CSJ WAC Men’s Hoops Preview Week Ending 1/26/2020: Aggies Remain Perfect
New Mexico State remained perfect in Western Athletic Conference play by winning a pair of games last week to improve to 5-0 in the league and 14-6 on the season.
The Aggies defeated Utah Valley 70-56 on Jan. 16 and got past Seattle 75-67 two days later. NMSU plays at UT Rio Grande Valley on Saturday in its only conference tilt this week.
Second-place California Baptist managed to keep pace with the Aggies by knocking off Chicago State 85-53 on Jan. 22 to improve its record to 4-1 in the WAC and 14-5 on the season. It was the 12th straight loss for Chicago State, which is winless in seven league outings and just 4-18 on the year.
Bakersfield also won a pair of games last week by defeating Kansas City 74-64 and Chicago State 72-54 to move its record to 3-1 in league play. The Roadrunners, who are 9-10 on the season, have a chance to move above the .500 mark this week with a pair of crucial games. They play host to Utah Valley on Jan. 23 before remaining at home to take on Seattle on Saturday in what figures to be the key conference game of the week in the Western Athletic Conference.
Grand Canyon posted a pair of victories last week over Chicago State (78-64) and Kansas City (69-66), upped its record to 2-2 in conference play and has a chance to move further up the standings this week depending on the outcome of its games this week against Seattle and Utah Valley.
WAC Marquee Games of the Week
Seattle at Bakersfield
When: Thursday, Jan. 23, 7 p.m.
Where: GCU Arena (7,000)
Television: ESPN3, Watch ESPN
SEATTLE REDHAWKS: Seattle looks to get back on the winning track this week after seeing its modest three-game winning streak snapped by league-leading New Mexico State last weekend.
The Redhawks, who are averaging 73.5 points per game, are being led in scoring by two players in double figures. Terrell Brown (6-1, RS Jr., G) tops the team with 19.5 points per game this season and ranks second on the squad with 6.8 rebounds per outing. His 91 assists and 26 steals are also the most on the team in 2019-20. His 6.8 rebounds per game is second on the team.
Morgan Means (6-3, Sr., G) comes into this week’s action with an 11.3 scoring average and is pulling down 4.7 rebounds per game and second on the team in assists (45) and steals (23). Teammate Myles Carter (6-9, RS Sr., F) is nearing double figures in scoring and comes into Thursday’s game against Grand Canyon with a 9.9 points per game average and a team-high 6.9 rebounds per contest.
GRAND CANYON ANTELOPES: Grand Canyon moved back into contention in the Western Athletic Conference by winning a pair of games last week and looks to leap-frog Seattle in the standings with a win over the Redhawks Thursday before entertaining Utah Valley on Saturday.
The Antelopes have four players averaging in double figures in scoring this season. Center Allessandro Lever (6-10, Jr.), who has started all 18 games this season heading into Thursday’s game against Seattle, leads the way with 15.5 points per game and tops the team with 5.6 rebounds per contest. His 39 assists are the second-most on the team so far this season.
Carlos Johnson (6-4, Sr., G) is not far behind with 14.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. His 29 three-pointers leads the team and he ranks second on the second with 24 steals and is third with 30 assists so far this season. Mikey Dixon (6-2, RS, Jr., G) enters this week’s pair of games with a 13.2 scoring average, while Jovan Blacksher is scoring at a 10.3 points per game clip and is third on third on the team with 5.4 rebounds per game. He leads the ‘Lopes with 62 assists and 30 steals.
Seattle at Bakersfield
When: Saturday, Jan. 25, 7 p.m.
Where: Icardo Center (3.497)
Television: ESPN3, Watch ESPN
SEATTLE REDHAWKS: See above
BAKERSFIELD ROADRUNNERS: Bakersfield looks to extend its modest two-game winning streak when it takes on Utah Valley and Seattle this week in WAC action. A pair of wins would improve the Roadrunners to 5-1 in the league heading into what could be a pivotal matchup against New Mexico State on Jan. 30 in Las Cruces.
The Roadrunners are being led in scoring by a pair of guards in the form of Taze Moore (6-5, RS, Jr.) and De’Monte Buckingham (6-4, RS, Jr.). Moore is leading the way with 11.2 points per game this season and his 3.7 rebounds are the fifth most on the team. He also ranks second in assists (36) and steals (20).
Buckingham, meanwhile, is close behind with 10.4 points per contest and tops the team in rebounding at 4.4 boards per game. He has dished out 34 assists on the year and has collected 18 steals to ranks third in both categories.
Western Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Standings
| Team | vs. WAC | Overall | Sagarin |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico State | 12-0 | 21-6 | 85 |
| California Baptist | 7-3 | 18-7 | 179 |
| Grand Canyon | 7-4 | 12-13 | 216 |
| UT Rio Grande Valley | 7-5 | 11-14 | 217 |
| Seattle | 5-6 | 12-14 | 248 |
| CSU Bakersfield | 5-6 | 11-15 | 266 |
| UMKC | 5-7 | 13-14 | 222 |
| Utah Valley | 3-8 | 9-17 | 273 |
| Chicago State | 0-12 | 4-23 | 353 |
Check out our full Mid-Major Sagarin Ratings for this week here.
Last Week’s Results
Jan. 16
Bakersfield 74, Kansas City 64, OT
Grand Canyon 78, Chicago State 64
New Mexico State 70, Utah Valley 56
Seattle 91, UT Rio Grande 74
Jan. 17
California Baptist 96, Bethesda 62
Jan. 18
New Mexico State 75, Seattle 67
Utah Valley 72, UT Rio Grande 70
Jan. 19
Bakersfield 72, Chicago State 54
Grand Canyon 69, Kansas City 66
Grand Canyon 69, Kansas City 66
This Week’s Games
Jan. 22
California Baptist 85, Chicago State 53
Jan. 23
Seattle at Grand Canyon, 7 p.m., ESPN3
Utah Valley at Bakersfield, 8 p.m., ESPN3
Jan. 25
New Mexico State at UT Rio Grande, 6 p.m., WDN
Utah Valley at Grand Canyon, 6 p.m., ESPN3
Kansas City at California Baptist, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Seattle at Bakersfield, 8 p.m., ESPN3
A native of Bismarck, N.D., Ray is a graduate of North Dakota State University where he began studying athletic training and served as a student trainer for several Bison teams including swimming, wrestling and baseball and was a trainer at the 1979 NCAA national track and field championship meet at the University of Illinois. Ray later worked in the sports information office at NDSU. Following his graduation from NDSU he spent five years in the sports information office at Missouri Western State University and one year in the sports information at Georgia Tech. He has nearly 40 years of writing experience as a sports editor at several newspapers and has received numerous awards for his writing over the years. A noted sports historian, Ray is currently an assistant editor at Amateur Wrestling News.
