Jalen Harris’ 38-Point Performance Leads Nevada Past Air Force, 88-54

Game Recap: Nevada 88, Air Force 54 Jalen Harris and company step up in a bounce back win over Air Force at home. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire The Wolf Pack looked very comfortable behind a solid defensive team effort and solid overall …

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Game Recap: Nevada 88, Air Force 54


Jalen Harris and company step up in a bounce back win over Air Force at home. 


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The Wolf Pack looked very comfortable behind a solid defensive team effort and solid overall play from Harris. 

The Wolf Pack bounced back in a big way against Air Force at home in Lawlor Events Center Tuesday night in a 88-54 win over the visiting Falcons. Nevada lost both games on the road last week, one in a 91-92 heart breaker against the Rams in Fort Collins on Wednesday and on Saturday in Boise 64-73. The Wolf Pack hasn’t fared well away from home, with a combined 1-7 record

on the road this season. But they knew it would be a different story on Tuesday night, because they were back at home and facing the Air Force Falcons who were in sole possession of seventh place at 3-7 in conference play.

The Wolf Pack have had some success in the Lawlor Events Center going 9-2 at home this season. First year head coach Steve Alford and company had no intention of changing that narrative as the team rallied behind an impressive offensive performance from their star junior guard Jalen Harris. The former Louisiana Tech Bulldog and Musselman import has been the center piece of a relatively young and inexperienced squad this season.

Harris who almost transferred out the program upon learning of former head coach Eric Musselman’s new gig in the SEC ultimately decided to stay in Reno and is looking at a first-team all-Mountain West Conference finish and maybe a run at either player of the year or newcomer of the year.

His performance on Tuesday was phenomenal, finishing with 38 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals in 36 minutes of play. He also got others involved by distributing the basketball while drawing double teams on almost every possession and freeing up his bigs down low.

Harris has been able to do a little bit of everything for Nevada this season, he’s got a terrific motor, can drive the ball, distribute it and shoot it from anywhere. And after his 38-point performance is the only Wolf Pack player in program history with five 30-point plus performances in the same season.

But like I said he got everyone some touches, with a little bit of everyone playing solid minutes on Tuesday night. Senior guard Lindsey drew was a defensive force all night, ending the night with 8 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks while also netting his 900th career point and grabbing his 600th rebound all of which has come in Reno.

While senior guard and the team’s second leading scorer Jazz Johnson sat out his second consecutive game due to injury, others stepped up. Others like fellow senior guard Nisre Zouzoua who played well with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 1 steal on the night.

Last week’s Wolf Pack squad looked out of sorts, plus without one of their top scorers and team leaders on Saturday just survived the week. But this Nevada team looked different, they were confident, knocked down shots and played hard on both sides of the floor. Not only outscoring the Falcons but out rebounding them 49-29. Like most other teams in the Mountain West this season they have enjoyed ups and ridden out downs, but if they can find a rhythm and star guard Jalen Harris continues his current level of play, watch out.

The Falcons looked flat out defeated most of the night. After trailing the Wolf Pack 44-22 at the half didn’t show any more fight in the second half, shooting 19-58 from the field (32.8%) and only knocking down 50% of their free throws. Lavelle Scottie was the only Falcon in double figures last night with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals on the night, while the four other starters combined for only 17 points on 5-23 shooting overall.

Air Force has played like two different teams at times this season, upsetting some teams and losing by thirty-four to others. The team should take advantage of Scottie and Swan’s presence down low for the remainder of the season, as both seniors won’t be around next season and the frontcourt will look a lot different.

Up Next:

Air Force:

The Falcons now turn their attention to the big fish coming into Colorado Springs this weekend. As the No. 4 ranked San Diego State Aztecs make their way west for a 6:00 PM MST showdown in Clune Arena on Saturday. It may seem just a bit repetitive at this point but we all know what’s at stake, the chance to knock off the undefeated Aztecs and on top of that doing it at home! The Falcons enjoy a 6-5 record at home and have upset both Boise State and Utah State at Clune Arena this season.  Let’s see if Dave Pilipovich and company can make it 23-1 for the Aztecs on Saturday.

Nevada:

After tonight’s 34-point win the Wolf Pack get a shot at either redemption or revenge this weekend, your call. As Nevada plays host to the San Jose State Spartans who back on January 8th handed the Wolf Pack their first loss in conference play on the road in San Jose. So a month later there is a bit more up for grabs than meets the eye in Saturday’s game in Reno. Tip-off is at 5:00 PM MST.

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Hobbs’ career-high 24 fuels Boise State comeback over Wyoming

Boise State narrowly avoided a bad loss in Laramie, using a late surge to push past Wyoming at Arena-Auditorium on Tuesday night.

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Game Recap: Boise State 67, Wyoming 62


Boise State holds serve in the race for 2nd place in the MW


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Boise State avoids an embarrassing loss, thanks to a herculean effort from Alex Hobbs

It took Boise State roughly 35 minutes to fully wake up during this game, but a late push from the Broncos helped them avoid what would have been a discouraging loss on the road against Wyoming.

Alex Hobbs came off the bench to lead the Broncos with a career-high 24 points, including a pair of three-pointers down the stretch that helped Boise State stave off the Cowboys’ upset attempt. It was the third time in six games that the senior guard has scored in double digits and his largest offesnive output since November 9, when he scored 18 points against Oregon.

