by Univ. of Idaho Athletics
Three University of Idaho men's basketball players were honored this week on the College Sports Madness Preseason All-Western Athletic Conference teams.
The college basketball site selected senior center Kyle Barone as a First Team selection and put junior Stephen Madison and sophomore Connor Hill on the Fourth Team.
Barone is Idaho's active career leader in nearly every statistical category, namely points (917), rebounds (578), assists (93) and blocks (86). He was a Second-Team All-WAC selection last season after averaging career-highs in points (12.9), rebounds (8.0) and blocked shots (1.5) while shooting 54.8 percent from the field.
Madison was the WAC's most improved scorer last season as a sophomore when he averaged 12.1 points and 5.5 rebounds – an 8.4 points-per-game improvement over his freshman scoring average. He shot 46.0 percent from the floor and 37.9 percent from 3-point range last season.
Hill burst on the scene last year as a true freshman. He set Idaho freshman records in 3-point field goals made (47) and attempted (122), as well as percentage (.385) last season. He was seventh in the WAC in overall 3-point percentage last year, but his .413 average during conference play ranked fifth in the league.
Idaho men's basketball made its preseason debut last Friday with the Black vs. Gold Scrimmage, and the team is in action again on Tuesday, Oct. 23, when the Vandals trek to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, for an intrasquad scrimmage at North Idaho College's Christianson Gym. The event starts with a team warm-up and introductions at 6:15 p.m. (PT), while the scrimmage begins at 6:30 p.m. Players will be available afterward to sign autographs.
The Vandal men face a real opponent for the first time on Saturday, when Seattle Pacific comes to town for an exhibition game at 7 p.m. in Memorial Gym.
The Falcons return four starters, including two First-Team All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference picks, from a team that went 23-8 last season, advanced to the third round of the NCAA Division II Tournament and notably defeated No. 16 Arizona, 69-68, during exhibition play.
Despite being suspended from the team indefinitely, Kyle Barone was selected as a preseason First-Teamer in the WAC by College Sports Madness (Photo: SWX)
