Broken record

'Sounding like a broken record' is a phrase that definitely needs updating. Maybe 'sounding like a broken CD' is more accurate -- at least for the moment -- so we'll use it in our continuing effort to point out how the WAC has fallen on its collective face so far this season. Hey, we have to call it how we see it no matter how it hurts.

At some point, we'll need to move from declaring this drop a trend to such being a fact as there is but the month of December to turn it around.

The on-going litany:

Aggies lose late lead, fall to 3-6
Jason Groves
Las Cruces Sun-News
12/02/2007

LAS CRUCES - After two devastating losses in the last three games, New Mexico State University men's basketball coach Marvin Menzies has a lot to evaluate entering Tuesday's matchup with rival New Mexico.

Namely the mental toughness of his team.

The Aggies (3-6) blew a 21-point lead with 14:20 left to play against the University of North Texas on Saturday, but the Mean Green (5-1) won the battle on the boards and left the Lou Henson Classic with a 75-72 victory over the Aggies.

After squeaking out an 84-82 victory over Division II Western New Mexico University on Friday, the Mean Green were eager for Saturday's game against a former Sun Belt Conference rival.

"I was really excited for this game," Mean Green guard Collin Dennis said. "We were sluggish and barely won our first game and we wanted to make a statement and show that we belong here."

Dennis and UNT freshman point guard Josh White awoke in the second half. Both players scored two points each in the first half. Dennis finished with 21 and White scored 15.

"Everyone has to look inside themselves," said NMSU senior forward Justin Hawkins, who scored a game-high 28 points.

Hawkins said the Mean Green "out toughed" the Aggies on Saturday. UNT's 26-10 rebounding.

Go here for the reminder.

and

Pack basketball: Nevada's losing streak hits three
Steve Sneddon
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
December 2, 2007

STOCKTON, Calif. -- A four-game home stand is going to look awfully good to the Nevada basketball team.

Life on the road never was so painful for the Wolf Pack as it went scoreless for more than seven minutes in the final 8½ minutes Saturday against Pacific. The Pack then made a ferocious charge at the end to give the Tigers some anxious moments, but the rally came up short.

Chad Troyer scored 19 points and hit a free throw with 2.4 seconds left that gave Pacific a four-point lead and a 70-66 victory in front of 3,891 fans at Spanos Center. Joe Ford's free throw capped a 15-0 run that had given the Tigers their biggest lead of the game at 13 points, a 69-56 advantage with one minute, four seconds left.

"We had a drought, a huge drought," Nevada coach Mark Fox said. "We couldn't get a ball to drop. I thought we got good looks at the basket. They made an attempt to surround JaVale (McGee), which I think they did an effective job of. We got to the foul line. We missed the front ends.

"I haven't done a very good job to get this team to grow offensively."

Go here for the remainder.

and

MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) -- Matt Stucki scored a career-high 26 points as Idaho State edged Idaho 71-69 in overtime on Saturday in a nonconference game.

Demetrius Monroe added 12 points for the Bengals (2-5) and Austin Kilpatrick scored 11.

Michael Crowell led Idaho (1-5) with 20 points. Trevor Morris had 14 points, while Darin Nagle and Clyde Johnson added 13 apiece for Idaho, which fell to 0-5 in its last five overtime contests.

Idaho trailed for all but half a minute of regulation, but a Crowell 3-pointer with 13.6 seconds left in the second half put the Vandals up 60-58.

Idaho's Jordan Brooks fouled ISU's Amorrow Morgan on the Bengals' ensuing possession with 3.5 seconds left. The sophomore hit both his free throws to send the game to OT.

The Bengals took a 69-67 lead with 59 seconds left on a Stucki 3-pointer, but Morris tied the game at 69 with 36 seconds remaining.

Monroe put the game away with a layup with 4.4 seconds on the clock.

Go here for the remainder.