Mike White's contract is officially approved

Ethan Conley writes about the details of Coach Mike White's contract.

Olu Ashaolu's road trip continues

Per Adam Zagoria, Olu Ashaolu has worked his way down the west coast and is now at San Diego State.

Tuesday and the world of WAC hoops

Ethan Conley has a feature about the direction Coach Mike White wishes to take Louisiana Tech recruiting.

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Dayton Morinaga has more on prep point Shaquille Stokes (shouldn't the original Shaq get a monetary dividend for those named after him?) who apparently will be visiting the islands as part of his recruiting journeys.

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Geez, what's the deal with Gib Arnold's contract? Brian McInnis and Ferd Lewis fill us in on the matter. It's starting to take on Jarndyce v Jarndyce proportions of Dickens' "Bleak House" infamy.

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Bleed Crimson's Sam Wasson is first again with the locating of another Coach Marvin Menzies commit.

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George Hostetter is back with a followup to his Friday blog entry about the funding of Fresno State athletics.

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Shawn Harrison offers a personal feature about Coach Stew Morrill.

DeAndre Brown suspended

Louisiana Tech Coach Kerry Rupp has suspended leading scorer Deandre Brown -- head here.

Jonathan Underwood and a pair of WAC teams

Anthony Ray @ Arizona Preps has a post up today (Rivals sub required) on 6-foot-9 Jonathan Underwood, a transfer out of Missouri who was supposedly headed to San Diego State but not anymore.

PTW mentions this because Utah State and Louisiana Tech -- among many others -- are listed as pursuers.Jonathan Underwood

Here is Underwood's time at Missouri. Here is an article about his departure from Missouri (which was apparently due to his old brother's illness).

DeAndre Brown is honored as WAC POW

From Jason Erickson, the WAC Director of Media Relations:

Louisiana Tech's DeAndre Brown has been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 15-21. The honor marks the first career WAC Player of the Week award for Brown.

Brown, a senior guard from Fort Worth, Texas (Navarro JC), led Louisiana Tech to four wins last week, scoring double-digits in all four games. He scored 10 points in a 60-54 win over Houston, 18 in an 85-72 win over Seattle, 15 points with a career-high five three-pointers in an 80-65 win against Navy and a career-high 26 points in a 76-72 win over UC Irvine. For his performance over the weekend, he was named MVP of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer Irvine subregional.

Over the four games, Brown averaged a team-high 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He also shot 42.6 percent (26-of-61) from the field, including nine makes from three-point range.

Other nominees included: 

* Boise State senior guard La'Shard Anderson  
* Hawai'i senior forward Bill Amis 
*Idaho senior forward Luiz Toledo 
* Nevada junior forward Dario Hunt 
* San Jose State senior guard Justin Graham 
* Utah State senior guard Brian Green

A note on Holton Hunsaker

Just about everyone thought Holton Hunsaker would arrive in Ruston after completing his LDS mission. He had signed on with LA TECH out of high school but choose to fulfill his requirement first.

PTW just came across this in an article on Utah Valley hoops

"...His son Holton Hunsaker, is competing for the starting job. He signed to play at Louisiana Tech, but after serving an LDS church mission, he didn't want to leave his family for another four years and with UVU having a need at point guard, the fit was made.

"Holton is a true throw back point guard, (more of a passing point guard)," Dick Hunsaker said. "I've never coached my son. This was never by design, but it's something I take very seriously. I want it to be a good experience for everyone involved. I will do my best to coach him and the other 12 players..."

A Texas big has his favorites

A Texas big in the prep ranks -- 6-foot-9 Forrest Robinson -- has an offer from LA TECH as well as many other schools but Ruston doesn't appear to be among the leaders. Go here (a Rivals sub is required).

A Kerry Rupp chat

Kerry Rupp did an on-line chat yesterday and the Q-and-A has been transcribed -- go here.

Collegehoops.net previews Louisiana Tech

It's beginning to be that time of the year and Joel Welser at the Collegehoops site is offering a Louisiana Tech hoops preview along with the prediction of another 20-win season. He lists a clouple of players no longer on the current roster but that's bound to happen when doing more than 100 previews. Go here.

LA TECH issues a roster update

Louisiana Tech has released an official count of the additions to the basketball squad and four of the names are new to us:

Rupp Adds Nine for Upcoming Season
Bulldog basketball adds nine for the 2010-11 season
Louisiana Tech Athletics
August 31, 2010

Louisiana Tech head coach Kerry Rupp and his staff have signed eight newcomers to national letters of intent and added one walk-on for the 2010-11 men's basketball season.

Having lost five letterwinners from last season's 24-11 team, including second round NBA draft pick Magnum Rolle and Kyle Gibson who ranks sixth on the all-time scoring list, Rupp and Co. had a lot of work to do this summer.

"We are very excited about our recruiting class," Rupp said. "This will give us high caliber players as well as outstanding young men to work with and who will fit into our program and system extremely well. I want to praise my entire staff on the excellent job of working together to bring in this outstanding group of student-athletes."

Of the nine new Bulldogs, four are college transfers and five are incoming freshmen with two from the state of Louisiana...

Go here for the remainder.

