Tuesday's WAC - O - Rama

New Mexico State fans got some good news as frontcourt help is now available with the NCAA clearance of freshman B.J. West:

West cleared by NCAA
Jason Groves
Las Cruces Sun-News
12/08/2009

On Monday, B.J. West stepped onto the practice court at the Pan American Center for the first time with a member of the New Mexico State men's basketball coaching staff.

The NCAA cleared West to practice and potentially play on Monday. So the freshman forward, who is listed at 6-foot-11, shot around with assistant coach Mick Durham on Monday. The Aggies were off on Monday and West will join them for the first time in practice today...

Go here for the remainder.

Now it's waiting for Godot time, er, make that Wendell McKines and Troy Gillenwater.

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Why stop at 96? Chris Murray has an interesting article about The Big Dance and provides his thoughts:

NCAA Tournament to expand to 96 teams?
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
12/7/2009

Not many things in the sports world are perfect. The NCAA Tournament is one of those things. But it might be getting a facelift, including the addition of 31 teams and some teams getting byes, according to SportsBusinessJournal.com...

Go here for the remainder.

Does this make college basketball similar to college football where two teams actually celebrate going to The Toilet Bowl?

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Travis Mason-Bushman offers his WAC team ranking for this week:

WAC Hoops Power Rankings
Travis Mason-Bushman
Vandal Nation
December 8, 2009

For week two, there’s been a few things shaken up and a new team has found its way to the bottom of the list...

Go here for the remainder.

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Shawn Harrison has a feature on USU's outside-shooting woes -- we didn't think such a description for Logan basketball would ever need to be typed:

USU shooters struggling so far this hoops season
Jared Eborn
Deseret News
December 7, 2009

Utah State is on rare ground.

The Aggie basketball team, which has led the nation in field goal shooting in each of the past two seasons, is in a funk.

USU, through seven games, is averaging just 44.8 percent shooting and that — at least in part — has resulted in a start few expected from the Aggies. USU is now 4-3 and didn't have its third loss until Feb. 22 last year — perhaps not coincidentally coming to the same Saint Mary's team that snapped a 37-game home court win streak on Saturday...

Go here for the remainder.

and

Tony Jones chimes in on the subject:

Aggieville: USU Sports
Tony Jones
Salt Lake City Tribune

A few days ago, Stew Morrill stood straight up, looked the media in the eye and said exactly what was on his mind. All, which of course, is classic Stew Morrill.

"Right now, we're having problems scoring the basketball," Morrill said...

Go here for the remainder.

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The best game stat line of any WAC player this season shouldn't depart with a whimper:

20/20 stat line not a big deal to Balocka
'Bows senior just happy to get win over Lamar on Sunday
Dayton Morinaga
Honolulu Advertiser
December 8, 2009

Hindsight is not a part of 20/20 vision as far as Petras Balocka is concerned.

Less than 24 hours after finishing with 20 points and 20 rebounds to lead the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team to a 96-78 victory over Lamar, Balocka was already putting the statistical rarity behind...

Go here for the remainder.

and

Brian McInnis has more:

UH's Balocka pushes on after 20-20 night
Brian McInnis
Honolulu Star Bulletin
December 08, 2009

Most of the time the saying goes, "just shut up and play." In the case of Petras Balocka, it's closer to, "play, then shut up."

The Hawaii senior forward posted an impressive 20-point, 20-rebound game Sunday night against Lamar. But after team practice yesterday, the 6-foot-8, 250-pound Lithuanian was more concerned about the Rainbow Warriors' next opponent, Division II Chaminade tomorrow at 7 p.m., than any memories of his 20-20 night.

"I'm feeling a little sore and tired, but I gotta forget about it and move on," said Balocka, whose career night put him closest to the UH 30-rebound record of Rainbows coach Bob Nash since Nash's big night against Arizona State in 1971. "I mean, what did I do? It's one game. I did good, and (tomorrow) is a new game, so everybody will have forgotten about it. You gotta move on. You can't sleep on it, you know what I mean? That's the first thing for failures..."

Go here for the remainder.

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Jason Jones at his Here Come The Dawgs Scout site has a "Kyle Gibson Is Money" feature. Go here for it.