New Mexico State is the fave but...

It's close despite the recent blowout but we feel New Mexico State currently has the edge over Utah State as the fave to win the WAC (and before the Boise State fans pile on Parsing The Wac, yes, the Broncos could sneak in there but we just see it as a very difficult road to leapfrog over both NMSU and Utah State).

However, we are not just the sole entity with concerns about behavior down Las Cruces way.

Shawn Harrison details (see below) some previously unknown instances of plain unprofessionalism and disrespect that should be alien to an institution of higher education.

Just what is the athletic administration there thinking?

Thoughts after leaving the PAC
Shawn Harrison
Logan Herald Journal
Janaury 30, 2008

As I left the Pan American Center on the campus of New Mexico State last Saturday night, I was a bit confused.

Obviously, there were a lot of things to scratch your head about. Why would players jeopardize their team’s winning streak by breaking team rules? How many coaches would fly athletes home for what most people would call a minor offense? Where was that NMSU team last Thursday when Nevada visited Las Cruces? How do players who have been suspended for a number of major offenses ­ check the police blotter in Las Cruces and the hometowns of several NMSU players ­ suddenly get eligible? But my biggest question was: Is anything ever going to be done about the actions of fans at New Mexico State?

OK, there was a fan ejected Jan. 19 from the PAC for “continuous obscenities toward officials,” Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson said. I had to wonder if it was the guy who always sits behind the Utah State bench when the Aggies visit the other Aggies. That guy is a real tool.

If it was that foul-mouthed male, he was back and at it again last Saturday. It got to the point that on two occasions USU complained to the head game management person at New Mexico State and even the host Aggies athletic director.

What did they do? Nothing.

In fact, they told the visiting Aggies to worry about doing their own jobs. So much for following the new sportsmanship rules given out by the WAC.

I’m all for fans having a fun time and being able to heckle the visiting team. It’s part of being a fan. But when a person is seated right behind the visitors’ bench and can be heard calling out a player and challenging him to a fight outside the arena after the game, that is crossing the line...

Go here for the remainder.

We hate beating a dead horse but...

We truly would like to give it a rest but the New Mexico State men's basketball program is becoming the gift that keeps on giving. Not only does Jahmar Young faces two court dates in February but he apparently got into it with a referee on Saturday while trying to demonstrate (on the referee) how Utah State was holding.

Do you think Marvin Menzies ever wonders when he will have his 'own' recruits in Las Cruces and not those of the previous coach?


Jahmar Young suspended for Hawaii game
Jason Groves
Las Cruces Sun-News
1/29/2008

LAS CRUCES — New Mexico State University men's basketball coach Marvin Menzies announced Monday that freshman guard Jahmar Young has been suspended for a violation of team rules. Young will not be with the team for Thursday's Western Athletic Conference game at Hawaii, but he will rejoin the Aggies on Saturday at San Jose State.

Young walked off the court during play and left the arena late in the second half of the Aggies' 100-70 victory against Utah State on Saturday at the Pan American Center.

"I talked to him today and he is in violation of team rules because of that situation," Menzies said during Monday's weekly press conference. "It had nothing to do with academics. It's a one-game suspension and he is still in our good graces and everything is OK, but he will have to suffer the repercussions of his actions... Go here for the remainder.

This one should have been a 'Big Monday' game

It's too bad the WAC doesn't have an ESPN contract to provide a game every Monday night because -- despite what would have been it's very late appearance back east -- Boise State and Fresno State tangled in a very good one last night.

BSU men win OT thriller against Fresno State
NICK JEZIERNY
Idaho Statesman
1/29/08

FRESNO, Calif. — Instead of a sickening feeling of deja vu, the Boise State men’s basketball team finally left the Save Mart Center feeling good.
The Broncos somehow willed their way to a 90-89 overtime win over Fresno State in a game they appeared to have won in regulation and looked destined to lose in overtime before staging a furious comeback to leave a crowd of 10,399 stunned.

Reggie Larry, who scored a career-high 27 points and pulled down 16 rebounds, scored off a designed inbounds play with 6 seconds left to help BSU overcome a pair of four-point deficits in the extra session. And then the Broncos had to wait for Fresno State point guard Kevin Bell, who hit a game-winning shot last year as time expired against the Broncos, to miss a shot in the lane.

Bell’s shot hung on the rim and finally rolled off. BSU forward Matt Nelson swatted the ball toward half court as time expired.

“I thought about last year,” said Bell, who scored 26 points and had eight assists. “It was karma coming back at me. I tried to get to the rim as quick as I could. It felt good...”

Go here for the remainder.

Or if you prefer the Fresno point of view:

Fresno State heartbreaker'Dogs surge to force extra time, only to see last shot miss at final horn
Gary Estwick
The Fresno Bee
1/28/08

Kevin Bell ended Monday night with a slow, frail walk to the locker room as he stared up into the Save Mart Center lights, his eyes not focused on any one object.
Bell had just sprinted nearly the length of the court, on his way to what seemed to be his second game-winning shot at home against Boise State in as many seasons.

This time, though, his layup bounced, and bounced on the right side of the rim. Then it dropped to the floor, ending a Western Athletic Conference thriller with a 90-89 overtime loss to Boise State.

"At first, I couldn't believe it. It took me a second just to get it together and just realize I missed," Bell said later, still visualizing the moment.