Maybe it’s something about Arena-Auditorium. Hobbs scored 17 points there last season, too.

The Cowboys led by as many as five points during the second half, but they were unable to hold off Boise State for the full forty minutes. After a pair of Trevon Taylor free throws gave Wyoming a 52-47 lead with 9:52 to play, the Broncos outscored the Cowboys 20-10 the rest of the way.

Wyoming put one final scare into Boise State when they forced a turnover on the Broncos’ inbounds pass, trailing by three points with just under 30 seconds to play.

On the ensuing possession, Jake Hendricks missed a three-pointer, but Maldonado grabbed the offensive rebound and put his team back within one point.

After Jessup hit two free throws to put the Broncos back up three, Hendricks missed another shot from beyond the arc. Boise State forward RJ Williams grabbed the defensive rebound, was fouled, and iced the game with two free throws with 4.4 second remaining.

The victory keeps Boise State tied for second place in the Mountain West, along with Colorado State. Both schools currently sit at 8-4 in the conference, a full game ahead of both Nevada and UNLV.

The Rams also won on Tuesday night, beating Fresno State 80-70 on the road.

TEAM NOTES

Boise State

During the first half, Justinian Jessup set the Mountain West record for most career three-pointers, passing former BYU standout and All-American Jimmer Fredette. The senior finished with 16 points and extended the new high-water mark with a second three-pointer later in the game. … Derrick Alston Jr. was held scoreless in the first half and added only two free throws for the entire game, giving him a new season-low. The junior guard was 0-for-7 during the game, despite coming into the night scoring nearly 20 points per game. … RayJ Dennis started for the eighth straight game in Leon Rice’s lineup. The freshman’s insertion into the starting five has allowed Hobbs to provide veteran leadership in the second unit. That dynamic played itself out perfectly tonight. … Max Rice, the son of Boise State head coach Leon, also tied a career-high off the bench. The guard scored 12 points, matching the mark he set in the season opener against NAIA opponents Life Pacific. Together, he and Hobbs outscored the rest of the Broncos, 36-31.

Wyoming

The Cowboys move to 1-11 in Mountain West play. Wyoming scored their first league victory last weekend, as they toppled San Jose State, and came very close to making it two in a row tonight. … Hunter Maldonado registered his 22nd double-digit scoring performance of the season, scoring a team-high 17 points. The do-everything Cowboy has been one of the very few bright spots for this Wyoming team. … Kwane Marble was in double digits for the sixth consecutive game, scoring 11. He was also making his second start of the season after his debut in the starting lineup against the Spartans on Saturday. Marble played more than 10 minutes just once during the first two months of the season, but he has become a big part of this Wyoming team. He is developing into a key piece for Allen Edwards. … Freshman guard Kenny Foster was yet another player to set a new career-high in this game, finishing with 12 points in 27 minutes of action.

UP NEXT

Boise State travels to Logan to take on a Utah State team that is starting to regain its form after a midseason slump. The last time these two teams met, magic happened. We’ll see what the encore brings this weekend. Utah State will be out for revenge—and a place back near the top of the Mountain West standings.

Wyoming heads into one of the Mountain West’s most hostile territories, as they take on New Mexico at The Pit on Saturday. The Lobos started the season 15-3 but have taken a terrible nosedive in the wake of injuries, suspensions, and a dismissal. Paul Weir’s team has lost five of its past six games.

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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Mountain West Conference’s All-Time Three-Point Leaders: Justinian Jessup Seeks Top Spot

A Record Will Be Set Tonight In Laramie. Justinian Jessup looks to become the conferences all-time three-point shooter with just one knocked down triple. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire A look back at some of the deadliest three-point …

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A Record Will Be Set Tonight In Laramie. 


Justinian Jessup looks to become the conferences all-time three-point shooter with just one knocked down triple. 


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A look back at some of the deadliest three-point shooters in conference history.

As this week’s slate of conference games are set to kick off tonight, a bit of history is also set to be made by a certain Bronco in Laramie. Justinian Jessup is currently tied for first with former Mountain West star and BYU great Jimmer Fredette, for the all-time leader in three-point field goals made in Mountain West Conference history. It’s a big honor for any player, getting your name in the record books. But it has to feel a bit different seeing your name atop those record books in true dominant fashion.

As Jessup knocked down two threes in Boise State’s 73-64 win over Nevada over the weekend, he also stepped into the number one spot, tying Fredette with 296 made threes. He’s been able to do so in less games overall, with 120 games under his belt so far compared to Fredette’s 139.

With any knocked down three-point shots going forward, Jessup will become the Mountain West Conference’s sole all-time leader. While looking to be the only person to reach three hundred made three-point field goals in conference history with only four threes needed and at least a guaranteed eight games left to do it.

Now with the rest of the season to take sole ownership of first place, hit the 300 mark and create a gap between him and any other challenges on the list. Let’s revisit the career 3-Point field goal leaders top-10 list, which does feature another active player possibly capable of catching up to Jessup with his remaining eligibility.

The Top 10

T-1. Jimmer Fredette, BYU 2008-2011

3-Point Field Goals: 296

Career Stats: 18.7 PPG 3.7 APG 2.6 RPG 1.2 SPG & .394 3P%

Best Shooting Season: 2010-2011, Made 124 of his 313 three-pointer field goal attempts compared to 172 in the first three years of his career.

