All-WAC

The all-conference selection will be released later this afternoon. There were some head scratchers last year like leaving Wendell McKines off of any team so here are my first two teams. Stats used don't reflect Saturday's games.

In case you're curious, which I'm sure you're not, my preseason team had Jahmar Young, Luke Babbitt, Kyle Gibson, Mac Hopson and Sylvester Seay.

First team
Luke Babbitt — Nevada
(His 21.5 points per game is second in the WAC and he leads the league with 9.3 rebounds. More impressive is his 51 percent field goal percentage, 53 in WAC play; and he shoots the 3 at 41 percent, 44 percent in WAC play. He leads the WAC with an 89.8 percentage from the line in WAC games and is shooting 90 percent from the line for the season)

Adrian Oliver — San Jose State
(Along with Young as perhaps the best scorers in the WAC. Seventh in the league shooting 42 percent from 3-point range. Leads WAC overall with 22.9 ppg and 24.2 ppg in WAC play. He made (177) and attempted (200) more free throws than any player in the top 13 in free throw percentage, shooting 89 percent from the line. He also adds 3.4 assists per game in WAC play.)

Jahmar Young — New Mexico State
(I think the thing about Jahmar that is so impressive is that as a guard, who spends the majority of his time on the perimeter, JY was shooting 50 percent from the field entering Saturday. He is third in the league in scoring at 21 points per game and his 66 made 3s were third behind teammate Jonathan Gibson (95) and La. Tech's Jamel Guyton (63) among the top 15 scorers. In WAC games, he's hitting 40 percent of his 3s. Although he's a 84 percent free throw shooter, his percentage from the line has dipped to 75 percent in WAC games.)

Armon Johnson — Nevada
(This is the first and only time that I go with the better overall basketball player vs. the system guy (Jared Quayle) Johnson is eighth in the league in scoring with 16.1 ppg. He leads the league in assists with 5.6 per game. Quayle leads the WAC with a 2.9 assist to TO ratio in WAC games, but Johnson's 2.2 isn't too shabby. Quayle is hands down a better shooter, Johnson only entered Saturday with just 14 made 3s.)

Tai Wesley — Utah State
(Although La. Tech's Rolle had better numbers, there needs to be a member from the WACs best team on the first team right? I can't penalize them for being balanced and that's what Wesley was. He averaged 13 and 6 for the season and those numbers remained the same in WAC play. His 55 percent shooting from the floor is better than Rolle's 52 percent, but Rolle was clearly more involved offensively for his team with 181 attempts to Wesley's 136. Wesley was also ninth in the league with 3.7 assists per game.)


Second team
Kyle Gibson — Louisiana Tech
(One of the most all around players in the WAC. Fourth in scoring at 18.7 per game)

Jared Quayle — Utah State
(Does a great job running the show for Utah State. Not in the top 15 scorers or top 7 assists men for the season, Quayle can knock down shots and is fifth in the league in steals.)

Jonathan Gibson — New Mexico State
(Ffith in the league in scoring with 18.2 per game and first with 95 made 3s. San Jose State's Robert Owens is second with 75

Wendell McKines — New Mexico State
(Did he play enough games to be here? Probably not, but he probably finishes WAC play near a double double for the second straight season in WAC play)

Magnum Rolle — Louisiana Tech
(12th in scoring at 14.3 and fourth in rebounds at 8.6. Also leads the league with 2.2 blocks per game)

Honorable mention
Sylvester Seay — Fresno State
Mac Hopson — Idaho
Roderick Flemings — Hawaii
Paul George — Fresno State

Player of the Year — Luke Babbitt, Nevada
Coach of the Year — Stu Morrill, Utah State