Category: Mountain West Basketball

Air Force vs. Boise State: Game Preview, TV & Radio Schedule, Livestream, Odds, More

Air Force vs. Boise State: Game Preview The Broncos welcome Air Force to ExtraMile Arena Tuesday night with hopes of conference standing ascension. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Boise State looks to avenge seven-point loss to Air Force …

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Air Force vs. Boise State: Game Preview

The Broncos welcome Air Force to ExtraMile Arena Tuesday night with hopes of conference standing ascension. 

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Boise State looks to avenge seven-point loss to Air Force last month with their home court advantage as added element. 

WHO: Air Force Falcons (9-15, 3-9 Mountain West) At Boise State Broncos (16-9, 8-5 Mountain West)

WHEN: Wednesday, February 11th—8:00 PM PST/7:00 PM MST/9:00 PM EST

WHERE: ExtraMile Arena, Boise, ID

TV: AT&T Sports Network 

STREAM: Get a free trial through FuboTV

RADIO: Tunein

SERIES RECORD: Boise State leads all-time series 12-6 

PREVIEW: 

After suffering a seven-point loss to the Falcons a little under a month ago in Clune Arena the Broncos are looking to improve their 11-1 record at home, reach second place (no matter who else is there with them) and get some revenge on Tuesday night in ExtraMile Arena. Boise State like everyone situated in 2nd-5th place in the conference at the moment is looking for a win tonight. Aside from the juggernaut season San Diego State is currently having everyone else has been handing out losses and taking them right back.

The Stakes,

Boise State is in a current three-way tie for third place with Colorado State and Utah State (who face off tonight in another important match up to keep an eye on). And the race for a top seed in the conference tournament will take a couple of turns tonight as the winner of the Rams vs. Aggies matchup dictates a lot. If Colorado State wins they keep sole possession of second place and give Boise State sole possession of third (for now). But an Aggie win creates a two-way tie for second place, knocking the Rams to third place just ahead of Nevada.

Air Force is playing for a better seed in the conference tournament at this point with the hopes of making a deep tournament run to make the big dance. The Falcons are currently sitting in two-way tie for seventh place with the Spartans of San Jose State.

Air Force

Air Force has been exactly the sort of team we usually expect them to be each year and have dished out some upsets and challenged teams at times this season. But in true Air Force fashion has also struggled at times with scoring consistency and defense (refer to their Feb. 4th box score against Nevada for further explanation). But when they’re knocking down shots they are one of the most dangerous teams in the Mountain West (refer to their Jan. 7th box score against Utah State for further explanation).

Lavelle Scottie has played well for the Falcons as of late (15.8 PPG and 6.0 RPG in his last five games). And the possible emergence of junior guard Christopher Joyce who had 23 points against San Diego State on Saturday on 5/8 shooting from deep may be just what this Air Force team needs to break a six game losing streak. Which began after their win over the Broncos last month, and what a better way to break it than with a regular season sweep of Boise State in the process.

Boise State

The Broncos have had a bit of trouble getting solid production from leading scorer Derrick Alston Jr. of late, as the 6-9 guard averaged 4.5 PPG, 1.5 APG and 2.0 RPG in two games last week. Justinian Jessup has stepped in up his absence along with fellow senior guard Alex Hobbs with big performances in a win over Wyoming on Tuesday night and a tough loss on the road against Utah State on Saturday. It’s been hard to predict a leading scorer for the Broncos recently, with five different players taking that honor over their last ten games. But Leon Rice’s crew were just enjoying a five game winning streak just last Tuesday and could use a win before they host San Diego State this Sunday at home for what could be the Aztec’s first loss of the season.

Some history, 

Aside the fact both schools are only about three and half hours away from each other by plane, these two squads have only met on the court eighteen times in their short history. A twenty year gap between their first matchup on Dec. 27th, 1991 and their next one on Jan. 14th, 2012 in Boise State’s inaugural season in the Mountain West conference.

The last time these two met back on Jan. 15th of this year, Ryan Swan scored 17 points scoring his 1000th career point in the process, becoming the 27th Falcon to do so.

Matchup of the night: Down Low

F RJ Williams Boise State vs. F Ryan Swan Air Force

The Stats: Williams (1.4 PPG, 8.0 PRG & 1.0 SPG) & Swan (12.8  PPG, 4.5 RPG & 1.8 APG)

Both are coming off of some of their worst performances of the season against San Diego State and Utah State respectfully, but both should have an impact in tonight’s Mountain West presentation of the NBA’s “small ball”. Both struggled against bigger opponents last week but both stand at 6-7 with Swan winning the weight portion of the contest and Williams winning for best motor.