Jimmer mania was huge in 2011, a small list of accolades garnered in that season include; nation’s leading scorer, conference POY, National POY, 1st-team All-American and lottery pick (yeah, I know). Fredette made it rain from beyond the arc, sometimes closer to the half-court mark than the three-point line. Even with BYU’s exit from the Mountain West and Fredette’s lest than a stellar professional career, I think he is still a key component in the conference’s aim for national recognition and an all-time great.

Justinian Jessup, Boise State 2017-Current

3-Point Field Goals: 296

Career Stats: 11.9 PPG 4.1 RPG 2.0 APG & .407 3P%

Best Shooting Season: 2017-2018, Made a career-high 90 of his 197 three-point field goal attempts, good enough for 45% from deep that year.

Jessup should see his name atop the list by season’s end, but how far above everyone else is completely up to him. He has had a pretty impactful career in Boise, starting 111 of his 120 career games and cementing a legacy as a Bronco on the court as one of the best shooters in conference history.

2. Nick Jacobson, Utah 2001-2004 

3-Point Field Goals: 287

Career Stats: 12.7 PPG 2.1 RPG 1.2 APG & 42.6 3P%

Best Shooting Season: 2003-2004, Made a career-high 99 of his 227 three-point field goal attempts, good enough for 43% from deep that year.

Jacobson was lights out from beyond the arc during his time in Salt Lake City. Jacobson grew as a player in every season as a Ute and as a senior led Utah to a 3rd place finish in the Mountain West, a conference tournament championship and an NCAA tournament berth before falling 51-58 to Boston College in the first round. Jacobson never made his way onto an NBA roster but did have several summer league appearances and played a bit overseas in the Euro Cup.

3. Sam Merrill, Utah State 2017-Current

3-Point Field Goals: 285

Career Stats: 16.1 PPG 3.6 ROG 3.6 APG & 42.0 3P%

Best Shooting Season: 2017-2018, Made a career-high 98 of his 211 three-point field goal attempts, good enough for 46% from deep that year.

Merrill is the only player aside from Jessup with any college eligibility left on this list. Both seniors, Merrill only has eight guaranteed games to catch up to Jessup but would need a near-flawless performance the rest of the way and a heck of a lot of threes to surpass him. Anything is possible but Merrill is having a bit of a down year in the shooting department, nevertheless, he will still go down as one of the more lethal players from deep in conference history.

4. Brandon Heath, San Diego State 2004-2007 

3-Point Field Goals: 281

Career Stats: 17.5 PPG 3.4 RPG 3.2 APG & 35.2 FG3%

Best Shooting Season: 2005-2006, Made 98 of his 240 three-point field goal attempts, good enough for 41% from deep that year.

Everyone knows what state the San Diego State Aztecs program was in when Steve Fisher took over in 1999. Consistent years hovering just above .500 or well below, it was players like Brandon Heath who helped take the San Diego State program from the cellar of the Mountain West and molded it into the premier program we know today. Heath is still the Aztec’s all-time leading scorer and his scoring prowess has given him a successful career in Europe with a couple of stints in the NBA’s G-League.

5. Anthony Drmic, Boise State 2014-2017 

3-Point Field Goals: 275

Career Stats: 14.8 PPG 4.6 RPG 1.9 APG & 35.0 FG3%

Best Shooting Season: 2012-2013, Made 80 of his 204 three-point field goal attempts, good enough for 39% from deep that year.

Drmic is one of three Boise State Broncos on the list and one of two Australians. He was a scoring force during his time at Taco Bell Arena (yes that felt good to type). Drmic did receive a fifth year of eligibility due to the 2014-2015 season cut short due to injury but was a consistent threat from deep and is still knocking them down from deep in Australia’s NBL with the Adelaide 36ers.

6. Chad Toppert, New Mexico 2006-2009

3-Point Field Goals: 266

Career Stats: 8.4 PPG 2.5 RPG 0.9 APG & 43.9 FG3%

Best Shooting Season: 2007-2008, Made 85 of his 177 three-point field goal attempts, good enough for 48% from deep that year.

Toppert made a living on the three-point line in the Pit, especially in the corners and off of ball screens freeing him and his jump shot up to rain threes. The Albuquerque native was a part of a golden era for native New Mexicans taking the court in cherry and silver and he went on to enjoy a career in Europe and in the NBA’s G-League.

7. Jonathan Tavernari, BYU 2007-2010 

3-Point Field Goals: 265

Career Stats: 11.5 PPG 5.0 RPG 1.4 APG & 38.0 FG3%

Best Shooting Season: 2008-2009, Made 85 of his 223 three-point field goal attempts, good enough for 38% from deep that year.

The Brazilian forward was a scoring threat and mismatch nightmare for the Cougars back in the Mountain West. Tavernari saw his role as a scorer diminish as Jimmer Fredette’s game began to grow. He is still one of the best Cougars to play in the conference’s first decade of existence and went on to enjoy a professional career in Europe and Latin America while also representing his native Brazil in FIBA competition in 2009 and 2010 winning gold medals in both.

8. Nick Duncan, Boise State 2014-2017 

3-Point Field Goals: 250

Career Stats: 8.8 PPG 3.5 RPG 1.2 APG & 36.6 FG3%

Best Shooting Season: 2014-2015, Made 76 of 198 three-point field goal attempts, good enough for 38% from deep that year.

