Our tour through the mid-majors stops out West to focus on the West Coast Conference and the Big West Conference. Even though I usually focus on the Pac 12, I am particularly fond of these leagues as I spent my college years at Pepperdine (which won’t be represented below thanks to Keion Bell’s transfer to Missouri) and Pacific. Oh to be 18 again. Trivia time: Did you know that only eight teams in the country have averaged at least 25 wins a year over the last four years and that three of them are in the WCC. That’s right; Gonzaga, St. Mary’s and the new kid on the block BYU have been three of the winningest programs in the nation. Anyway, now that I have injected you with some useless knowledge let’s move onto some of the players in these leagues that can help your fantasy team.
Kevin Foster, guard, Santa Clara Broncos
People who don’t follow this league closely might be surprised to find out that not only did Foster lead the conference in scoring (20.2 points) but also led the nation in three-pointers made (140). While those two categories are enough to put him on your roster, he isn’t just a chucker. He dished out 3.7 assists and stole 1.6 balls as well to make him a complete fantasy guard. The only negative is that he shot 39% from the floor but that is to be expected when you launch 380 three-pointers in a season. Foster, it’s Australian for scoring. Go ahead and draft (another beer reference) him and watch your league members become jealous when he is lighting it up game after game.
Elias Harris, forward, Gonzaga Bulldogs
While his season last year (12.4 points and 6.0 rebounds) wasn’t exactly sophomore slump worthy, it was a major disappointment considering many thought he was NBA material after his freshman season. Harris seemed to lose his aggressiveness on the offensive end and he ended up being the third leading scorer for the Zags. The loss of guard Steven Gray to graduation might be a good thing as it will force the offense to run through Harris. David Stockton's ascendance to the point guard spot should mean more set plays to utilize Harris’s talents as he is much more of a facilitator than Gray was. Even though it was a small sample size, his 16.5 points and 8.0 rebounds on 65% shooting in two NCAA Tournament games last year shows his upside. It’s time for Harris to show the country which player he really is; the one who dominated as a freshman or the one who faded back into the pack as a sophomore. I’m counting on the former.
Matthew Dellavedova, guard, St. Mary’s Gaels
The 6-foot-4 junior from Austrailia is one of the more unique players in the country. He doesn’t have the prettiest game but at the end of the day he just fills up the stat sheet. Last season, he averaged 13.4 points, 5.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. He managed to pile up huge assist totals even though he was the off guard most of the time. With WCC Player of the Year Mickey McConnell no longer around, expect Dellavedova to have the ball in his hands even more. The system that the Gaels run probably will limit his overall scoring numbers but he is a multi-category stud that might get overlooked in your draft if you need some assists.
Drew Viney, forward, Loyola Marymount Lions
The 6-foot-8 senior was the only player in the conference top-five in scoring (17.2) and rebounding (6.6). He finished the season strong averaging 23.2 points and 7.0 rebounds over his last six games which could be a preview to his final season on campus. So far, what’s not to like? Well, the only major concern with him is that he had surgery last month to repair a foot fracture but he is expected to only miss a couple weeks of game action. If you have an injury spot or need some depth take a flier on this Lion and wait for him to come roaring back in December.
Long Beach State trio
The 49ers are absolutely loaded. I couldn’t just single out one guy so let’s talk about their three-headed monster. Leading the way is 5-foot-10 senior guard Casper Ware. Last season he averaged 17.2 points, 4.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals and became the first player in Big West history to win the Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards. He will be a steal late in someone’s draft. Next up is 6-foot-8 senior forward T.J. Robinson. His scoring (13.6 points) was down but he is a fantasy monster on the glass. He has averaged a double-double in each of the last two seasons grabbing 10.1 rebounds both years. He doesn’t block shots but you can’t go wrong with the production. Last up is 6-foot-5 senior guard Larry Anderson. He is a fantasy stallion at his ability to contribute across the board from the guard position. He averaged 14.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks last season while shooting 52% from the floor. Talk about the ultimate fantasy glue guy. These three guys should be owned in every league they are in.
Orlando Johnson, guard, UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos
The Gauchos are excited to have Johnson back after he flirted with the NBA Draft. The 6-foot-5 senior was named to the preseason Mid-Major All-American for the second straight year after leading his team to two consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. He averaged a conference-leading 21.1 points, grabbed 6.2 rebounds, and dished out 2.9 assists last year. Johnson scored 30 or more points six times last season including a school record 39 against UC-Davis. Guards that hit the glass are fantasy commodities so upgrade Johnson on your draft sheet.
Omondi Amoke, forward, Cal State Fullerton Titans
The Titans have three transfers that will be eligible this year but Amoke should be the one to watch out for. The 6-foot-7 senior could be a rebounding machine in the Big West. He averaged 4.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in just 16.7 minutes for the Cal Bears two years ago before being suspended prior to the NCAA Tournament. He showed he can mix it up with the big boys when he grabbed 15 rebounds against Ohio State in Madison Square Garden and then pulled down 14 more against Iowa State. Count Titan coach Bob Burton as one that expects Amoke to have an instant impact as he recently stated, “he could be as good as anyone in the Big West Conference.” Maybe it’s my Pac 12 roots showing, but he is definitely worth taking a flier on late in hopes of finding fantasy gold.