WAC Basketball: 2020 conference tournament preview and predictions

By Andy Patton | Mar 10, 2020

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 16: The Western Athletic Conference logo is shown on the court before the championship game of the Western Athletic Conference basketball tournament between the Grand Canyon Lopes and the New Mexico State Aggies at the Orleans Arena on March 16, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images) /

2 of 6

BOISE, ID – DECEMBER 13: Forward Alessandro Lever #25 of the Grand Canyon Lopes (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images) /

Key Players in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament

Jr Guard Terrell Brown – SeattleU

20.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.6 steals

Brown is the leading scorer in the WAC and has been an explosive offensive force for the Redhawks this season. He’s dropped 30 four times this season, including two of his last three contests. The rest of the team needs to pick up the slack for this team to do any damage in Vegas, but Brown is almost enough for them just by himself.

Jr Center Alessandro Lever – Grand Canyon

15.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 53.5 FG%

Lever has been a big-time scorer and rebounder for the Lopes in each of the past three seasons, but he took a step forward in 2019-20. The big man in the middle is shooting 38.3% from downtown, forcing opposing defenses to deal with him inside and outside the paint. A stretch like he had in late-January when he averaged 18.8 and 8.0 in six games is the reason he could help make Grand Canyon a sleeper in the WAC tourney.

Jr Guard Javon Levi – UT-Rio Grande Valley

11.4 points, 8.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds, 2.4 steals

Levi may not be among the best scorers in the conference, but he’s an absolutely elite ball-handler, distributor and defender. His 8.0 assists per game lead the conference by a wide margin and is second in the entire NCAA behind Zavier Simpson at Michigan. His 2.4 steals per game is 13th in the country as well, and with the Vaqueros sitting on the No. 2 seed thanks to Cal Baptist’s absence, Levi could have a huge impact in this tournament.

Sr. Guard Trevelin Queen – New Mexico State

13.2 points, 2.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds, 1.7 steals

The Aggies are so balanced across the board that it’s hard to pick a standout for them. However, Queen is the team’s leading scorer at 13.2 points per game, while also leading in steals per game and total three-pointers made. New Mexico State can attack you a lot of different ways, but for anyone to beat them in Vegas they’ll need to find a way to stop Queen from scoring.