Ah yes, the famed Australian forward built like an offensive tackle Nick Duncan. Duncan was a fan favorite across the Mountain West (depending on which team you were rooting for). And will always go down as the big man who could knock down threes, and the guy who flipped off Utah State fans making fun of his weight (265 pounds during at the time of the incident).

9. Johnnie Bryant, Utah 2006-2008

3-Point Field Goals: 245

Career Stats: 14.1 PPG 2.6 RPG 2.1 APG & 44.0 FG3%

Best Shooting Season: 2007-2008, Made 89 of his 201 three-point field goal attempts, good enough for 44% from deep that year.

Scary to think of what Bryant could have done with just one more season in Salt Lake City after spending his freshman year of college in juco at San Francisco City College. If he would have had a similar fourth year of production at the division-I level, he could have ended his career atop this list with a healthy buffer between him and 2nd place.Still attached to the game Bryant currently enjoys a career on the sidelines still, as an assistant coach with the Utah Jazz.

T-10. Andy Birley, Colorado State 2000-2003 

3-Point Field Goals: 235

Career Stats: 8.6 PPG 1.8 RPG 2.7 APG & 42.3 FG3%

Best Shooting Season: 2002-2003, Made 90 of his 213 three-point field goal attempts, good enough for 42% from deep that year.

Birley and his teammates back in 2003 were apart of a Cinderella-like run that led the Rams to an NCAA tournament berth and still holds the record for lowest Mountain West tournament seed to ever win the tournament to this day.

Shaun Green, Utah 2006-2009 

3-Point Field Goals: 235

Career Stats: 8.9 PPG 5.0 RPG 2.2 APG & 41.2 FG3%

Best Shooting Season: 2006-2007, Made 64 of his 125 three-point field goal attempts, good enough for 51% from deep that year.

Green is the second player mentioned on the list standing above 6-7, and was a hometown kid from near by Olympus High School. Big men with a touch from beyond the arc are always in demand, and his shooting ability took Green to Europe and Latin America to enjoy a nice professional career after his time in the Mountain West.

This list has some fan favorites and some of the best shooters in the Mountain West’s relatively short existence. It’s hard to tell when someone else will climb these ranks in the near future, with some names on the list whose eligibility ran out years ago and a few down the list with the chance to make a climb in seasons to come. Record-setting is always exciting and we should all tune in to the game in Laramie tonight to see it happen.

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

Who is in the running for Player of the Year? Take A Look At the Best Performances Around the Mountain West In Week Thirteen Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire The streak continues and Flynn garners first place for the second straight week. The …

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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 Thirteen


Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

The streak continues and Flynn garners first place for the second straight week. 

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 thirteenth week is as follows:

1. Derrick Alston Jr, junior guard BSU (5 Points)

27 Points, 6 Rebounds and 3 Assists against San Jose State

24 Points, 6 Rebounds and 2 Steals against Nevada

Alston Jr. returns to the top of our top-five this week, earning his second first-place finish of the season and making his 5th appearance in our weekly rankings so far. This week’s honor gives him 19 points in total, which has him in second place overall behind Malachi Flynn with 27 points total, and just ahead of Jalen Harris with 18 points total.

By all means, Alston Jr. has had an all-MWC caliber season thus far, leading the conference in scoring until just this past week when a couple of thirty-point performances gave Jalen Harris the lead heading into February. Boise State is also tied for second place with Colorado State and is riding a four-game winning streak, beating teams by an average of 19.9 PPG in that span. Alston Jr. is leading a team that is showing a real spark going into February, and besides leading the team in scoring also leads the team in assists with 3.2 a game.

The Bronco’s future slate of games is tough, with a good mixture of teams from the top and bottom half of the conference standings. They face Utah State (Feb. 8th) at Logan, San Diego State (Feb. 16th) at home and UNLV to finish the regular season (Feb. 26th) in Las Vegas.

The rest of their schedule looks very winnable, especially given how they have played as of late. Plus factor in previous wins against the Aggies and Runnin’ Rebels, and the Broncos should be very confident with the conference tournament in mind.

The only thing that should be keeping Bronco fans up at night is the no. 4 ranked Aztecs, a win against San Diego State at home would go a long way for this team and continuously strong play from their leader will be in demand to make that happen.

2. Jalen Harris, junior guard Nevada (4 Points):

31 Points, 5 Rebounds and 7 Assists against Colorado State

30 Points, 6 Rebounds and 2 Assists against Boise State

3. Nico Carvacho, senior center Colorado State (3 Points):

16 Points, 15 Rebounds and 3 Assists against Nevada

16 Points, 11 Rebounds and 1 Block against UNLV

4. Isaiah Stevens, freshman guard Colorado State (2 Points):

12 Points, 6 Rebounds and 4 Assists against Nevada

21 Points, 5 Assists and 5 Rebounds against UNLV

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

28 Points, 4 Rebounds and 1 Steal against Utah State

12 Points, 5 Assists and 1 Block against New Mexico

Past Weeks:

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

Current Overall Point Totals:

Malachi Flynn, junior guard San Diego State (27 Points)

Derrick Alston Jr, junior guard BSU (19 Points)

Jalen Harris, junior guard Nevada (18 Points)

