Wesley, Lyday Named to Preseason All-MWC Team
LAS -- BYU seniors Mekeli Wesley and Terrell Lyday were two of five players named to the preseason All-Mountain West Conference team announced Wednesday at the Mountain West Conference Basketball Media Day in Las Vegas. The Cougars were predicted to finish fourth, receiving one first-place vote, in the preseason media poll.
Utah, last year's regular season co-champion, was tabbed to win the conference title for the second straight year. The Utes received 18 of a possible 32 first-place votes, followed by second-place selection Wyoming (seven first-place votes) and third-place pick UNLV (six first-place votes). New Mexico was picked fifth, followed by Colorado State, San Diego State and Air Force.
BYU and Wyoming both had two players on the media's preseason all-conference team. Wyoming juniors Josh Davis (6-foot-8, forward/center) and Ugo Udezue (6-foot-8, forward/center) and UNLV senior Kaspars Kambala (6-foot-9, forward/center) join Wesley (6-foot-9, forward) and Lyday (6-foot-3, guard) on the team. Kambala was selected the top returning player while Utah's Chris Burgess (6-foot-9, forward/center) was predicted to be the league's top newcomer.
Lyday led BYU in scoring (17.1) last year while earning MWC Newcomer of the Year honors and leading the conference in steals. Wesley was a second-team All-MWC selection last season as BYU's second leading scorer (16.8) and top rebounder (5.8). Lyday and Wesley accounted for 48.1 percent of BYU's total points last year, including 51.6 percent in conference games. Wesley had the league's top conference scoring game with 34 points against Wyoming while Lyday topped 30 twice, including a BYU season-high 35 at Utah State.
Kambala was UNLV's leading scorer (18.5) and rebounder (9.3) last year while earning first-team All-MWC honors. Davis is the only other first-team selection returning from last season when he ranked among the league's top 10 players in four different categories, including points (14.3) rebounds (8.9), field goal percentage (.499) and blocked shots (1.6). Udezue played only five games last year before having season-ending knee surgery, averaging 9.8 points and 7.6 rebounds. He was second-team All-WAC the previous year as Wyoming's top rebounder (7.4)
BYU head coach Steve Cleveland and Wesley were in Las Vegas Wednesday with the league's other coaches and top players to participate in MWC Basketball Media Day. Last year the Cougars were predicted to finish sixth and did with a 7-7 conference record. BYU went on to earn a 22-11 record after advancing to the conference tournament finals against regular season co-champion UNLV and winning twice in the NIT tournament before losing at Notre Dame in the quarterfinals.
PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
School (first-place votes) Points
1. Utah (18) 233
2. Wyoming (7) 207
3. UNLV (6) 199
4. BYU (1) 178
5. New Mexico 136
6. Colorado State 90
7. San Diego State 65
8. Air Force 44
PRESEASON ALL-MWC TEAM
Terrell Lyday (6-3, Sr., G) -- BYU
Mekeli Wesley (6-9, Sr. F) -- BYU
Kaspars Kambala (6-9, Sr. F/C) -- UNLV
Josh Davis (6-8, Jr., F/C) -- Wyoming
Ugo Udezue (6-8, Jr., F/C) -- Wyoming
Top Returning Player
Kaspars Kambala (6-9, Sr. F/C) -- UNLV
Top Newcomer
Chris Burgess (6-9, Jr., F/C) -- Utah
