Your Wednesday WAC

Jeff Davis has a fascinating post about the how-and-why of Fresno State's takedown of Nevada -- minus Paul George.

Preparation paid off
Jeff Davis
Fresno Bee
January 26, 2010

I think most Fresno State fans would agree that Saturday's 87-77 upset of Nevada with star Paul George on the bench was something short of a miracle.

I'll tell you in sec why it wasn't.

George, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, was on the bench with a badly sprained ankle and couldn't play. That seemed to spell doom for the Bulldogs against one of the WAC's elite teams...

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We would venture to day that what Steve Cleveland and his assistants did is something each WAC coaching staff (as well as elsewhere) does -- a sort of par for the course (which doesn't diminish the devising of any successful game plan one iota).

It's the actual carrying out, the fulfillment of what is the focus that is the far too often primary stumbling block. That, and how the opponent reacts and diversifies (or doesn't).

Planning is a necessity. Getting young people (or medium-aged or older) to carry about the specifics -- the box of chocolates, so to speak -- that's the part where coaches never know what they are truly going to get until it takes place. Steve Cleveland was rewarded with a pleasurable assortment of Knipschildts and Delafees.

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Nick Jezierny analyzes the Boise State win over Idaho:

Broncos hope win starts a new streak
Nick Jezierny
Idaho Statesman
1/26/10

MOSCOW — The Boise State men’s basketball team hopes that Monday night’s thrilling overtime victory over rival Idaho is the start of something big.

The Broncos (10-11 overall, 1-7 WAC) play five of their next six games at Taco Bell Arena, starting with Saturday’s WAC game against Fresno State. BSU had lost seven games in a row before Monday.

“We got the monkey off our back — we got one,” Boise State coach Greg Graham said. “We’ve got a homestand coming up, and we need to dig in and play. Hopefully the people will rally back behind us. We’ve got off to a slow start, but hopefully they’ll come out and support us...

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Brian Green and Brady Jardine get some major love from Tony Jones:

Green, Jardine taking this team to next level
Tony Jones
Aggieville - Salt Lake City Tribune

Scanning the conference and the powers of the league, I see at least three teams with a starting five comparable, even better, than the one Utah State can trot out on any given night.

Louisiana Tech comes to mind as the most obvious team. They are quick, lengthy, powerful and explosive all in one when it comes to the first wave of players. If Utah State has the most balance, and Aggieville believes that, then the Bulldogs are the most explosive...

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Jones also has underdone a change of mind:

San Jose surprise
Tony Jones
Aggieville - Salt Lake City Tribune

Raise your hand if at the beginning of the season, you looked at the two San Jose State games on the schedule and wrote "automatic W" right next to it. I admit it. I did. I never thought of the Spartans as a threat.

I don't think that anymore...

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