JaQuan Lyle, senior guard UNM (15 Points)

Sam Merrill, senior guard USU (15 Points)

Nico Carvacho, senior center CSU (10 Points)

Bryce Hamilton, sophomore guard UNLV (9 Points)

Jazz Johnson, senior guard Nevada (9 Points)

Hunter Maldonado, sophomore guard Wyoming (7 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)

Seneca Knight, sophomore guard San Jose State (5 Points)

Justin Bean, sophomore forward USU (4 Points)

Marvin Coleman, sophomore guard UNLV (4 Points)

Amauri Hardy, junior guard UNLV (4 Points)

Orlando Robinson, freshman forward Fresno State (4 Points)

David Roddy, freshman guard Colorado State (4 Points)

Roderick “RJ” Williamssenior 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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Colorado State Tops UNLV, 95-77

Colorado State Tops UNLV, 95-77 Rebels drop another league game. Contact/Follow @MWCwire CSU cruises to victory. The Colorado State Rams picked up an impressive home 95-77(16-8) victory over UNLV Runnin Rebels, following this win CSU moves into a …

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Colorado State Tops UNLV, 95-77


Rebels drop another league game.


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

CSU cruises to victory.

The Colorado State Rams picked up an impressive home 95-77(16-8) victory over UNLV Runnin Rebels, following this win CSU moves into a tie for second place with Boise State. The Rams are now (7-4) in conference play.

Nico Carvacho tallied up 16 points and 11 rebounds. The CSU senior center caused problems for the Rebels. Coach T.J. Otzelberger said after the game “ that Carvacho was hard to guard one on one”. 

It was not just Carvacho that gave Unlv trouble. Freshman guard Isaiah Stevens dropped 21 points shooting 5-of-5 from 3. He only missed one shot from the field finishing the game 7-of-8 from the field.

For UNLV Bryce Hamilton finished with 28 points. Hamilton has been on a roll lately offensively. Donnie Tillman was the only other Rebel in double figures with 15 points 

UNLV now falls to (11-12) 6-4 in the Mountain West this loss makes it three in a row for the Rebels. 

UNLV got off to a slow start only scoring 10 points in the first 8 minutes. The team found a way to get back into the game. The officiating was tight early on and Bryce Hamilton took advantage driving to the hoop.

Combine Hamilton’s aggressiveness with Donnie Tillman knocking down 3-pointers and the Rebels managed to get a 33-25 lead with under four minutes to go in the first half. For the remainder of the half UNLV went 1-of-6 from behind the arc. All those misses coincided with a 16-3 run for the Rams. The Rams finished the half on top 41-36.

In the second half The rams picked up right were the left off before the break, knocking down more 3-pointers. The rams are at their best when they move the ball around.

The team got hot and were almost unstoppable. They finished the game shooting 64 percent from 3. By comparison UNLV shot 15 more 3-pointers than the Rams and still could not out shoot CSU. The Rams got to the line often as well. Coach Medved’s team could do no wrong.

UP NEXT:

The CSU Rams take on the Fresno State Bulldogs in Fresno at the Save Mart Center. Fresno is coming off an impressive win against New Mexico.

For UNLV the Rebels road trip continues as they travel to Logan to take on Utah State. In their last Matchup the Rebels scored an upset victory over the Aggies. 

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San Diego State Recap: Aztecs Complete Comeback Against Utah State, 80-68.

San Diego State Completes Comeback Against Utah State, 80-68. Matt Mitchell wills San Diego State a win on Kawhi Leonard night. – Contact/Follow @ErwinSports and @MWCwire. On Kawhi’s jersey retirement night, the kid from the Inland Empire put the …

San Diego State Completes Comeback Against Utah State, 80-68.


Matt Mitchell wills San Diego State a win on Kawhi Leonard night.


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Contact/Follow @ErwinSports and @MWCwire.

On Kawhi’s jersey retirement night, the kid from the Inland Empire put the Aztecs on his back.

The biggest day in San Diego State basketball history was almost spoiled by the BYU-lite of the current Mountain West. After Utah State extended their first half lead to 8, it was poetic on Kawhi Leonard night.

The Aztecs needed life from somebody to get back in the game. The signs were obliviously there, but in the second half, the kid from the Inland Empire was going to show out in front of the man from the Inland Empire.

Matt Mitchell has had games where he showed up this season. Mitchell has been pivotal in his 6th-man role throughout the season, but the game was his and his idol’s.

It’s been known that Kawhi spends his NBA summers at San Diego State’s JAM center, the Aztecs’ team practice facility. Mitchell has been able to peek in while the NBA star is present to witness his work ethic. And throughout the year, Mitchell has looked at Kawhi’s Klaw logo inside the JAM center to be constantly reminded of his presence.

Mitchell put up a career high of 28 points, and was 4 of 6 from the arc. Mitchell stepped up to the call and put in the work. After last year’s mid-season loss at Logan, Mitchell might have carried a grudge against the Aggies. Mitchell put up 19 in front of a hostile crowd on the road, but started Viejas rocking when Mitchell hit his three.

The game against Utah State was the biggest game left of the schedule, no other game on paper would give San Diego State the mismatches and struggle.

Neemias Queta was locked down in Logan, but for the Aztecs not having Nathan Mensah proved a struggle for Yanni Wetzell down low. Wetzell came to San Diego State to get minutes at power forward, now the injury has pushed him to matchup against their biggest guys.

