Thursday's WAC links

Can you 'spiral' upward? It sure seems the word is used mostly, if not only, in conjunction with a downward trajectory but it seems like it should allow for moving both ways. Anyway, Nevada continued Boise State's hurt last night with a victory over the Broncos but the final score was close and the game was tied at halftime. Kudos to the Gazette-Journal management for sending Chris Murray on the road to cover the contest:

Nevada nets thrilling win over Boise State
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
January 21, 2010

Nevada's Luke Babbitt got the ball in the post, turned over his right shoulder and hit a shot while being fouled. He flashed a toothy grin and then canned his free throw.

On Boise State's ensuing possession, Brandon Fields snared a steal and passed it ahead to Babbitt, who jammed home an uncontested dunk with 3 minutes, 10 seconds left in the game.

Another wide grin. A double-digit Wolf Pack lead. Game over.

Despite fighting foul trouble and its own ability to hang on to the ball, the Nevada basketball team hung on to score an 88-82 victory over Boise State on Wednesday night at Taco Bell Arena...

Go here for the remainder.

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If it was a game decided by the numbers other than the final score, the Broncos did quite well:

No dice: Boise State men can't stop their skid
Nevada knocks off BSU as the Broncos fall to 0-7 in WAC play.
Nick Jezierny
Idaho Statesman
1/21/10

The Boise State men's basketball team scored the first seven points of Wednesday night's WAC game against Nevada.

It didn't matter - an unlucky seven turned out to be the result.

The Broncos lost their seventh game in a row - an 88-82 setback to the Wolf Pack in front of 2,883 fans at Taco Bell Arena.

The losing streak extends the school record for most defeats in a row to start conference play and is the longest negative streak since BSU dropped seven in a row in the 2001-02 season...

Go here for the remainder.

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Tony Jones blogs about the latest off the court incident involving New Mexico State basketball and employs the words (we'll use shorthand here) IC which shivers the timbers of anyone at the collegiate level:

New Mexico State - Institutional control?
Tony Jones
Salt Lake City Tribune
Aggieville: USU Sports
January 20, 2010

When I was playing basketball at the college level, and there was a program with all sorts of arrests, academic trouble, and players basically running afoul of seemingly each and every rule, me, my teammates, and my coaches would laugh and call it a "renegade program".

That's what New Mexico State is. A renegade program.

I challenge anyone associated with that program to try and prove me wrong. Wendell McKines, who is a baller at power forward by the way, and I think a good articulate kid, (I read his blog and got laughs out of it), was arrested on a warrant for failure to pay a fine stemming from a previous incident. Ok, I get that.

McKines spent 10 hours in the slammer.

McKines gets bonded out.

McKines PLAYS THAT NIGHT against Fresno State. Are you serious?

Go here for the remainder.

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A prep point guard out of southern California is getting some attention from Hawaii, as well as non-WAC schools:

Douglas Drawing New Interest
Greg Hicks
West Coast Recruiting Analyst
January 21, 2010

Tim Douglas is the best passing point guard in the West Coast class of 2010 and he tells us about some of the schools that have been involved in his recruitment...

Tim Douglas, 5-8 SR PG Lakewood (Calif.) Mayfair, is an outstanding passer and one of the top unsigned point guards in the class of 2010. Douglas has excellent vision and he’s a true point guard that can also create his own shot...

Go here for the remainder and a WAC sub is required.

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Scout also has an article on San Diego area point LaBradford Franklin and the young man does not list Nevada as a school of mutual interest.

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Per Zach Bell, an Illinois community college point is being eyed by Nevada -- the degree of interest falls into the 'who knows?' category:

"Wabash Valley starting point guard Brandon Dunson has led his team to a 15-2 record and a No. 6 national ranking.

Oklahoma State and Nevada have recently evaluated him. Arizona State is expected on Wednesday, with Gonzaga coming in later in the week...

Go here (and scroll about halfway down) at The Slipper Still Fits site for the remainder of the post -- gotta love the name chosen for the Gonzaga basketball super site.