The 2009–10 Western Athletic Conference men's basketball season began with practices on October 17, 2009 and ended with the 2010 WAC men's basketball tournament March 11–13, 2010 at the Lawlor Events Center in Reno, NV on the campus of the University of Nevada. Utah State won the regular season championship while New Mexico State won the WAC Tournament.
Pre-season The WAC conducted a media teleconference on October 20, 2009 and released the media and coaches poll, as well as the preseason All-WAC teams and player of the year.
WAC Media Poll RankTeamVotes1 Utah State (15)2732 Nevada (12)2693 New Mexico State (6) 2264 Idaho1935 Boise State1456 Louisiana Tech1407 Fresno State1308 San Jose State (1) 889 Hawai'i66
Media All-WAC Team Luke Babbitt, So. F, Nevada Mac Hobson, Sr. G, Idaho Armon Johnson, Jr. G, Nevada Jared Quayle, Sr. G, Utah State Jahmar Young, Jr. G, New Mexico State Player of the Year Luke Babbitt, So. F, Nevada
WAC coaches poll RankTeamVotes1 Utah State (8)642 Nevada (1)533 New Mexico State504 Idaho425 Louisiana Tech316 Fresno State307 Boise State238 San Jose State199 Hawai'i12
Coaches All-WAC Team First Team Luke Babbitt, So. F, Nevada Mac Hobson, Sr. G, Idaho Armon Johnson, Jr. G, Nevada Jered Quayle, Sr. G, Utah State Jahmar Young, Jr. G, New Mexico State Second Team Roderick Flemings, Sr., F, Hawai‘i Paul George, So. G/F, Fresno State Kyle Gibson, Sr. G, Louisiana Tech Sylvester Seay, Sr. F, Fresno State Tai Wesley, Jr. F, Utah State Player of the Year Luke Babbitt, So. F, Nevada
Rankings
Conference games
Players of the week Players of the week: Week Player School Weekly stats 1 - Nov 16 Roderick Flemings Hawai'i 18.5 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.5 AST, 55.6 FG% 2 - Nov 23 Joey Shaw Nevada 20.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.5 AST, 61.9 FG% 3 - Nov 30 Ike Okoye Boise State 17.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 2.5 AST, 4.5 BLOCKS, 61.9 FG% 4 - Dec 7 Kyle Gibson La Tech 27.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 4.0 AST, 59.3 FG% 5 - Dec 14 Jahmar Young New Mexico State 24.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 3.0 AST, 47.0 FG% 6 - Dec 21 Adrian Oliver San Jose State 31.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.0 AST, 52.6 FG% 7 - Dec 28 Tai Wesley Utah State 16.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 4.0 AST, 65.4 FG% 8 - Jan 4 Olu Ashaolu La Tech 15.5 PPG, 16.5 RPG, 1.5 AST, 52.4 FG% 9 - Jan 11 Luke Babbitt Nevada 23.0 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.0 AST, 58.3 FG% 10 - Jan 18 Jared Quayle Utah State 14.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 5.7 AST, 55.2 FG% 11 - Jan 25 Adrian Oliver San Jose State 30.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 5.0 AST, 54.3 FG% 12 - Feb 1 Hamidu Rahman New Mexico State 22.0 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 66.7 FG% 13 - Feb 8 Jahmar Young New Mexico State 25.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 5.0 AST, 61.5 FG% 14 - Feb 15 Armon Johnson Nevada 23.5 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 5.5 AST, 50.0 FG% 15 - Feb 22 Roderick Flemings Hawai'i 32.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.5 AST, 45.1 FG% 16 - Mar 1 Robert Arnold Boise State 22.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 3.0 AST, 75.0 FG% 17 - Mar 7 Tai Wesley Utah State 22.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.5 AST, 82.6 FG%
On January 26 San Jose State's Adrian Oliver was named the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association for games ending the week of January 24.
