NMSU Hoops: WAC has Siakam and Aggies at Top of Lists

LAS VEGAS – The Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball media have selected NM State as the preseason favorite to win the conference crown during the 2015-16 season and Aggie sophomore forward Pascal Siakam as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year.

The Aggies received 13 first-place votes, earning 110 points. Grand Canyon was picked to finish second with 88 points, just ahead of Missouri-Kansas City in third with 87 points. CSU Bakersfield was picked to finish fourth with 76 points and one first-place vote, followed by Seattle U in fifth with 55 points. Utah Valley was picked to finish in sixth place with 37 points, followed by UT Rio Grande Valley in seventh with 34 points and Chicago State in eighth with 17 points.

Reigning WAC Freshman of the Year Siakam was voted Preseason Player of the Year and is the on the Preseason All-WAC first team. Joining him on the first team are teammate Ian Baker, Aly Ahmed of CSU Bakersfield, DeWayne Russell of Grand Canyon and Martez Harrison of UMKC.

The Preseason All-WAC second team is comprised of Grand Canyon’s Joshua Braun, UT Rio Grande Valley’s Shaquille Hines, Kevin Mays of CSU Bakersfield and Seattle U’s William Powell and Deshaun Sunderhaus.

2015-16 Preseason Men’s Basketball Media Poll
Rank
Teams (1st-Place Votes)
Points
1
NM State (13)
110
2
Grand Canyon
88
3
Missouri-Kansas City
87
4
CSU Bakersfield (1)
76
5
Seattle U
55
6
Utah Valley
37
7
UT Rio Grande Valley
34
8
Chicago State
17

2015-16 Preseason Men’s Basketball Media All-WAC Teams
First Team
Aly Ahmed, CSU Bakersfield
Ian Baker, NM State
Martez Harrison, Missouri-Kansas City
DeWayne Russell, Grand Canyon
Pascal Siakam, NM State

Second Team
Joshua Braun, Grand Canyon
Shaquille Hines, UT Rio Grande Valley
Kevin Mays, CSU Bakersfield
William Powell, Seattle U
Deshaun Sunderhaus, Seattle U

Preseason Player of the Year: Pascal Siakam, NM State