2002-2003 Men's Basketball Coaches Pre-Season Poll:
| School |
(1st) |
Pts. |
2001-02 All |
2001-02 NWC |
| Whitworth (Wash.) |
(7) |
85 |
20-7 |
12-4 |
| Linfield (Ore.) |
(2) |
65 |
14-11 |
9-7 |
| Willamette (Ore.) |
|
63 |
18-8 |
12-4 |
| Lewis & Clark (Ore.) |
|
53 |
24-6 |
13-3 |
| Puget Sound (Wash.) |
|
48 |
11-14 |
7-9 |
| Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) |
|
36 |
14-11 |
7-9 |
| Whitman (Wash.) |
|
28 |
10-15 |
6-10 |
| Pacific (Ore.) |
|
24 |
11-13 |
6-10 |
| George Fox (Ore.) |
|
10 |
3-22 |
0-16 |
(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on 10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis).
Whitworth Strong Favorite to win 2002-03 Men's Hoops Title
Spokane, Wash. - The Northwest Conference men's basketball coaches expect a new champion for the 2002-03 season, selecting Whitworth College and Linfield College to move to the top of the standings and replace defending conference titlist Lewis & Clark College.
Whitworth picked up seven first place votes and 85 total points to finish well ahead of Linfield in the poll. The Pirates return four starters from last season's second place team, including two-time first team All-NWC forward Bryan Depew. Honorable mention All-NWC guard Chase Williams also returns for second year head coach Jim Hayford.
Linfield was selected first on the other two ballots and finished with 65 poll points. The Wildcats slipped to fourth place last season after winning the championship in 2001. First team All-NWC guard O.J. Gulley will lead the Wildcats again this season.
Willamette University finished third in the poll with 63 points. The Bearcats, led by 2002 NWC Coach of the Year Gordie James, welcome back All-NWC post Marques Johnson and All-NWC point guard Ryan Hepp.
Defending champion Lewis & Clark finished fourth in the poll with 53 points. The Pioneers, who went 24-6 overall and 13-3 in the NWC last season and advanced to a NCAA sectional championship game, suffered heavily from graduation, including 2002 (and 2000) NWC Player of the Year Scott Davis.
The University of Puget Sound finished fifth in the poll with 48 points, followed by Pacific Lutheran University (36), Whitman College (28), Pacific University (24) and George Fox University (10).
Just as last season, the Northwest Conference will be playing for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the end-of-season NWC Tournament will earn the conference's automatic berth. The top three teams at the end of the regular season will qualify for the NWC Tournament. Regardless of that outcome, the regular season winner will retain the title of conference champion.
Several teams begin play on Friday, November 22nd.