Williams is at his best when he’s down low getting second chance boards and receiving assists from driving teammates. Swan gets his buckets when he’s knocking down mid-range jumpers or getting to the line, look for him to drive against a smaller Bronco frontcourt tonight.

Prediction: Boise State 80, Air force 70

This one will come down to how hot the Falcons can get tonight on the road and whether or not the Broncos can get hotter. The home record speaks for itself, and the Broncos are as dangerous as anyone in the conference when playing in ExtraMile Arena where they have averaged 84.5 PPG over the twelve games played their this season.

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#4 San Diego State vs. New Mexico: Keys For A Lobos Win

The San Diego State Aztecs host the New Mexico Lobos at Viejas Arena in San Diego on Tuesday February 11, 2020.

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#4 San Diego State vs. New Mexico: Keys For A Lobos Win

New Mexico is not (as) shorthanded in this one.

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

A look at how the Lobos can top the hottest team in the nation.

WHO: San Diego State Aztecs (24-0, 13-0 MW) at New Mexico Lobos (17-8, 6-6 MW)

WHEN: Tuesday, February 10, 2020 — 8:00 PM PT / 9:00 PM MT

WHERE: Viejas Arena — San Diego, CA

TV/STREAMING: ESPN2/WatchESPN

RADIO: San Diego State | New Mexico

SERIES RECORD: New Mexico leads 48-41

ODDS: San Diego State -18.5

After handily beating the team currently ranked last in the conference standings (Wyoming), the New Mexico Lobos (17-8, 6-6 MW) head once more on the road to take on the San Diego State Aztecs (24-0, 13-0 MW).

It’s no secret that the Lobos have struggled on the road this season and the struggles on the road have only been amplified by personnel issues.

But even at home, New Mexico couldn’t keep pace with an Aztecs team that is undoubtedly the hottest in the nation with its unblemished 24-0 record. The Lobos lost that game by an 85-57 margin, and were missing 80% of their starting lineup at the time.

But for now at least, two of those starters are back and were productive in New Mexico’s outing against Wyoming. Vance Jackson finished with 20 points, (back from a knee injury) going 6-8 from deep to accompany his 3 rebounds and 3 assists, while JaQuan Lyle played a quieter, albeit still-impactful role, finishing with 5 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

There were some good things that the team did against Wyoming that, if they can carry on to the game against the Aztecs, will go a long way in improving the chances of the already-unlikely outcome of an upset.

Here are a few:

1) Move the ball but take care of the ball. 

One-on-one play has often stagnated the Lobo offense, and led to turnovers throughout the season. Not too many players can dribble through two or three defenders and score consistently over 40 minutes. The solution?

Move the ball. Make the defense work harder.

But it can’t be passing just for sake of passing. Finding the open man when the inevitable double team comes makes it difficult for the defense to rotate efficiently for an entire game.

New Mexico has done this well on occasion with good results. In conference wins, they are averaging a 56% assist-to-field-goal ratio and a 1.61 assist-to-turnover ratio. In losses, both numbers drop to 47.3% and 1.21 respectively. In their loss against San Diego State on January 29, the Lobos had a 40.9% assist-to-field-goal ratio and a 0.9 assist-to-turnover ratio.

2) Limit three pointers. 

Sometimes it looks like a replay.

New Mexico has employed an unusual strategy at times this year, trying to make opponents beat them from three. It’s one thing if a player who is shooting a very low percentage goes off (which has happened to New Mexico this year on at least a couple of occasions), but sometimes it looks as if they are willing to give wide open shots, even to 35% or better three point shooters.

This strategy works sometimes, but when a team is on, they’re on and you have to start closing out at some point.

The first time around against the Aztecs, the Lobos gave up 15 three pointers. KJ Feagin was the primary antagonist with six made threes, but six Aztecs hit at least one three in the contest. For New Mexico, it would be unquestionably beneficial to keep opponent’s threes at least under 10 going forward.

3)  40 minutes of defense. 40 minutes of rebounding. 

When you are playing one of the best defensive teams in the nation, you have to be pretty special offensively to not play defense. Not to mention San Diego State is among the best offensive teams in the nation, making a lack of defense fatal for any team playing the Aztecs.

While the defense looked better against an outmatched Wyoming, it’s the lack of defense over the course of the season that has been New Mexico’s Achilles heel under Paul Weir’s tenure. To his credit, things were much better with all players available, but with two of their best defenders presumably out for good, every player on the roster will have to buy into the fundamental aspects of rebounding and defense to have a chance to win. 

