2009-10 Opponent Preview: Wagner

As the 2009-10 season men’s basketball season approaches, BYUCougars.com continues to preview each of the Cougars’ opponents. Today’s preview-Wagner.

Game Preview

BYU’s first opponent in the Las Vegas Classic will be the Wagner Seahawks, winners of 16 games in 2008-09. After playing both Wagner and Eastern Washington at home as part of the Classic, the Cougars will then travel to Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for two more games.

Season Outlook

Wagner and Coach Mike Deane will look to see how the team will bounce back after losing its top four scorers from last season. The Seahawks ended the regular season on a four-game winning streak, including wins over first-place Robert Morris and second-place Mount St. Mary’s.

Deane, a 25-year veteran coach, enters the 2009-10 season with 432 career wins, ranking him among the top 25 of all active NCAA Division I coaches. This year the Seahawks will face BYU, Nevada and Princeton before heading into conference play.

Player to Watch

Chris Martin, G, So., 5-11, 185

Martin will have a heavy load in just his sophomore season as the returning leading scorer on the team (6.1 ppg). Martin played in all 30 games last season as the sixth man for Wagner, who also returns as the team’s leading steal man (15) and three-point specialist (46).

Other Key Players

Michael Orock, C

Doug Elwell, G/F

Game Implications

This will be the first time the Cougars have faced a team nicknamed the Seahawks (there are only two in Division I with UNC-Wilmington being the other).

Seahawks at a Glance 

2008-09 Team Stats

Returning Stat Leaders