Tag: Mountain West Basketball

2024 Mountain West Basketball Transfer Tracker

2024 Mountain West Basketball Transfer Tracker Who is in & out of the Mountain West this off-season. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Portal Season is here, we’ll try to keep track for you. Updated as of 04/07/2024 Heading straight into the …

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fb7dafw2b08817yr player_id=none image=https://mwwire.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

2024 Mountain West Basketball Transfer Tracker

Who is in & out of the Mountain West this off-season.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Portal Season is here, we’ll try to keep track for you.

Updated as of 04/07/2024

Heading straight into the second week of the NCAA tournament, with all but maybe thirty teams still active in postseason play around the country. The offseason & “Portal Season” has officially arrived for around three hundred programs nationally. The Transfer Portal officially opened on March 18th and the Mountain West has managed to stay out of the spotlight with several teams still playing in postseason tournaments well into this past weekend.

But San Diego State is the only team to make the Sweet 16 & UNLV is still playing in the  NIT, so player movement is picking up in the conference. With several big names already in the portal as of this week.

Air Force

In: N/A

Out: 2

Kellan Boylan, So. G/F-Overland Park, KS

2023-2024 Stats: 7.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.1 APG & 1.3 SPG in 31.9 MPG (30 GMS/ 28 Starts)

Best Performance: 27 points, 3 assists & 2 rebounds on 11-16 (70.5%) shooting from the floor & 9-14 (77.7%) from deep against Wyoming on January 30th, 2024

One Sentence Breakdown: Another big Air Force guard who can rebounds & knocked down 26 three pointers at 41.9%.

Rytis Petraitis, So. F-Arlington, TX

2023-2024 Stats: 15.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.7 APG & 1.6 SPG in 32.9 MPG (24 GMS/20 Starts)

Best Performance: 18 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 blocks & 2 steals against UNLV on January 23rd, 2024

One Sentence Breakdown: Petraitis is a big guard who can play the 1-4 positions on the floor while also being only the second Falcon in program history to record a triple-double.

Boise State

In: N/A

Out: 3

Jace Whiting, So. G-Burley, ID

2023-2024 Stats: 3.3 PPG, 1.7 RPG & 1.1 APG in 14.3 MPG (33 GMS/6 Starts)

Best Performance: 10 points, 2 rebounds & 1 assist against Wyoming on February 24th, 2024

One Sentence Breakdown: Whiting proved to be a reliable option off of the bench when Roddie Anderson III struggled in his first season in Boise.

Eligibility Left: 2 years

Kobe Young, R-So. G-Pasco, WA

2023-2024 Stats: 1.1 PPG, & 1.1 RPG in 4.1 MPG 25 GMs/0 Starts

Best Performance: 6 points, 2 assists & 2 rebounds against Air Force on February 3rd, 2024

One Sentence Breakdown: A wing with plenty of size & athleticism who received little opportunity off of the bench.

Kade Rice, R-Fr. G-Boise, ID

2023-2024 Stats: 0.1 PPG & 0.9 RPG in 3.1 MPG 8 GMs/0 Starts

Best Performance: 1 point & 6 rebounds against Vanguard on November 7th, 2023

One Sentence Breakdown: A walk-on two guard who happens to be related to the head coach.

Colorado State

In: N/A

Out: 5

Cam Lowe, Fr. G-Monument, CO

2023-2024 Stats: N/A

Best Performance: N/A

One Sentence Breakdown: Redshirt freshman walk-on guard

Javonte Johnson, Sr. G-Colorado Springs, CO

2023-2024 Stats: 1.9 PPG & 0.7 RPG in 6.2 MPG (19 GMS/0 Starts)

Best Performance: 10 points, 2 rebounds & 2 steals against Adams State on December 29th, 2023

One Sentence Breakdown: Redshirt freshman walk-on guard

Eligibility Left: 1 year

Taviontae Jackson, So. G-Las Vegas, NV

2023-2024 Stats: 2.0 PPG, 1.5 RPG & 0.7 APG in 8.0 MPG (22 GMS/2 Starts)

Best Performance: 13 points, 5 steals & 4 rebounds against Colorado State-Pueblo on December 17th, 2023

One Sentence Breakdown: A two guard with potential but never really found minutes in two years in Fort Collins.