This was not an elite rebounding team before the loss of Carlton Bragg and JJ Caldwell (who at 6-1 was one of the better rebounders on the roster). They are certainly not an elite rebounding team now, but if Caldwell found a way to crash the boards, the rest of the team should be able to find a way too.

The good news for New Mexico is that much of what can propel them to victory can be controlled by the team itself. For this team, it is much less about trying to contain opponents and more so about trying to play fundamental basketball well without any one or two players trying to do too much. Sharing and taking care of the ball, rebounding and defense are all things that each player can commit to doing, and that will have to be the case if the Lobos want to keep things close with the Aztecs.

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Utah State at Colorado State: 3 Keys for an Aggie Victory

Utah State at Colorado State: 3 Keys For An Aggie Victory Aggies Travel to Colorado to take on the Rams Contact/Follow @MWCwire Can Utah State steal a road win? WHEN: Tuesday 02/11/2020 at 7:30 PM MST WHERE: Moby Arena: Fort Collins, CO …

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Utah State at Colorado State: 3 Keys For An Aggie Victory

Aggies Travel to Colorado to take on the Rams 

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Can Utah State steal a road win?

WHEN: Tuesday 02/11/2020 at 7:30 PM MST 

WHERE: Moby Arena: Fort Collins, CO 

TV/STREAMING: CBSSN

RADIO: USU: 1280 the Zone 

There is a lot on the line Tuesday night as the Utah State Aggies travel to Colorado to take on the Colorado State Rams.  The Aggies were able to best the Rams in their first matchup of the season, 77-61 in Logan.  The Aggies have had a rough time on the road this season, having only won 2 true road games thus far.  If they hope to escape Fort Collins with a victory they will need to play extremely well as the Rams have been excellent at home this season.

KEY #1: Sam Merrill

The last time these teams met Merrill scored 28 points.  He is slowly emerging from a mid-season slump and getting back into the groove.  In the Aggies’ previous game, against Boise State, Merrill was in foul trouble for most of the second half and watched a good portion from the bench.  Although his minutes were down he still managed to score 17 points.  Not only does Merrill lead the team in scoring, he is also the lead assist man, dishing out 4 dimes per game.  He will need to continue his improved play and avoid foul trouble in order for Utah State to have a chance for victory.

KEY #2 : Win the battle of the bigs:

Nico Carvacho vs Neemias Queta, this will be a fun one to watch.  Carvacho is having a monster season averaging nearly 13 points and 11 rebounds per game.  The senior center has been able to impose his will against most of the Mountain West this season.  If Utah State hopes to win this game the will need to rely heavily on the defense of sophomore center Neemias Queta.  In the previous matchup Queta allowed Carvacho to score 14 points and 9 rebounds.  He will need to lock it down defensively.

KEY #3: 70 Points

Hold the Rams to under 70 points.  On the season the Rams have not won a game if they are held under 70 points.  Utah State will need all hands on deck to slow down the high powered CSU offense.  The Rams are on a 3 game winning streak in which they are averaging 89 points per game.  It will be a tall order for the Aggies but they have played fairly well defensively holding opponents to 65 points per game over the last three games.

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Mountain West Wire’s Player of The Year Watch List: Week Fourteen

Who is in the running for Player of the Year? Take A Look At the Best Performances Around the Mountain West In Week Fourteen Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Jalen Harris averages 35.0 PPG and Neemias Queta makes his list debut. The staff at …

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Who is in the running for Player of the Year?

Take A Look At the Best Performances Around the Mountain West In Week Fourteen

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Jalen Harris averages 35.0 PPG and Neemias Queta makes his list debut.

The staff at the Mountain West Wire wanted to do something a little different this year. We are going to keep track of the top performers from teams around the Mountain West throughout the year and vote on who had the best performances that week. 

How it works description now at the bottom of the article

The order for the fourteenth week is as follows:

1. Jalen Harris, junior guard Nevada (5 Points)

38 points, 4 assists and 6 rebounds against Air Force

32 points, 3 assists and 5 rebounds against San Jose State

Four, that’s how many straight games the Wolf Pack’s Jalen Harris has scored thirty points or more, did I mention that was consecutively? Harris is on fire, and that feels like an understatement as the junior guard has the hot hand for a very neutral temperature Nevada team. Still with week fourteen’s first place finish he is only seven points away from current first place holder Malachi Flynn to make his case of Player of the Year.

Yes Harris is averaging 30.0 PPG over his last five games, but the Wolf Pack are 3-2 in the same span, and like most teams fighting it out in the middle of the Mountain West. Still when he takes the floor he is the most dominant player on the court, no matter the opponent. And he gets his points from everywhere from distance, inside the lane and without the ball as he’s constantly moving looking for a possible alley oop.

