Coming off NCAA berth, Fresno State picked fourth in Mountain West basketball
Fresno State, coming off its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001, was picked to finish fourth in the Mountain West this season in the conference’s preseason media poll.
San Diego State was picked to finish first followed by Nevada, New Mexico and the Bulldogs, who beat the Aztecs in last year’s conference tournament to earn an NCAA berth. San Diego State received 23 first-place votes, New Mexico received three and Fresno State picked up one.
The Bulldogs last year went 25-10, including 13-5 in Mountain West play to increase their win total in conference play for a fourth straight season. They lost to Utah in the first-round of the NCAA Tournament.
“I’m always excited about the start of a new season and a new journey, and with that an opportunity for our team to establish an identity,” Fresno State sixth-year coach Rodney Terry said. “I think our league will be very similar to what it has been in the past, which is very highly competitive from top to bottom with no nights off.”
No Bulldogs player was named to the preseason all-conference team.
New Mexico’s Elijah Brown received Preseason West Player of the Year honors, while San Diego State’s Montaque Gill-Caesar was the Preseason Newcomer of the Year and teammate Jalen McDaniels along with Utah State’s Koby McEwen were named Preseason Co-Freshmen of the Year.
2016-17 Mountain West Preseason Media Poll
First-place votes in parentheses
- 1. San Diego State (23) 293
- 2. Nevada 253
- 3. New Mexico (3) 249
- 4. Fresno State (1) 200
- 5. Boise State 164
- 6. Utah State 153
- 7. Colorado State 146
- 8. UNLV 120
- 9. Air Force 90
- 10. Wyoming 73
- 11. San Jose State 41
2016-17 All-MW Preseason Team
- G Elijah Brown*, Jr., New Mexico
- G Trey Kell*, Jr., San Diego State
- W Jalen Moore***, Sr., Utah State
- F Cameron Oliver***, So., Nevada
- F Tim Williams**, Sr., New Mexico
- Preseason Player of the Year: Elijah Brown, Jr., G, New Mexico
- Preseason Co-Freshmen of the Year: Jalen McDaniels, F, San Diego State; Koby McEwen, G, Utah State
- Preseason Newcomer of the Year: Montaque Gill-Caesar, So., G, San Diego State
*2015-16 All-MW first team
**2015-16 All-MW second team
***2015-16 All-MW third team
2016-17 Fresno State Schedule
NOVEMBER
- 1 vs. Cal State San Bernardino (exhibition), 7 p.m.
- 11 vs. Texas-San Antonio, 7 p.m.
- 14 vs. Prairie View A&M, 7 p.m.
- 19 vs. Lamar, 11 a.m.
- 22 at Cal State Bakersfield, 7 p.m.
- 25 at Oregon State, 6 p.m.
- 30 vs. Menlo College, 5 p.m.
DECEMBER
- 3 at Drake, TBA
- 6 at Marquette, 4:30 p.m.
- 10 vs. Cal Poly, 4 p.m.
- 14 vs. Holy Names, 7 p.m.
- 17 at Pacific, 7 p.m.
- 20 at Oregon, 8 p.m.
- 28 at New Mexico*, 7 p.m. or 8 p.m.
- 31 vs. Nevada*, 4 p.m.
JANUARY
- 4 vs. Wyoming*, 7 p.m.
- 7 at San Jose State*, 2 p.m.
- 11 at Air Force*, 6 p.m.
- 14 vs. Boise State*, 4 p.m.
- 18 vs. Colorado State*, 8 p.m.
- 21 at Nevada*, 3 p.m.
- 28 at Utah State*, 6 p.m.
FEBRUARY
- 1 vs. Air Force*, 7 p.m.
- 4 vs. San Diego State*, 4 p.m.
- 8 at Wyoming*, 6 p.m.
- 11 at Colorado State*, 1 p.m.
- 15 vs. San Jose State*, 7 p.m.
- 18 vs. New Mexico*, 3 p.m.
- 22 at San Diego State*, 8 p.m.
- 28 at Boise State*, 7 p.m.
MARCH
- 4 vs. UNLV*, 4 p.m.
- 8-11 Mountain West tournament, TBA
*Mountain West game
This story was originally published October 12, 2016 at 8:58 AM with the headline "Coming off NCAA berth, Fresno State picked fourth in Mountain West basketball."