On paper Queta scored only eight points, but the mismatch in the paint was able to get shooters, Sam Merrill, Brock Miller, and Justin Bean going. In what would have been Utah State’s best win, came without fruition. Utah State quieted Viejas Arena for most of the first half, but once the pomp and celebration of Kawhi Leonard went through halftime. The momentum was all Aztecs.

Early speculation from the peanut gallery was that Kawhi’s immediate family and Paul George would be in attendance of a rocking Viejas Arena. However, in addition to George, Clipper owner Steve Ballmer, Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell and coach Doc Rivers were in attendance.

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Boise State Gets Up Early, Holds On Late for 73-64 Win over Nevada

Game Recap: Boise St. 73, Nevada 64 Justinian Jessup ties Jimmer Fredette for MW 3-point record Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire Nevada’s furious comeback attempt comes up short in Boise Following a 73-64 home victory over Nevada, Boise …

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Game Recap: Boise St. 73, Nevada 64


Justinian Jessup ties Jimmer Fredette for MW 3-point record


Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Nevada’s furious comeback attempt comes up short in Boise

Following a 73-64 home victory over Nevada, Boise State has moved into a second-place tie in the Mountain West with Colorado State. The Broncos improved to 7-4 in league play, prevailing at ExtraMile Arena behind 24 points from junior guard Derrick Alston, Jr.

Justinian Jessup added 17 points for the Broncos and added a special individual honor in the process.

The loss drops Nevada (13-10, 6-5 MW) into a share of fifth place with Utah State, as the Aggies fell to undefeated San Diego State on Saturday. The Wolf Pack were gifted another memorable offensive performance from Jalen Harris, who dropped 30 points for the third time this season.

Unfortunately for Harris, the rest of the Pack barely managed to outscore him. No other Nevada player reached double digits in scoring.

Nevada’s chances in this contest took a major blow when senior guard Jazz Johnson was announced as a late scratch due to injury. Without Johnson, the team struggled from beyond the arc and were unable to recover from a 32-10 Boise State run to start the game.

The Broncos (15-8, 7-4 MW) proceeded to give back most of that lead, letting Nevada creep back into the game slowly throughout the middle twenty minutes of the contest. With 10:57 to play, a Lindsey Drew layup brought the deficit to just three points, at 48-45.

But Alston, Jessup, and company would not allow the Wolf Pack to bring the game level. The deficit ebbed and flowed over the last few minutes, with Nevada coming within four points of Boise State after a Drew three-pointer with 4:37 left in the second half.

Jessup answered that triple with one of his own—and it was a special one, at that.

The senior’s three-pointer with 4:13 to play was the 296th of his illustrious career in Boise. That number ties the Mountain West record set by former BYU star Jimmer Fredette. Jessup missed his only subsequent attempt from beyond the arc, so Fredette will hold onto at least a share of the record for at least a few more nights.

That record will almost certainly soon be Jessup’s alone.

More important than any individual accolades, however, is how this Boise State team has bounced back from a somewhat shaky start to the season. The additions of Abu Kigab and RayJ Dennis into the starting lineup has provided a spark to Leon Rice’s lineups, and questions about the Broncos’ depth have been answered satisfactorily over the past few games.

For Nevada, this is another disappointing result on the week, following a heartbreaking defeat on Wednesday against Colorado State. Certainly, the absence of Jazz Johnson can explain away some part of this loss to Boise State, but the Wolf Pack have made an unfortunate habit of squandering chances to separate themselves in this league.

Instead, they now slip back in the standings and enter a dangerous zone in which a first-round bye in the Mountain West Tournament is suddenly at risk. The top five schools in the league receive a bye in the first round of the conference tournament.

Still, Nevada faced the difficult task of facing two teams on a positive streak in enemy territory.

Despite taking two losses in rapid succession, the Wolf Pack still boast arguably the best offensive player in the league in Harris. If Johnson returns quickly, and he can join with Drew and Nisre Zouzoua to lend Harris some scoring support, Nevada should be able to stay in the top five.

For Boise State, besides moving up in the Mountain West leaderboard, the win provided some catharsis following an 83-66 loss to Wolf Pack in Reno.

UP NEXT

Boise State travels to Laramie on Tuesday night to face last-place Wyoming (6-17, 1-10 MW). The Cowboys just picked up their first win of the Mountain West season as they snapped an eight-game losing streak with a road victory over San Jose State. The Broncos should hold an advantage over Allen Edwards’ club, but the unfriendly confines of Arena-Auditorium could prove a difficult backdrop for an easy win. Boise State won the first matchup between the schools this season, coming away with a 65-54 victory at home back on New Year’s Day.

Nevada returns home to Lawlor Events Center as Air Force (9-13, 3-7 MW) comes to town on Tuesday night. Just a few weeks ago, the Falcons were feeling good after knocking off Utah State and Boise State over a three-game span. More recently, however, Dave Pilipovich’s squad has sputtered to a four-game losing streak that includes defeats against Fresno State and San Jose State. Still, this team boasts an offense that has the capacity to hang around with Nevada. That was on full display back on December 7, when Nevada cruised to a 100-85 victory in Colorado Springs.