Nevada played well last week, earning two wins against Air Force and San Jose State by an average of 26.0 PPG. This may seem like easy pickings but any momentum that can be gained in this middle of the pack heavy Mountain West is useful. Especially seeing that the Wolf Pack drive south to the Thomas and Mack Center on Wednesday and then take a six day break before heading further south to The Pit (i.e. Dreamstyle Arena) next week. Either way I haven’t decided which streak I’m going to be rooting for this weekend, whether it be the Aztecs undefeated streak or hoping for another 30 point performance from Mr. Harris on Wednesday night.

2. Neemias Queta, sophomore forward Utah State (4 Points):

21 Points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks against UNLV

21 points, 8 rebounds and 5 blocks against Boise State

3. Malachi Flynn, junior guard San Diego State (3 Points):

17 points, 7 assists and 8 rebounds against Air Force

4. Nico Carvacho, senior center Colorado State (2 Points):

17 points, 16 rebounds and 1 assist against Fresno State

5. Seneca Knight, sophomore guard San Jose State (1 Point):

34 points, 3 assists and 8 rebounds against Nevada

Past Weeks:

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3| Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9| Week 10|Week 11| Week 12| Week 13|

Current Overall Point Totals:

Malachi Flynn, junior guard San Diego State (30 Points)

Jalen Harris, junior guard Nevada (23 Points)

Derrick Alston Jr, junior guard BSU (19 Points)

JaQuan Lyle, senior guard UNM (15 Points)

Sam Merrill, senior guard USU (15 Points)

Nico Carvacho, senior center CSU (12 Points)

Bryce Hamilton, sophomore guard UNLV (9 Points)

Jazz Johnson, senior guard Nevada (9 Points)

Hunter Maldonado, sophomore guard Wyoming (7 Points)

Seneca Knight, sophomore guard San Jose State (6 Points)

Isaiah Stevens, freshman guard Colorado State (6 Points)

Alphonso Anderson, junior guard USU (5 Points)

Carlton Bragg Jr., senior forward New Mexico (5 Points)

Lindsey Drew, senior guard Nevada (5 Points)

Justinian Jessup, senior guard Boise State (5 Points)

Justin Bean, sophomore forward USU (4 Points)

Marvin Coleman, sophomore guard UNLV (4 Points)

Amauri Hardy, junior guard UNLV (4 Points)

Neemias Queta, sophomore forward Utah State (4 Points)

Orlando Robinson, freshman forward Fresno State (4 Points)

David Roddy, freshman guard Colorado State (4 Points)

Roderick “RJ” Williams, senior forward Boise State (3 Points)

Corey Manigault, senior forward New Mexico (2 Points)

Jordan Schakel, junior guard SDSU (2 Points)

Donnie Tillman, junior forward UNLV (2 Points)

Abu Kigab, junior forward Boise State (1 Point)

Zane Martin, junior guard UNM (1 Point)

Matt Mitchell, junior forward San Diego State (1 Point)

Ryan Swan, senior center Air Force (1 Point)

Yanni Wetzell, senior forward San Diego State (1 Point)

How It Works: 

Each person will award 15 points in total to five players and should award it as so:

1st place (Player of the week): 5 pts

2nd place: 4 pts

3rd place: 3 pts

4th place: 2 pts

5th place: 1 pt

The player with the most points total will be our player of the week and we will keep track of the point totals every week so that the player who has the most at the end of the year will receive the Mountain West Wire Player of the Year award. Just copy the players below and type your names above it like we do for the pick them docs we get and award your points. 

Now some guys made the list and others didn’t. A big thing to think about was consistency throughout the week. Something that hurt some guys was having a decent game one day and a bad one the other day. Guys who made the list had a great game one day and a good one on other days, or good games both days.

This column will come out on Sunday nights or Monday mornings depending on how late some games finish on Sundays. 

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College Basketball Rankings: San Diego State Steady At No. 4

San Diego State will need help if it is to move into the top three of the polls.

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College Basketball Rankings: San Diego State Steady At No. 4

Aztes stuck at the fourth spot.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

When will SDSU move up?

San Diego State remains as the only perfect team in college basketball but they are still sitting at the No. 4 spot. All of that is fine as the Aztecs are on track to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The big question is when San Diego State could move up and it will take a team ahead of them losing and there is a matchup looming between No. 1 Baylor and No. 3 Kansas is a great chance for the Aztecs to move up at least a spot.