And with his miss, a floater in the lane -- a shot he has made many other times this season, including Monday -- Fresno State lost its chance to regain a grip on the WAC regular-season race, falling back under .500 at 10-11 overall and 3-4 in conference...

Go here for the remainder.

Cowabunga! NMSU demolishes Utah State

Yes, Utah States was shorthanded but still nobody expected such a rout. Let's get right into it:

NMSU scores big home win against Utah State
Jason Groves
Las Cruces Sun-News
1/27/2008

LAS CRUCES — Perhaps New Mexico State University would take it easy on Utah State on Saturday.

Maybe not.

After all, Aggies head coach Marvin Menzies knows what it's like to play shorthanded.

Utah State head coach Stew Morrill suspended four players for a violation of team rules on Saturday and the Aggies ran Morrill's UtAgs out of Las Cruces, 100-70, in front of 7,014 fans at the Pan Am and countless more on ESPN2.

It was the UtAgs first WAC loss of the season.

"Our hope was with their roster being a little depleted, we could maybe wear them down a little bit and it worked," Menzies said. "I expressed a little statement of sympathy for Stew because I've been in his shoes before and it's not fun but it is basketball and it's a part of the business. You have to do what you have to do to teach these kids lessons."

Saturday's victory also helped NMSU keep Utah State within striking distance in the conference standings. NMSU improved to 11-11 and 5-2 in league play while the UtAgs are now 15-6 and 5-1 in the WAC...

Go here for the remainder.

and

From the Utah perspective:

Blowout
Shawn Harrison
Logan Jerald Journal
January 27, 2008

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — A stiff challenge became even harder before the game even began for Utah State.

But the Aggies came out and hung with a talented New Mexico State team for the first 13 minutes. Then it got away and turned real ugly for the visitors.

In a battle of the Western Athletic Conference Aggies, it was those wearing Crimson and White that reigned. NMSU used a surge before halftime to get some breathing room, blew it open to start the second half and cruised to a 100-70 win Saturday at the Pan American Center in front of 7,014 fans.

“We just got our butts kicked, that’s what it boils down to,” USU head coach Stew Morrill said. “It was no fun. They (Southern Aggies) deserve all the credit...”

Go here for the remainder.

and

Nevada cncludes a very successful road trip.

Pack basketball: Nevada blows past Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
STEVE SNEDDON
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
1/27/2008

Nevada 83, Louisiana Tech 70
Key stat: 61.2 percent. That was Nevada's shooting percentage from the field as it hit 30 of 49 for the game after hitting 16-of-25 for 64 percent in the second half.
Key play: JaVale McGee's layup to begin the Pack's second half scoring came after Tech had scored the first four points to cut the deficit to seven points and it never got any closer.
Key to the game: It was Nevada's composure and confidence after the lead changed hands eight times in the first 13 minutes of the game and then rallied to lead by 23 points twice.

RUSTON, La. -- The Nevada basketball team is better here than it is at Lawlor Events Center.

The Wolf Pack loses every once in a while in Reno. It never loses at Thomas Assembly Center, or so it seems. The Pack extended its win streak at the arena to seven games as it stopped Louisiana Tech, 83-70, in front of 1,467 fans Saturday.

Nevada's reserves particularly liked the Assembly Center as they combined for 31 points after combining for a total of 12 points in the previous three games against Idaho, Boise State and New Mexico State. Senior David Ellis led the Pack off the bench with a career-high 14 points on 7-of-7 shooting from the field.

Among the starters, JaVale McGee and Armon Johnson had 12 points each and Marcelus Kemp had 11 as no Pack player played more than 28 minutes.

"I subbed a lot for everybody," Nevada coach Mark Fox said. "We didn't have a real sharpness to us early. We paraded them in and out of there before we were able to look a little sharper.

"We had difficulty defending early and we had to play some zone. Eventually, we got geared up. That zone played a big part for us. It allowed us to play two big players and not have to adjust to their smaller lineup."

Nevada was able to go back to its more familiar man-to-man defense after it began taking control in the final minutes of the first half...

Go here for the remainder.

and

What's the story with Matt Gipson (or 'Honolulu Inc' as we call him)? He was disciplined earlier this year and also in 2005-2006. The starting point and a fifth-year senior, it seems he should be exhibiting leadership, especially so for his younger teammates, but sadly is not doing so.

University of Hawaii burns Idaho, 58-53
Dayton Morinaga
Honolulu Advertiser
January 27, 2008

MOSCOW, Idaho—A disciplined defense — and a disciplined Matt Gibson — led the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team to a 58-53 victory over Idaho last night.

A Cowan Spectrum crowd of 1,518 — the largest home attendance of the season for Idaho — walked into the freezing night in silence as Hawai'i was able to avenge a disappointing loss here last season.

"I thought everybody contributed to this win, that's what makes it a good win," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "We talked about being at our best defensively for this game, and for the most part, I thought we were."

Gibson led the Rainbow Warriors with 16 points off the bench.

He did not start due to disciplinary reasons, but entered the game with 15:19 remaining in the first half and played extensively the rest of the way.

"This is my job, and regardless of the situation, I'm going to do my part to help this team win," Gibson said.

The 6-foot-5 senior point guard, who was held out of Friday's practice for "insubordination," shot 6 of 9 from the field and passed for four assists in 30 minutes last night.

