LA TECH wins one and a WAC shakeout at the top

Giving credit where it is due, let's lead with LA TECH's home win over Idaho, the first league victory for the Bulldogs this season.

Tech men topple Idaho for long-awaited first WAC win
T. Scott Boatright
The News Star
February 10, 2008

RUSTON -- When Louisiana Tech men's basketball team breaks a huddle, they always yell "Stay Together" while heading to the floor or bench.

Stay together the Bulldogs did on Saturday as Louisiana Tech picked up their first Western Athletic Conference win over the season with a 72-64 home decision over Idaho.

Tech (4-18, 1-9 WAC), used a scrappy pressure to force 27 Idaho turnovers, converting those Vandal miscues into 21 points, to pull off the win.

"That's the type of basketball we have to play," Tech coach Kerry Rupp said. "Especially because we're smaller. We have to press and try to create more defensively."

Tech wasn't only smaller than the Vandals, the thin Bulldogs bench was even thinner against Idaho (5-17, 2-9) after Adrian Rogers was injured in a freak mishap on Saturday morning, injuring a hamstring helping a friend move... Go here for the remainder.

and

New Mexico State fully demonstrated that it's themselves and Utah State vying for the top spot. In fact, Boise State needs to worry about hard-charging Nevada:

Aggie romp Boise, take sole possession of second
place
Jason Groves
Las Cruces Sun-News
2/10/2008

LAS CRUCES — With so many options, sometimes it's possible to be too unselfish.

It's a problem New Mexico State University men's basketball coach Marvin Menzies is fortunate to have.

The Aggies had 24 assists and extended their winning streak against Boise State to six with a 99-80 Western Athletic Conference victory over the Broncos on Saturday at the Pan American Center, taking sole possession of second
place and keeping first-place Utah State (8-1) within reach.

Saturday was also the Aggies' third straight win, helping NMSU improve to 14-12 overall and 8-3 in the WAC.

"It's a big victory," Aggies sophomore guard Jonathan Gibson said. "We just needed to make sure to keep running and keep playing how we were playing. We needed to try to stop their 3-point shooters and keep running our offense..." Go here for the remainder.

and

From the Idaho perspective:

Rebounding woes prove costly as BSU men's 5-game win streak snapped
NICK JEZIERNY
Idaho Statesman
2/10/08

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Boise State coach Greg Graham preached three things to his team prior to tip-off Saturday at New Mexico State:

Get off to a good start.
Rebound.
Take care of the basketball.

Good ideas, none of which the Broncos were able to execute in a 99-80 loss in front of a crowd of 6,443 at The Pan American Center.

The loss snapped BSU's five-game winning streak and knocked the Broncos (17-6 overall, 8-3 WAC) down to third place in
the conference standings.

The Broncos fell behind by as many as 16 points in the first half and never were closer than seven the rest of the way.

NMSU outrebounded BSU 50-28 and scored 23 second-chance points. The Broncos also turned over the ball 22 times...

Go here for the remainder.

and

Wolf Pack leaps over Hawaii

DARRELL MOODY

Nevada Appeal

February 10, 2008

RENO - It was Silver Saturday at Lawlor Events Center, so Nevada coach Mark Fox broke out brand-new silver uniforms for the occasion.

The uniforms looked good, and so did the Wolf Pack.

Nevada shot 65 percent from beyond the arc and 61 percent overall to roll over Hawaii, 88-68, in a nationally televised
Western Athletic Conference game.

Nevada improved to 15-8 overall and 7-3 in conference heading into Monday's showdown against conference-leading Utah State, 8-1. Nevada is in fourth place, a half- game behind Boise State and New Mexico State, which are tied at 8-3. Hawaii dropped to 10-12 overall and 6-4 in conference.

Fox said that the uniforms were ordered over the summer from
Nike. "We had planned to wear them for the league opener (against Utah State)," Fox said. "When I heard it was going to be Silver Saturday, I decided to wait for today. The kids have been wanting to wear them."

After Saturday's performance, one would expect the players would want to wear them more. Besides sinking shots from every angle on the floor, the Pack played solid defense and won the rebounding battle, 33-28.

"We were real focused," said Marcelus Kemp, who finished with a game-high 25 points. "It was a big game for us. We needed to win. We played real hard and got the win."

The first half belonged to Kemp, Brandon Fields and JaVale McGee. The trio combined for 39 of Nevada's 44 points, sparking the Pack to a 44-33 lead at the half.

Kemp had 20 in the first half, going 7-for-9 from the floor, including 4-for-5 from beyond the arc. Fields added 11 of his 17 in the first 20 minutes and McGee scored eight of his 20 in the opening half...

Go here for the remainder.

and

USU: Aggies wake up in time to top upset-minded
Spartans
USU allows 17 offensive rebounds and struggles with shooting
early, but still gets past the aggressive Spartans
Martin Renzhofer
The Salt Lake Tribune
2/10/2008

LOGAN - Utah State escaped a natural trap Saturday night against visiting San Jose State. Yet the Aggies, even performing at less than their optimal mental level, always appeared the better team.

The struggling Spartans were game, but the Aggies managed to play well enough during a five-minute stretch midway through the second half to open a double digit lead. USU milked that advantage down the stretch for a 78-73 Western Athletic Conference victory in front of 10,270 in the Smith Spectrum.

Following victories against Nevada and Fresno State, and a rematch with Nevada looming on Monday, no one playing for USU (18-6, 8-1 WAC) can't say weren't warned about a possible letdown against lowly SJSU (10-13, 2-8).

"Maybe we don't believe coach," said Jaycee Carroll, who shook off his own shooting slump to score 26 points - 16 in the second half. Carroll's 11 rebounds also gave the Aggie guard his second double-double this season.

"San Jose played well," USU coach Stew Morrill said. "They kind of manhandled us. They beat us on the offensive rebound. They beat us on the dribble so much that we couldn't block off."

Morrill could see this performance, including allowing 17 offensive rebounds, coming.

"You try, you try, you try. But it's up to them," he said. "Our posts ought to be embarrassed..." Go here for the remainder.