And then there were four...

Where to begin? Where to begin?

Travis Mason-Bushman/Vandal Nation has the eyewitness scoop on Idaho's fall to Louisiana Tech:

No more magic: Vandals upset by Louisiana Tech, 70-62
Vandal Nation

The Idaho Vandals’ magic turnaround season came to an abrupt end this evening. Backed by Kyle Gibson’s 23 points, the sixth-seeded Louisiana Tech Bulldogs defeated the third-seeded Vandals, 70-62, in a Western Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinal matchup in the Lawlor Events Center.

Throughout the game, Idaho could not seem to find an answer to the Bulldogs, either on offense or defense. Louisiana Tech, 15-17 (6-10 WAC), took the lead halfway through the first half on Kyle Gibson’s third 3-pointer of the period and never looked back. Thereafter, the closest the Vandals would manage to get was two points. Idaho finished its first season under coach Don Verlin with a 16-15 record, 9-7 in the WAC.

“You have to give Louisiana Tech all the credit tonight,” Verlin said. “They did a great job with their game plan and they did an outstanding job of countering everything we had...”

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Chadd Cripe/Idaho Statesman reports on the same:

Idaho men's basketball team loses in WAC quarterfinals
Chadd Cripe
Idaho Statesman
March 12, 2009

His players were feeling the pain of unexpected defeat. You could sense that in their soft voices.

Idaho men’s basketball coach Don Verlin was feeling the satisfaction of accomplishment. You could see it in his smile.

One was focused on the present, the other on the future.

The third-seeded Vandals lost to the sixth-seeded Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 70-62 on Thursday night in the WAC Tournament quarterfinals.

The loss put a disappointing end on a surprising season in which the Vandals (16-15) doubled their win total from 2007-08...

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Daniel Lyght/Fresno Bee has a FSU - USU report:

Fresno State men stagger in hoops loss
Utah State, seizing control early, finishes off Bulldogs.
Daniel Lyght
The Fresno Bee
March 12, 2009

Top-seeded Utah State was the team with something to lose Thursday afternoon inside the Lawlor Events Center. The Aggies confronted large expectations to win the Western Athletic Conference tournament title and solidify a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Yet it was ninth-seeded Fresno State that fizzled under pressure.

The Bulldogs were dismantled in the first 4 minutes and lingered just out of reach for the rest of the contest, ending their season with an 85-68 loss.

"We took a couple bad shots, which we haven't done in a month," coach Steve Cleveland said. "We panicked. Defensively, we were on our heels. They came out just knocking shots down and before I knew it, I called a timeout."

The Aggies held a 14-2 lead in the quarterfinal game before missing a shot. And even then, they rebounded it and hit a floater to extend their advantage...

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Shawn Harrison/Herald Journal offers his take:

A barrage of 3-balls
Shawn Harrison
Herald Journal
March 13, 2009

So much for first-game jitters or any concerns with an early start.

The top-seeded Aggies jumped on the Bulldogs right out of the gate and never looked back in their first-round Western Athletic Conference Tournament game Thursday afternoon at the Lawlor Events Center. Utah State ended Fresno State’s season with an 85-68 win in front of a pro-Aggie crowd.

“We started really well and came out very aggressive,” USU head coach Stew Morrill said. “I wanted our team to play loose.”

Which the Aggies did...

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Jeff Hunter/Herald Journal provides an interesting article on the 'geezers' of the WAC and their physical infirmities:

Quayle’s just fine
Jeff Hunter
Herald Journal
March 13, 2009

A young Mark Twain cut his teeth as a journalist about 140 years ago in Virginia City, a mining boomtown just south of “The Biggest Little City in the World.” Years later as an old man, the popular writer was credited with the famous quote: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated...” Go here for the remainder.

Nick Jezierny/Idaho Statesman witnessed the BSU - NMSU contest:

One and done: Early exit for Boise State men
New Mexico State knocks off the Broncos in a first-round WAC game.
Nick Jezierny
Idaho Statesman
3/13/09

The similarities were striking between the Boise State men's basketball team's 80-70 loss to New Mexico State on Thursday and the Broncos' season in general.

There were flashes of brilliance, stretches of ineptitude and overall inconsistency. It added up to a disappointing and quick stay in the WAC Tournament...

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Teddy Feinberg, Las Cruces Sun-News sports editor, look at last night matchup:

Thursday, March 12, 2009
Pieces of a Man
A positive step

The Aggies beating Boise State was a positive on a number of fronts.

First off, the win in general is big because it gives you a sense of progress. Nobody wanted to go to the WAC Tourney and be one and done. Boise State beat NMSU twice this year, but the general consensus on the blog going into the tourney was that it seemed like a decent matchup for the Aggies...

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Chris Murray/Reno Gazette-Journal looks at last night's Wolf Pack win over San Jose State:

Nevada looking up in tourney after 78-69 win over SJSU
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
March 13, 2009

Luke Babbitt has had plenty of big games this season, but the Wolf Pack freshman saved his biggest for the season's largest stage.

In his first-ever WAC Tournament game, Babbitt scored a career-high 30 points to lead Nevada to a hard-fought 78-69 victory over San Jose State on Thursday night in front of 6,965 fans at Lawlor Events Center...

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Here's Chris Murray with post game quotes:

Post-game from Wolf Pack's win over San Jose State
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Jounral
3/13/2009

In tournament play, style points are worthless. Win and advance. That's all that matters. And that's what Nevada did in its 78-69 quarterfinal victory over San Jose State on Thursday night. Of course, the Wolf Pack doesn't beat the Spartans on Thursday without Luke Babbitt and Malik Cooke. Babbitt saved his first 30-point game for a nice time, hitting 8-of-14 from the field and 12-of-13 from the charity stripe. Cooke was just as indispensable, with 16 points (on 6-of-8 shooting), six boards, three steals and two blocks. He also had a personal 5-0 spurt after SJSU got within one point halfway through the second half. And he held SJSU standout Adrian Oliver in check (12 points on 5-of-14 shooting).

That's the good news. The bad news. Armon Johnson slammed his knee against a SJSU player late in the first half and limped through the rest of the game. “Knee to knee. Bone on bone," Fox said. "It’s like taking a baseball bat and slugging it up against your knee. I think it cost Nancy Kerrigan a gold medal, so hopefully it doesn’t cost us. It was not a dirty play, just a part of the game. But he’s very sore. He toughed it up and hit a big three after that.” Johnson played well with 14 points (on 6-of-8 shooting), five boards and three assists. But he was clearly favoring his left knee. He was unavailable to the media after the game, as he was receiving treatment, but should be ready to go tonight...

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