There are a few options for San Diego State to move up, or not. A Baylor win will allow the Aztecs to move up a spot but a Kansas win could foil that if it is a close win or one that goes into overtime. That scenario could see Baylor remain ahead of San Diego State.

Including the Kansas game, Baylor has three other game against ranked teams in No. 14 West Virginia and they play twice, plus No. 24 Texas Tech.

As for Kansas, they have an easier schedule left with Baylor game and the other is a home game vs. No. 14 West Virginia.

Gonzaga currently has no ranked teams left on its schedule, but they two obstacles with a road game at BYU and a home game vs. Saint Mary’s.

There are chances for San Diego State tp move up over the next few weeks.

AP Top 25

1. Baylor
2. Gonzaga
3. Kansas
4. San Diego State
5. Louisville
6. Dayton
7. Duke
8. Florida State
9. Maryland
10. Seton Hall
11. Auburn
12. Kentucky
13. Penn State
14. West Virginia

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15. Villanova
16. Colorado
17. Oregon
18. Marquette
19. Butler
20. Houston
21. Iowa
22. Illinois
23. Creighton
24. Texas Tech
25. LSU

Coaches Poll

1. Baylor
2. Gonzaga
3. Kansas
4. San Diego State
5. Louisville
6. Dayton
7. Duke
8. Florida State
9. Maryland
10. Seton Hall
11. Auburn
12. Kentucky
13. Penn State
14. West Virginia
15. Colorado
16. Villanova
17. Iowa
18. Oregon
19. Houston
20. Butler
21. Creighton
22. Marquette
23. Illinois
24. Texas Tech
25. Michigan State

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Aggies fight off another Boise St. comeback to win 70-61 at home

Utah State won 70-61 at Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Saturday night, beating Boise State to pull even in the Mountain West standings.

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Game Recap: Utah State 70, Boise State 61

Aggies pull into three-way tie for 3rd place with BSU, Nevada

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Utah State bent but never broke as they evened the season series with Boise State on Saturday.

Utah State got revenge against their neighbors to the north, beating Boise State 70-61 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Saturday. While the Aggies led for nearly the entire game, the Broncos didn’t allow themselves to be put away for good until the final minute. The win pulls Utah State up into a three-way tie for third place with Boise State and Nevada.

The Aggies (19-7, 8-5 MWC) led by as many as 12 points during the second half, but they also let the Broncos stay within reach for the duration of the game. The deficit shrunk to as small as a single point after Riley Abercrombie’s field goal with just over a minute remaining.

But on the ensuing possession, the Aussie freshman was charged with a flagrant foul after pulling down Utah State’s Neemias Queta on a shot attempt.

The decision from the referees meant that the Aggies retained the ball after Queta made both free throws, and fellow USU star Sam Merrill added two more on the bonus possession. The Broncos were unable to score another point, as Utah State ended the game on an 8-0 run.

Queta led all scorers with a game-high 21 points, adding five rebounds and five blocks. Merrill contributed 17 points and four assists. Diogo Brito had 11 ponts and seven rebounds for the Aggies, while Justin Bean had 16 rebounds to go along with seven points.

Despite getting the win, Utah State will not be happy with their three-point shooting performance. They finished the game just 2-for-19 from beyond the arc, barely eclipsing the 10% mark. For a team with multiple sharpshooters, this kind of inefficiency simply does not compute.

They were bailed out in this instance, by a Boise State team that didn’t fare much better from three-point land. The Broncos went 6-for-29 from deep, good for just 20.7% on the night.

Senior guard Justinian Jessup was the only Boise State player to hit multiple threes, knocking down a trio of triples to extend his newly-earned Mountain West record for career threes made to 301. He is the first player in league history to surpass the threshold.

Jessup led Boise State (16-9, 8-5 MWC) with 20 points. Alex Hobbs had a second-straight impressive offensive showing, putting up 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting. After scoring a career-high 24 points off the bench against Wyoming earlier this week, Hobbs got the start in place of Abu Kigab, who sat out of Saturday’s game with a hip injury.

Derrick Alston Jr.’s struggles this week continued through the weekend. The junior went 0-for-7 and scored just two points against the Cowboys on Tuesday. His box score improved on Saturday, but he still managed only seven points on 2-of-8 from the floor.

Abercrombie was forced into extra action against the Aggies after RJ Williams and Robin Jorch both fouled out. Though he did have some success on the interior, Abercrombie was 0-for-5 from beyond the arc—and also committed the ill-timed flagrant foul near the end of the game.

