a score of 81-69. When the Wolfpack came to Logan later in the season it was a much closer contest, but Utah State won that game as well 60-57.
The biggest off-season acquisition for the Wolfpack was the hiring of new head coach Amanda Levens following the retirement of nine-year head coach Jane Albright.
After a strong non-conference start in 2016-17, the Wolfpack stumbled to a 5-13 record in conference play for a 10th place finish, with an 11-19 record overall.
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Levens spent the past five seasons as associate head coach at her alma mater Arizona State where she helped coach the Sun Devils to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
11/7/17 3:10 PM
MEN HOME
JANUARY 31
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AWAY FEBRUARY 14 7:00 PM
NEW M
New Mexico is in an interesting position after finishing fifth in last season’s conference standings with a 10-8 record, 17-14 overall.
cient deep threat, shooting 40 percent from three and making 10 of them, but consistency on offense was not present.
Another offensively sound team, scoring 74 ppg as a team, the Lobos enter this season without the two players that accounted for over half of the scoring.
The Lobos were knocked out of the first round of the MWC tournament by Fresno State, 65-60. Against Utah State last season, New Mexico split the series, losing on the road, 79-75, and winning at home, 74-61.
Star guard Elijah Brown, who averaged 18.8 ppg last year, went for (literally) greener pastures at Oregon, while senior Tim Williams and his 17.4 ppg, graduated. Despite losing their two best players, the Lobos enter this season with a roster stacked with experience: four seniors and eight juniors. The offensive load falls to senior Sam Logwood, a guard who averaged 7.3 ppg last year. Logwood was an effi-
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With the drop off in skill, experts predict that the team will take more than a few steps back this season. Mountain West experts, in their poll last week, expected New Mexico to finish ninth in conference play this year. It looks to be a whole season’s worth of wishing Brown had stayed is in store for the Lobos.
11/7/17 3:10 PM
MEXICO
WOMEN AWAY JANUARY 31
HOME FEBRUARY 14 7:00 PM
New Mexico finished fifth in the Mountain West Conference with a 10-8 conference record, 15-15 overall. Against Utah State, the Lobos won both contests a season ago, 78-67 at Wisepies Arena in Albuquerque and 68-58 in the Spectrum in Logan. The Lobos return two of the four starters that averaged double figures in scoring last season, including the player that matters most, senior Cherise Beynon. Beynon was a do-everything player for the Lobos a year ago, averaging 15.6 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, and dishing out 192 assists. She also had seven double-doubles. In the national picture, Beynon was 13th in assists per game with 6.6 and was one of only three players in the nation to record two or more triple doubles.
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Beynon returns to the lineup and can be expected to be the focus for New Mexico. Key defenders are out of the program this year as Richelle van der Keijl and Kianna Keller both graduated. The two centers combined for nearly 100 blocks over the course of the last season and averaged a combined 17 rebounds per game. As a team, the Lobos were gritty on defense, second nationally in defensive rebounds per game and eighth nationally in field goal percentage defense. That identity may change as the Lobos look to adjust to life without their defensive stalwarts. As long as Beynon is still on the roster, as well as gifted sophomore Mykiel Burleson, the Lobos should be trending upward.
11/7/17 3:11 PM
MEN AWAY DECEMBER 30
8:00 PM
Utah State and San Diego State have only faced each other 12 times in program history, and the Aztecs lead the series with a 9-3 advantage. USU’s wins over San Diego State came in 1963, 1997, and 1998. Since then, the Aztecs have won nine straight, though many of the games have been competitive. Last season, the teams played twice—a 74-55 Aztec win in San Diego, and a 6662 heartbreaker for Utah State in the Spectrum. San Diego State is coming off of its worst season since 2004-05, though even in a “down year” for the Aztecs they still managed to put together a 19-14 season and go 9-9 in conference play before making a run to the conference tournament semi-finals. This year, returning three starters from last season, they are projected to return to dominance. In the Mountain West pre-season poll, the Aztecs were picked second behind only Nevada.
