Ewing on preseason first team; Cowboys sixth

Brandon Ewing

By Wyoming Sports.org

LAS VEGAS -- The Mountain West Conference released its men's basketball preseason media poll and all-conference team Tuesday at the league's media day being held at the Renaissance Hotel.

Conference media selected two-time defending MWC Tournament champion UNLV as the preseason favorite to win the Mountain West Conference men's basketball regular-season title in 2008-09. Three teams earned first-place votes, with UNLV capturing 16 of 24 first-place votes and 206 points for the top spot in the poll. Two-time defending MWC regular-season champion BYU (181 points) collected five first-place votes, while San Diego State (170 points) earned three first-place votes to finish second and third, respectively. Utah tallied 148 points for fourth and New Mexico earned 132 points for fifth. Wyoming received 75 points to finish sixth, followed by Air Force (66 points) in seventh, Colorado State (53 points) in eighth and TCU (49 points) in ninth to round out the poll.

Wyoming senior guard Brandon Ewing was named to the preseason first team. Ewing is a two-time second team all-MWC honoree. He is just the second player in MWC history to lead the league in scoring in back-to-back seasons (2006-08). Ewing was named to the USBWA all-District VII team and NABC all-District 13 second team for the second straight season in 2007-08. He also led the MWC in minutes played (38.0) and ranked second in assists (4.03 apg), while ranking third in free throw percentage (.826), tied for fifth in three-point field goals (2.00 pg) and seventh in field-goal percentage (.431).

UNLV and BYU are coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and identical 27-8 overall records in 2007-08. The Runnin' Rebels posted a second-place finish in MWC regular-season play (12-4) and advanced to the second round of the Big Dance after earning the league's automatic bid. The Cougars captured their second straight Mountain West regular-season title with a 14-2 mark, receiving an at-large berth. San Diego State and New Mexico were NIT participants in 2007-08, while Utah competed in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational.

Over its nine-year history, the Mountain West Conference has received 20 bids to the NCAA Tournament, including 12 at-large berths. The MWC has had at least one at-large qualifier in eight of those nine years, including seven straight. Since 2003, all nine MWC teams have participated in postseason play at least once.

Five seniors representing five institutions were chosen for the 2008-09 preseason all-MWC team. BYU's Lee Cummard and UNLV's Wink Adams shared Preseason MWC Player of the Year honors, while UNLV's Tre'Von Willis garnered Preseason Newcomer of the Year accolades and New Mexico's Phillip McDonald received Preseason Freshman of the Year kudos.
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MWC Preseason Poll
1. UNLV (16) 206
2. BYU (5) 181
3. San Diego State (3) 170
4. Utah 148
5. New Mexiuco 132
6. Wyoming 75
7. Air Force 66
8. Colorado State 53
9. TCU 49
Preseason All-MWC
Lee Cummard, Sr., G, BYU
Lorenzo Wade, Sr., F, SDSU
Wink Adams, Sr., G, UNLV
Luke Nevill, Sr., C, Utah
Brandon Ewing, Sr., G, Wyoming
Preseason Co-Players of the Year
Lee Cummard, Sr., G, BYU
Winbk Adams, Sr., G, UNLV
Preseason Newcomer of the Year
TreVon Willis, So., G, UNLV
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Philip McDonald, G, New Mexico