LAS VEGAS — Colorado State men’s basketball coach Tim Miles told the crowd at Hughes Stadium last Saturday that his players were saying the Rams would go from worst to first in the Mountain West Conference.
Despite losing all 16 regular season league games last year, the Rams moved up from worst to next-to-last in the preseason MWC media poll announced today at the media day. UNLV was picked to win over defending champ BYU.
“That’s a good deal, especially after we were 0-16,” said CSU guard Marcus Walker.
TCU, with the only new coach in the league, replaced CSU in the basement. Area Front Range teams didn’t fare much better in the prognostications with Air Force seventh and Wyoming sixth.
Miles revealed he won’t have his two tallest players this season. Purdue transfer Dan Vandervieren (6-foot-10) will redshirt after ankle and shoulder surgeries. Ronnie Aguilar, a 7-0 center, is on indefinite suspension for a team rules violation and isn’t listed in the media guide.
On the women’s side, the Rams also moved out of the cellar of the combined coaches/media poll despite not winning a league game. Air Force was picked last, barely behind CSU. Defending champ Utah was the choice for No. 1. Wyoming, which went to the NCAA last year, was picked sixth after extensive graduation losses.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