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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Fresno State Overcomes 17 Point First Half Deficit to Down New Mexico

The Fresno state Bulldogs beat the New Mexico Lobos 82-77 on Saturday in the Save Mart Center in Fresno, CA.

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Fresno State Overcomes 17 Point First Half Deficit to Down New Mexico


Fresno State earns back-to-back victories for the first time since December 20.


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Robinson, Grimes both tallied double-doubles.

Things are finally looking up for the Fresno State Bulldogs (8-14, 4-7 MW), which once suffered as many as five straight losses on the season.

Down by as many as 17 points, the Bulldogs were able to outpace the New Mexico Lobos (16-8, 5-6 MW) in the second half, scoring 45 points to New Mexico’s 32 points in the second half.  The win is the second straight for the Bulldogs, after beating Air Force inside Clune Arena on Tuesday.

It is just the second time this season that Justin Hutson’s squad has won back-to-back games, which could be a good sign for the beleaguered Bulldogs team, which has seen multiple players sit out throughout the season due to injury or suspension.

With Nate Grimes (15 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist) back in the lineup (Grimes was out in Fresno State’s first go-around with New Mexico) and Orlando Robinson (20 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists) continuing an impressive freshman campaign, Fresno State was able take advantage of New Mexico’s lack of depth inside.

Like Fresno State, New Mexico has seen its share of off-the-court issues with JaQuan Lyle sitting out of the game as part of a two game suspension, JJ Caldwell still suspended indefinitely and Carlton Bragg’s removal from the team. Vance Jackson is still mending a knee injury which first happened against Colorado State on January 15.

In light of the issues (and injury in Jackson’s case), hometown walk-on Jordan Arroyo started the game for New Mexico.

While New Mexico remains talented and looked a little better in this one with the players available, this is not the New Mexico team that started the season 15-2 and it shows in the league standings.

After starting out 4-1 in the league, New Mexico has now dropped five of their last six, and is now sitting squarely in seventh place, only a game ahead of Fresno State.

Meanwhile, Fresno has a chance to turn the corner for good on the season, with opportunities awaiting at Colorado State and at home against UNLV.

Up Next:

The Bulldogs take on surprise second-place team Colorado State (winners of seven of their last eight) at the Save Mart Center, making a continued win-streak an improbable endeavor. The Lobos head back to Albuqueruqe to face Wyoming, looking to end their three game losing streak.

 

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Bulldogs Host Shorthanded Lobos at Save Mart Center

Mountain West basketball resumes this weekend, as Fresno State hosts conference rivals New Mexico at the Save Mart Center on Saturday.

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New Mexico at Fresno State: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More


Fresno State could inch closer to Lobos with a win


Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Lobos desperate to stop the bleeding as suspensions, injuries take toll on Paul Weir’s roster

GAME DETAILS

WHO: New Mexico (16-7, 5-5 MWC) at Fresno State (7-14, 3-7 MWC)

WHEN: Saturday, February 1 — 2:00 P.M. PT / 3:00 P.M. MT

WHERE: Save Mart Center, Fresno, Calif.

WATCH: AT&T Sports Net/Mountain West Network

LISTEN: TuneIn

ALL-TIME: New Mexico leads the series, 17-14

ODDS: Fresno State -2, per KenPom

GAME PREVIEW

A short-handed New Mexico squad heads to the Save Mart Center on Saturday to face Fresno State, as the Lobos try to stop a skid that has seen them drop four of the past five games. The Bulldogs haven’t fared much better over the same stretch, but they did manage to score a tough road victory on Tuesday against Air Force. The game tips at 2:00 PM Pacific.

New Mexico will continue to play without Carlton Bragg, JaQuan Lyle, and JJ Caldwell. Bragg was dismissed from the team after multiple off-the-court incidents, while Lyle and Caldwell have been suspended for their own transgressions. Compounding those absences is the health of Vance Jackson, who will also likely sit with a knee injury that has kept the junior out since January 15.

While many have raised questions about the lack of foresight with respect to Paul Weir’s roster construction, not all of his decisions have backfired. Towson transfer Zane Martin is well-equipped to step into a starting role in the backcourt, and teammates Corey Manigault and Makuach Maluach have developed well in their latest season under Weir’s administration. Vante Hendrix has also provided a good bit of scoring after sitting out the first semester as part of his transfer from Utah.

Still, the New Mexico team that began the season 15-3 seems a distant memory.

The Lobos have tumbled down the Mountain West leaderboard in recent weeks. Considering the somewhat unexpected success of Colorado State and UNLV, the Lobos no longer project as a top-half finisher in the conference. The Mountain West Tournament grants first-round byes to the top five schools, but New Mexico will likely have to play an extra game in their pursuit of an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

One of their possible opponents in that first round could be Fresno State, a team that has limped out to a 3-7 start in league play.

The Bulldogs enter Saturday’s game in high spirits after escaping Clune Arena with a victory that pulled them even with the Falcons in the standings. Fresno State’s season has been a major drop-off from last year’s 23-win campaign, but the performance of freshmen such as Orlando Robinson and Jarred Hyder provide a glimmer of hope for Justin Hutson’s program. Young players such as Aguir Agau, Niven Hart, and Jordan Campbell could also develop into important building blocks for the future.

