More Saturday night reporting from a Sunday point of view

Here's Chris Murray trying to talk Wolf Pack fans down (our own hint to Nevada-ites: the season and team will only get better -- burning your signed and framed Mark Fox poster will not help):

Now's not the time to jump off Pack bandwagon
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
11/29/2008

So, after Nevada's 63-61 loss to Portland on Saturday, I am already seeing the phrase "rebuilding season" being throw around by Pack fans. I think it's a little too early for that. Yes, Nevada did fall to 2-3 with the loss to the Pilots, but slow starts aren't atypical for Wolf Pack teams. Last season, the Pack started the season 2-4. In Mark Fox's first season as head coach (in 2004-05), the Pack started 4-3. In Nevada's Sweet 16 season, the team started 2-3. What do those three seasons have in common? They all ended with the Wolf Pack winning the Western Athletic Conference regular-season title. I have no doubt this season could end the same way...

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It's not a 'bigtime' win but Boise will certainly take it. What's surprising is our expectation was that BSU's frontline would dominate but apparently didn't. Maybe Southern Utah packed it in defensively.

Boise State men's basketball wins ugly against Southern Utah
Broncos hold off an upset bid with a late 3-pointer and a pair of key free throws.
Nick Jezierny
Idaho Statesman
11/30/08

Boise State's 62-59 win Saturday night over Southern Utah was anything but pretty.

But considering what's happened in the WAC thus far in nonconference play, the Broncos' home victory in front of 2,809 fans looks pretty good...

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Yikes, LA TECH lost again, this time to a team it no reason to lose to -- previously winless Alaska-Anchorage. Is it a lack of meshing for the Bulldogs? Maybe being minus an effective point guard? Any readers who can fill us in on the trevails in Ruston please do so with analysis.

ANCHORAGE – Senior guard Kenny Barker scored 17 of his game-high 23 points after halftime to lead host Alaska Anchorage to a 62-57 victory over Louisiana Tech in the 7th-place game of the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout at Sullivan Arena on Saturday...

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