The Lone Unbeaten Team in the WAC Nobody Talks About
Someone said you shouldn't sleep on Southern Utah prior to tipping off the 2024-25 season. And, through four games, that statement is valid
There is one unbeaten team in the Western Athletic Conference through two weeks.
Nope, it’s not Grand Canyon.
It’s not Seattle U, California Baptist, UT Arlington, or Utah Valley.
Let’s put it this way…the coaches in the WAC picked this squad to finish 9th in the preseason poll.
As in, dead last.
Just for the sake of understanding the chip on the shoulders of the Southern Utah men’s basketball team…they even pray for the doubters on a regular basis.
And yet, here we are…two weeks in, and that team is standing atop the WAC as the lone unbeaten.
Sure, Southern Utah has played a pair of non-Division I games. But, the T-Birds also played a pair of mid-major opponents in FIU and Omaha.
So, does the first 4-0 start in program history validate the T-Birds and the thought that they might be a little better than the preseason poll prediction?
Yes. Yes, it does.
On Saturday night at America First Events Center, Southern Utah, led by Dominique Ford and Jamir Simpson earned that fourth straight win to open the 2024-25 season.
And while the final score indicates the game was somewhat close, Southern Utah was actually pretty good for 35 minutes.
The T-Birds led by 20 with about seven minutes to play. Simpson, Ford, and Tavi Jackson were catalysts all night for the T-Birds.
‘Dawgs’ is what head coach Rob Jeter calls his team. And after Saturday’s win, Jeter said he finally has the ‘dawgs’ to compete in the WAC.
Jamir Simpson redshirted in 2023-24 to prepare for the 2024-25 season. At 6-5 and having the body of a linebacker, Simpson can attack the rim, back opponents down, play multiple positions, and also knock down shots from the perimeter.
In the win over Omaha on Saturday, Simpson had a game-high 25 points while shooting 53 percent from the field.
Dominique Ford is another one of the returners for the T-Birds. Ford knows the system, is crafty, long, and experienced.
The 6-5 senior started all 31 games for the T-Birds in 2023-24, and had 22 points in the win over Omaha on Saturday night.
Tavi Jackson, a Colorado State transfer, who many believe will be in Cedar City for just one season, is another piece of the puzzle.
The floor general that is unselfish, but also super athletic and super quick…something Rob Jeter didn’t really have in year one in Cedar City.
‘Dawgs’.
What people don’t realize is the role players are also experienced, and talented.
Jamari Sibley is a senior who played in 19 games for the T-Birds in 2023-24. Sibley has now started in three of the four game thus far in 2024-25. In Saturday’s win over Omaha, Sibley had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Brock Felder is another returner. And while scoring isn’t Felder’s strong suit, rebounding and defending are, which is exactly what Felder did on Saturday night.
Even after the ball game, sitting at the dinner table, Southern Utah coaches were raving about Felder rebounding the basketball against Omaha.
5-10 junior guard Xavier Sykes came off the bench on Saturday and provided a huge spark for the T-Birds.
It started with a steal. Then, the no-look pass to Malik Langdon for the one-handed dunk. A few possessions later, Sykes knocked down a 3-pointer.
Hercy Miller is another guard that comes off the bench and can have a big moment in any given contest.
Malik Lamin and JT Langston Jr. give Rob Jeter depth in the paint.
And as fans all know, depth is something to be valued in a league that features a lot of different styles of basketball, a lot of whistles, and challenging atmospheres.
Rob Jeter has 21 guys on his roster. And, on Saturday, the T-Birds went about 10 deep into that roster in the win over Omaha.
Now, two wins over non-Division I foes and two wins over sub-250 mid-majors isn’t much to write home about. Especially considering Southern Utah held a double-digit lead in both games against FIU and Omaha before letting off the gas a bit.
However, there is a different mindset in Cedar City in year two under Rob Jeter.
Confidence. Togetherness. Loyalty.
But, most important…being ‘dawgs’ on a nightly basis.
With an 11-day road trip on the slate over the next two weeks, the ‘dawgs’ are going to be tested.
At Loyola Chicago on Tuesday. At San Diego on Friday and vs. Idaho on Saturday in San Diego followed by a quick trip up I-5 to take on UCLA at Pauley Pavilion to round out the trip.
The T-Birds might not be undefeated when they return home to face CSU Bakersfield on Nov. 30.
But, fans around the WAC should take a good hard look at the Southern Utah men’s basketball team.
They might realize this is not a team that is going to finish dead last in the WAC in 2024-25.