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WAC Media Day points to favored Lopes
10/18/2022 6:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
Round of interviews provides insights from each conference team
There are press conferences for the basketball team atop the WAC each October and March. One is for the favorite, and one is for the champion.
After thinking back to how this team's offseason work began this summer with defensive breakdowns, bad shot decisions and learning curves, Grand Canyon head coach Bryce Drew reminded a WAC Media Day audience that being the overwhelming preseason conference favorite only draws an outline for the trophy that his Lopes covet to raise in March.
"We want to end the year on a high, not start the year on a high, so we have a lot of work to do," Drew said.
Eight of 12 opposing WAC coaches selected GCU as the conference favorite, as did the majority of media voters. New Mexico State has been favored ahead of the Lopes, who won the 2020-21 title, in the past four preseasons.
"Grand Canyon has the best point guard in the league returning," said Seattle U head coach Chris Victor, whose team shared last season's regular-season championship. "(Jovan) Blacksher (Jr.) is a proven winner in this conference. Grand Canyon is going to be a great team again. Someone had to be picked first. New Mexico State and Grand Canyon have proven that they've been there in the past and have earned that right to be picked up there."
In his fourth GCU season, Blacksher sees the picture developing faster than in past years with a "common-sense" team IQ. But even after annual improvements and a WAC Preseason Player of the Year accolade, he said he blocks out the hype to stay hungry.
"I just put in a lot of work in the gym over the summer," Blacksher said. "I get with my coaching staff, my teammates, my personal trainers. I put in a lot of hours in the gym. When I'm in the court, I let it all out, so it's kind of natural."
Drew said the staff still needs to see more scrimmaging, an exhibition game and early-season nonconference games to know how new pieces, such as transfers Ray Harrison, Josh Baker and Noah Baumann, blend and how the staff will adjust schematically with a similar core.
"We feel like it's been a really smooth transition from their previous schools to ours," Drew said. "I think having Jovan and Gabe (McGlothan) really helped, having that experience of how we want things done."
In Year 3 of the Drew era at GCU, McGlothan has gone from a season coming off knee surgery with a bench role to a returning starter with a rebounding knack, restored explosiveness and expanding shooting range.
"The big thing that Coach Drew brought to this program is the culture," McGlothan said. "You can feel the love that's there. The faith aspect. The foundation that is laid is all about each other. There's not really a 'me' involved in it. It's the team always. Getting to be a part of it for three years and being able to grow in that is amazing. It's what makes this team special."
Drew was not going to escape WAC Media Day without mention and video of his recent Midnight Madness appearance, when he wore leather pants and a long-haired wig to fit the rock-and-roll theme.
"I loved it," Blacksher said. "I know that's not him, so I knew that his wife (Tara) put it together and I knew he was maybe uncomfortable. But he put on a show and I loved it."
McGlothan added, "Did you guys see him break the guitar out there?"
WAC Media Day made a complete trip around the conference. Here are snapshots of GCU's 12 conference opponents:
After thinking back to how this team's offseason work began this summer with defensive breakdowns, bad shot decisions and learning curves, Grand Canyon head coach Bryce Drew reminded a WAC Media Day audience that being the overwhelming preseason conference favorite only draws an outline for the trophy that his Lopes covet to raise in March.
"We want to end the year on a high, not start the year on a high, so we have a lot of work to do," Drew said.
Eight of 12 opposing WAC coaches selected GCU as the conference favorite, as did the majority of media voters. New Mexico State has been favored ahead of the Lopes, who won the 2020-21 title, in the past four preseasons.
"Grand Canyon has the best point guard in the league returning," said Seattle U head coach Chris Victor, whose team shared last season's regular-season championship. "(Jovan) Blacksher (Jr.) is a proven winner in this conference. Grand Canyon is going to be a great team again. Someone had to be picked first. New Mexico State and Grand Canyon have proven that they've been there in the past and have earned that right to be picked up there."In his fourth GCU season, Blacksher sees the picture developing faster than in past years with a "common-sense" team IQ. But even after annual improvements and a WAC Preseason Player of the Year accolade, he said he blocks out the hype to stay hungry.
"I just put in a lot of work in the gym over the summer," Blacksher said. "I get with my coaching staff, my teammates, my personal trainers. I put in a lot of hours in the gym. When I'm in the court, I let it all out, so it's kind of natural."
Drew said the staff still needs to see more scrimmaging, an exhibition game and early-season nonconference games to know how new pieces, such as transfers Ray Harrison, Josh Baker and Noah Baumann, blend and how the staff will adjust schematically with a similar core.
"We feel like it's been a really smooth transition from their previous schools to ours," Drew said. "I think having Jovan and Gabe (McGlothan) really helped, having that experience of how we want things done."
In Year 3 of the Drew era at GCU, McGlothan has gone from a season coming off knee surgery with a bench role to a returning starter with a rebounding knack, restored explosiveness and expanding shooting range.
"The big thing that Coach Drew brought to this program is the culture," McGlothan said. "You can feel the love that's there. The faith aspect. The foundation that is laid is all about each other. There's not really a 'me' involved in it. It's the team always. Getting to be a part of it for three years and being able to grow in that is amazing. It's what makes this team special."