"It was a big deal at the time, but we weren't going to let it divide us," Nash said. "We addressed the issue, Matt was held accountable for his actions, and he came out and helped us win the game."

Gibson's effort led a balanced Hawai'i attack. Bobby Nash and Jared Dillinger added 12 points each, and P.J. Owsley scored a season-high 10.

The score was tied at 48 with 2:58 remaining, but Gibson's driving layup put Hawai'i up for good at 50-48 with 2:23 remaining. The 'Bows went 8 for 8 on free throws in the final 1:47 to secure the victory...

Go here for the remainder.

and

Fresno State and Eddie Miller rout San Jose State.

Home cookin' gets it done for Bulldogs
Miller, 'Dogs get back into win column with rout of Spartans
Gary Estwick
The Fresno Bee
1/26/08

Eddie Miller pumped his chest with both hands, glanced into the Save Mart Center crowd and smiled, signaling the return of his jump shot.

Nedeljko Golubovic was more subtle with his celebrations during Fresno State's 75-58 win over San Jose State. The freshman, who earned his second start of the season, supplemented his post moves with several high fives from teammates on the bench.

For the first time in a week, the Bulldogs had something to be happy about. And Kevin Bell had help scoring.

In front of 10,619 fans, Miller broke out of his two-game slump with 27 points, tying a career high.

"It's hard going into someone else's gym and play as well as you want to," Miller said. "You come back home, it's a lot different."

Golubovic added 14 points to go along with six rebounds, and with each basket in the post, continued to develop into another scoring threat the team desperately needs.

On defense, Golubovic did just enough to slow down C.J. Webster, denying him the ball in the first half and in the second half, he helped double-team C.J. Webster. Golubovic had four steals, thanks to intercepting entry passes.

Bell, Fresno State's leading scorer this season, finished with 15 points and eight assists...

Go here for the remainder.

Last night in the WAC

It may be a down year for the WAC but it's also one where almost any member can pull off a surprise -- as you'll read.

Ags sloppy, but extend streak to 10
Shawn Harrison
Logan Herald Journal
January 25, 2008

RUSTON, La. ­ Notching their 10th win in a row was never really too much in doubt for the Aggies Thursday night.

But stretches of sloppiness had Utah State head coach Stew Morrill less than happy following the game. The Aggies did what they had to in beating an undersized and undermanned Louisiana Tech bunch, 71-61, at the Thomas Assembly Center in front of 1,391 fans.

“It’s a win,” Morrill said. “It’s in the right column. We’ll take it.”

The veteran Aggie coach was not up for making any excuses about travel and being on the road for the first time since early December. It came down to taking care of the ball against this Western Athletic Conference foe. USU (15-5, 5-0 WAC) had a season-high 24 turnovers in the game.

“Twenty-four turnovers is unacceptable,” Morrill said. “... By tomorrow I will feel good about, because it’s a win...

Go here for the remainder.

AND

Aggies slip up, lose to Nevada
Jason Groves
Las Cruces /Sun-News
1/25/2008

LAS CRUCES ­ For the 6,689 listed in attendance, it was hard to tell which team was fighting for its life in fifth place and which was in second place in the Western Athletic Conference.

Nevada defeated New Mexico State University 87-78 on Thursday at the Pan American Center, beating the Aggies for the fifth time in the last six meetings.

"We didn't start out like we wanted to and they got on a run and that was the difference in the game," NMSU senior forward Justin Hawkins said. "From the opening tip, we didn't play the way we wanted to play as far as tempo."

Neither team could find the mark early, but the Wolf Pack woke up long enough for a 19-5 run in the first half and were never truly threatened, cruising past an Aggies team that lost a golden opportunity to score a big conference win at home. The Wolf Pack shot a blistering 64 percent in the second half to seal the win.

"We tried to change up defenses and mix it up, but they did a phenomenal job shooting the ball," Aggies head coach Marvin Menzies said. "We didn't match their intensity from the beginning of the game."

Wolf Pack freshman point guard Armon Johnson was too much for the Aggies on the perimeter. Johnson scored 20 points and added four assists. Sophomore guard Brandon Fields led the Wolf Pack with 21 points and senior Marcelus Kemp scored 17...

Go here for the remainder.

AND

Here's another look from the same newspaper:

Nevada guards control tempo against NMS
Felix Chavez
Las Cruces Sun-News.
1/25/2008

But that's where they stood entering Thursday night's critical Western Athletic Conference matchup with second-place New Mexico State at the Pan American Center.

The Wolf Pack played like the more desperate team, particularly in the first half as it built a 36-25 halftime lead en route to a 87-78 win to get themselves back in the league race.

"We're a young team, but we were resilient tonight," Nevada coach Mark Fox said. "We still had some young moments, but this was a good win for us. We hope to show some consistency."

Nevada, which shot 56.4 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from 3-point range, was simply better than NMSU Thursday night, getting open treys, penetrating to the basket and answering the Aggies whenever NMSU tried to get back into the game...

Go here for the remainder.

AND

From the Nevada perspective:

Pack basketball: Nevada plays spoiler to NMSU
Steve Sneddon
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
January 25, 2008

LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- What a difference five days made for the Nevada basketball team, which got its chance to ruin a favored home team's evening and enjoyed it.

