The Monday a.m. WAC hoops roundup

It's all New Mexico State so far. 

Jason Groves writes about 'to be or not to be' question facing the 2011-2012 Aggies.

Remi Barry, who sat out last season, has always been described as a talent with strong offensive potential so he is in the perfect spot.

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Is Wendell branching out as has someone usurped his name? Go here. There ought to be royalties involved. ;-)

A good read about Wendell McKines

Jason Groves of the Las Cruces Sun-News has a feature based on an interview with former Richmond High star Wendell McKines who is entering his senior season at New Mexico State.

Friday's WAC report

Not sure what happened to the PTW posts from Wednesday and Thursday but they've made a break and gone missing. Do let me know about any sightings. ;-(

Jason Groves has a great article on New Mexico State team leader Wendell McKines.

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Jeff Davis has the details on Tim Steed's departure from Fresno State. There is obviously more to it than what is listed as Steed has but one season of eligibility remaining and certainly would have played plenty of minutes in 2011-2012. He was suspended for three games in late February for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

Tuesday's a.m. WAC basketball report

It's Mr. Wen featured in a 10+ minute video at Sam Wasson's Bleed Crimson site.

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Chris Murray has more on the Kaileb Rodriguez verbal to Cal (although that doesn't necessarily mean Nevada won't keep trying).

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Jeff Portnoy checks in with a number of basketball thoughts, mostly focused on UH hoops.

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Dayton Morinaga features Gin Arnold talking about Rainbow Warrior recruiting.

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Greg Ohlson at the Cyclone Sports Report site serves up an interview with Olu Ashaolu.

The Wednesday a.m. WAC basketball report

Do remember that the New Mexico State - Utah State matchup tonight in Las Cruces will be televised on ESPN2.

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Brian McInnis tell us that Coach Gib Arnold is a proponent of business management concept of continuous improvement. Brian also checked in with Jeremiah Ostrowski on his football playing status.

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Sam Wasson comments about Chris Murray's All-WAC selections.

Teddy Feinberg offers a very insightful column about the Aggie basketball squad.

Jason Groves' latest has Coach Marvin Menzies going philosophical and talking sports truths. Jason also features Wendell McKines' connection with the New Mexico State promotion for the Utah State game.

The NMSU - USU edition of PanAmmunition is up.

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The Idaho Statesman looks at Boise State's long list of seniors and Nick Jezierny features one of them, Justin Salzwedel.

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Josh Wright looks at the various placement scenarios of Idaho's finish in the WAC and has landed a number of quotes from Coach Don Verlin.

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Kraig Williams and Shawn Harrison inform us that Utah State will be chartering to the game against New Mexico State. Tony Jones is here and here. Tai Wesley is putting this label on the trip: the payback tour.

This is not a good idea

We love Wendell McKines because he is a reporter's dream. We also enjoy the intensity he displays and his banging of bodies in the paint. With W, it's "yes, matter of fact I do own the damn rim and I'm going there now -- try and stop me."

But this is not a good idea.

Maybe another distinctive outfit but not one -- at least what is pictured -- that denigrates the actual game. The show is on the court and nothing should supersede that. Coach Marvin Menzies and AD McKinley Boston need to prevail.

Going Wen on you

Social media was invented for Wendell McKines. Well, not really but it's synchronicity personified. W is back with a blog post.

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.

Three more items

We missed this earlier: Josh Wright's preview of the Idaho - Boise State matchup.

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New Mexico State's Wendell McInnis-- oops, he's going to posterize me, it's McKines --  is constitutionally incapable of ever being milquetoast and thankfully so. He is having fun on his Twitter account as he searches for a summer home in Logan while awaiting being awarded a key to the city by the mayor.

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The Refraction guys have the New Mexico State edition posted -- head here but not while you are eating.

The WAC on Thursday

Shawn Harrison goes in depth on Tyler Newbold in an especially good feature. TN is the national leader in a very important statistical category.

