SMU Hoopsters Take Court For Final Tune-Up
Nov 6 | Men's Basketball
DALLAS(SMU) -- The SMU Mustangs conclude their 2001-02 exhibition season on Wednesday, Nov. 7, as the Ponies battle Czech Select in a 7:35 p.m. game at Moody Coliseum.
SMU opened the exhibition season with an impressive 94-85 win over the EA Sports All-Stars on Saturday, handing the former college standouts the worst defeat of their tour.
SMU will be led by preseason All-WAC picks Damon Hancock and Quinton Ross against the Czechoslovakian traveling team. Hancock (16.7) is the league?s second-leading returning scorer, and Ross (14.2) ranks sixth among returning players, while the tandem combines to rank as the WAC?s leading returning scoring duo.
Admission to the exhibition is free.
Also on Tuesday, the 2001-02 Western Athletic Conference men?s basketball media poll tabbed Fresno State as this year?s conference favorite for the third year in a row.
Fresno State received 114 points and 11 of the 13 first-place votes. Hawaii with 98 points, earned one first-place vote and was picked second, followed closely by Tulsa with 96 points and the final first-place vote. UTEP received 79 points to be picked fourth followed by SMU with 60 points, Louisiana Tech (53), San Jose State (37), Boise State (31), Rice (16) and Nevada (14).
Fresno State and Tulsa each received six votes to win the 2002 Williams WAC Tournament, while last year?s winner, Hawaii, had one vote for tournament champion. This year?s tournament will be played at Tulsa?s Reynolds Center, March 5-9.
Also picked were the preseason All-WAC team and the Player and Newcomer of the Year. Fresno State senior center Melvin Ely earned Player of the Year honors on nine ballots while San Jose State junior college transfer forward Carlton Baker was picked as the Newcomer of the Year with four votes. The All-WAC team included Ely, SMU senior guard Damon Hancock, Fresno State junior forward Chris Jefferies, Tulsa junior forward Kevin Johnson and Hawaii senior guard/forward Predrag Savovic.
The following is the complete 2001-02 WAC men?s basketball media poll with first-place votes in parentheses (points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis):
Rk. Team Points 1. Fresno State (11) 114 2. Hawaii (1) 98 3. Tulsa (1) 96 4. UTEP 79 5. SMU 60 6. Louisiana Tech 53 7. San Jose State 37 8. Boise State 31 9. Rice 16 10 Nevada 14 2002 WAC Tournament Champion: Fresno State (6), Tulsa (6), Hawaii (1) Preseason All-WAC Team Melvin Ely, Fresno State Damon Hancock, SMU Chris Jefferies, Fresno State Kevin Johnson, Tulsa Predrag Savovic, Hawaii Preseason Player of the Year: Melvin Ely, Fresno State Preseason Newcomer of the Year: Carlton Baker, San Jose State