Brandon Fields scored 21 points, Armon Johnson had 20 and Marcelus Kemp finished with 17 to lead the Wolf Pack past New Mexico State, 87-78, in front of 6,689 fans at Pan American Center on Thursday night. In a game that the Pack, which was a four-point underdog, led by as many as 18 points, Aggie fans looked a lot like their Reno counterparts when Boise State shocked Nevada, 95-80, last Saturday.

"It definitely lifts the spirits of our teammates," Fields said. "We're playing for a WAC championship. After the loss against Boise everybody was kind of down. This got everybody's confidence level back up."

The Pack shored up its defense, which had been drilled by Boise State, and rolled offensively, hitting 31-of-55 from the field for 56.4 percent, which was second to only its 56.9 percent against UC Irvine in the second game of the season. Nevada also hit 8-of-15 shots from 3-point range for 53.3 percent, its highest percentage in any game...

Go here for the remainder.


AND

BSU finally clicks at home, wallops Hawaii
Nick Jezierny
Idaho Statesman
January 25, 2008

With the exception of its win over then-No. 20 BYU, most of the Boise State men's basketball team's best moments have come away from Taco Bell Arena.

The Broncos finally gave their home fans - the 4,896 who came out despite blizzard conditions - a taste of what they've been missing.

BSU defeated Hawaii 95-80 on Thursday, but don't let that score fool you. The Broncos led by as many as 31 points before emptying their bench and settling for a 15-point win, their sixth in the past eight games.

BSU won at Nevada on Saturday by an identical score and showed no hangover from the victory.

"Coach emphasized no letdowns and making a statement at home," senior Matt Bauscher said. "We haven't really played two halves at home all year. I think, despite the last 5 minutes of the game, we owned them from start to finish."

Bauscher scored a team-high 21 points and had eight assists. He made all five of his 3-point shots as the Broncos (14-5, 5-2 WAC) went 14-of-22 from behind the arc to overwhelm Hawaii (7-11, 3-3).

BSU never trailed and the only time the score was tied was 0-0. The Broncos forced 10 first-half turnovers, limited Hawaii to 30.8 percent shooting and made 57.7 percent of their own shots to take a 47-22 halftime lead...

Go here for the remainder.

AND

Three-point Shooting Sinks Men's Hoops at Idaho
Courtesy: San Jose State Athletics
1/24/2008

Moscow, Idaho-----Even though C.J. Webster posted his fourth double-double of the season and Mac Peterson came off the bench with a season scoring high, the night belonged to Idaho guard Mike Hall who set a school record with nine 3-point baskets leading the Vandals to a 74-63 win over San Jose State University in a Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball game.

Hall finished with a career-high 29 points missing only one 3-point try in the first half. Guard Jordan Brooks added 19, 17 of them after halftime, for Idaho (5-13, 2-5 WAC).

“We made a lot of mental errors and to Idaho’s credit, they took advantage of them. What was really big for them, was we cut it to it to four (56-52, with 5:32 to go) and he (Hall) made two 3’s, one in transition and one in a breakdown by our defense,” said San Jose State George Nessman. “You have to give Idaho credit in that situation. They played a really composed game.”

The Spartans (9-9, 2-4 WAC) had four players in double-figure scoring with center Chris Oakes and Webster each scoring 14. Webster added a game-high 14 rebounds and was credited with a season-high 6 assists as he and Oakes effectively worked a high-low post game on offense together. The Spartans’ top two inside men combined to make 12-of-17 from the field.

DaShawn Wright added 11 and Peterson scored 10.

“I felt like I was a ‘zone.’ I was pretty wide open tonight,” said Hall, who came into the game making 41.1 percent from three-point range and scored Idaho’s first 12 points of the game, all on three-pointers...

Go here for the remainder.

Were two freshmen the missing components?

Newbold and Wesley. Wesley and Newbold. It sounds like a newly established law firm but in this case it's the duo being the pair that has teamed up with the other three members of Utah State's starting five to take the Aggies back to the top of the WAC.

USU: Is streak due to freshman duo?
Martin Renzhofer
The Salt Lake Tribune
1/24/2008

Utah State has won nine consecutive games, including four in the Western Athletic Conference.

Nine games ago, Aggie coach Stew Morrill inserted freshmen Tai Wesley and Tyler Newbold into the USU starting lineup.

Coincidence? Maybe, but one thing is for sure: during this unbeaten stretch, USU's defense and rebounding have vastly improved. In addition, the Aggies (14-5, 4-0 WAC) have become a bit better balanced offensively.

However, eight of those nine games have been in the Smith Spectrum. Beginning today at Louisiana Tech (3-13, 0-4) and Saturday at New Mexico State (10-10, 4-1), Utah State begins a stretch of playing six of its next eight away from Logan...

Go here for the remainder.

Should Nevada fans be concerned?

We came across an item that had Washington state prep backcourter Mark McLaughlin, Nevada's second-best recruit, voluntarily leaving his high school basketball team to focus on academics.

It appears McLaughlin is doing his regular high school curriculum, outside work (which is more than likely a junior college course or two that can be applied to both his graduation and NCAA requirements) and is taking the SAT this weekend.

Light those candles you Wolf Pack fans as a reading into this indicates he's having a bit of a struggle. Now some may argue that the kid deserves kudos for taking on 'extra' academic work and that nothing is askew but that would then raise the question of why is he foregoing the remainder of his senior basketball season in order to do so?

