BOISE STATE BRONCOS
TEAM RECORD: 19-11 (9-7 in WAC).
HEAD COACH: Greg Graham (145-98, 8th year).
TODAY'S GAME: Boise State vs. New Mexico State, 12 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Anthony Thomas, 6-0, 205, G (9.4 points, 1.1 rebounds, 39 3's, 0.9 assists), Aaron Garner, 6-3, 175, G (5.7 pts., 2.6 reb., 41 3's, 4.8 ast.), Jamar Greene, 6-0, 203, G (6.2 pts., 2.3 reb., 28 3s, 1.5 ast.), Paul Noonan, 6-7, 210, F (10.7 pts., 3.6 reb., 54 3's, 2.0 ast.), Mark Sanchez, 6-7, 235, F (12.8 pts., 7.1 reb., 13 3's, 2.3 ast.).
OFF THE BENCH: Ike Okoye, 6-9, 230, F (9.0 pts., 5.6 reb., 0 3's, 0.5 ast.), Kurt Cunningham, 6-9, 265, C (9.8 pts., 4.1 reb., 0 3's, 1.3 ast.), La'Shard Anderson, 6-0, 160, G (5.4 pts., 2.0 reb., 13 3's, 2.5 ast.).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Mark Sanchez (Second Team), Ike Okoye (All-Defense), Anthony Thomas (All-Defense).
WAC TOURNAMENT RECORD: 9-6. Won championship in 2007-08.
NOTE: Boise State has beaten three WAC Tournament hosts since coming into the league in 2001 (Fresno State, 2004; Nevada, 2005; and New Mexico State, 2008).
FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS
TEAM RECORD: 13-20 (3-13 in WAC).
HEAD COACH: Steve Cleveland (201-170, 12th year).
TODAY'S GAME: Fresno State vs. Utah State, 2:30 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Dwight O'Neil, 6-3, 190, G (12.8 pts., 4.4 reb., 33 3's, 3.4 ast.), Brandon Sperling, 6-3, 180, G (2.4 pts., 1.8 reb., 3 3's, 1.0 ast.), Paul George, 6-7, 185, F (14.5 pts., 6.4 reb., 61 3's, 1.8 ast.), Nedeljko Golubovic, 6-8, 230, F (7.3 pts., 4.3 reb., 35 3's, 1.3 ast.), Sylvester Seay, 6-7, 225, F (15.4 pts., 5.8 reb., 47 3's, 1.1 ast.).
OFF THE BENCH: Mychal Ladd, 6-5, 175, G (9.4 pts., 4.0 reb., 28 3's, 1.3 ast.), Bryce Cartwright, 6-0, 175, G (5.1 pts., 1.8 reb., 16 3's, 3.3 ast.), Brian Seals, 6-7, 225, F (2.3 pts., 2.4 reb., 0 3's, 0.1 asst.), Brandon Webster, 6-10, 275, C (2.0 pts., 1.3 reb., 0 3's, 0.1 ast.).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Sylvester Seay (Second Team).
WAC TOURNAMENT RECORD: 11-13. Never won WAC Tournament.
NOTE: Fresno State defeated Hawaii, 62-58, in Tuesday's tournament play-in game behind 16 points and six rebounds from Seay, 14 points from O'Neil, 13 points from Ladd and 11 rebounds from Golubovic.
IDAHO VANDALS
TEAM RECORD: 16-14 (9-7 in WAC).
HEAD COACH: Don Verlin (16-14, 1st year).
TODAY'S GAME: Idaho vs. Louisiana Tech, 8:30 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Mac Hopson, 6-2, 195, G (16.6 pts., 5.0 reb., 45 3's, 5.8 ast.), Kashif Watson, 6-4, 190, G (10.5 pts., 3.6 reb., 7 3's, 2.5 ast.), Terrence Simmons, 6-3, 170, G (4.8 pts., 2.6 reb., 23 3's, 1.9 ast.), Marvin Jefferson, 6-10, 235, C (9.1 pts., 4.4 reb., 0 3's, 0.3 ast.), Brandon Wiley, 6-6, 225, F (8.4 pts., 5.6 reb., 0 3's, 1.0 ast.).
OFF THE BENCH: Trevor Morris, 6-4, 182, G (6.2 pts., 1.4 reb., 40 3's, 0.8 ast.), Luciano de Souza, 6-7, 205, F (8.6 pts., 2.9 reb., 57 3's, 0.5 ast.), Luis Augusto, 6-8, 245, F (1.5 pts., 1.8 reb., 0 3's, 0.0 ast.).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Mac Hopson (First Team).
