Ned Golubovic excelling in the classrom, again and again and again

Golubovic Makes It 3-for-3!
Senior forward Nedeljko Golubovic is the program's first three-time winner of the CoSIDA Academic All-District recognition.
Feb. 3, 2011
 
Senior team captain Nedeljko Golubovic completed the career Academic All-District sweep with his third consecutive first-team Academic All-District honor to become eligible to be selected as an Academic All-American.

"We are very proud of Ned," head coach Steve Cleveland said. "He's an outstanding young man, works hard in the classroom and on the court. He's been a pleasure to coach and to be around and will leave the Fresno State program as a leader."

Golubovic (from Pjevlja, Serbia) is majoring in Psychology and has earned a cumulative 3.90 grade point average, the highest of honorees along the West Coast, through his seven semesters at Fresno State, including five distinctions on the President's List during five perfect 4.0 GPA semesters and selections to the Dean's List in all of his seven semesters. He is also a three-time Academic All-WAC award winner.

Golubovic's selection puts him in an elite group. He was one of two University Division student-athletes from a California university and joined Utah State's Brady Jardine and Tyler Newbold as representatives from Western Athletic Conference schools.

Student-athletes are eligible to be nominated for Academic All-District honors with a minimum 3.30 grade point average and have reached at least a sophomore standing at their institution.

During his four-year career with the Bulldogs, Golubovic has earned starts in 64 of his 118 games played. In those contests, he recorded 618 points, 412 rebounds, 109 assists and 78 steals for an average of 5.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per contest while averaging around 23 minutes of play.

A Utah State recruiting note

MelG at his Antelope Valley College basketball site has a pair of new entries up today. One is about a reinstatement to the team, the other about another playing wishing to be reinstated. USU fans should especially take a look.

Friday's WAC basketball report

In a game the Vandals will long rue and the Spartans savor, a 10-point Idaho lead vanished with less than two minutes to play and Idaho fell to Visiting San Jose State University 92-89 in double overtime.

Josh Wright covered the game as did Theo Lawson.

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Led by a pair of underclassmen and with limited minutes from Greg Smith, Fresno State nabbed a much-needed victory versus visiting New Mexico State.

Daniel Lyght was there, plus he contributed a blog entry. Sam Wasson also filed a game  report.

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Minus Zane Johnson, Hawaii went into Boise and upended the Broncos 73-66 -- Nick Jezierny offers an account as does Dayton Morinaga. Brian McInnis also posted a blog entry and Jeff Portnoy likewise.

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Chris Murray writes about the takeaway from Nevada's loss to USU.

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Kraig Williams features Nate Bendall, Shawn Harrison has a lengthy and informative column and Tony Jones reports on another Aggie commitment, a basketball one in a football week.

San Jose State and Fresno State both win

San Jose State University downed host Idaho 92-89 in double overtime and Fresno State got past visiting New Mexico State 88-83 in overtime. Daniel Lyght tweeted the latter contest.

Hawaii downs Boise State

Visiting Hawaii took down the Broncos 73-66. Nick Jezierny tweeted the game -- head here. Nick's most telling post: "Hawaii is shooting 59 percent from the field. BSU 40 percent but 4-of-23 from 3-point range."

A Utah State recruiting note

Saw this: "Utah State will watch unsigned senior guard Kevin Kaspar of Findlay Prep (NV) tomorrow, per @CoachTsimon"

UH has also shown interest, according to various sources.

Here is an ESPN evaluation of Kaspar.

Two more USU - Nevada game links

BillsS and his closest buddies are all over the interwebs today -- for no particular reason we'll post this one. The crowd definitely came through last night.

This kind of stuff fascinates us and Eli Lucero deserves the credit.

Rafael Maia to...

Mentioned in conjunction with Hawaii (and assistant coach Walter Roese), 6-foot-9 Rafael Maia has given a verbal to Brown University of the Ivy League -- head here.

Thoughts while viewing last night's game

Here's the jumple of thoughts rambling through our cabeza while watching the USU - Nevada game:

* The T.Boone Pickens U and Show me Guys are taking so long long to finish that Godot came and left

* Early on, Nevada is not getting good looks but neither is Utah State

* Stew Morrill is going to miss Tai Wesley's vision and passing next season

* The Wolf Pack is putting up far too many outside jumpers at the beginning of the second half

* There was a moment where Wild Bill's eyes took on a look that would make Wes Craven weep with envy (and probably offer a role in his next film)

* If only Brockeith Pane had the nickname Buffy then we could call him Buffy the Wolf Pack slayer

* Someone tell the Nevada players that degree-of-difficulty on their shooting attempts doesn't add any extra points

* Dario Hunt has to keep his head up and on a swivel when receiving the ball as multiple USU players are running over to swarm him

* He can't do it as an NCAA participant but Dario (come get your leather here) Hunt deserves an endorsement for coats, hats, shoes, you name it of the animal rawhide variety -- in one instance last night, he almost caused a shot clock violation with his consecutive swats

Thursday's a.m. WAC report

It was exciting for 20 minutes but then the Aggies began dominating. But Nevada's early second half shot selection fed the Utah State breakout.

Kraig Williams, Shawn Harrison and Tony Jones all report. So does Weston Mangum while Craig J. Peterson serves up 45 game photos.

