Last night in the WAC

There were some thrills, some spills and some gritty performances in the WAC Thursday evening, along with additional information that Idaho is intent on being a factor this season.

Some Nevada fans have moved back from the ledge.

NMSU men's basketball team can't hold off charging Wolf Pack in overtime loss
Jason Groves
Las Cruces Sun-News
1/09/2009

LAS CRUCES — Nevada outhustled New Mexico State when it mattered most, stealing a 79-71 overtime victory over the Aggies on Thursday at the Pan American Center.

The Aggies fell to 8-8 on the season and 2-1 in the Western Athletic Conference after being outscored 12-4 in overtime and outrebounded 34-16 in the second half and OT, losing their third straight regular season game to the Wolf Pack.

"It's disappointing because you learn those lessons and get over the hump and you do it on the road and then you think coming home, we can execute better in crunch time, at least you have a chance to win," Aggies head coach Marvin Menzies said...

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From the Nevada perspective.

Pack rallies to beat Aggies in OT
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
January 8, 2009

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The Nevada men’s basketball team’s game against New Mexico State tonight was going like so many before it.

The Wolf Pack was settling for low-percentage 3-point attempts against a zone defense. Nevada was getting shredded on defense, giving up easy baskets. The team was getting manhandled on the boards.

Then, the second half began and it looked like an entirely new team...

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Here's Teddy Steinberg and Felix Chavez with their takes.

Oh yes, If Chris Murray's account contains any sort of a mistaken identification, well, check out his viewpoint of the game. We can see it now -- reporters buying tickets to NMSU games in order to be able to see the game they are covering.

Utah State finally hits the road but shows no diminuition in winning:

Aggies pick up ugly road win
Shawn Harrison
The Herald Journal
January 9, 2009

RUSTON, La. — It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t pretty. But it was a win none the less for the Aggies, and on the road to boot.

Despite being underdogs, Louisiana Tech hung around and actually led for most of the game. Utah State took control down the stretch, however, and escaped the Thomas Assembly Center Thursday night with a 50-37 Western Athletic Conference win in front of 1,442 fans.

“We’ll take the win and move forward,” USU head coach Stew Morrill said. “... In a game like that, it’s ugly no matter what. But it’s more ugly if you lose...”

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Jared Eborn has an airport tale to tell.

Give Logan's airport the W
Jared Eborn
Deseret News
Jan. 8, 2009

Normally, you'd think Utah State would be the team feeling some jet lag in Ruston when facing Louisiana Tech.

But Thursday night, it was probably the Bulldogs -- despite playing on their home court and having slept in their own beds -- that had no legs as the game went on...

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Did anyone forsee a 20-point Vandal victory coming? Maybe we better get used to it.

Doug Bauer
Special to the Star-Bulletin
Jan 9, 2009

MOSCOW, Idaho » Hawaii desperately needed a pick-me-up last night at Idaho.

The Rainbow Warriors never got it.

Kashif Watson poured in 19 points and Mac Hopson added 14 more, leading the resurgent Vandals to a 67-47 triumph over Hawaii in a Western Athletic Conference game at the Cowan Spectrum.

It was Idaho's largest margin of victory in WAC play since joining the conference in 2005, eclipsing its previous best of 11 points...

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Here's another take on the Idaho - Hawaii game.

'Bows play with 'no energy' in 67-47 road loss to Idaho
Advertiser Staff
January 9, 2009

Maybe it's a good thing only a few people were able to watch the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team yesterday.

The Rainbow Warriors had their worst performance of the season in a 67-47 loss to Idaho in a Western Athletic Conference game at Moscow, Idaho.

The Cowan Spectrum on the Idaho campus drew a crowd of just 652 — the smallest for a UH game in recent memory.

"We had no energy," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "It wasn't a big-time atmosphere — there were no students — but that didn't have anything to do with it. We just played bad..."

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Boise State manhandled San Jose State with relative ease.

Boise State men's basketball team runs its win streak to five
Broncos build a 24-point lead in the first half, then hang on to beat San Jose State.
Nick Jezierny
Idaho Statesman
1/09/09

Boise State's first-half performance Thursday night was flawless - the type of effort that sends a message to the WAC that the defending champs are serious about keeping their crown.

An 84-64 win against San Jose State in front of 2,093 at Taco Bell Arena definitely will help the Broncos' cause.

But that wasn't the only message sent Thursday...

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