WAC TOURNAMENT RECORD: 1-3. Never won WAC Tournament.
NOTE: Vandals last won 16 games in the regular season in 1998-99 season as a member of the Big West Conference. Idaho's nine league wins are two more than school won in first three years in WAC (7-41) combined.
LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS
TEAM RECORD: 14-17 (6-10 in WAC).
HEAD COACH: Kerry Rupp (20-41, 2nd year).
TODAY'S GAME: Louisiana Tech vs. Idaho, 8:30 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Kyle Gibson, 6-5, 205, G (15.6 pts., 3.6 reb., 68 3's, 2.6 ast.), Jamel Guyton, 6-3, 180, G (12.3 pts., 3.4 reb., 63 3's, 2.0 ast.), James Loe, 5-9, 160, G (4.6 pts., 1.6 reb., 17 3's, 2.2 ast.), Magnum Rolle, 6-11, 220, F (11.9 pts., 7.3 reb., 1 3's, 0.9 ast.), Kenneth Cooper, 6-10, 260, C (11.7 pts., 7.1 reb., 0 3's, 0.7 ast.).
OFF THE BENCH: David Jackson, 6-8, 195, F (5.2 pts., 3.7 reb., 14 3's, 0.6 ast.), Olu Ashaolo, 6-6, 230, F (5.0 pts., 4.0 reb., 1 3's, 0.6 ast.), Brandon Gibson, 6-5, 230, G (2.2 pts., 1.6 reb., 5 3's, 0.3 ast.), Shawn Oliverson, 6-10, 250, C (1.7 pts., 1.7 reb., 0 3's, 0.1 ast.).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Kyle Gibson (Second Team), Magnum Rolle (All-Defense).
WAC TOURNAMENT RECORD: 2-7. Never won WAC Tournament.
NOTE: Rupp led Utah to the Mountain West Tournament title in 2004 as an interim coach for Rick Majerus.
NEVADA WOLF PACK
TEAM RECORD: 19-11 (11-5 in WAC).
HEAD COACH: Mark Fox (121-41, 5th year).
TODAY'S GAME: Nevada vs. San Jose State, 6 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Lyndale Burleson, 6-3, 190, G (3.4 pts., 1.3 reb., 21 3's, 2.0 ast.), Armon Johnson, 6-3, 195, G (15.0 pts., 3.4 reb., 17 3's, 4.3 ast.), Luke Babbitt, 6-9, 225, F (16.4 pts., 7.5 reb., 29 3's, 1.4 ast.), Malik Cooke, 6-6, 205, F (9.6 pts., 6.2 reb., 7 3's, 0.9 ast.), Ahyaro Phillips, 6-8, 210, F (2.1 pts., 2.6 reb., 0.4 ast.).
OFF THE BENCH: Brandon Fields, 6-4, 185, G (9.8 pts., 2.3 reb., 21 3's, 1.3 ast.), Dario Hunt, 6-8, 230, F (3.5 pts., 4.4 reb., 0 3's, 0.5 ast.), Joey Shaw, 6-6, 205, G (7.7 pts., 4.3 reb., 28 3's, 0.7 ast.).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Luke Babbitt (First Team, Freshman of Year), Armon Johnson (First Team), Lyndale Burleson (All-Defense).
WAC TOURNAMENT RECORD: 11-6. Won WAC championship in 2004 and 2006.
NOTE: Babbitt, the fourth-leading freshman scorer in the nation this year, is just 10 field goals and six free throws away from the Wolf Pack's single-season records for a freshman. Edgar Jones made 181 field goals in 1975-76 (Babbitt has 172) and Terrance Green made 126 free throws in 1999-00 (Babbitt has 121). Babbitt has already set the school's record for points scored in a season by a freshman with 492 (Jones had 457).
NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES
TEAM RECORD: 16-14 (9-7 in WAC).
HEAD COACH: Marvin Menzies (37-28, 2nd year).
TODAY'S GAME: New Mexico State vs. Boise State, 12 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Jahmar Young, 6-5, 180, G (18.1 pts., 4.0 reb., 65 3's, 3.1 ast.), Jonathan Gibson, 6-1, 171, G (13.8 pts., 1.9 reb., 56 3's, 2.1 ast.), Hernst Laroche, 6-1, 170, G (5.6 pts., 2.3 reb., 10 3's, 4.3 ast.), Wendell McKines, 6-6, 224, F (12.2 pts., 10.0 reb., 15 3's, 1.6 ast.), Hamidu Rahman, 6-11, 245, C (6.9 pts., 4.6 reb., 0 3's, 0.3 ast.).