McLaughlin is a good-sized (6-5) shooting guard and for what it's worth, ranked #16 nationally in that category by SCOUT. He originally gave a verbal committment to Washington State but reconsidered after thinking further about the matchup of his skills with WSU's style of play.

6-8 Luke Babbitt (Nevada's top recruit) is far and away already our choice for Freshman of the Year next season in the WAC but McLaughlin should be in the running for a spot on the All- WAC freshman team if he can play his way into the rotation.

Plus, if he can get his high school academics squared away.

Oh them Aggie fans

Hey, gotta give credit where it is due and the Aggies fans who offered "Nice shot Karl Benson" after Louisiana Tech free throws the other night are way ahead towards winning the Fan Cleverness Award in the WAC this season.

Is anyone aware of a WAC team's fandom topping what the NMSU supporters pulled off? If so, please pass such along.

A word of warning

Now some may simply laugh this off but keep in mind that Fresno State gets backcourter Dwight O'Neill back in about two weeks and that addition puts a whole new spin on the Bulldogs.

O'Neill will strengthen the Fresno State starting five thusly:

*** he's the best defender in the backcourt, with the size and strength necessary to battle similarly sized opponents.

*** he will team with Kevin Bell in being the sole Bulldogs who can dribble-drive with effectiveness

*** He will add the dimension of another outside shooter

No, Fresno State is not going to win the league but will certainly be more dangerous come tourney time.

Saturday night WAC-ing

Let's begin with the expected but give credit to Idaho for a fighting spirit. The Vandals are definitely better than last season but not 'there' yet. Coach George Pfeifer is still in need of a couple of frontcourt producers.

Make it nine straight
Shawn Harrison
Logan New Herald
January 20, 2008

It was Jaycee Carroll’s night and he didn’t disappoint.

Before the teams even took the court, the rowdy Utah State students were chanting his name. That would go on throughout Saturday night’s contest and especially at the end.

Carroll become the school’s all-time leading scorer six-and-a-half minutes into the contest, but more importantly to him and the rest of the Aggie men’s basketball team, USU came away with a Western Athletic Conference victory. The Aggies weathered a good start by Idaho, then took control for a 79-64 win at a soldout Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. It was the hosts ninth straight win.

“Obviously we had a little extra motivation with Jaycee’s thing, and the last thing any of us wanted was for him to break the record at home with a loss,” USU head coach Stew Morrill said. “So those two things are done, his deal and my deal. Now we can move on with the season. They’re both really nice. We’re very appreciative of them.”

Morrill became the school’s winningest coach on Thursday.

The 10,270 fans were standing before and after the game. Carroll, who scored 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting Saturday night, was honored at the conclusion of the game. The former scoring leader, Greg Grant, was on hand to shake Carroll’s hand and present him the game ball, along with USU President Stan Albrecht and Aggie Athletics Director Randy Spetman.

“I was really glad to see him here,” Carroll said of Grant. “I thought it was really cool of him to come back.”

Carroll needed just two points to pass Grant (2,127 points). He did it with a 3-pointer that bounced around the rim before falling through the net to the relief of the fans. Carroll now has 2,147 career points.

“It seemed like it hung on the rim forever,” Carroll said. “It looked like it was going to go out, then just kind of dropped. It was almost like the crowd and everyone there willed it in. It went in, we were able to get that done and go and try and beat Idaho...”

Go here for the remainder.

AND

Here is how touted freshman Herb Pope did in his first NCAA game -- which is the primary story. As expected the Aggies beat LA TECH but it was a closer final score than anyone predicted:

Pope makes debut for Aggies in 63-54 win
Felix Chavez
Las Cruces /Sun-News
1/20/2008

LAS CRUCES — When freshman Herb Pope signed with New Mexico State in November of 2006, much was expected of him. But life has thrown him a few curve balls from being shot, to battling the NCAA over his eligibility and an arrest near his hometown of Aliquippa, Pa.

However, the 6-foot-8, 230-pound freshman, who has always been confident in his abilities, finally settled with the NCAA and got to practice with the Aggies earlier in the week. Saturday night against Louisiana Tech, he finally got to play in a game, a 63-54 NMSU win against Louisiana Tech, which settled the Aggies record at 10-10.

Pope seemed loose all week and seemed ready to play in warmups on Saturday night. Then when he got into the game with 14:53 left in the first half, to a fairly loud applause, Pope was officially a Division I basketball player and he didn't disappoint...

Go here for the remainder.

AND

We don't know whether or not to call this one an upset at this point but the point difference certainly was a surprise.

Pack basketball: Defense crumbles in loss to Boise State
STEVE SNEDDON
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
1/20/2008

Nevada coach Mark Fox went into Saturday's game against Boise State with concerns about his basketball team's defense.

The hot-shooting Boise State Broncos left that defense in shambles on the way to a 95-80 victory in front of 8,609 fans at Lawlor Events Center on Saturday night. The Broncos hit 31-of-57 from the field for 54.4 percent, including 13-of-22 from 3-point range for 59.1 percent.

"I have to give the kids from Boise credit," Fox said. "Let's not take anything away from Boise. Now, I wasn't particularly pleased with our defense, but they certainly shot a great percentage in both halves. We didn't guard them in the first half, either.