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It's unclear who made the actual decision and how it was determined but Tony Jones/Aggieville lauds Coach Marvin Menzies for having Wendell McKines redshirt this season.

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Daniel Light is here and here with Matt James here all about Fresno State hoops -- it's the Battle of the Bulldogs in Ruston tonight.

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We didn't know Jack Nixon was fluent in French but mais oui -- check out Jason Groves' latest for the meaning to all this.

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Vander Joaquim receives the full feature treatment today in an article by Brian McInnis. Dayton Morinaga is loaded with video on the return of Bill Amis plus UH taking on the Idaho Vandals tonight.

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Nick Jezierny looks at the task of taking on Adrian Oliver plus Justin Graham as the Broncos put their undefeated WAC record on the line against host San Jose State.

No game reports but plenty of links

Sam Wasson starts us off with his weekly interview of Coach Marvin Menzies.

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But the biggest news is Bill Amis' declaration -- Brian McInnis has it.

Dayton Morinaga features Miah Ostrowski in print, photo and video.

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Jason Groves blogs on Wendell McKines' decision. 

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The status of Steed leads the Fresno State basketball news from Daniel Lyght.

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It's not until Thursday but the Daily Bronco site has an early statistical preview of the Boise State venture to San Jose State. 

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Kraig Williams serves up a new edition of his Aggie Notebook.

We were wrong, again

PTW just was unable to see see coming but others did and it works in so many ways.

From New Mexico State athletics:

New Mexico State men’s basketball senior forward Wendell McKines has decided to redshirt the 2010-11 season, head coach Marvin Menzies announced. McKines has been sidelined this year due to a broken foot he sustained in mid-October.
 
“After going back and forth on this tough decision, we came to the conclusion that for all parties involved the best thing for Wendell was to return for his senior season next year,” Menzies said. “The deciding factors for Wendell were his desire to complete his degree and to have a full season under his belt in his final season.”
 
An All-WAC honorable mention selection in 2009-10, McKines averaged 10.7 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, a team-best mark. He started in 23 games as a junior en route to helping the Aggies to a WAC Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance. McKines shot 48.2 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from 3-point line and 56.5 percent at the free-throw line. He also had 74 assists, 17 blocks and 15 steals in his third season in the Crimson and White.
 
McKines now ranks No.6 on the all-time rebounding list at NM State with 761 boards. He ranked first in the WAC in conference games with 9.8 rebounds per game. McKines also posted nine double-doubles in 2009-10 and has 27 in his career.

Tuesday's WAC items

It's never this simple but Steed and Fresno were too much -- 80 to 74 -- for visiting Czyz and Nevada Monday night.

Check out Daniel Lyght's game report while AW Prince and Chris Murray also offer looks at the game.

Alluding to our pre-game buildup, Dario Hunt earned a 13/12 double/double and Greg Smith put up 15/9. The Bulldogs were better in assists (18-11), steals (11-2) and turnovers 8/15.

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Dayton Morinaga reports that Bill Amis is ill -- what more can hit the senior?

Is Dominick Brumfield ready and able to fill the hole left by Amis' absence? Brian McInnis takes a look.

Jeff Portnoy has posted new entries, (1) and (2). The second looks at the Mississippi State circus.

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Head to the last few paragraphs of Sam Wasson's Daily Aggies for a look at Wendell McKines' coming back this season or redshirting and returning in 2011-2012.

Two more links for you

Jason Groves offers a clarification on the status of Wendell McKines.

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Jeff Portnoy writes about the UH win over Utah.

Tuesday's p.m. edition

Louisiana Tech rumbled past Houston Baptist 80-57 tonight. It was 43-35 after the first 20 minutes. Olu Ashaolu put up a 21/13 double-double. It's game on versus the Cape Canaveral Calvinists next...just kidding for the uber literal.

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Playing off of the above, Chris Murray writes about the overall league ranking at this point -- it isn't pretty. Some opportunity for improvement awaits but each game will have the WAC team as an underdog.

