This year the Utah State Aggies and Weber State Wildcats have something in common besides being the two schools up north. Both teams were picked to finish first in their respective conferences by media.
The Aggies are a perennial favorite almost every year, and this year was no exception--despite an apparent lack of returning players.
A 30-4 record saw Utah State make it to the NCAA Tournament last year--where it lost to Kansas State in the round of 64.
2011-12 WAC Preseason Media PollRk. Team Pts.1. UTAH STATE (13) 1742. Nevada (5) 1623. New Mexico State (3) 1504. Hawai'i (3) 1265. Idaho 896. San Jose State 667. Fresno State 598. Louisiana Tech 38
This year, four of five starters from the team are gone, including four seniors.
Did that matter to the media when it came time to choose a preseason favorite? Not hardly.
"Both polls reflect our past success rather than our current situation," said Utah State head coach Stew Morrill. "The coaches considered that we lost the Most Valuable Player (forward Tai Wesley), four starters and six seniors. The media did not. We appreciate the respect given to our program and yet understand that preseason polls mean nothing other than getting people excited for the upcoming season."
Though the Aggies lost Wesley, an Associated Press All-American to graduation, they do have a reputation of being in the thick of things when it matters most.
But that’s what happens when you have won four straight regular season conference titles and two WAC tournament championships in the past two years.
The other bright spot for a so-called rebuilding Aggies team is that Brockeith Pane, the lone starter from last year’s installment, is back.
2011-12 Preseason Media All-WAC TeamFirst-TeamDeonte Burton, So., G, NevadaDario Hunt, Sr., F, NevadaZane Johnson, Sr., G, Hawai'iWendell McKines, Sr., F, New Mexico StateBrockeith Pane, Sr., G, Utah StateMedia Preseason Player of the Year: Brockeith Pane, Sr., G, Utah StateMedia Preseason Newcomer of the Year: Shaquille Stokes, Fr., G, Hawai'I
Pane was also tabbed as the conference's preseason player of the year, giving the Aggies a clean sweep of the media awards in a year that saw the coaches pick Utah State third in the same polls.
Last year he averaged just under 12 points, and over three assists and three rebounds per contest. Those numbers will have to increase for Utah State to enjoy the same offensive production it did last year, when the Aggies averaged 72 points per game.
Helping Utah State in that regard will be senior forwards Brady Jardine and Morgan Grim. Jardine has the most experience of any Aggie, while Utah transfer Morgan Grim may finally get his opportunity to step up in a starting role.
Farris, who was in his first year as a JUCO transfer last year, will also be expected to carry the load left by the departed Aggies.
The real question mark for Utah State comes with all the new blood infused into the program. Including three red shirts, a total of 10 newcomers--seven forwards, two guards and one center--have made their way onto the Aggies’ roster.
Weber State
The Wildcats are the complete opposite of Utah State, in that the Ogden, Utah school knows exactly what they have in terms of talent.
Weber State was a unanimous preseason pick by media to win the Big Sky Conference, largely because it has seven returning players.
That group includes guard Damian Lillard, an electrifying player and league MVP as a freshman who missed all but eight games last season after suffering a foot injury.
With Lillard completely healthy and ready to return to the fold, as well as the Big Sky Freshman of the Year forward Byron Fulton, the Wildcats are poised for their biggest run in years.
2011-12 Big Sky Media Preseason PollTeam (First-place votes) Total points1. Weber State (19) 2102. Montana (4) 1933. Northern Colorado (1) 1414. Northern Arizona 1255. Portland State 1126. Eastern Washington 1097. Montana State 1018. Sacramento State 459. Idaho State 41
When you add a host of other solid performers including junior Scott Bamforth, a first-team all-conference selection, and players like seniors Kyle Bullinger and Darin Mahoney and sophomores Jordan Richardson and Kyle Tresnak, it’s easy to see why the media picked Weber State first.
An 18-14 record and a bid to the College Basketball Invitational equaled a successful run for the Wildacts last year, but anything less than a run at the NCAA Tournament would be a disappointment for a team with such high hopes and a loaded roster going into the 2011-12 season.
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