Drew was not going to escape WAC Media Day without mention and video of his recent Midnight Madness appearance, when he wore leather pants and a long-haired wig to fit the rock-and-roll theme.
"I loved it," Blacksher said. "I know that's not him, so I knew that his wife (Tara) put it together and I knew he was maybe uncomfortable. But he put on a show and I loved it."
McGlothan added, "Did you guys see him break the guitar out there?"
WAC Media Day made a complete trip around the conference. Here are snapshots of GCU's 12 conference opponents:
ABILENE CHRISTIAN
- Head coach: Brette Tanner (second season)
- 2021-22 record: 25-11 (11-7 WAC)
- Coaches/media predicted finish: 4th/4th
- Key fact: Joe Pleasant, a key part of ACU's 2021 NCAA tournament team, returns after a year at Wichita State as the Wildcats return to a renovated Moody Coliseum.
- Tanner: "You've got to have special kids. It's very hard to do who we do (nation-leading 21 opponent turnovers per game). Without great leadership, the new guys wouldn't be able to come in and do it."
- Player Airion Simmons: "It (leadership) is a different role for me. I'm trying to get used to it, trying to be a leader and trying to be vocal. I think it's going good."
CALIFORNIA BAPTIST
- Head coach: Rick Croy (10th season)
- 2021-22 record: 18-16 (7-11 WAC)
- Coaches/media predicted finish: 5th/5th
- Key fact: California Baptist is eligible for the NCAA Division I tournament for the first time this season.
- Croy: "We feel like we did great things in the portal, getting guys who are smart players and wanted to be on a team that is not just playing off one guy. There are a lot of players on our team who can put the ball in the basket but also share it and make each other better."
- Player Taran Armstrong: "I had a really good summer. I put a lot of work. I feel like I'm a way better player than I was last year. I think I'm better in every single area."
NEW MEXICO STATE
- Head coach: Greg Heiar (first season)
- 2021-22 record: 27-7 (13-4 WAC)
- Coaches/media predicted finish: 2nd/2nd
- Key fact: Heiar coached the junior college national champions last season at Northwest Florida State.
- Heiar: "We have a plethora of talent on the roster and we're deep. I'm really excited. I enjoy coaching these guys. I enjoy being around them. I enjoy what type of people they are. I enjoy how they compete every day to make each other better. We have a team that has great size and athleticism and we can really shoot the ball and score the ball … I'm really just continuing the (Chris) Jans way of winning."
- Player Deshawndre Washington: "A whole bunch of winning. A whole bunch of high-fives, smacking each other on the back side, telling each other on the back side, telling each other 'Good job.' There's a whole lot of team chemistry being built. They're going to see a movie all year."
SAM HOUSTON
- Head coach: Jason Hooten (13th season)
- 2021-22 record: 19-14 (13-5 WAC)
- Coaches/media predicted finish: 8th/6th (tie)
- Key fact: The Bearkats have averaged 19.6 wins per season under Hooten, who is seeking his first NCAA tournament visit.
- Hooten: "We'll have a different team this year. Our backcourt is probably going to be the strength of our team and better than last year, and the depth as well. I think you'll see a team that maybe the scoring comes from a lot of different people on any given night."
- Player Qua Grant: "I like the fact that we're considered underdogs … It was an instant click (after transferring from Wichita State). That's why I decided to come here. These guys are a great group of guys. It was easy for us."
SEATTLE U
- Head coach: Chris Victor (second season)
- 2021-22 record: 23-9 (14-4 WAC)
- Coaches/media predicted finish: 6th/6th (tie)
- Key fact: With returning 1,000-point career scorers Riley Grigsby and Cameron Tyson, Seattle U posted its highest win total (23) last season since being the 1957-58 national runner-up with Elgin Baylor.
- Victor: "The different styles (of the WAC) make it unique, from Grand Canyon and New Mexico State to the Texas schools who pressure to Cal Baptist. There are so many unique styles in this conference. Coupled with the coaching and the talent, it's tough. It keeps improving. This year is going to be the best the WAC has been in a while."
- Tyson: "We know what the ultimate goal of the program is, so that (WAC Tournament loss) was just more fuel to the fire. It didn't really take much motivation from anybody around the program. Everybody is self-motivated. Now that we're older, we see that vision for ourselves and we feel like this is the year. The preseason poll came out and we were sixth. We feel like, coming off a WAC (regular-season) title, we're better than sixth."
SOUTHERN UTAH
- Head coach: Todd Simon (seventh season)
- 2021-22 record: (23-12, 14-6 Big Sky)
- Coaches/media predicted finish: 9th/9th
- Key fact: Returning leading scorer Tevian Jones, a 6-foot-7 point guard, attended Chandler (Ariz.) High School before spending two years apiece at Illinois and Southern Utah.
- Simon: "We've got a lot of reads (on offense). We're kind of teaching guys how to play, which makes us hard to prepare for. With teams that run a lot of sets, you can try to take them out of it. For us, we're flowing and we're reading and we've got a lot of triggers. We read one another. That's something that's hard to take away.
