VIVA LAS VEGAS: For the fourth straight year, the Seattle University men’s basketball team heads to Las Vegas, Nevada, for the 2016 Western Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament. The Orleans Arena once again hosts this year’s tournament, which begins with the women’s first round Wednesday, March 9, followed by the three men’s first round games Thursday, March 10. Both sets of semifinals will take place Friday, March 11, and the championship games will happen Saturday, March 12. The first round and semifinals will be streamed on the WAC Digital Network (www.wacsports.com/live), and the championships games will be broadcast live on ESPNU.
POSTSEASON HONORS: Junior Brendan Westendorf picked up three awards as the WAC postseason honors were announced Tuesday morning by the league office. In voting done by the eight head coaches, Westendorf received Second Team All-WAC, All-Defensive Team, and All-Newcomer Team recognition. Coming into the WAC Tournament, Westendorf leads Seattle U in scoring, assists, and steals, averaging 12.2 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.75 steals per game. He has also contributed 5.1 rebounds per game, is shooting 40.2 percent from behind the three-point line, and has made 76.4 percent of his free throw attempts. During conference play, he averaged 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, plus he shot 82.9 percent from the free throw line. He is one of just three players in Division I to make more than one buzzer-beating game-winning shot this season, hitting long three-pointers to defeat Chicago State Feb. 4 and Utah Valley Feb. 27. He scored a season-high 21 points in that Utah Valley contest, plus he scored 20 points at Eastern Washington Nov. 18 and at Utah Valley Jan. 28. He was named WAC Player of the Week by both the conference office and College Sports Madness on Feb. 1 after averaging 17.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 3.0 steals per game as Seattle U defeated Utah Valley and Grand Canyon on the road. Scoring in double figures 19 times this season, Westendorf notched a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds against Sacramento State Nov. 15.