Chris Murray (who was In Logan/a tip o' the hat to RGJ management) is here and here (the latter an informative look at the key factors).

Joe Santoro writes a fascinating column, completed prior to the tussle with Utah State.

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Dayton Morinaga writes that the UH team facing host Boise State tonight is a different one than in the earlier matchup between these two teams. Brian McInnis covers the confidence factor now emanating from the Rainbow Warriors.

According to Nick Jezierny, Leon Rice is calling it a very critical game for his Broncos.

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Can New Mexico State broom it versus host Fresno State? Jason Groves is here.

Daniel Lyght covers the visa players for the Aggies.

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Idaho is hosting San Jose State University in another rematch tonight. Will the Vandals sweep or the Spartans even the score?

From Tony Jones on recruit David Collette

Here's an item from Tony Jones' Twitter account:

Murray High star David Collette tells Tribune's Bill Oram that he's visiting Utah State tomorrow....6-9 power forward with skills

Here is a July 2010 article on Collette.

Did you know?

Did you know...

* Idaho (39%), Utah State (41%) and Hawaii (41%) lead in field goal percentage defense in the WAC?

* Fresno State is caboosing it in both overall field goal percentage defense (46%) and three-point field goal percentage defense (39%)? Adding (or subtracting) to the W-L record is the Bulldog overall field goal percentage shooting (39%) and three-point shooting (28%).

* Utah State hoops, known for not having a bevy of track and field athletes, tops the WAC in rebounding differential at +8.3? Thus confirming there's obviously more to boarding than jumping.

* Although it shouldn't come as a surprise but Utah State at 15.3 and Idaho at 15.1 assists per game are tops in league play?

* Boise State has a large lead in turnover margin at +5.9 (Fresno State is next at +1.67)?

* (PTW would not have guessed it either) that Steve Cleveland's squad is best in the WAC in offensive rebounding at 13.0?

* It's Troy Gillenwater (20.9) and Adrian Oliver (20.4) one and two in scoring -- Tai Wesley is at 15.0? Will the latter's scoring average harm his MVP chances?

* Olu Ashaolu is averaging 14.1 and 10.9 rebounds respectively, the only double-double numbers currently in the conference?

* Deonte Burton -- a freshman -- is fourth in the WAC is points per game average at 17?

* Hernst Laroche (5.2), Justin Graham (5.1) and LaShard Anderson (4.9) are neck-and-neck as assist leaders?

* They aren't getting a lot of them -- free throw attempts -- but Jeff ledbetter and Deremy Geiger are atop the free throw shooting stats at 95% and 91% respectively?

* Anderson is running away as the steals leader at 3.4 a game (Hernst Laroche and Justin Graham are next, tied at 1.9)?

* That Olek Czyz' name among the rebounding leaders which run 15 deep?

* These guys need to get more shots: Kyle Barone is shooting 66% and Luiz Toledo 60% from the floor?

* It's a three-way race on the assist leader board as Hernst Laroche is at 5.3, Justin Graham 5.1 and LaShard Anderson 4.9?

* (Get three to a hot tub and a cold tub) Justin Graham is averaging 39.1 minutes a game?

Wednesday and the WAC

Here's an AP article on USU hoops, complete with references to The Refraction and a certain Mr. Sproat. Tony Jones writes about tonight's Aggie - Nevada matchup. Shawn Harrison goes long (sorry for the mixed sports metaphor) on BG in a very informative read. PTW thinks the mayor of Logan must be feeling uneasy at this point as the position is Brian Green's -- if Mr. Green wishes -- come the next election. Kraig Williams chimes in on Aggie basketball and the Utah State BracketBuster opponent.

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Joe Santoro covers the Wolf Pack about to be Spectrum-ized. Chris Murray provides a WAC notes column.

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Dayton Morinaga introduces Douglas Kurtz.

The Tuesday WAC evening edition

Jeff Portnoy writes about "A Night To Remember" and also has some thoughts about the BB games, invoking Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels (or, trying to be non-partisan, insert your own pair of names of politicians -- PTW has quite the array in mind).

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Chris Murray writes that the stars seem aligned for Nevada in tomorrow night's matchup with Utah State (minus the location). Chris also provides the keys to toppling the Aggie kingdom. He then offers the details on the D-League debut of Armon Johnson. Best of all for those of us not in Logan, the game is on ESPN2.

Tuesday's WAC report

Shawn Harrison and Tony Jones write about USU tripping to St. Mary's as part of the BracketBuster series.

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Jason Groves tells readers Hamidu is back -- not good news to WAC foes. Plus, Jason serves up a three minute Wendell McKines video interview.

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Chris Murray writes about UC Irvine, the Wolf Pack BB opponent and offers some interesting video on the Anteater coach (who would be a first-round pick in any pick-up game).

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Nick Jezierny has the details on Boise State drawing UC Santa Barbara, one of the top teams in the Big West Conference. It's not Hawaii but the beach is right next to the Gaucho campus.

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Dayton Morinaga has all means of media on Hawaii's upcoming roadie to the Gem State, plus a bit on UC Davis, UH's BB host and foe. Brian McInnis provides a lengthy feature about on the Aggies of Davis, noting that it's a 'home' game of sorts for Hiram Thompson. Ferd Lewis notes the increased attendance and accompanying rising decibel level at Rainbow Warrior basketball games.