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Jason Groves blogs about Wendell McKines' will-he-or-won't-he status, plus includes a note on Hamidu Rahman.

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Per Steve Cleveland on his radio show, sophomore Jerry Brown will redshirt this season.

A few more items

Just asking/not knowing: does the first appearance of freshman frontcourter Renaldo Dixon in New Mexico State's last game mean Wendell McKines is redshirting? Or is Coach Marvin Menzies simply in need of greater depth with McKines and Hamidu Rahman currently sidelined?

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We're less than double-digit games into the season yet there are individuals posting thumbs up/thumbs down declarations on Marvin Menzies (does 'winning' against Michigan State qualify as short term or long term memory loss?) and Steve Cleveland.

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At the Bulldog Barks and Bytes basketball MB (Karl Malone's Court) under the link Brandon Gibson, Dwayne from Minden (after all, there is only one) has posted that LT's Darius Redding is now inactive due to academics. He is a 6-foot-4 sophomore forward and his stats this season are six games played, just under 23 minutes a contest, 6 points and three rebounds a contest.

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Melvin Grussing at his superb Antelope Valley College basketball site, has a new post up indicating the squad is not playing up to its potential, losing a tourney final to a less talented team, with a strong emphasis on t-e-a-m. The money quote: "Nick Bennett, sophomore 2 guard said it all after the game. “'We just got to play it hard the whole time.”Egos got in the way and headcases and stuff like that, we just got to play as a team the whole time." It's tough to beat the best JUCO team in California when your best player can’t make it to walk through before the biggest game of the year so far and is held out of the starting line up..." 

In the top player reference, is that Utah State signee Kyisean Reed? 

In another post from another contest, Melvin has this: "JUCO BB expert Ref Heckler after the game: “Kyisean Reed looked like he was playing for “Golden Valley High” in the first half.” In the second half, he took over the game and looked like a NBA star.”

Maybe an injection of vitamin Stew Morrill will cure whatever is the ailment.

Thursday night WAC items

Jason Groves has two entries in his blog -- 1) Wendell McKines talking at media day and 2) an interview with Aggie recruit Junior Lomomba. The New Mexico State p.a. announcer has to be pulling mightily for Coach Marvin Menzies to land Looooomoooomba. The Canadian is a 2012 recruit.

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Chris Murray offers a Q-and-A with Wolf Pack newcomer Derrell Conner, a candidate at the point.

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Nick Jezierny profiles Bronco G.A. Hill in the Idaho Statesman's series on this season's Boise State basketball squad.

Checking in on the Sunday World of the WAC

Jason Groves offers more on how the Aggies will cope without Wendell McKines.

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Chris Murray reports that the Trailblazers just made a move that more than solidifies Armon Johnson's role.

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How will announcers handle this Bronco taking of a three-pointer? Tre' for trey? Nick Jezierny features his latest Bronco player.

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Shawn Harrison has the details on Utah State's closed scrimmage.

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Check out The Howl Episode 42 -- you'll get 45 minutes of Coach David Carter talking Wolf Pack basketball. Sit back and enjoy...then subscribe to Silver and Blue Sports to access even more information.

Your Thursday p.m. WAC notes edition

Westwind (Phoenix) Prep assistant coach Adam DeSautels has tweeted this: "New Mexico State, etc... in the gym today..." 

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Nick Jezierny features the latest BSU player here -- Adam Morrison's brother?

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Jason Groves looks back and ahead on Wendell McKines. 

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New Hampton Hoops has tweeted this: "New Hampton SF Nick Paulos is taking an official visit to UNC Greensboro this weekend." Utah State showed some earlier interest. Paulos, out of Utah,  is doing a prep year

More WAC Tuesday notes

Here's Jason Groves with more on Wendell McKines' broken foot. Plus, here are Jason's WAC pre-season picks.

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Brian McInnis reports on Hawaii's first real practice.

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Catching up on Nick Jezierny's BSU player profiles, here's Sean Imadiyi, Westly Perryman and Justin Salzwedel.