Last night in the WAC

Here are the various beat reporters with material from last night's games:

Bulldogs bite Pack
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
February 6, 2009

Nevada basketball coach Mark Fox said at the beginning of the week that he was getting to the point where he was beginning to trust his defense. He then threw in the caveat that once he starts trusting his defense, it can sometimes backfire.

Well, Thursday night against Louisiana Tech, that's exactly what happened.

The Bulldogs carved right through a Wolf Pack defense -- be it man-to-man, zone or anything else Nevada could think up ---- to the tune of 60 percent shooting from the field, tossing in 17 layups or dunks and making 7-of-13 3-pointers.

The end result was a 78-75 Wolf Pack loss in front of 6,598 fans at Lawlor Events Center, snapping Nevada's 12-game winning streak over Tech...

Go here for the remainder.

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Fox takes blame for loss to Louisiana Tech
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
2/5/2009

Just as he did when the Wolf Pack lost to Idaho at home to open the WAC season, Nevada basketball coach Mark Fox tried to take the blame after his teams loss to Louisiana Tech on Thursday night. At the crux of the 78-75 defeat was a Nevada defense that allowed Tech to shoot 60 percent from the field -- 66.7 percent in the second half -- while yielding 17 layups/dunks and 7-of-13 shooting from the 3-point line. Man-to-man defense, zone defense, it really didn't matter. The Pack couldn't stop the Bulldogs, and Fox blamed himself.

“I have to find a way to get the job done," Fox said. "I couldn’t find a way to get us to guard tonight. Put it on me. I could not find a way to get us to guard. So, I’ll take responsibility for it, because I could not find an answer. I’m extremely disappointed in that. The message to our team was that if you don’t defend and rebound, you can’t win. Not at our level. Not with the effort tonight...”

Go here for the remainder.

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You win and lose as a team despite what takes place individually on the court. We do (and did) question Brandon Fields taking 15 shots on a night his shooting was definitely off plus his taking one very near the end but, on the flip side, shooters/scorers must retain a confidence regardless of what is happening. But no apology is necessary from Fields, certainly not a public one.

Fields apologizes for bad game
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
February 6, 2009

After suffering through arguably his worst game in a Nevada uniform, junior guard Brandon Fields said he was sorry -- to his teammates and to the fans.

"I didn't play like I'm capable of playing," said Fields, who finished 2-of-15 from the field in a 78-75 loss to Louisiana Tech on Thursday night. "I apologize to the fans for having to see this..."

Go here for the remainder.

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Here's Ron Tyler and A Closer Look at LA TECH Hoops with a game review:

Nevada Recap
February 6, 2009 ·

Final 78-75 Tech.

Kerry Rupp probably feels like hitting the casinos tonight. Another one possession game. This one to a Nevada team that Tech hasn’t beaten since 2002. But the difference between this one and the last few was that Tech made the free throws and the defensive play at the end.

Thoughts on a continued great week to be a Tech fan (combined with football signing day)

Starters

Rolle
Rogers
Guyton
Gibson
Loe

*It’s feels good to shoot the ball well. High percentages (probably season highs) due mostly to getting the ball to the rim early in the contest and just flat out hitting jumpers late. The final shooting numbers are just nice to look at – 60% from the field, 54% from three. Five players in double figures.

*Got down big early (13) and battled back with a flurry right before halftime to cut it to a six point deficit at the half. Nevada jumped out early but the Bulldogs got it back to within a two possession game by the second media timeout and it stayed close til the end.

*Bench play was a big one with Tech getting a big early lift with Oliverson’s 8 first half points and Jackson’s 6 in the second. On the night the Tech bench outscored Nevada’s bench 23-15. And you have to love the second half bench scoring – Tech 11, Nevada 2. Bench also had nice A/TO mark with 4/2...

Go here for the remainder.

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Fresno State was a no-show in Honolulu:

Rainbow Warriors bulldoze Bulldogs
Brian McInnis
Honolulu Star Bulletin
February 6, 2009

After hiding in the dark of the Western Athletic Conference basement, Hawaii can see the light.

The Rainbow Warriors dominated last-place Fresno State 69-43 before a White-Out crowd of 3,234 last night at the Stan Sheriff Center, ensuring they remained out of the conference cellar.

UH (11-11, 3-7 WAC) held the Bulldogs (9-14, 1-7) to a 10-point first half and the lowest total of a Rainbows opponent since Fresno scored only 42 at the Save Mart Center in 2006-07. Hawaii shot 50.9 percent and was also dominant on the backboards, with a 49-22 rebounding advantage...

Go here for the remainder.

Or if you prefer:

'Bows dominate stone-cold Bulldogs
UH jumps out to 16-1 lead en route to rolling over Fresno, 69-43
Dayton Morinaga
Honolulu Advertiser
February 6, 2009

There weren't quite enough fans to make the "White-Out" look effective last night, so the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team went with a wipeout theme instead.

In a game that was never close, the Rainbow Warriors routed Fresno State, 69-43, last night.

A White-Out crowd of 3,234 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched the Rainbow Warriors improve to 11-11 overall and 3-7 in the Western Athletic Conference.

Fresno State dropped to 9-14 and 1-7.

The 'Bows are tied for seventh place in the nine-team WAC; the Bulldogs are in last...

Go here for the remainder.

Daniel Lyght 's Fresno Bee articvle is here.

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Utah State's bigs got into early foul trouble but long-range shooting and a strong second half led the Aggies to a win over New Mexico State.

Aggies shoot their way to victory
Jared Eborn
Deseret News
February 6, 2009

LOGAN — Tai Wesley and Gary Wilkinson were sitting next to Utah State coach Stew Morrill, both players stuck with two fouls each just minutes into the game.

And though the powerful post players are the top scorers on the No. 25-ranked Aggies' roster, the supporting cast was more than ready to step up and lift Utah State to its 17th consecutive win with a 78-59 win over New Mexico State.

"When our post guys are kind of struggling," USU point guard Jared Quayle said, "it's good to be able to hit some shots."

The Aggie perimeter players certainly did that — knocking down a season-high 12 3-pointers — and helping Utah State improve to 22-1 with an unblemished 10-0 mark in the Western Athletic Conference.

And doing it with the two veteran post players limited to a combined 51 minutes because of their foul trouble, Morrill was pleased to get a win — even if it was a 19-point victory in which he said his team never really dominated...

Go here for the remainder.

Here's Shawn Harrison with his report:

USU rolls after half
Shawn Harrison
The Herald Journal
February 6, 2009

There is no taking the easy way with this Utah State team.

The nationally ranked Aggies — 22nd in the USA Today/ESPN poll and 25th in The Associated Press — jumped out to a big lead, got their big men in foul trouble, were clinging to a three-point lead at halftime and drew the ire of head coach Stew Morrill. That was after just the first 20 minutes Thursday night at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

“I was not happy,” Morrill said of the first half. “I usually take four or five minutes with the coaches (during halftime) before I come into the players, and there was none of that. I was right in there.

“... They (New Mexico State Aggies) just kicked our butts for 10 or 12 minutes, and that is unacceptable. I think they thought that too.”


Morrill’s Aggies did respond in a big way against visiting New Mexico State. There were a few more bumps along the way in this Western Athletic Conference match up, but in the end, it was another USU victory, 78-59, in front of 9,415 fans...

Go here for the remainder.