UP NEXT

Utah State’s next matchup is a Tuesday showdown on the road against Colorado State (17-8, 8-4 MWC). Now that the Aggies have climbed back into third place in the Mountain West, only the Rams stand between them and San Diego State. A win in Fort Collins would give Utah State at least a share of second place in the league. It would also position the Aggies to hold firm in that position, with their final four games all coming against teams in the bottom half of the conference.

Boise State heads home to host Air Force (9-15, 3-9 MWC). The Falcons were the latest team to put a scare into San Diego State but were unable to seal the deal at Clune Arena. Dave Pilipovich’s team has been disappointing compared to preseason projections, but they are always capable of surprising an unsuspecting team. If the Broncos want to keep pace in the MW for second or third place, they cannot afford to overlook this midweek tussle, especially with a Sunday tilt with SDSU looming.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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UNLV Squeaks Past Fresno State, 68-67

UNLV Squeaks Past Fresno State, 68-67 A lot of second half points. Contact/Follow @MWCwire UNLV gets a needed MW win UNLV (11-13,7-6 MW) went to battle with Fresno State (8-15, 4-8 MW) in a rematch of both teams’ first conference game way back in …

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UNLV Squeaks Past Fresno State, 68-67

A lot of second half points.

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

UNLV gets a needed MW win

UNLV (11-13,7-6 MW) went to battle with Fresno State (8-15, 4-8 MW) in a rematch of both teams’ first conference game way back in December. In that double-overtime thriller UNLV picked up the victory 81-80. 

The Rebels broke their losing streak picking up their 7th conference win of the season. Winning against Fresno State 68-67.

The second time around Fresno State got out to a hot start thanks in part to Orlando Robinson who scored 10 of the bulldogs first 12 points. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 12-2 lead over the Rebels. UNLV went 1-10 from the field to open the game.

When Coach Otzelberger made a few substitutions that’s when the tide started to turn for the Rebels. Jonah Antonio came off the bench and knocked down a three that got the score to 16-8. Donnie Tillman, Elijah Mitrou-Long, and Vitaliy Shibel also contributed off the bench. UNLV stepped up on the defensive end and held Fresno State scoreless for five minutes and got back into the game.

The first half for both teams was an offensive struggle and ended 23-22 in favor of Fresno State.

The second half saw UNLV continue to be aggressive on defense forcing three turnovers to start the half. The Rebels took the lead early in the half but from there the action was back and forth with 10 lead changes in the half.

Coach T.J. Otzelberger got his first technical foul as the Rebels head coach. The call in question was a charge called on Donnie Tillman. Coach Otzelberger used this moment to voice his frustrations and the crowd seeing his fire got the hometown fans behind the team.

Noah Blackwell hit a three with 54 seconds to go in the game to give the bulldogs a 67-64 lead. The Runnin’ Rebels came right back with Amauri Hardy making a layup at the rim cutting the lead down to one.

After a missed three by New Williams UNLV had a chance to win the game and it was the hometown kid Marvin Williams who made his first basket of the game by banking in a jump shot fading away while driving towards the baseline. That shot gave the Rebels a 68-67 lead with 0.05 left on the clock.

Amauri Hardy led the way for the Rebels with 18 points. Bryce Hamilton was right behind him with 17 of his own.

UP Next: For UNLV their next game is against in-state rival Nevada (15-10) or as they like to call them UNR. Nevada is coming off a win against SJSU 95-77. That game will be held inside the Thomas&Mack Arena.

For Fresno State, their next matchup is against SJSU (7-17). Fresno has a one game lead on SJSU in conference play. That game will take place in San Jose.

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San Diego State Blow Open Tight Game At Air Force To Remain Undefeated

San Diego State keeps on winning with an easy win over Air Force.

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San Diego State Blow Open Tight Game At Air Force To Remain Undefeated

Aztecs cruise to victory over Falcons.

Contact/Follow @Aztecs_Nation & @MWCwire

San Diego State keep on winning.

46.4 percent from the field. 40 percent from beyond the arc. Sixteen assists, 32 rebounds, 10 offensive boards, and 74 points. Those were the stats for the Air Force Falcons in a night where they lost by 15 points.

How?

They faced off against the #4 team in the nation, which outshot the Falcons handily from every spot on the court. In the end the Aztecs walked away with #24 and an 89-74 victory.

The first half was a sloppy one for San Diego State as the Aztecs had six turnovers. Their defense was not playing up to par, possibly because of the altitude, and allowed 34 points to a hot shooting Falcons squad.

But the Aztecs, as they always do, found a way to stay in it behind Jordan Schakel who had 13 points, with only one shot coming from behind the arc. Schakel led the team to a seven-point lead in a hard-fought first half.

