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Coro: Lopes picked to top WAC pack
10/11/2017 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
Conference coaches, media favor GCU, Braun
The Western Athletic Conference championship is not won in October but being a consensus pick to win the WAC is a nice place to start trending toward a March title.
For the first time, the Grand Canyon men's basketball team is the favorite to win this season's WAC championship. The Lopes were the consensus championship choice in the WAC's preseason polls of coaches and media with GCU senior guard Joshua Braun also being each poll's pick for WAC Preseason Player of the Year.
GCU will embrace the label. The Lopes have aimed to be in this position for their first season of Division I postseason eligibility. After three consecutive second-place place finishes in the WAC, the only step up is to be the leader of the WAC pack.
The WAC coaches see the Lopes climbing to the top. Six of the seven opposing WAC coaches put the Lopes first on their preseason ballot. Fourteen of 26 media members also tabbed GCU for first place. New Mexico State was the runner-up in each poll.
"We've been right in the conversation every year," Lopes head coach Dan Majerle said. "Being eligible, having Josh back and the newcomers we have and the guys returning, I think it's safe to say that we are one of the favorites, if not the favorite. I always think you have to deal with New Mexico State. That's been the team we've had to deal with the last four years. Bakersfield and Utah Valley are coming back with a lot of good guys. They picked us first and that's great so we have to go out and prove it. Our goal is to win the conference every year. Now, this year, we have a carrot dangling at the end of the year with the WAC tournament."
The coaches and media members also selected Braun to be Preseason Player of the Year. He is the conference's only returning All-WAC first-team selection from last season, when he averaged 17.5 points for GCU.
"It's a great honor," Braun said. "I appreciate the votes but preseason honors and all the preseason voting doesn't matter if you don't go out and perform on the court. It's great to have the recognition and honors but it won't really mean anything until the end of the year when the work is finished and done."
The media also selected Braun's backcourt mate, senior point guard Casey Benson, for preseason All-WAC second team. With the departure of the last season's leading scorer, DeWayne Russell, Braun's return with a slimmer frame and Benson's transfer from a Final Four team are major reasons why many favor the Lopes to win the WAC and earn a NCAA tournament berth.
"Josh needed to be acknowledged," Majerle said of Braun's preseason honor. "He's been first team All-WAC two years in a row. He's been first team Academic All-American two years in a row. I think he's the best player in the conference. People really key on him, especially in WAC season, to try to stop him. To still average the points he does and rebound and get to the line, he's a force to deal with. For him to be the frontrunner doesn't surprise me. That's the way it should be."
WAC coaches' poll (first-place votes in parentheses)
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For the first time, the Grand Canyon men's basketball team is the favorite to win this season's WAC championship. The Lopes were the consensus championship choice in the WAC's preseason polls of coaches and media with GCU senior guard Joshua Braun also being each poll's pick for WAC Preseason Player of the Year.
GCU will embrace the label. The Lopes have aimed to be in this position for their first season of Division I postseason eligibility. After three consecutive second-place place finishes in the WAC, the only step up is to be the leader of the WAC pack.
The WAC coaches see the Lopes climbing to the top. Six of the seven opposing WAC coaches put the Lopes first on their preseason ballot. Fourteen of 26 media members also tabbed GCU for first place. New Mexico State was the runner-up in each poll.
"We've been right in the conversation every year," Lopes head coach Dan Majerle said. "Being eligible, having Josh back and the newcomers we have and the guys returning, I think it's safe to say that we are one of the favorites, if not the favorite. I always think you have to deal with New Mexico State. That's been the team we've had to deal with the last four years. Bakersfield and Utah Valley are coming back with a lot of good guys. They picked us first and that's great so we have to go out and prove it. Our goal is to win the conference every year. Now, this year, we have a carrot dangling at the end of the year with the WAC tournament."
The coaches and media members also selected Braun to be Preseason Player of the Year. He is the conference's only returning All-WAC first-team selection from last season, when he averaged 17.5 points for GCU.
"It's a great honor," Braun said. "I appreciate the votes but preseason honors and all the preseason voting doesn't matter if you don't go out and perform on the court. It's great to have the recognition and honors but it won't really mean anything until the end of the year when the work is finished and done."
The media also selected Braun's backcourt mate, senior point guard Casey Benson, for preseason All-WAC second team. With the departure of the last season's leading scorer, DeWayne Russell, Braun's return with a slimmer frame and Benson's transfer from a Final Four team are major reasons why many favor the Lopes to win the WAC and earn a NCAA tournament berth.
"Josh needed to be acknowledged," Majerle said of Braun's preseason honor. "He's been first team All-WAC two years in a row. He's been first team Academic All-American two years in a row. I think he's the best player in the conference. People really key on him, especially in WAC season, to try to stop him. To still average the points he does and rebound and get to the line, he's a force to deal with. For him to be the frontrunner doesn't surprise me. That's the way it should be."
WAC coaches' poll (first-place votes in parentheses)
- GCU (6)Â ... 46
- New Mexico State (1)Â ... 40
- Cal State Bakersfield ... 38
- Utah Valley (1) ... 36
- Seattle ... 25
- Texas-Rio Grande Valley ... 16
- Missouri-Kansas City ... 14
- Chicago State ... 9
- GCU (14) ... 189
- New Mexico State (7) ... 181
- Utah Valley (3) ... 153
- Cal State Bakersfield (2) ... 148
- Seattle ... 91
- Texas-Rio Grande Valley ... 72
- Missouri-Kansas City ... 71
- Chicago State ... 31
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Players Mentioned
Wednesday, September 09
Monday, September 07
Friday, August 07
Friday, August 07