MONMOUTH, Oregon --- The Western Oregon men's basketball team opens their season at home this week with the GNAC CCAA Conference Challenge with the Wolves taking on CSU Bernardino on Friday and CSU Monterey Bay on Saturday - both games set to start at 7:15 p.m. 

The other two games feature Central Washington against CSUMB 5 p.m. Friday and CSUSB 5 p.m. Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON HEADING INTO THE 2022-23 SEASON | 2021-22 STATISTICS
The Wolves are coming off a 9-18 campaign in 2021-22, including 6-10 in the GNAC. However, WOU came on at the end of the season - winning four of its last six games, including making a run to the GNAC Championships semifinal after upending No. 1 seed Saint Martin's in the quarterfinals.

WOU - which was picked to finish eighth in the conference in the preseason poll - returns nine players from that squad, including four starters. Leading the way is the Preseason GNAC Player of the Year Cameron Cranston. The senior was named All-GNAC Second Team last season after averaging 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 43.2 percent from 3-point range. Also returning with starting experience is senior John Morrill-Keeler (11.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 0.9 bpg, 55.8 FG%), senior Yosani Clay (10.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.2 spg) and sophomore Qiant Myers (3.1 ppg, 3.9 apg, 2.0 rpg). Five other players return who saw time on the court last season in senior Daisone Hughes (7.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg), senior Elihu Cobb (6.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg), junior Antonio Salinas (2.9 ppg, 40% 3FG), Zach Moore (2.7 ppg) and RJ Veliz (2.5 ppg).

Five newcomers could be in the mix as well, starting with junior guard Jahville Collins who transferred from Mt. Hood Community College after averaging 16.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last season. Two redshirt freshmen will get their chance this season in Peter-Kaci Gwananji and Griffin Datcher IV while a pair of true freshmen in Carson Frincke and Mekhi McIntyre could also be in the mix.

THE REST OF THE FIELD THIS WEEKEND ...
The two teams the Wolves play this weekend from the CCAA both are coming off winning seasons. CSU Bernardino went 24-4 last season (including a season-opening 82-78 overtime win over Western Oregon), won the CCAA regular season title and reached the NCAA Tournament. CSUSB was ranked No. 10 in the NCAA.com's DII Power Rankings to start this season as the Coyotes return three of their top four scorers from a season ago. CSU Monterey Bay went 13-9 overall (12-6 in CCAA play) last season, including an 82-60 win over Western Oregon in Seaside, California.

Central Washington - the other GNAC representative at the event - went 17-9 last season, including 9-7 in GNAC play. The Wildcats were picked to finish seventh in the GNAC this season.
  CRANSTON PICKED AS PRESEASON GNAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR, WOLVES TABBED TO FINISH EIGHTH
Western Oregon's Cameron Cranston was named the GNAC Men's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year as the 6-foot-6 senior is coming off a season where he averaged 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting 43.2 percent from 3-point range and 79.3 percent from the free throw line. Cranston earned All-GNAC Second Team honors in 2021-22. The rest of the All-GNAC Preseason Team can be found here.

As a team, WOU was voted eighth in the GNAC Preseason Men's Basketball Poll. The Wolves and their 48 points - which did include one first-place vote - were in a pack of three teams within five points of each other with No. 6 Alaska Anchorage (53 points) and No. 7 Central Washington (52). Saint Martin's was picked to win the conference with 81 points and three first-place votes - though five teams overall garnered first-place votes in No. 2 Northwest Nazarene (78 points, two first-place votes), Montana State Billings (69 points, three first-place votes) and Western Washington (66 points, one first-place vote). WOU is coming off of a 9-18 2021-22 campaign, going 6-10 in GNAC play to finish ninth - but the Wolves did make a run to the GNAC Championship semifinals.

MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
1. Saint Martin's (3), 81 pts.
2. Northwest Nazarene (2), 78 pts.
3. Montana St. Billings (3), 69 pts.
4. Western Washington (1), 66 pts.
5. Seattle Pacific, 60 pts.
6. Alaska Anchorage, 53 pts.
7. Central Washington, 52 pts.
8. Western Oregon (1), 48 pts.
9. Simon Fraser, 23 pts.
10. Alaska, 20 pts.