WAC basketball: 2017-18 power rankings

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 11: Members of the New Mexico State Aggies celebrate after defeating the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners 70-60 to win the championship game of the Western Athletic Conference Basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 11, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 10: Utah Valley Wolverines fans cheer during a semifinal game of the Western Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament against the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners at the Orleans Arena on March 10, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cal State Bakersfield defeated Utah Valley 81-80 in 4OT. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

4. Utah Valley Wolverines

2016-17 season result: 17-17 (6-8) – Lost in semi-finals of College Basketball Invitational

Mark Pope has been at the helm for going on three years and has completely changed the makeup of the program. To start, he’s gone the transfer route to fill the talent void on the roster.

A former assistant at Brigham Young University, his connections brought him three former bench players at the school in Cory Calvert, Conner Toolson, and Isaac Neilson. It has brought immediate results with Toolson leading the team in scoring and Neilson one of the top rebounders in all of the conference.

The Valley is in a great position to make some real noise this season. Besides the BYU transfers, forward Kenneth Ogbe (10.9 ppg) also returns for the team. With him and Neilson, the Wolverines should remain as the top rebounding team in the WAC.

The balance of the squad is what separates them from the bottom half of the league with multiple players that can score in double figures. But what will allow them to compete with the top three teams in the league is at least one player able to put up big performances in the key games. The top three guys each have someone who could drop 20 on a given night, Utah Valley needs one too.