OFF THE BENCH: Gordo Castillo, 6-5, 197, G (4.6 pts., 2.0 reb., 37 3's, 0.6 ast.), Troy Gillenwater, 6-8, 234, F (12.4 pts., 4.3 reb., 8 3's, 0.8 ast.), Chris Gabriel, 6-11, 240, C (1.5 pts., 2.0 reb., 0 3's, 0.2 ast.).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Jahmar Young (First Team).
WAC TOURNAMENT RECORD: 6-2. Won WAC Championship in 2007.
NOTE: New Mexico State has never lost its opening-round WAC Tournament game (3-0) since entering the conference in the 2005-06 season.
SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS
TEAM RECORD: 13-16 (6-10 in WAC).
HEAD COACH: George Nessman (37-85, 4th year).
TODAY'S GAME: San Jose State vs. Nevada, 6 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Tim Pierce, 6-7, 215, F (11.9 pts., 5.5 reb., 43 3's, 0.9 ast.), C.J. Webster, 6-9, 255, C (12.0 pts., 6.6 reb., 2.0 ast., 0 3's), Chris Oakes, 6-9, 225, F (8.2 pts., 7.6 reb., 16 3's, 1.0 ast.), Adrian Oliver, 6-4, 197, G (17.4 pts., 2.2 reb., 16 3's, 1.3 ast.), Justin Graham, 6-4, 195, G (8.5 pts., 3.8 reb., 2 3's, 4.8 ast.).
OFF THE BENCH: Robert Owens, 6-3, 185, G (7.2 pts., 1.4 reb., 47 3's, 0.7 ast.), DaShawn Wright, 6-4, 200, G (4.5 pts., 2.2 reb., 0 3's, 0.7 ast.), DeVonte Thomas, 6-4, 235, G (2.6 pts., 3.2 reb., 0 3's, 0.5 ast.), Mac Peterson, 6-3, 195, G (3.0 pts., 1.2 reb., 9 3's, 0.3 ast.).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: None.
WAC TOURNAMENT RECORD: 2-11. Never won WAC Tournament.
NOTE: San Jose State's six league victories this year is the most for the school since the 2000-01 season. Spartans have had winning league record just once (11-7 in Big West Conference in 1993-94) in last 22 seasons.
UTAH STATE AGGIES
TEAM RECORD: 27-4 (14-2 in WAC).
HEAD COACH: Stew Morrill (482-228, 23rd year).
TODAY'S GAME: Utah State vs. Fresno State, 2:30 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Gary Wilkinson, 6-9, 240, F (16.9 pts., 7.1 reb., 6 3's, 1.4 ast.), Tai Wesley, 6-7, 240, F (12.1 pts., 5.8 reb., 1 3's, 2.5 ast.), Jared Quayle, 6-1, 180, G (12.9 pts., 5.7 reb., 49 3's, 3.8 ast.), Tyler Newbold, 6-4, 200, F (9.3 pts., 4.3 reb., 54 3's, 3.2 ast.), Pooh Williams, 6-3, 200, G (5.6 pts., 1.9 reb., 16 3's, 1.8 ast.).
OFF THE BENCH: Stavon Williams, 6-3, 180, G (5.9 pts., 1.3 reb., 39 3's, 1.3 ast.), Jaxon Myaer, 5-9, 165, G (3.7 pts., 0.8 reb., 21 3's, 1.0 ast.), Brady Jardine, 6-7, 220, F (2.1 pts., 3.1 reb., 0 3's, 0.2 ast.), Matt Formisano, 6-8, 235, F (3.3 pts., 2.3 reb., 0 3's, 0.3 ast.).
ALL-WAC PLAYERS: Stew Morrill (Coach of Year), Gary Wilkinson (Player of Year, First Team), Jared Quayle (Second Team).
WAC TOURNAMENT RECORD: 5-3. Never won WAC Tournament.
NOTE: Stew Morrill is 5-9 at Lawlor Events Center as a head coach for Montana, Colorado State and Utah State. Utah State has lost four in a row in Reno, including the WAC Tournament championship game in 2006.
"Joe Santoro