"I'd like to think that field-goal percentage in the second half and first half were almost identical. So it wasn't like we just didn't defend in the second half. We didn't get a lot of stops in the first half, either. Boise's got a very good offensive team."

The Broncos put away the Pack with an amazing 32-8 run in the second half to go ahead by 19 points at 79-60 on Reggie Larry's reverse layup with five minutes, 15 seconds remaining...

Go here for the remainder.

AND

OF IF YOU PREFER (from the Boise State point of view):

BSU gets first regular-season WAC win in Reno
NICK JEZIERNY
Idaho Statesman
1/20/08

RENO - Boise State has had its share of road wins this season, but none of them were as impressive as Saturday night's masterpiece at Nevada.
The Broncos put on a clinic in team basketball, handing the Wolf Pack their worst home loss in a six years, a 95-80 romp that stunned a crowd of 8,609 at the Lawlor Events Center.

"Our guys played their tails off," BSU coach Greg Graham said. "I can't say enough about them."

All five Bronco starters scored in double figures and several reserves contributed in BSU's first regular-season win at Nevada since joining the WAC in 2001. The Broncos (13-5 overall, 4-2 WAC) did beat the Wolf Pack (10-7, 2-2) on their home court in the 2005 WAC Tournament in Reno.

It was Nevada's first double-digit loss at home since falling to Tulsa 76-66 on Jan. 3, 2002...

Go here for the remainder.

AND

Fresno State tumbles as Eddie Miller's shooting slump continues:

Bulldogs get run over by the Warriors
Gary Estwick
The Fresno Bee
1/20/08

HONOLULU -- Hawaii had no answer for Kevin Bell on Saturday night, but Fresno State had the same problem with Bobby Nash.

Nash made three consecutive 3-pointers early in the second half, and the Warriors rode the momentum to a 75-62 win at Stan Sheriff Center, keeping Steve Cleveland winless on the island during his Fresno State tenure.

Despite Bell's game-high 21 points, the Bulldogs lost in Honolulu for the fourth consecutive season with Nash being the thorn in their side with 13 points.

Jared Dillinger scored 15 for the Warriors, winners of back-to-back games for the first time this season and suddenly a Western Athletic Conference contender. Fresno State (9-10, 2-3) dropped under .500 for the first time this season.

An announced crowd of 7,420 fans watched Matt Gibson, Hawaii's leading scorer, follow Nash's example by making two 3-pointers during the early second-half run. Gibson, held scoreless in the first half, finished with 12 points...

Go here for the remainder.

OR IF YOU PREFER (from the Hawaii point of view)

UH routs Fresno, 75-62
Dayton Morinaga
Honolulu Advertiser
January 20, 2008

On a night marketed as "Champions on Display," the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team displayed its version of championship form last night.

The Rainbow Warriors combined a careful offense with a perimeter-wary defense in a 75-62 victory over Western Athletic Conference rival Fresno State.

A crowd of 5,447 — the largest home crowd of the season — at the Stan Sheriff Center watched the 'Bows improve to 7-10 overall and 3-2 in the WAC. It also marked the first time this season that Hawai'i won back-to-back games.

"Tonight was just one of those good nights where things were really clicking," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "We took care of the ball, we made the right reads. We were unselfish ... that's the way you play basketball."

On a night when the UH football, women's volleyball and soccer teams were honored, several 'Bows broke out of shooting slumps.

Jared Dillinger, who had two points in each of his previous two games, led the way with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

"That's what you gotta do — just shoot when you're in a slump like that," he said. "Tonight it worked out well. Everyone was feeling it and we were feeding off each other."

Bobby Nash added 13 points and a career-high eight assists. Riley Luettgerodt had 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting, and grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Matt Gibson contributed 12 points and eight assists...

Go here for the remainder.

The WAC last night

Okay, Utah State tops Boise State by four in Logan -- does this tell us anything? Probably not, and this is not an attempt to devalue the victory. The Aggies should have won and did. Good for them for turning back its upstart competition.

Right now, as indefensible as it may be, we see New Mexico State as the top team in the WAC, primarily because of the return of Hatila Passos and the newly established eligibility of Herb Pope. That's quite the mid conference play talent infusion.

We also see Utah State as #2. The Logan-based Aggies will be getting better and better as conference games continue, seeing as Gary Wilkinson, Tai Wesley and a couple of the other newcomers develop further and mesh even more with vets Jaycee Carroll, Kris Clark and Stephen DuCharme. An all-Aggie conference tourney final looks like what the outcome will be.

Boise holds the third spot and needed an on-the-road win over Utah State after having lost earlier at home to NMSU, a non-Passos and Pope Aggie team. Boise State must take the game in Las Cruces against New Mexico State and the home game against Utah State in order to change our mind. Here's the writeup on last night's Aggie-Bronco contest:

Aggies in a nailbiter
Shawn Harrison
Logan Herald Journal
January 18, 2008

Could it have been any more dramatic?

Not hardly.

A jam-packed Dee Glen Smith Spectrum of 10,116, who were mostly all on their feet for the final seconds, witnessed history at Utah State on Thursday night. Aggie head coach Stew Morrill became the winningest coach ever at the school with his 226th victory, passing E. Lowell Romney (1920-41).