Friday's WAC-aroni

How many gave Louisiana Tech a chance -- minus Kyle Gibson and Magnum Rolle -- in the CIT matchup with Southern Mississippi? Ethan Conley has the game report here and you will be pleasantly surprised. Granted, SoMiss's best player was also out but that doesn't detract from the WAC taking a win against Conference USA.

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Sam Wasson has a link-a-palooza up today at his Bleed Crimson site. Sam is in Spokane and offers up analysis with Aggie announcer Jack Nixon, press conferences with both teams, an interview with Aggie fan Bill Conroy and more. So shut the door and put out a 'do not disturb' sign, mute your phone and dive in.

Jason Groves is also in the hometown of John Stockton has a feature on the on-court Aggie leaders and a sort of verbal kerfluffle but an enjoyable one in this day of pre-packaged thoughts and comments. Say, how many of you were familiar with Kalin Lucas before this week? PTW knew of him but not his stats nor how his season has gone to date.

Jason also offers that no surprises remain in the arsenal of any coach at this point -- it's efficiency time.

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Brad Rock provides a look at Tyler Newbold and his playing with diabetes here.

Rod Turner talks with former Aggie mentor Rod Tueller.

Jeff Hunter provides some insight to last year's Utah State - Marquette matchup.

Here is Jeff with a Stew Morrill feature plus a photo of you-know-who that has to be seen to be believed. PTW's first thought: damn, isn't he the precursor to Tom Selleck, Magnum PI?

Tony Jones writes that Texas A&M likes to push opponents around so it seems that the game will be all-Olivia Newton-John.

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Greg Graham has applied for the Hawaii head coach opening as have 17 other new candidates as Dayton Morinaga tell us here.

Brian McInnis details the primary coaching candidates for the opening. Don't count out Steve McClain who compiled an impressive record at Wyoming. If you can recruit to Laramie, well... Plus, look up animated in the dictionary and Steve McClain's photo is there.

Your Thursday WAC news and notes

Oh, the outrage! Jim Hilley/Bulletin n the Zone undertook an extra major effort to provide us with a press conference transcript in which the Wall Streeters of college hoops get tweaked, however unintentionally. Go here for the Main Street fun.

Jason Groves gives props to Gordo Castillo, who bleeds Las Cruces. Jason also offers an article about the adversity the Aggies and Spartans shared this season plus a blog entry about the big C.

Matt James has a man crush on Wendell McKines and also makes a prediction on the New Mexico State - Michigan State matchup. Go here.

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The Sweet 16 sounds like some sort of sugar-induced extra poundage -- we should know -- but USU is headed there according to a number of prognosticators. Jared Eborn offers the details.

Shawn Harrison informs his readers that Spokane is the Lilac City and tells us more here.

Tony Jones sees some interesting parallels here. Will USU get Sloaned or not?

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Chris Murray has a lengthy game report on the Wolf Pack's win over the Shockers last night.
Brandon Fields performed a posterization -- read about it here.

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Dayton Morinaga and Ferd Lewis tell us that seven prospects have been interviewed for the UH head coaching position.

Brian McInnis has some background on the newest interviewee plus news about another Hawaii basketballer who may not return. It's all here.

Matt Schuman of the Greeley Tribune fills us in on Tad Boyle but the question remains about his interest in interviewing.

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Louisiana Tech hosts Southern Mississippi as part of the CIT tonight and Ethan Conley offers this preview.

New Mexico State wins on a last minute shot / Utah State rolls

Wasn't that a game! PTW disagrees with the television announcers -- Jahmar Young's game-winning shot was a difficult one, involving turning the body and with the threat of Luke Babbitt coming up on him. So that makes it deserving of even more kudos.

Sam Wasson starts us off with game coverage here. Jason Groves is here. Chris Murray here.

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Jared Eborn leads with his coverage of the Aggies romp over the Rolle-less Bulldogs. He also blogs here with a couple of interesting tidbits.

Shawn Harrison offers his report.

Tony Jones is here.

It probably would have made no difference against the USU steamroller but minus Magnum Rolle and essentially without Kyle Gibson made this matchup Alamo-like, and weren't not talking rental car company.

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Also, hit the Bulletin in the Zone for all sorts of WAC tourney coverage.

It's time for the semi-finals

Jason Groves leads us off with a take on tonight's semi-final matchups. Go here.

Chris Murray offers seven key elements to eye in the Nevada - New Mexico State contest. Go here.

Ferd Lewis offers up a name not many know about as a possible candidate for the Hawaii head coaching position. Go here.

Jared Eborn offers more Aggie honors. Go here.

Utah State and LA TECH to tangle

Utah State did away with Boise State 84-60, Louisiana Tech just handled Fresno State 74-66 and each will meet up tomorrow.

It was 35-30 in favor of the Aggies at the half. For the game, USU out-rebounded the Broncos 47-27. Both squads attempted 61 shots but Stew Morrill's bunch made nine more.

A less-than-healthy Kyle Gibson managed just seven points in 33 minutes and committed six turnovers but Tech's Jamel Guyton exploded for a team-leading 31 points in the victory for the southern Bulldogs. Guyton grabbed 11 boards -- also tops on the team -- for a tourney double-double.