In the second half, it appeared that the Falcons would shoot their way into a lead behind Chris Joyce and Lavelle Scottie, who each scored in double figures. They brought the Falcons within three points, however, the Aztecs never let them get closer. Two things kept the Aztecs out front; first they did not turn the ball over and second they shot 57.1% from the field.

After a sluggish first half where he only scored four points, Malachi Flynn got going in the second and scored 13 and the Aztecs weathered foul trouble to get the win.

Joyce led the Falcons with a career night and game high 23 points and five assists. Scottie finished with a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Caleb Morris had 12 points and Sid Tomes had 10 to complete the Air Force, double-digit scorers.

KJ Feagin continued his hot streak of scoring 15+ points for the third straight game after finishing with a team high 21 points. Schakel finished with 18 points. Flynn flirted with a triple double, ending the game with 17 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Matt Mitchell was the final Aztecs in double digits, finishing with 16 points on 5-6 shooting.

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San Diego State at Air Force: Game Preview, Livestream, Odds, & More

San Diego State at Air Force: Game Preview, Livestream, Odds, & More San Diego State goes back to Colorado Springs for one last time. – Contact/Follow @ErwinSports and @MWCwire. San Diego State, off their bye and a win against Utah State on Kawhi …

San Diego State at Air Force: Game Preview, Livestream, Odds, & More

San Diego State goes back to Colorado Springs for one last time.

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– Contact/Follow @ErwinSports and @MWCwire.

San Diego State, off their bye and a win against Utah State on Kawhi Leonard jersey retirement, faces a trap game?

San Diego State hosts New Mexico on Tuesday. Traditionally, the Aztecs would be in a position for a trap game. Some of the losses at Colorado Springs have been like that tho.

Consider the facts:

– 2 losses in the last 3 games at Colorado Springs.
– A 14-point loss last year.
– A quad 3 opponent.

What could go wrong?

A loss could mean dropping down to a 3-seed and being sent far, far away from California and the Staples Center.

But this team plays different from years past.

“They’re locked in at practice,” said head Coach Brian Dutcher in this week’s press conference, “so then I have great comfort they’re going to be locked in for the game.”

Dutcher’s analysis is worth its weight due to their 23-0 record.

The Aztecs are favorites the rest of the way through the conference slate. The toughest games are at Boise State and Nevada where KenPom gives the Aztecs 76% and 75% to win respectively.

The Air Force Academy is no 16-seed, but the Falcons has a puncher’s chance of dealing a late-round knockout. Whoever the Aztecs draw next month, the Falcons are a good primer to take a Quad-3 opponent seriously.

The bye should have given the Aztecs fresh legs. Due to Nathan Mensah’s health it’s very unlikely he makes the trip. So it looks like another week of  Yanni Wetzell and Nolan Narain at the 5. If the game gets away from the Falcons, Joel Mensah should be able to get some reps in preparation for March.

Prediction

It’ll be interesting to see how this defense looks like off the bye against a Princeton offense. The Aztecs were challenged last week but took advantage of Utah State second half mistakes and changed their fortune. Malachi Flynn will get into the groove early and get Jordan Schakel going. Yanni Wetzell pulls a double-double and Aztecs win by 17.

San Diego State 77, Air Force 60

GAME DETAILS

WHO: San Diego State (23-0, 12-0 MWC) at Air Force (9-14, 3-8 MWC)

WHEN: Saturday, February 8, 2020 – 6 p.m. PST

WHERE: Clune Arena, Colorado Springs, CO

WATCH: CBS Sports Network

STREAM: FuboTV Watch with a 7 day free trial 

LISTEN: 1360-AM, 101.5-FM

ALL-TIME RECORD: San Diego State is 57-24 against Air Force and owns a 20-17 advantage in Colorado Springs.

ODDS: San Diego State -14.5

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Aggies Out for Revenge in Return Match against Broncos

Utah State hosts conference foes Boise State in Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Saturday. The game tips off at 8:00 PM Mountain Time.

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Boise State at Utah State: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More

Two of the MW’s best do battle on Saturday night

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

GAME DETAILS

WHO: Boise State (16-8, 8-4 MWC) at Utah State (18-7, 7-5 MWC)

WHEN: Saturday, February 8 — 8:00 P.M. MT / 7:00 P.M. PT

WHERE: Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, Logan, UT

WATCH: CBS Sports Network; Get a free 7-day trial of FuboTV.

LISTEN: TuneIn USU, TuneIn BSU

ALL-TIME: The Aggies lead the series, 33-16.