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SAN D STA
The biggest question surrounding San Diego State this season is how they will cope with the retirement of legendary head coach Steve Fisher, who spent 18 years at the helm of the program, leading them to seven Mountain West Conference titles and eight NCAA Tournaments. To fill in Fisher’s shoes, they turn to his protege, Brian Dutcher. Dutcher spent all 18 seasons of Fisher’s reign on the bench right behind him, and now he finally has a turn to steer the ship. According to most recruiting websites, San Diego State has the second highest rated recruiting class in the Mountain West entering this season. They welcome in plenty of solid, young talent in Jordan Schakel, Adam Seiko, and Matt Mitchell. They also bring back pre-season All Mountain West selection senior guard Trey Kell. Kell last season averaged 13.2 points per game, along with 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals per
11/7/17 3:11 PM
DIEGO ATE
WOMEN HOME DECEMBER 30
Dating back to 1980, Utah State and San Diego State have only faced off a total of 10 times. The Aztecs lead the all-time series between the two teams 6-4, though Utah State has won in three of the past four meetings. Last season, Utah State came away victorious in the first matchup, a 53-47 victory in Logan. In the second showdown of the season, however, the Aztecs won a close one in San Diego by a score of 66-59. San Diego State posted an 11-19 overall record in 2016-17, going
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6-12 in Mountain West play to finish ninth in the conference. The Aztecs were picked to finish in a similar spot this season, landing at number eight in the pre-season media poll. The good news is that they return three starters from last year’s squad including three-time All-Mountain West senior guard McKynzie Fort. Fort led the team a year ago in points (15.9 per game, sixth in the MW), assists (75), and steals (29).
11/7/17 3:11 PM
MEN HOME DECEMBER 27
7:00 PM
AWAY FEBRUARY 28
8:00 PM
SAN JOS
Unfortunately for San Jose State, it’s impossible to mention anything other than the obvious — the Spartans are just plain bad. They’ve won a total of 50 games … in the last six seasons combined. This year doesn’t look to offer much refuge to the Spartan faithful. In the preseason Ken Pomeroy rankings, the Spartans rank 272nd in all of Division I basketball. As a comparison, Utah State is slotted at 123rd in those same rankings. Not only that, but their leading scorer and rebounder from last season, Brandon Clarke, transferred to Gonzaga prior to the season.
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The team does return some hopeful players in the low post. Junior Ryan Welage, the team’s second leading scorer and rebounder last year, returns along with 6-foot-11 center Ashtin Chastain. Noah Baumann is a source of hope, as the freshman guard should bring in some level of offensive rejuvenation and at the very least, is an unknown commodity heading into the season. Overall, though, the Spartans don’t attempt many 3s, attempting the ninth fewest in the MW last season, and they also struggling to contain teams defensively, allowing 74.8 points per game last year. In short, don’t be expecting much noise out of San Jose this season.
11/7/17 3:12 PM
OSE STATE
AWAY DECEMBER 28
8:00 PM
HOME FEBRUARY 27 7:00 PM
There are teams in every basketball conference that simply exist to take up a slot in the conference’s lineup.
Overall, San Jose State lost four senior starters from last season and 70 percent of its scoring output.
They are rarely the best and hardly ever the worst. San Jose State fits this description to almost every detail.
The team’s lone returning starter Myzhanique Ladd, will be the Spartans’ source for much of their scoring and leadership.
In the past four seasons under head coach Jamie Craighead, the Spartans have finished 10th, 8th, 4th, and 8th in MW play, reaching as far as the semifinals during the conference tournament. The Spartans lose much of their firepower from a season ago, however. Most notably, the team loses its leading scorer and playmaker with the departure of Dezz Ramos. Jasmine Smith, the team’s second leading scorer and leading rebounder, is also now graduated.
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WOMEN
SJSU will also be relying on solid improvement from a plethora of freshmen: point guard Taylor Turney, guards Fieme’a Hafoka and Analyss Benally and center Alexis Harris. Being frank, though, San Jose State finished eighth in the conference and lost much of the team that achieved that middle-of-the-pack finish. The Spartans will most likely struggle to again reach that level.