- Player Harrison Butler: "We want to be the toughest guys out there. We want to hit first. We want to run. We like to be kind of dirty when we play basketball, not like we're going to hurt anybody. We'll do all the grimy stuff, whatever we've got to do to win."
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
- Head coach: Kyle Keller (sixth season)
- 2021-22 record: 22-10 (14-4 WAC)
- Coaches/media predicted finish: 3rd/3rd
- Key fact: The Lumberjacks ranked in the national top 10 defensively for turnover rate in five of the previous six seasons.
- Keller: "Disruption is about what our core tenet is defensively. Every pass that's made, if we're in the right position, we have a chance to get it. No different than a rebound or anything else. We treat it as a loose ball and, 'Can we go get it or not?' We try to make teams not run something that they're used to running. We try to train them to react that way and have a chance to run offense through the other team's offense. I think it's a fun way to play."
- Player Nigel Hawkins: "It really comes down to playing for someone else and caring about somebody else. Everybody is moving on a string on defense. Try as hard as possible and usually good things happen."
TARLETON
- Head coach: Billy Gillispie (third season)
- 2021-22 record: 14-17 (9-9 WAC)
- Coaches/media predicted finish: 10th/11th
- Key fact: With a capital project underway for a 7,500-seat arena, Tarleton will open this season Nov. 7 at Arizona State and go to Baylor on Dec. 8.
- Gillispie: "Every single recruit we talked to and their parents, their coaches and their advisors knew about the schedule we played last year and it made a huge difference for us. We're doing the same thing this year. Our schedule is actually more difficult than it was last year. Across the board, it's brutal plus. These players like playing in them. All players think they are as good as any players in the country at any school."
- Player Shakur Daniel: "Everybody on our team is flying under the radar. I think our team is really good. All the faces who are coming in bring something new to the team that we didn't have last year. I think once you see our team go out there and perform, everybody is going to be transferred."
UT ARLINGTON
- Head coach: Greg Young (second season)
- 2021-22 record: 11-18 (7-10 Sun Belt)
- Coaches/media predicted finish: 11th/10th
- Key fact: Graduate guard Pedro Castro first came to UT Arlington in 2017 when he redshirted. He transferred to a junior college, led then-Houston Baptist in scoring and returned to UT Arlington before undergoing season-ending back surgery in December.
- Young: "We knew we were going to flip the roster after last year. We've done our due diligence (with 10 newcomers). We tried to replicate some things in recruiting that were successful for us here in the past. Obviously, you've got to recruit the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex."
- Castro: "I'm just excited to be back. It's been a long 10 months for me. The first five months, I couldn't even get past the walk. I was on restrictions. I had to go back for another operation and get the rod and screws taken out of my spine, and then I had to wait for my incisions to heal. So it's been a lot, but I feel good."
UT RIO GRANDE VALLEY
- Head coach: Matt Figger (second season)
- 2021-22 record: 8-23 (3-15 WAC)
- Coaches/media predicted finish: 13th/13th
- Key fact: The Vaqueros have five players who began their collegiate careers in Division I, moved to junior college and came to UTRGV.
- Figger: "We decided we had to become, No. 1, a bigger team from a size standpoint. But the one thing I like most about this team is its unselfishness. We've got guys who played in other programs and the one common denominator … was the assist numbers. I think we're going to be a pretty good passing team."
- Former GCU player Dima Zdor: "We're going to surprise a lot of teams in the WAC. I just saw the poll by coaches yesterday. It's going to be a whole different conversation two months from now."
UTAH TECH
- Head coach: Jon Judkins (18th season)
- 2021-22 record: 13-18 (6-12 WAC)
- Coaches/media predicted finish: 12th/12th
- Key fact: Judkins is the winningest basketball head coach in Utah with 590 career victories at Snow College and Utah Tech over 30 years.
- Judkins: "Our goal is to get to that WAC Tournament and do some damage in there. Hopefully, win that WAC Tournament. Our guys are excited for that. It's something different, but we're ready to go. We think we have a good chance to do some things there."
- Player Frank Staine: "The key for our preseason has been competitiveness. Everybody is trying to take each other's heads off. We've never really struggled with that. Our struggle has been translating that to the game and taking our anger out on other people."
UTAH VALLEY
- Head coach: Mark Madsen (fourth season)
- 2021-22 record: 20-12 (10-8 WAC)
- Coaches/media predicted finish: 7th/8th
- Key fact: Guard Trey Woodbury, who averaged a team-best 15.6 points per game in 2020-21, missed the regular season with a knee injury before playing two WAC Tournament games.
- Madsen: "We will fill the void. Obviously, Fardaws (Aimaq) will always be a huge part of this family, a friend, a guy who gave blood, sweat and tears to this program. But in looking at Justin (Harmon) and his progression, it's been off the charts … Trey Woodbury, you talk about a guy who can do almost anything on the court … Excitement is the word. I could go through our entire team and talk about each individual player because that's how much excitement we have about this season."
- Woodbury: "It's been a slow process because we were taking it slow and making sure that it's fully healed before I came back and did anything. I think it's, for sure, at 100% now and I'm just ready to go. It's been a year and I'm excited."
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