Parsing The WAC: It still looks like New Mexico State is the ... 550 pound gorilla

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

It still looks like New Mexico State is the ... 550 pound gorilla

Steve Sneddon has made it to my Christmas card list what with another fine column today -- this one on how New Mexico State is the top team to fear in the WAC. But we'll say the Aggies aren't quite yet at the level of the 800 pound gorilla. NMSU certainly has the best components of all the teams in the WAC but such is not a guarantee of finishing at the top. Let's see what happens on Saturday in Reno. The following contains some good quotes from both Marvin Menzies and Mark Fox:

Pack basketball: Nevada faces sharper Aggies team in Round 2
Steve Sneddon
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
February 27, 2008

Like any complicated puzzle, it took awhile to put this one together.

Now that it's complete, it's something to behold. These New Mexico State Aggies have all the pieces any college basketball team would want.

They've won five games in a row and they're a half game out of first place in the Western Athletic Conference. On Thursday at Lawlor Events Center, the Aggies will try to avenge an 87-78 loss to the Wolf Pack at Las Cruces, N.M., on Jan. 24.

"I think our chemistry has improved a great deal, guys getting familiar with each other," Aggies first-year coach Marvin Menzies said. "We finally got all of our players in place. I think the biggest thing for us is having a full complement and having them together for a stretch of seven, eight games.

"Plus, they're sharing the ball. They're looking to make the extra pass. I think guys are understanding that team concepts are really critical when it comes to playing well. It can't be 'me' ball. I think that's one of the biggest concepts we've bought into that has enabled us to play much better offense. Defensively, I think younger guys are understanding defensive schemes..."

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08/25/2011: Want to also thank Kevin, who writes what I consider to be next to my blog, (just kidding), the best college basketball blog in the country and trust me, I read them all, http://parsingthewac.blogspot.com, it is always fresh and always important info, plus Kevin has often referenced my blog and it is not forgotten and greatly appreciated. Too many bloggers think their you know what does not stink and are not willing to recognize other people. So thank you Kevin and keep up the awesome work.

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02/25/2009: Nevada paper rates WAC players: "Once again I must give credit where it is due – I pulled these articles off of Parsing the WAC,...an almost daily updated blog run by Kevin McCarthy. It is the authority on all things WAC men’s basketball. If there is a feature or game story put out about one of the schools in the league he will have a link to it (and a corresponding editorial comment). It is one of the first places I go on the Internet each day. We are very lucky to have a fan in this a midmajor league willing to put the time and energy in bring all this great information to all of us. Thanks Kevin."

Silver and Blue Sports

02/17/09 12:24 AM: re: Tyrone Hanson...Stuck in Seattle said: "Hey, Nevada Proud. Chris Murrey snatched up your Hanson scoop without so much as a hat tip, but Parsing the WAC has put your name up in lights...Kevin McCarthy...Parsing the WAC...he was probably the one guy awake in the “Ethics of Journalism” class...or maybe he decided to skip class the day the “There is no ethics in Jouranalism” lecture was given...either way he’s a credible guy."
02/17/09 1:49 AM: "Kevin M. is a good buddy of mine, and a class act all the way. I’m really proud of him for doing the things he’s done, because SJSU has been real hard to work with from a media standpoint despite what his recruiting coverage work could offer the hoops program."

02/12/09 10:58 AM: In the WAC, defense is king: "Kevin McCarthy has an insightful look at team defense in the WAC over at Parsing the WAC, and conference results so far are playing out his prediction: the team that gets the most stops, gets the most wins...Taking a game-by-game look at the Vandals’ conference season proves Kevin’s point. In all four of Idaho’s WAC wins, the team held opponents under .400 shooting."

The Bulldog Bounce

02/06/09 10:26 PM: High praise for incoming hoops recruits..."Ran across some nice nuggets of info on the Parsing the WAC blog, which I must say is a very active and informative one. Kevin McCarthy talks Fresno State quite a bit in it, which is cool with me...So let’s get to the point...McCarthy talked ’Dogs recruiting with Carl Foster, who’s been around a few of the soon-to-be Fresno State players, and he had some pretty impressive things to say."

11/04/08 1:10PM: "Parsing the WAC is a great blog for news on West Coast Hoops. Thanks to Kevin McCarthy, who does a fine job there himself. If you are a fan of a WAC school or just want to keep up with players with local interest like Adrian Oliver at SJS, the Seattle kids at Nevada, or NW schools like BSU and Idaho, this is the place to be."

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12/05/08: The Daily Aggie: "The weekly check-ins are co-authored by us and Kevin McCarthy from the outstanding WAC blog Parsing The WAC."

Reno Gazette Journal

11/01/08: LOUISIANA TECH UPDATE: "Kevin McCarthy over at Parsing the WAC, an excellent source of WAC basketball news, was contacted by somebody familiar with the recent departure of four Louisiana Tech basketball players (which we touched on last week). For those who don't know, Drew Washington, Dwayne Lathan, Orrim Tims and Brandon Mims were dismissed after meeting with coach Kerry Rupp two weeks ago. Lathan said he was blindsided by the decision. McCarthy’s source, who remained anonymous, said there was more to the story than met the eye."