WAC Basketball: Can Seattle or Grand Canyon challenge for the title in 2019?

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: Morgan Means #1 of the Seattle Redhawks celebrates on the court after hitting a buzzer-beating shot at the end of hte first half against the New Mexico State Aggies during a semifinal game of the Western Athletic Conference basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 10: Head coach Chris Jans of the New Mexico State Aggies hold up the net after defeating the Grand Canyon Lopes 72-58 in the championship game of the Western Athletic Conference basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 10, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

New Mexico State has dominated WAC Basketball in recent years. Can Grand Canyon or Seattle potentially overthrow them this upcoming season?

The New Mexico State Aggies have won seven of the last nine Western Athletic Conference tournament championships, but they only return two of their top six scorers from last season. That could lead to a changing of the guard in the conference in 2018 and the Seattle Redhawks and Grand Canyon Antelopes could be primed for a run at their first NCAA Tournament berths.

Seattle has been a member of the WAC since 2012. The team struggled early on, finishing above .500 once in the previous five seasons and earned their first tournament wins in 2015, as the No.3 seed the Redhawks defeated Chicago State and Missouri-Kansas City en route to the finals where the fell to the aforementioned New Mexico State. In the three years since they made it to the semifinals twice but no further.

The Antelopes of Grand Canyon joined the WAC in 2013 but weren’t eligible for the conference championship until last season. Unlike a lot of teams making the transition to Division I, the Antelopes found a lot of success in the win column despite not being eligible for the NCAA Tournament. In the four years prior, coach Dan Majerle led the team to an 86-46 record. Last season they finished 22-12 and 9-4 in the WAC good enough for the No.3 seed, they made their first appearance in the title game falling to NMSU.