Weber State University Athletics
Wildcats picked first in Big Sky preseason polls
10/23/2014 3:51:00 PM | Men's Basketball
OGDEN -- For the sixth time in the last seven years, the Weber State men's basketball team has been selected to win the Big Sky Conference title. The Wildcats are a heavy favorite to win the 2014-15 conference title according to the preseason media and coaches polls released Thursday by the conference.
The Wildcats received eight first place votes in the coaches poll and totaled 117 points. Weber State totaled 31 first place votes in the media poll and totaled 424 points.
Weber State captured the 2014 Big Sky Conference title, won the conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. It marked the 21st conference title in WSU history, the most in the Big Sky. Head coach Randy Rahe was named the Big Sky Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career, a Big Sky record.
“It's always an honor to be picked first in the polls,” Rahe said. “We were able to have some success last year but this is a new season. I never put too much stock in the polls but we always have high expectations for our team and I'm excited about the group of players we have this year.”
Eastern Washington was picked second in the coaches poll and garnered one first place vote with Northern Arizona third with two first place votes and Sacramento State fourth win one vote. Portland State was fifth followed by Northern Colorado, new Big Sky member Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Idaho State, Montana State and Southern Utah.
In the media poll, Northern Arizona was picked second with four first place votes with Eastern Washington third. Sacramento State came in fourth followed by Montana, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Idaho, North Dakota, Idaho State, Montana State and Southern Utah.
The Wildcats return five players off last year's Big Sky Championship team that finished 19-12 overall and was 14-6 in Big Sky play. The Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 15th time in school history and lost to #1 seed Arizona by nine points in the Second Round.
Senior center James Hajek is the lone returning senior for the Wildcats. Junior Joel Bolomboy, the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year, also returns along with sophomores Richaud Gittens, Kyndahl Hill and Jeremy Senglin, the Big Sky Freshman of the Year last season. The Wildcats welcome two junior college transfers and five new freshmen on the year's team.
Coach Rahe returns for his ninth season as the head coach of the Wildcats. In eight years he has led WSU to four Big Sky Championships and seven post-season tournament appearances. Rahe has a career record of 169-87 overall at Weber State and is 106-30 in Big Sky Conference games. He is currently second in Big Sky history in career victories.
The Wildcats will play two exhibition games, Nov. 1 and Nov. 8 before the regular season opener, which will be Nov. 14 at Utah State in Logan. It will mark the third time in six years that the Wildcats open the season against the Aggies.
The home opener will be Monday, Nov. 17 against Presentation College, an NAIA school from Aberdeen, S.D. After that, the Wildcats will compete in the previously announced Paradise Jam Tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Wildcats will play three games in the tournament between Nov. 21-24. They will open against Illinois State on Nov. 21 and then play either LSU or Old Dominion on Nov. 22 or 23. WSU will face Clemson, Gardner-Webb, Nevada or Seton Hall in the final game of the tournament on Nov. 24. The tournament will be Weber State's first preseason tournament in three years.
The Wildcats will then return to the Dee Events Center to host Oral Roberts on Dec. 1. They will also host BYU (Dec. 13), Utah Valley (Dec. 20) and Bristol University (Dec. 27) in non-conference games. The 'Cats will face non-conference road games at UT Arlington on Dec. 6 and at Oklahoma on Dec. 22.
WSU will begin 2015 with the new 18-game Big Sky Conference schedule, opening the conference slate Jan. 1 at Eastern Washington. They will then face new league member Idaho on Jan. 3 in Moscow, Idaho. The Vandals are charter members of the Big Sky and are returning to the conference this season.
Weber State will play four of the first six games and seven of the first 11 conference games on the road. The Big Sky home opener will be Jan. 8 against Montana, followed by a Jan. 10 game with Montana State. In the new conference schedule, the Wildcats will play seven league teams twice and four teams once. WSU will play Portland State and Sacramento State only at home and will face North Dakota and Northern Colorado only on the road. The 'Cats will conclude the conference season with five of the final seven league games at home, with the conference finale on March 7 against Eastern Washington.
The Big Sky Tournament will be held March 12-14 at the site of the regular season champion. This season the top eight teams in the league standings will advance to the tournament.
Season tickets for Wildcat basketball are on sale now at the WSU Ticket Office or by visiting WeberStateTickets.com.
Coaches poll
1. Weber State (8) 117
2. Eastern Washington (1) 100
3. Northern Arizona (2) 99
4. Sacramento State (1) 90
5. Portland State 80
6. Northern Colorado 73
7. Idaho 65
8. Montana 56
9. North Dakota 38
10. Idaho State 35
11. Montana State 24
12. Southern Utah 15
Media poll
1. Weber State (31) 424
2. Northern Arizona (4) 339
3. Eastern Washington (1) 318
4. Sacramento State 298
5. Montana 297
6. Northern Colorado 242
7. Portland State 227
8. Idaho 207
9. North Dakota 175
10. Idaho State 125
11. Montana State 104
12. Southern Utah 52