Conference tournament
Head coaches
Greg Graham, Boise State (fired on March 12, 2010) Steve Cleveland, Fresno State Bob Nash, Hawai'i (fired on March 8, 2010) Don Verlin, Idaho Kerry Rupp, Louisiana Tech
David Carter, Nevada Marvin Menzies, New Mexico State George Nessman, San Jose State Stew Morrill, Utah State
Postseason
NCAA tournament First round
(12) New Mexico State vs. (5) Michigan State L 70–67
(12) Utah State vs. (5) Texas A&M L 69–53
NIT First round
(6) Nevada @ (3) Wichita State W 74–70
Second round
(6) Nevada @ (2) Rhode Island L 85–83
CollegeInsider.com tournament First round
Louisiana Tech vs. Southern Mississippi W 66–57
Quarterfinals
Louisiana Tech @ Missouri State L 69–40
2010 NBA draft PG Point guard SG Shooting guard SF Small forward PF Power forward C Center Round Pick Player Position Nationality Team School/club team 1 10 SF Indiana Pacers Fresno State (So.) 1 16 SF Minnesota Timberwolves (from Charlotte via Denver, traded to Portland) Nevada (So.) 2 34 PG Portland Trail Blazers (from Golden State) Nevada (Jr.) 2 51 PF/C Oklahoma City Thunder (from Portland via Dallas and Minnesota, traded to Indiana) Louisiana Tech (Sr.)
Pre-draft trades Prior to the day of the draft, the following trades were made and resulted in exchanges of draft picks between the teams.
On June 25, 2009, Minnesota acquired Charlotte's first-round pick from Denver in exchange for the draft rights to Ty Lawson. Previously, Denver acquired a first-round pick on June 25, 2008 from Charlotte in exchange for the 20th pick in the 2008 draft. On June 23, 2010, Oklahoma City acquired Daequan Cook and the 18th pick in the 2010 Draft from Miami in exchange for the 32nd pick in the 2010 Draft. Previously, Oklahoma City acquired Etan Thomas and two second-round picks on July 27, 2009 from Minnesota in exchange for Damien Wilkins and Chucky Atkins. Previously, Minnesota acquired a second-round pick and cash considerations on June 25, 2009 from Dallas in exchange for the draft rights to Nick Calathes. Previously, Dallas acquired a second-round pick, the 24th and 56th picks in the 2009 draft on June 24, 2009 from Portland in exchange for the 22nd pick in the 2009 draft. On June 22, 2010, Milwaukee acquired Corey Maggette and the 44th pick in the 2010 draft from Golden State in exchange for Charlie Bell and Dan Gadzuric. Previously, Golden State acquired the 44th pick in the 2010 draft and cash considerations on June 21, 2010 from Portland in exchange for the 34th pick in the 2010 draft. Previously, Portland acquired 2009 and 2010 second-round picks from Chicago in a three-team trade on June 26, 2008.
Draft-day trades The following trades involving drafted players were made on the day of the draft.
Portland acquired Ryan Gomes and the draft rights to 16th pick Luke Babbitt from Minnesota in exchange for Martell Webster. Indiana acquired the draft rights to 51st pick Magnum Rolle from Oklahoma City in exchange for the draft rights to 57th pick Ryan Reid. Awards and honors All WAC teams
First team Luke Babbitt, Nevada Jahmar Young, New Mexico State Adrian Oliver, San Jose State Jared Quayle, Utah State Tai Wesley, Utah State
Second team Paul George, Fresno State Kyle Gibson, Louisiana Tech Magnum Rolle, Louisiana Tech Armon Johnson, Nevada Jonathan Gibson, New Mexico State
Honorable mention Daequon Montreal, Boise State Sylvester Seay, Fresno State Roderick Flemings, Hawai'i Mac Hopson, Idaho Wendell McKines, New Mexico State
All–defensive team Marvin Jefferson, Idaho Kyle Gibson, Louisiana Tech Magnum Rolle, Louisiana Tech Dario Hunt, Nevada Pooh Williams, Utah State
All–newcomer team Daequon Montreal, Boise State Greg Smith, Fresno State DeAndre Brown, Louisiana Tech Nate Bendall, Utah State Brian Green, Utah State
Player of the year Luke Babbitt, Nevada Freshman of the year Greg Smith, Fresno State Don Haskins coach of the year Stew Morrill, Utah State
References