11/7/17 3:12 PM
MEN AWAY JANUARY 6 8:00 PM HOME MARCH 3 7:00 PM
To say that the Aggies have historically struggled against UNLV would be putting it nicely. Throughout 37 meetings dating back to 1983, Utah State is just 5-32 against the Rebels. However, to be fair, USU has picked up victories in two of the past four meetings between the teams. In 2016-17, the Aggies won their first meeting in Logan with a decisive 7963 victory, then lost when they made the trip to Vegas 59-66. UNLV was somehow picked to finish sixth in the conference after a pitiful 11-21 season with a 4-14 conference record. On top of that, they lose four starters and nine letterman from last season’s squad. The hope for the Rebels this season lies almost entirely on the shoulders of incoming freshman Brandon McCoy. McCoy, who was selected as the
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UN
pre-season Mountain West freshman of the year, was a consensus fivestar recruit. He was a McDonald’s All-American out of San Diego after averaging 28.6 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 5.3 blocks per game as a senior. Head coach Marvin Menzies, who was responsible for recruiting Pascal Siakam and winning five WAC championships during his time at New Mexico State, has put together far and away what looks to be the top recruiting class in the Mountain West. 247sports.com ranks the Rebels 2017 recruiting class 15th in the nation. Along with McCoy, UNLV also adds four-star recruits Cheikh Diong and Shakur Juiston. Although this team is very young and certainly has a lot to prove, they simply have too much talent in some of these young stars to not win a handful of conference games and be much improved from last season.
11/7/17 3:12 PM
NLV
WOMEN HOME JANUARY 6
2:00 PM
AWAY MARCH 2 7:00 PM
Much like the USU men’s basketball team, throughout history the women’s team has struggled greatly against UNLV. The Aggies have faced off against the Rebels a total of 21 times and won just three times. The good news for Utah State is that two of those victories have come in the past three years, and in recent history the series has been very competitive. In 2016-17, Utah State and UNLV faced off three times. The first game is one which will forever go down in infamy as “the brawl.” After a hard foul on a Rebel player, punches were thrown, players were shoved and benches were cleared. Ultimately, four players from each team were ejected, the video of the fight went viral, and Utah State lost the game 55-53 in overtime.
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The teams met again in Logan for the final game of the regular season where the Aggies got their revenge, picking up a 58-49 victory. Then, after a first round victory in the Mountain West Tournament, Utah State once again matched up against UNLV in the second round but came up short, losing 43-68. After a 22-11 record last season and going 12-6 in conference play for a third place finish, the Rebels were picked to finish fifth in the Mountain West pre-season poll. They return four starters from last season, including senior guard Brooke Johnson. Johnson led the team last season in points (12.2 per game), assists (101), and steals (73). She was named to the Mountain West All-Defense team, as well as receiving an All-Mountain West Honorable Mention.
11/7/17 3:12 PM
MEN HOME JANUARY 20
7:00 PM
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The Cowboys are gearing up for the 2017-18 men’s basketball season with what seems to be a stable team.
boys to look out for is junior Justin James, who has scored in double digits in 30 games with an average of 16 points per game.
Last season, head coach Allen Edwards made his debut with Wyoming and led the team to a 23-15 record.
Now, the new blood of the team shows great potential in freshman Hunter Thompson.
Edwards coached the team to a title in the College Basketball Invitational last season, giving the University of Wyoming their first postseason title since the NCAA championship of 1943. This year, the roster is stacked with 12 of the 15 players having been on last season’s team. One of the more seasoned Cow-
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WYOM
Thompson was rated as a 4-star recruit by ESPN, and in his high school career he averaged 20 points, and averaged 10.5 rebounds as a junior with 3.2 blocks per game. Though Wyoming leads the conference in rebounds, blocks, assists and 3-point field goals, the Cowboys were predicted to finish seventh in the conference in the preseason polls.
11/7/17 3:13 PM
OMING
WOMEN AWAY JANUARY 20
2:00 PM
HOME FEBRUARY 7
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Last season, when the Aggies went head-to-head with the Cowgirls on the court, Wyoming came out on top each time, winning 7148 in Logan and then 59-40 in Laramie later in the season. Over half the players on this year’s squad are returning athletes who are familiar with Wyoming’s program, and the coaching styles of Joe Legerski, who will be returning for his 15th season as head coach of the team. During the 2016-17 season the women improved immensely with 9 more wins under their belts than the 2015-16 campaign, ending with a 22-10 overall record and 13-5 in Mountain West play.
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The Cowgirls finished first in the conference in team assists per game, showing a commitment to ball movement and unselfishness. Wyoming will look to continue the momentum of the past two years with an experienced roster that features no freshmen and only two true sophomores. Senior Liv Roberts will return to the court this season after a February knee injury cut her year short. The 5-foot-11 guard led the team with 15.6 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field and more than 81 percent from the charity stripe.
11/7/17 3:13 PM
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