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Wednesday, November 1, 2000

WAC
gets high marks
from coaches

They say the league could
be even better this season

---

By Dave Reardon
Star-Bulletin

The Western Athletic Conference -- thought by many to be on its deathbed as recently as one year ago -- has regained some national respect in men's basketball, league coaches said today.

"People still associate the WAC with great basketball," UTEP coach Jason Rabedeaux said in the league's coaches' teleconference. "It's certainly a league that makes your ears perk up."

Said Rice coach Willis Wilson: "The WAC's been one of the better leagues in the country the past three years. This year it will be even better than a year ago."

Some of the league's big-name basketball schools, including Utah, Brigham Young and New Mexico, broke off to form the Mountain West Conference last year. But, with Tulsa finishing in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, the WAC finished last season among the top eight conferences in overall Rating Percentage Index.

"Last year at this time the cynics wondered if the WAC could continue after the breakup," league commissioner Karl Benson said. "I think we showed we can still compete on the national level. In year two as the new WAC, I think we've got much more credibility than a year ago. WAC basketball is headed to the upper echelon."

Hawaii coach Riley Wallace said the WAC could've done even better in RPI last season.

"Tulsa was just a few points. from the Final Four. If Fresno State got a better draw than Wisconsin, it might have advanced. SMU probably had NCAA (Tournament) talent," Wallace said. "Others are up and coming this year. Fresno State's better than last year, TCU's going to be very good. SMU has four starters coming back, but moves down in the conference (preseason predictions).

"The WAC's probably better from top to bottom than the Mountain West in football and basketball, and definitely in some women's sports," Wallace added.

A poll of media who cover the WAC, released yesterday, selected Fresno State as the preseason pick to win the conference.

"I'm shocked they picked us, but I hope they're right," FSU coach Jerry Tarkanian said.

The Bulldogs will be led by returning starters Melvin Ely and Demetrius Porter.

The Rainbows were picked sixth, but one coach said UH could do better -- much better.

"I hate to call them a darkhorse because I feel like Hawaii can be a favorite," Rabedeaux said. "Everyone's improved from 1-to-9. Hawaii has as much a chance to win it as anyone."

UH has three returning starters in post Troy Ostler, shooting guard Predrag Savovic and small forward Nerijus Puida, and a solid recruiting class with some players ready to contribute right away.

"They have a nice group coming back," San Jose State coach Steve Barnes said. "Ostler's a better player than a year ago. They've got a nice group that knows what Riley wants."

Wallace said optimism may be warranted.

"We might have better overall perimeter shooting than we've ever had," he said. "We've got depth that could help us show a lot of improvement quickly."

SMU has two players on the Preseason All-WAC Team -- Player of the Year Jeryl Sasser and Willie Davis.

Sasser, a 6-foot-6, 200-pound guard, applied for the NBA draft last year but returned to the Mustangs for his final year when told he would not be a high draft pick.

Fresno State's Ely, Brandon Wolfram of UTEP and Tulsa's David Shelton round out the preseason all-league team.

After FSU, the media picked the teams to finish in this order: Tulsa, SMU, TCU, UTEP, Hawaii, San Jose State, Rice and Nevada.