Here's a collection of articles about last night's games written by the beat reporters at the various newspapers covering the WAC:
Bulldogs men get shut down by NevadaGo here for the remainder.
Kemp and defense hand Fresno State another defeat
Gary Estwick
The Fresno Bee
1/31/08
RENO, Nev. -- Fresno State met a defense as stingy as its own Thursday night, and the result was stifling.
For the first time in weeks, Kevin Bell was unable to dominate the opposing point guard, especially in transition. Whenever Bell got a step against Armon Johnson, he had to contend with JaVale McGee and helping defenders.
Fresno State's offense never looked comfortable during this 79-67 loss at Lawlor Events Center, reaching a new level of futility: The Bulldogs, revered nationally a season ago for their long-distance shooting, endured a first half without converting a 3-pointer.
By the time Bell made the first shot behind the arc early in the second half, they trailed by 19, and Marcelus Kemp answered every Bulldogs' comeback attempt.
The Nevada guard picked apart the Western Athletic Conference's top defense, scoring a game-high 28 points, most of his shots coming around the rim. When matched against bigger defenders, like Nedeljko Golubovic, he penetrated. When he faced shorter players, such as Tyson Parker, he just elevated.
"I took what they gave me, and the shots were falling," Kemp said...
From the Nevada point of view:
Pack basketball: Kemp leads Nevada past Fresno StateGo here for the remainder.
Steve Sneddon
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
February 1, 2008
Although the Nevada basketball might have hit bottom the last time it played at Lawlor Events Center, the Wolf Pack accelerated its rise when it returned home Thursday night.
Marcelus Kemp scored 28 points to become the fourth-leading career scorer in school history to lead Nevada past Fresno State, 79-67, in front of 7,317 fans. Brandon Fields had 17 points and JaVale McGee finished with 15 points.
The win was Nevada’s third in a row and 11th in the last 14 games as it ran its record to 13-7 and 5-2 in the Western Athletic Conference going into its game at WAC-leading Utah State on Saturday night. Fresno State, which has lost eight of 10 games on opponents’ home courts, dropped to 10-12 overall and 3-5 in the WAC.
“We’re getting better and we can still get better,” Nevada coach Mark Fox said. “I think this team has continued to get better throughout the year. That’s the thing we’ve been focused on doing and I’ve been pleased with the progress.
“In certain areas, we may take a step backward, but we take more steps forward than we do back. We need to learn from our wins like we did our losses early in the year.”
The Pack has won by nine points or more against New Mexico State, Louisiana Tech and Fresno State since losing at home to Boise State, 95-80, Jan. 19.
“This is the best team we’ve played,” Fresno State coach Steve Cleveland said. “This is the best defensive team we’ve played, and Marcelus Kemp is by far the best player in the league. He’s pretty special...
But the biggest game was in Honolulu where Hawaii was 'on' all 40 minutes and took apart New Mexico State:
'White-Out' wipeout as Hawai'i rolls, 94-71Go here for the remainder.
Dayton Morinaga
Honolulu Advertiser
February 1, 2008
White-Out Win.
WOW.
That's probably the reaction of the rest of the Western Athletic Conference after the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team's statement-making 94-71 victory over New Mexico State last night.
A "White-Out" crowd of 3,485 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched the Rainbow Warriors improve to 9-11 overall and move into fourth place in the WAC at 5-3. The 'Bows are just one game behind first-place Utah State, which is 5-1.
Last night's victory was surprising for the margin more than anything else. The only team to beat New Mexico State by a larger margin this season was Duke.
New Mexico State, which came to Honolulu off a 30-point victory over Utah State, dropped to 11-12 and 5-3.
"I give my team credit for giving a great effort," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "The hustle was there for every single play."
The 'Bows out-hustled, out-shot and out-ran the Aggies practically from start to finish.
Matt Gibson led the effort with 20 points and a career-high 11 assists. He shot 8 of 15 from the field, and guided the Hawai'i offense to its best performance of the season.
"That's what we're capable of," Gibson said. "That's not me, that's guys knocking down shots."
Jared Dillinger led the shooters with a career-high 19 points, including five 3-pointers...
Here's an article about Boise State and the fight to make the cutoff for The Big Dance:
College basketball's complicated ratings index could hurt BSU's NCAA hopesGo here for the remainder.
Nick Jezierny
Idaho Statesman
February 01, 2008
College basketball's complicated ratings index could hurt BSU's NCAA hopes
They each have college degrees, but don't bother asking Boise State seniors Matt Bauscher, Matt Nelson and Tyler Tiedeman to explain the three magic letters of college basketball: RPI.
About all they can tell you is that the statistical ratings, which are used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee to help determine its field, probably will keep the Broncos out of the Big Dance if they fail to win the WAC Tournament in March.
As of Monday, which was the last time the NCAA updated the RPI rankings, the 15-5 Broncos were ranked 124th out of 341 teams (a smaller number is better). Only 65 teams are selected for the tournament.
"It's frustrating, but there is nothing the players can do about it," Tiedeman said. "We're just trying to go out and take care of our end of the deal, which is to win games, and that's what we've been doing."
The RPI, which stands for Ratings Percentage Index, is a formula with three basic components:
Overall win-loss record against Division I teams counts as 25 percent.
A team's opponents' win-loss record counts as 50 percent.
The team's opponents' opponents' win-loss record counts as 25 percent...
Finally, the Utah State player previously suspended are back:
Suspensions liftedGo here for the remainder.
Shawn Harrison
Logan Herald Journal
February 1, 2008
They’re back.
Four Aggie men’s basketball players that were suspended last Saturday for one game each are back in the fold. Three of them will be available for action this Saturday when Utah State hosts Nevada in a Western Athletic Conference game at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. The fourth is redshirting.
“As far as our guys that were suspended, they will be available for play on Saturday,” USU head coach Stew Morrill said Thursday during a press conference. “This one-game week gave me a chance to meet with them and all of that.”
Hours before facing New Mexico State last Saturday in Las Cruces, N.M., Morrill announced the suspensions of senior forward Stephen DuCharme, junior guard Desmond Stephens and freshmen guards Jaxon Myaer and Pooh Williams. The four Aggies were sent back to Logan on Friday night for violating an undisclosed infraction of team rules. Myaer is redshirting this season.
The violation, which has not been disclosed by Morrill, took place Jan. 24, in Ruston, La., after USU had defeated Louisiana Tech earlier that night.
“As I told you before, this was a case of some good kids making a bad choice,” Morrill said Thursday. “We’re done with it and moving on. They have apologized to their teammates and coaches. We’re on to the next thing. They will play on Saturday.”
As far as Morrill is concerned, the matter is now closed and the team is moving forward...
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