LAS VEGAS—UNLV men’s basketball team edged defending regular-season champion Brigham Young for the No. 1 spot in the preseason poll, and defending champ Utah retained the top spot in the womens preseason poll on Tuesday during the Mountain West Conference’s Media Day.
In the men’s poll, UNLV registered 16 of 24 first-place votes and 206 points to edge two-time defending champ Brigham Young, which tallied five first-place votes and 181 points. Both teams went 27-8 overall last year and qualified for their second consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
UNLV, which has five seniors on this year’s roster, has won the past two MWC Tournament championships after finishing second to BYU during the regular season.
“It’s nice to be mentioned at the top,” said UNLV coach Lon Kruger. “But it really doesn’t mean anything if the players don’t approach it the right way.”
“I think with our senior leadership this group will understand that regardless of where we’re picked, that if we don’t work harder than we did last year then we shouldn’t expect to go further.
It’s hard to win back-to-back-to-back,” he said.
Helping UNLV move to the top of the poll were MWC Preseason Co-Player of the Year Wink Adams and Preseason Newcomer of the Year Tre’Von Willis. Brigham Young’s Lee Cummard shared the preseason honors with Adams, and New Mexico’s Phillip McDonald was named Preseason Freshman of the Year.
“I think it probably looks to be as balanced as it’s ever been from top to bottom,” said Brigham Young coach Dave Rose, noting the conference’s large number of returning starters.
“I think that your ability to win games on the road is a huge issue when you’re trying to compete for a conference championship. And experience is a huge factor in being able to do that,” he said.
Cummard, who led BYU in scoring with 15.8 points per game, also was the 2007-08 conference Player of the Year and an Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention. Adams, who was third in the MWC with 16.9 ppg last year, was on the 2007-08 MWC first team and was the MWC Tournament MVP.
“He’s done so much and he’s had such a stellar career,” Kruger said about Adams. “He’s an extremely hard worker, he’s very competitive and he sets the tone every day in practice.”
In addition to senior guards Adams and Cummard, the Preseason All-Mountain West Conference Team is comprised of three seniors, forward Lorrenzo Wade of San Diego State, center Luke Nevill of Utah and guard Brandon Ewing of Wyoming.
In the women’s poll, Utah earned preseason favorite accolades after a 16-0 MWC mark and NCAA Tournament appearance last season. The Utes received 16 first-place votes and 206 points while San Diego State was second with six first-place votes and 184 points.
Utah also placed senior guard Morgan Warburton, who was named MWC Preseason Player of the Year, and junior forward Kalee Whipple on the Preseason All-Conference Team. The remainder of the team is comprised of sophomore center Paris Johnson of San Diego State, junior guard Jene Morris of San Diego State and sophomore forward Helena Sverrisdottir of Texas Christian.
Warburton, who was second in the MWC last year in scoring with 17.2 ppg and first in free-throw percentage at .861, has been selected to two All-MWC teams and earned Associated Press honorable mention All-American honors last season.
“Anything can happen,” said Warburton. “Nothing is necessarily set in stone. At the same time, it’s good motivation to start the year knowing you’re regarded first in the conference.”
Junior guard Eboni Mangum of Texas Christian was named MWC Preseason Newcomer of the Year while forward Kristen Riley of Brigham Young gained Preseason Freshman of the Year honors.
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