Fresno State was minus Mychal Ladd and went 4-18 from three-point range while gathering 11 less free throw attempts than LT. Paul George put up a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds for Steve Cleveland's squad.

It's Gameday

Chris Murray has a preview of the Nevada - Idaho matchup here.

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Sam Wasson offers multiple features. Here is a preview featuring a Marvin Menzies video interview. Sam also breaks down each tournament game today and that can be found here.

Jason Groves interviews departing Aggie senior Jonathan Gibson here.

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Jimmy Watson features Kyle Gibson in a Les Stroud/Bear Grylls reference here. It's been a tough tenure for the LA TECH star but he's going out on a high, competing for the WAC championship and, no, he doesn't enjoy grubs and other creepy crawlies as snack food. Let's hope KG is back to full health and feeling no aftereffects from his ankle sprain.

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So you think you can dance? Paul George answers in the affirmative in Daniel Lyght's feature here.

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Nick Jezierny offers his game breakdown here. There's Billyball, small ball and also long ball -- Nick says here that Boise State is counting on the latter to take down USU.

Jared Eborn says tyhe Aggies are looking to roll a trey in the next few days here. Shawn Harrison offers that Utah State is all Buster Poindexter at the moment (hot hot hot) here. Tony Jones is here with his pre-game coverage.

The regular season has concluded

It's over. Time for the 'new' season.

Here's the final WAC standings:

Utah State 14-2
Nevada 11-5
New Mexico State 11-5
Louisiana Tech 9-7
Fresno State 7-9
San Jose State 6-10
Idaho 6-10
Boise State 5-11
Hawai'i 3-13

So Utah State will face Boise State. Nevada matches up with Idaho. New Mexico State and San Jose State meet up while Louisiana Tech and Fresno State are foes. It's late and our eyes are bleary but we think that's correct.

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Utah State downed visiting New Mexico State 81-63 on the strength of Tai Wesley's 24 points and Jared Quayle's 17. It was 34-30 USU at the half but a 47-33 point differential in the second 2o minutes did the trick. Jahamr Young scored 17 for the southern Aggies.

Check out Tony Jones' Aggieville for a number of posts on the game which featured a lot of player and coach tongue-wagging. Shawn Harrison is here with his early game writeup.

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Host Nevada took down Louisiana Tech 79-68 -- Chris Murray has his early game report here. Magnum Rolle was a force with 22 points and 17 boards. Luke Babbitt led all scorers with 29 markers.

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Boise State appears like the opponent not to face in the WAC tourney, taking down visiting San Jose State 85-56 this afternoon. It was very solid shooting for the Broncos alongside poor shooting and ballhandling by the Spartans. If momentum matters, Greg Graham's team has it. Here's the early game report from SJSU athletics.

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Idaho handled Hawaii 78-69 as senior backcourter Steffan Johnson was zoned in from long distance, hitting eight treys on his way to 28 points. Mac Hopson put up a double-double of 15 points and 11 assists. Roderick Flemings closed out his UH career with 29 points. Here is Travis Mason-Bushman's Twitter account with all sorts of game tweets.

Your Friday wrap of last night's games

Let's lead off with the game, make that the shootout, of the night -- one that ESPN2, in retrospect, should have televised. Fields usually get furrowed but it was the Aggies plowed under by Brandon Fields last evening in Reno.

Chris Murray is all over the Wolf Pack win over New Mexico State here. Chris offers a plethora of game notes here. Sam Wasson is here and Jason Groves here with their game reports.

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Showing some fire still remains, host Fresno State rallied from a second-half deficit to beat Louisiana Tech, a southern Bulldog squad minus Kyle Gibson due to an ankle ailment. Daniel Lyght has his game report here.

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Travis Mason-Bushman live-blogged Idaho's victory over visiting San Jose State. Here is his game report plus a post-game video interview with Kashif Watson (although there is no definitive word if Watson called his bank shot). Josh Wright provides his game report here.

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Host Boise State had an easy time with Hawaii -- here is Nick Jezierny's game report. The Honolulu Advertiser has Josh Rodriguez and his take here.

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It was a night where each home team won, some unusual firepower was on display at a couple of the venues, where Fresno State had something to prove and did so and with Boise State continuing on its resurgence of sorts.

Boise State tops LA Tech

Hey, there's room on the Greg Graham bandwagon.

The Broncos ventured way south to Ruston, dragging a 2-10 conference record (1-5 on the road) as well as being losers of three in a row. Louisiana Tech, situated in third place at 8-4 in league action and a very solid 5-1 within the confines of the Thomas Assembly Center, certainly had notions of a victory, as did most if not all of us.

Try 72-59. In favor of BSU.

50% Boise State shooting, including 8-18 from long distance paved the way. Paul Noonan led with 14 and Ike Okoye added 12.

For the Bulldogs, Kyle Gibson scored just six points on 3-11 shooting, playing but 22 minutes. Magnum Rolle also was held to six markers. LT shot just 35% including 3-16 on trey attempts.

It was 37 apiece at the half but the Broncos owned the second 20 minutes 35-22.