There was no leaving early from this sold -out Western Athletic Conference contest as it went right down to the wire. But in the end, USU was able to turn back a feisty Boise State bunch, 82-78.

“I am very impressed with Boise State,” Morrill said. “We were fortunate to win that game.”

But what about the record?

“I tried to figure out why I avoided talking to you guys about that,” Morrill said. “For 33 years I have coached a team sport and you always talk about we, you don’t talk about me. You talk about your program, you talk about everybody together.

“It’s hard for me to reflect on something individually that has happened, because that is always the way it has been approached.”

The fans almost saw two long-standing school records fall Thursday night. Senior shooting guard Jaycee Carroll came within a field goal of breaking the career scoring record at USU. He finished with a game-best 29 points, to pull within a point of Greg Grant (2,127 points).

“They could have cut off my ceremony by about 90 percent and given him (Carroll) a lot more accolades, but I guess we will have to wait,” Morrill said. “He had an unbelievable game.”

Morrill had wished out loud several times over the past week that both records could fall on the same night, so the attention would be on Carroll. But no such luck for the veteran coach, who was honored right after the game and presented the game ball by university president Stan Albrecht and Aggie athletics director Randy Spetman.

“That was my plan,” quipped Carroll, who was 9-of-14 from the field for the game. “To get real close, then let him (Morrill) have his night. I’m just kidding. It was a good night and a lot of guys stepped up and played well.”

Like Gary Wilkinson, who matched his career-best with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds. Or Kris Clark, who had a game- and career-high 10 assists and made three free throws in the final 20 seconds.

“Guys wanted to come out and win not only for Stew, but because Boise State is one of the top teams in the conference,” Clark said.

And don’t forget Stephen DuCharme coming off the bench to score seven points and pull down six rebounds...

Go here for the remainder.


AND

Here is another view, this time from the Idaho Statesman.

AND

Nevada had more trouble than expected against Idaho but still won.

Pack basketball: Nevada grits out win against Idaho
STEVE SNEDDON
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
1/18/2008

There was nothing the Nevada basketball team could do to pretty up the game.

But the Wolf Pack still managed to take a gritty 69-61 win over the Idaho Vandals in front of 7,071 fans at Lawlor Events Center on Thursday night. The Pack went into the game an 18-point favorite, but was never able to open a double-figure lead.

"That was an ugly basketball game, but it is a win," Nevada coach Mark Fox said. "It was a game in which we had 18 turnovers. We let people drive it to the basket so it was just mistakes on both ends that really contributed to the ugly game.

"Give Idaho credit. Their zone got us out of rhythm, but we still shot a solid percentage."

Armon Johnson led the Pack with a career-high 23 points and Marcelus Kemp helped get Nevada off to a good start with 16 of his 18 points in the first half. Brandon Fields and JaVale McGee scored 13 points each.

Demarshay Johnson got his first start since the sixth game of the season and finished with 11 rebounds to help lead Nevada to a 41-28 advantage on the boards. Johnson also had two points on a night the Pack didn't get any scoring from its bench. Fox was more concerned about his team's defense than the fact that no reserves scored.

"We have to commit to be a better defensive team," Fox said. "Every night, we have to defend to have a chance to win. Our defense isn't good enough right now."

Jordan Brooks had 20 points and Michael Crowell scored 16 for the Vandals...

Go here for the remainder.

AND

Even without its best player -- Justin Graham -- San Jose State felled Fresno State in San Jose. To be fair, Bryan Harvey was missing from the Bulldog roster, due to academics but Graham is a more important player to the Spartans than Harvey is to Fresno State.

Sub super against 'Dogs
Fill-in Hill plays a key role as Spartans hold off late Fresno State charge
Gary Estwick
The Fresno Bee
1/17/08

SAN JOSE -- Tyson Parker filled in for Bryan Harvey, who missed his first game of many to come after being ruled academically ineligible this spring at Fresno State.

Jamon Hill, a former starter, took over for injured point guard Justin Graham, San Jose State's leading scorer.

On this Thursday night, experience won. Hill's perimeter scoring, along with a late offensive surge by DaShawn Wright, ended Fresno State's latest bout of adversity with a 69-65 loss at The Event Center.

Hill and Wright scored 14 points with seven rebounds apiece, spoiling Kevin Bell's 19-point effort for Fresno State. Most of their shots came from the perimeter -- open shots.

"I felt I had to take it," Hill said.

Wright did the same, handing Fresno State its first set of back-to-back road losses against its upstate rival since 1991. The Bulldogs, also playing without reserve center Shawn Taylor -- he injured his ankle Wednesday in Fresno and did not travel to San Jose -- fell back to .500 this season and in the Western Athletic Conference (9-9, 2-2).

San Jose State, which has already won more games this season than it did in all of 2006-07, improved to 9-8 overall and 2-3 in the WAC...

Go here for the remainder.

Here is another view from the San Jose Mercury News.

Player academics

The academic status of various players in the WAC has been in the news of late but the focus of this post is Fresno State.

Coach Steve Cleveland just announced that Bryan Harvey, a transfer from Louisville, is academically ineligible for the spring semester -- a situation that certainly impairs the Bulldogs chances of making a move up in the WAC and being one of the teams challenging for the top spot.

Earlier this season, Kentucky transfer Rekalin Sims was also suspended due to a less-than-attentive approach to his schoolwork. Sims eventually was dropped from the team over a legal matter.

