Wow, what a Saturday night

Of course it's too early to make, er, revise predictions -- one Saturday of games is not a solid enough foundation -- but what a wild initial set of contests with wins happening everywhere on the road.

Let's begin with the deservedly top story:

Idaho shocks Nevada in WAC opener
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
January 4, 2009

After watching his team fumble through its Western Athletic Conference opener Saturday night at Lawlor Events Center, Nevada basketball coach Mark Fox was ready to point the finger of blame.

He stretched it directly at himself.

"I'm extremely disappointed in the job I've done with this team," Fox said after the Wolf Pack's stunning 78-73 loss to the Idaho Vandals.

"This was a college game and we're a high school team right now. That's the way we are playing. This is a college team and we're not playing like one. We played with no determination tonight. We didn't defend, we didn't execute offensively. That's the difference right there..."

Go here for the remainder.

and

Here's a set of post game quotes that Chris Murray corraled.

and

From the Nevada Appeal:

Idaho Vandal-izes Wolf Pack in WAC opener
Joe Santoro
Nevada Appeal

RENO — The Nevada Wolf Pack’s New Year’s Eve hangover is now four days old and counting.

“We had no energy, we made a lot of mistakes,” guard Brandon Fields said after a stunning 78-73 Western Athletic Conference-opening loss to the Idaho Vandals Saturday night at Lawlor Events Center. “This was just a bad loss for the team.”

Idaho, after winning just seven WAC games the past three years, was picked to finish last again this year by the league’s coaches and media.

“I’m extremely disappointed,” said Pack coach Mark Fox, whose team was coming off a physically draining and emotional loss to top-ranked North Carolina on New Year’s Eve. “Take nothing away from Idaho. They came out and outplayed us. But we didn’t play well at all. Ever...”

Go here for the remainder.

Then there was Boise State avoiding island fever in Hawaii.

Boise State slips away
Mistakes in the final minutes do in the Rainbows
Brian McInnis
Honolulu Star Bulletin
January 3, 2009

The chances were there.

The follow-through wasn't.

Hawaii squandered several opportunities late in a tense Western Athletic Conference opener against Boise State and fell, 70-58, before a "White Out" crowd of 4,650 last night at the Stan Sheriff Center...

Go here for the remainder.

and this:

Boise State turns back UH, 70-58
Rainbow Warriors falter down stretch to lose WAC opener
Dayton Morinaga
Honolulu Advertiser

So much for new starts.

The Western Athletic Conference season started the same way the last one ended for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team. With a frustrating loss to Boise State.

The Broncos defeated the Rainbow Warriors, 70-58, last night in the WAC opener for both teams...

Go here for the remainder.

Plus, New Mexico State nabbed a win in Fresno.

'Dogs open with a thud
New Mexico State rolls, as poor first half ends hope of fast WAC start.
Ken Robison
The Fresno Bee
January 3, 2009

His Fresno State basketball team had just been blown out by New Mexico State in its Western Athletic Conference opener at the Save Mart Center, but coach Steve Cleveland was not at a loss for words.

"Painful," "pathetic," "dismal" and "puzzling" were labels he used to describe the first half of a 79-66 loss that wasn't that close.

"That first 20 minutes was pretty painful," Cleveland said, discussing his team's 40-22 halftime deficit. "We haven't played that way all year.

Fresno State's Sylvester Seay tries to tip in an offensive rebound in the first half Saturday against New Mexico State. The Bulldogs shot 26% in the first half, trailed 40-22 and wound up losing the Western Athletic Conference opener 79-66...

Go here for the remainder.