As for Fresno State’s more seasoned veterans, Nate Grimes has also delivered another stellar season for the Bulldogs, averaging nearly a double-double on his way to a probable All-Mountain West nod. Guards New Williams and Noah Blackwell have also improved on their early-season struggles. Unfortunately for this trio of seniors, their final season in Fresno will almost assuredly end without a postseason appearance, barring an improbable run through the Mountain West Tournament.

Securing this road victory would be an important turning of the tide for Weir at this crucial point in the season. If his team can find a way to embrace their new-look lineups, they may yet be able to stop the bleeding and could re-enter the conversation for one of those first-round byes.

On the other hand, if the home side prevails, the Lobos will drop below .500 in conference play, creating a clear division between the top and bottom halves of the Mountain West. The win would also bring Fresno State within one game of New Mexico in the league standings.

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

Boise State vs. Nevada: Game Preview Ascension in the conference standings is up for grabs on Saturday. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Both teams need a win to help break the four-way tie for third place. WHO: Boise State Broncos (14-8, 6-4 …

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Boise State vs. Nevada: Game Preview


Ascension in the conference standings is up for grabs on Saturday.


Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Both teams need a win to help break the four-way tie for third place.

WHO: Boise State Broncos (14-8, 6-4 Mountain West) At Nevada Wolf Pack (13-9, 6-4 Mountain West)

WHEN: Saturday, February 1st—10:00 PM EST/8:00 PM MST/7:00 PM PST

WHERE: ExtraMile Arena-Boise, ID

TV: ESPNU

STREAM: Get a free trial through FuboTV

RADIO: Tunein

SERIES RECORD: Nevada leads all-time series 48-27

PREVIEW: There is a lot on the line come Saturday night around the Mountain West as really places 2-10 will look very different come Sunday morning. There has been a certain level of parity around the league so far this season, as outside of San Diego State’s claim to the number one spot everyone else could finish literally anywhere this season.

Four example there is a four-way tie for third place that includes the two teams mentioned in this preview, along with Colorado State and Utah State. But whoever comes away with the loss Saturday night will get bumped out of the race for third and join some other weird tie after that. Then there is UNLV who is riding a two-game losing streak and looking for a win on the road Saturday night against Colorado State. So if UNLV happens to lose that game they will loose that second place positioning and be behind another possible three-way tie. But a win for the Rebel’s means a loss for the Rams who would then join in a two-way tie with the loser of the Boise State-Nevada game and possibly a three-way tie if New Mexico breaks their losing streak on the road against Fresno State. Not to mention the possibility of a four-way tie for fourth if Utah State loses to the Aztecs (which is highly likely), or the possibility that everyone who is currently tied for third place loses except for the one person winning in Boise, which would result in a sole third-place finish for (insert winner from Bronco-Wolf Pack game here).

Confused yet? Yeah, I am too.

Point being, there is a lot at stake around the Mountain West over the weekend and these longtime conference mates should make things interesting for fans in ExtraMile Arena.

Both teams are playing some of their best basketball of the season at the onset of February with Boise State riding a three-game winning streak beating teams by an average of 22.3 points a game. While Nevada beat in-state rivals UNLV at home last Wednesday by 14-points, tied a school record 17 threes against New Mexico and is averaging 91 points a game in their last three contests.

And while both teams have struggled on the road this season they have in turn enjoyed great success at home, with Nevada posting a 9-2 record at the Lawlor Events Center and with Boise State garnering a 10-1 record at Taco B…..oops ExtraMile Arena. This bit of information doesn’t really favor the Wolf Pack as the visiting team but nothing gives a team momentum like a high powered road win late in the year.

The players to watch in this one should be the leading scorers of each team as Derrick Alston Jr. and Jalen Harris should both see all-conference accolades at the end of the season. But don’t leave the supporting cast out as Lindsey Drew has overtaken Harris as the leading rebounder (6.3 a game) and assist man (4.4 a game) while rounding out his triple-threat stat sheet status leading the team in steals with 1.3 a game. And for the Broncos  watch out for Justinian Jessup who is chasing the all-time Mountain West three-point field goal leader Jimmer Fredette with 294 career triples, just two shy  of Fredette’s 296 and on the verge of reaching the 300th made triple mark (first in conference history)

Fun Note, 

In the search for an all-time winning total for this series I discovered a shared conference between the two teams dating back to the late 1970’s with the introduction of the Wolf Pack to the Big Sky for the 1979-1980 season after their exit from the West Coast Athletic Conference (Now the WCC).

Shared conferences between the Broncos and Wolf Pack over the years:

Big Sky: 1979-1992

Big West: 1996-2000

WAC: 2001-2011

Mountain West: 2012-Current

Prediction: Nevada 78, Boise State 74

The Wolf Pack won the last meeting they had with Boise State back at home in Reno on Jan. 4th, where with the help of 34 points from a red hot Jazz Johnson Nevada won 83-66. This is going to come down which team has the hotter hand, as each team has a big four scoring for them as of late (Wolf Pack-Harris, Johnson, Drew and Zouzoua vs. Broncos-Alston Jr., Jessup, Williams and Kigab) and should exchange baskets all night. Or a surprise element would be a stronger defensive performance as both teams have really just focused on outscoring their opponents as of late and an influx of turnovers could be the difference. I still think this one will be a close one and keep that 78-74 Wolf Pack win above as my prediction. The Wolf Pack have also won the last eight meetings between the two and would hate to break that streak in need of a win tonight.

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