ODDS: Utah State -7, per KenPom

GAME PREVIEW

Boise State will try to hold onto its second-place position in the Mountain West on Saturday, as they travel to Logan to square off with Utah State. The action at Dee Glen Smith Spectrum tips off at 8:00 P.M. Mountain. The game will televised on CBS Sports Network.

The first time these two met, the Broncos (16-8, 8-4 MW) pulled of an incredible comeback to earn an overtime victory over the Aggies.

But that was in Boise. Now, Utah State is ready to return the favor on their own turf.

The Aggies have made a habit of winning at home. Craig Smith’s team is 12-1 in Logan this year, and that single loss came against the still-undefeated San Diego State juggernaut.

If they can hold court once more, the Aggies (18-7, 7-5 MW) will erase the deficit between themselves and Boise State in the Mountain West standings. Utah State could end up taking over sole possession of that spot as early as Tuesday, with a midweek date with Colorado State next up on the docket after the Broncos.

Boise State, meanwhile, has won five straight, a streak beginning with that 19-point comeback over the Aggies on January 18. But this road game will be the most difficult they’ve had in some time.

Boise State is 3-6 in true road games this season, with those wins coming against Fresno State, Wyoming, and Pacific. Leon Rice has yet to register a meaningful win in hostile territory.

That win over Wyoming almost didn’t happen, either.

A close call in Laramie

Boise State nearly suffered an upset earlier this week when they started their two-game road trip in Laramie. The Cowboys led for most of that game, but a late surge helped the Broncos avoid taking the loss. A masterful performance off the bench from Alex Hobbs resulted in a career-high 24 points for the senior.

While the bench was busy going off—Max Rice, the coach’s son, also notched a career-high with 12 points—one of Boise State’s stars went quiet. Derrick Alston Jr. managed just two points for the entire game against Wyoming, and both of those came on free throws. The season-low output was likely just a small speedbump for Alston, who is averaging 19 points per game on the year.

Broncos senior Justinian Jessup will look to extend his Mountain West record for three-pointers made in a career. Jessup broke the record against Wyoming. On Saturday, he could become the first player in conference history to make 300 threes. The sharp-shooting guard currently sits at 298 for his career.

Aggies on the rise?

For Utah State, the Mountain West season has been a roller-coaster. The Aggies won their first two league games back in December, but lost three straight to start off the new year, including road losses to UNLV and Air Force.

They have won six of eight since that skid, with both losses coming on the road—and with Utah State having been in position to win both games. The Aggies led for large parts of those contests against Boise State and San Diego State but were unable to pull off a win on either occasion.

Utah State was back to their winning ways earlier this week, though, when they toppled UNLV in the first leg of their two-game homestand. Sophomore big man Neemias Queta had a season-high 21 points in the game, to go along with six rebounds and five assists. Joining him in the 20-point club was running mate Sam Merrill.

This kind of outburst from the duo was expected to be a nightly occurrence for Utah State, but the team has too often seen their stars fail to fall into step.

One of the factors keeping the Aggies afloat is the development of Justin Bean. The big man started the year as a Queta surrogate and made the most of his chance in the starting lineup, averaging a double-double with 12.6 points and 10.2 rebounds.

Tournament implications

As of Friday, Utah State stands at #52 in the NCAA’s NET rankings, while Utah State comes in at #92. A win for the Broncos would register as a Quadrant 1 victory, while the Aggies would only get a Quadrant 3 win for beating Boise State at Smith Spectrum.

Their wins over LSU and Florida aren’t as strong as they could be, and the losses to UNLV and Air Force are an albatross around Utah State’s neck.

In something of a catch-22, that road defeat against the Rebels is teetering on the verge of entering Quadrant 2. If UNLV does eventually rise in the rankings, it will lift an ugly Quadrant 3 loss off of the books, but it will also add another loss to an already meager record against Quadrant 1 and 2 opponents.

Boise State has turned their season around, to be sure, but a poor strength of schedule ranking and two Quadrant 3 losses paint a grim picture for the Broncos’ tournament dreams. A loss to Utah State would certainly help, but the true test will come in just over two weeks, when Boise State hosts San Diego State at ExtraMile Arena.

But even with both wins, the Broncos would still have just a mediocre resume overall.

The ship has likely sailed for either of these teams to get into the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid, so at this point, they are vying to secure a first-round bye in the Mountain West Tournament—and preferably on the opposite side of the bracket from the Aztecs.

That would drastically improve their chances of making the MWC Tournament final, and if they can get some help from an early upset of SDSU, an automatic bid could be in either team’s future.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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