FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS (7-8)

» Coach: Rodney Terry (first year)

» Top players: G Kevin Olekaibe (18.7 ppg, 45 3PTM), G Jonathan Wills (11.5 ppg, .915 FT%)

» Key wins: 68-65 at Arizona State (Dec. 21), 72-59 vs. Boise State (Jan. 2)

» Summary: Terry has built the Bulldogs’ offense around Olekaibe, to mixed results. The 6-foot-1 sophomore leads the conference in scoring, albeit on 38.9 percent shooting. Credit the Bulldogs for staying this competitive despite the early (and misguided) departure of center Greg Smith. FSU is last in WAC scoring (66.7), but commits the fewest turnovers (11.5) a game.

HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS (8-6)

» Coach: Gib Arnold (second year)

» Top players: G Zane Johnson (15.1 ppg, 40 3PTM), C Vander Joaquim (12.1 ppg, 9.2 rpg)

» Key wins: 84-82 OT vs. No. 14 Xavier (Dec. 23), 75-68 vs. Clemson (Dec. 25)

» Summary: The Rainbows have discovered themselves behind the re-addition of Miah Ostrowski (5.1 apg) coming off of football season. He’s lent a sense of offensive flow with his playmaking. UH went 1-2 against ranked teams in the preconference season. … Forward Trevor Wiseman is the only ’Bow to start every game. … UH leads WAC in defensive rebounding (25.9 per game).

IDAHO VANDALS (7-7)

» Coach: Don Verlin (fourth year)

» Top players: G Deremy Geiger (13.1 ppg, .453 3PT%), C Kyle Barone (12.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.9 bpg)

» Key win: 74-60 at Oregon State (Dec. 9)

» Summary: Despite a dearth of talent, the Vandals have remained competitive behind Verlin’s system (borrowed from Utah State) and pure efficiency. Idaho is eighth in the country in 3-point percentage at .420, and 12th in overall field-goal percentage at .495. They also assist well at 14.4, a league best. Geiger has picked up where Jeff Ledbetter, last year’s top marksman, left off.

LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS (8-7)

» Coach: Michael White (first year)

» Top players: G Raheem Appleby (11.7 ppg, .429 3PT%), G Trevor Gaskins (10.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg)

» Key wins: None

» Summary: The cupboard was completely bare for White at LaTech, his first head coaching gig, but the Bulldogs have remained undefeated (6-0) at home. The flip side is their ineptitude on the road (1-6). … Backup forward Michale Kyser leads the WAC in blocks at 2.4 in just over 15 minutes per game. … Former Louisiana Tech coach Kerry Rupp is the director of basketball operations on the UH coaching staff.

NEVADA WOLF PACK (10-3)

» Coach: David Carter (third year)

» Top players: G Malik Story (14.2 ppg, .500 3PT%), G Deonte Burton (14.0 ppg, 4.6 apg), F Dario Hunt (9.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.0 bpg)

» Key wins: 76-73 OT vs. Washington (Dec. 2), 69-61 at Arizona State (Dec. 7)

» Summary: Talent has never been the question with the Wolf Pack. Rather, it’s been “Can they make good on it?” Nevada returned its starting five, and all five — Story, Burton, Hunt, forward Olek Czyz and guard Jerry Evans Jr. — have started all 13 games. Story is sixth in the country in 3-point percentage.

NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES (10-5)

» Coach: Marvin Menzies (fifth year)

» Top players: F Wendell McKines (17.9 ppg, 10.5 rpg), G Hernst Laroche (11.3 ppg, 3.6 apg, .400 3PT%)

» Key wins: 62-53 at New Mexico (Nov. 16), 81-71 vs. San Francisco (Nov. 26)

» Summary: NMSU entered the season with the second-most talent in the league behind Nevada, but lost its second-leading scorer, Christian Kabongo (14.6 ppg), after the swingman requested his release. League MVP candidate McKines has picked up the slack and ranks eighth nationally with eight double-doubles. … The Aggies lead the WAC in scoring average at 78.0 and rebounding at 40.0.

SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS (6-8)

» Coach: George Nessman (seventh year)

» Top players: G James Kinney (16.7 ppg, .424 3PT%), G Keith Shamburger (15.4 ppg, 5.1 apg), F Wil Carter (9.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg)

» Key wins: None

» Summary: Kinney, a transfer from Ohio, assumed some of the load vacated by last year’s WAC scoring champion Adrian Oliver. Meanwhile Shamburger, a one-time UH recruit, has made a statistical leap, now leading the WAC in assists. As a team, SJSU leads the league in free-throw shooting at 74.7 percent, but is last in field-goal shooting (39.0).

UTAH STATE AGGIES (8-6)

» Coach: Stew Morrill (14th year)

» Top players: G Preston Medlin (14.4 ppg, .485 3PT%), G Brockeith Pane (11.1 ppg), F Morgan Grim (10.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg)

» Key wins: 69-62 vs. BYU (Nov. 11), 81-62 vs. Kent State (Dec. 22)

» Summary: Six losses is usually a full season’s worth up in Logan, but things are different this year with an almost completely overhauled roster. The Aggies had their 33-game home winning streak snapped by Denver on Nov. 30 … However, USU’s efficiency on offense (.467 field-goal percentage) and discipline on defense (.394 FG allowed) means it is still the team to beat.