Freshman center Brandon Webster missed time earlier when he wasn't hitting the books as much as he needed.

In June 2007, it was announced that Kevin Galloway was leaving the Fresno State program due to academics. He was a transfer from USC and is now at the College of Southern Idaho.

We are always on the lookout for patterns and such and, while unsure if the classroom woes at FSU qualify, three of the players who have fallen short with their academics are transfers from other four year Division One programs.

What is really curious is that these young men apparently performed adequately in the classroom while sitting out the mandated season as a transfer but tailed off soon thereafter. One would think finally getting back on the court would be an even greater incentive and one to hold on to than the promise of eventually being able to play.

Fresno State loses another player

Coach Steve Cleveland has just lost another player with the academic ineligibility of Bryan Harvey. The Fresno bench contains no replacement close to being equal to Harvey so the continuing absence of Dwight O'Neil due to a broken wrist hurts even more now.

Men's player benched for season
Academic ineligibility sidelines Fresno State hoopster Harvey
Gary Estwick
The Fresno Bee
1/16/08

Fresno State sophomore Bryan Harvey is academically ineligible for the spring semester and will miss the rest of the 2007-08 season, men's basketball coach Steve Cleveland said Wednesday night.

Harvey, a Louisville transfer, did not travel to San Jose for tonight's Western Athletic Conference game against the Spartans.

Cleveland said he will not decide who will replace Harvey in the starting lineup until today's 10 a.m. walk-through.

"In the end, a student-athlete has to be accountable for his performance in the classroom, as well as on the floor," Cleveland said. "He did not demonstrate the [academic] performance that was needed. As a result, the consequences are pretty significant to him and this program, but there has to be accountability here."

Harvey averaged 10.6 points and five rebounds in 17 games. He becomes the third Fresno State starter to be rendered inactive this season, all for different reasons...

Go here for the remainder.

Get Karl Benson to a nunnery

Heck, the Utah State fans weren't even anywhere close to that of the fans of their fellow Aggies down Las Cruces way and their "nice shot a--hole" but Commisar Karl Benson has still interceded.

I believe it was the late Dorothy Parker who coined the phrase "if you don't have anything nice to say, come sit by me" -- she would have been persona non-grata at WAC games but, then again, what would she have had to say about basketball itself?

Parker also offered this: "Those who have mastered etiquette, who are entirely, impeccably right, would seem to arrive at a point of exquisite dullness."

Touche Karl Benson.

Chant outlawed in Spectrum
Shawn Harrison
Logan Herald Journal
January 15, 2008

When the Utah State men’s basketball team took on New Mexico State last Saturday, there was something different about the students.

They turned out in force with most wearing blue and were as loud as ever, but one of their chants had been shelved. “You Suck” can no longer be used at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

The students had used it when a visiting player was called for a foul or after an Aggie opponent made a free throw, adding “still” between the previously mentioned two words.

The Western Athletic Conference has ruled that particular chant is offensive. When the doors opened an hour before tip-off, students rushed to get the best seats in the general admission student sections. They were greeted by a blue note on each chair.

It informed them: “That chants or cheers that contain obscene, vulgar, offensive or threatening language will result in a technical foul on the home team. Please be aware that the ‘You Suck’ cheer is considered offensive according to the WAC and USU will be in jeopardy of a technical foul.” USU’s Scott Randall, who works for the Aggie athletics department in game management, was also on hand to talk with the students as they arrived.

The Aggie students complied with the blue note, but some were not happy about it. Several signs indicated that their First Amendment rights were being violated by the WAC.

“They say it is freedom of speech, but it isn’t in the arena,” USU athletics director Randy Spetman said. “They have a right to come in to the game, but you have to abide by the sportsmanship rules in there.”

Following the Hawaii game at the Spectrum, a WAC referee told Randall the “You Suck” chant could be translated as offensive. Spetman decided to call the league office and inquire. The head of WAC officials called it “borderline,” Spetman said. Spetman then went to WAC commissioner Karl Benson.

“His (Benson) staff called back and determined the chant was outside the guidelines of sportsmanship,” Spetman said. “That we needed to take action to have the students change.” Go here for the remainder.

Beware the superstar

We always read about this phenom going here and that future Hall-of-Famer going there. Well, sometimes these kids turn out well and some aren't all they're blown up to be. Plus, there's also the element of just what a certain kid adds to a team, besides his stat sheet.

The proprietor of the NCAA Hoops Today site offered this nugget the other day -- an important point we often overlook or flat out fail to see.

NCAA Hoops Today
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Arizona at Houston

Every year this game promises to be an exciting up and down affair and every year it starts not so. This game was the crowning of Jerryd Bayless as an impact player, let alone an impact freshman.

Without Bayless Arizona looked like an NITish team, with Bayless in the line-up they looked like a good NCAA team. Bayless was a gift for Kevin O'Neill, because he has a player with similar mentality and toughness, which helps propagate and distribute the toughness throughout the team. And I'm not saying that just because he had a career high of 33 and "owned" the Houston defense for a good chunk of the game.

Unlike Bayless, Mayo does not have this type of an impact on his team, and that is perhaps the #1 lesson that OJ "Ooops, I'm not the next Michael Jordan" Mayo needs to learn.