Eligibility Left: 2 years

Jack Payne, R-Fr.-Boise, ID

2023-2024 Stats: 0.6 PPG & 0.9 RPG in 2.1 MPG (8 GMS/0 Starts)

Best Performance: 2 points & 1 rebounds against Kansas City on November 17th, 2023

One Sentence Breakdown: Large but seldom used two guard

Eligibility Left: 3 years

Next: Fresno State, Nevada & New Mexico

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

2024 NCAA Tournament: #10 Colorado State Loses 56-44 to #7 Texas

Colorado State came into this game with high expectations, but a poor first half cost the Rams a chance to make a bigger splash.

2024 NCAA Tournament: #10 Colorado State Loses 56-44 to #7 Texas

The Rams couldn’t continue their momentum from Tuesday

Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire

A bad first half cost CSU.

After taking it to the Virginia Cavaliers, the CSU Rams faced basically the same fate. A poor first half of just 11 points cost Colorado State. They were able to make a run in the second half, but the Texas Longhorns were just too much to overcome for the Rams.

First Half

The Rams got out to a fast start by opening an 8-2 lead, but then the Longhorns went on a 25-3 run to close out the half. The Rams were getting open looks, but they just weren’t falling. Isaiah Stevens also struggled from the field as he went 0-8 from the field in the first half.

Texas was active on defense as they didn’t allow the Rams to get comfortable. The Rams were held to just one three point make and 4-25 overall from the field with no free throw attempts. The length and physicality kept the Rams in check on both ends of the floor.

Second half

Colorado State tried to make it a game in the second half, but the week of travel they had just left them with dead legs. The Rams were missing a lot of their shots short and just couldn’t overcome the athleticism of Texas. Joel Scott and Isaiah Stevens were able to make it to double figures, but it just wasn’t enough.

Texas was held in check for the most part. Dylan Disu and Max Abmas combined to shoot 10-33 from the floor, 1-12 from three, and 3-6 from the line for 24 points. Chendal Weaver was the other player to step up for Texas. The sophomore guard was able to chip in 11 points and played strong defense for the Longhorns.

Final thoughts

This was a great season for the Rams. They were able to make it to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years. Niko Medved now has some things to work on for the Rams. They need to get more athletic and more physical. A lot of times they were outworked and outphysicaled this season. If the Rams can do that, they can go further in the NCAA tournament.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1361]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

Boise State extends unfortunate record of futility after another NCAA Tournament loss

The Boise State Broncos are the first college basketball team to go 0-10 in the NCAA Tournament after losing to Colorado on Thursday.

Leon Rice and the Boise State Broncos faded down the stretch on Thursday, ultimately falling to Colorado in the play-in game, 60-54, and sending the Buffs into a matchup against No. 7 seed Florida on Friday.

For the Broncos it extended an unfortunate college basketball record as they are now 0-10 in NCAA Tournament contests – the first and only program to play 10 games in the big dance and failing to win a single one of them.

“This is a really, really tough draw and then a tough, tough, tough loss that we’ll have trouble with for the rest of our lives,” Rice said after the game. “That’s the way it is.”

The Mountain West as a conference has struggled to find success in the tournament, outside of San Diego State’s run to the national championship last year, and Boise State has been a big part of that.

Despite going dancing three years in a row, and five of the last 14 seasons under coach Rice, they have yet to advance in the field of 68. They had plenty of opportunities on Thursday but shot just 34% from the field and 2-18 (11.1%) from three while only getting to the free throw line six times.

Colorado will take on Florida Friday at 4:30 PM ET on TBS.

2024 NCAA Tournament: Colorado State Blows Out Virginia 67-42

Colorado State came into this game with something to prove and they did so in dominate fashion over the Virginia Cavaliers.

2024 NCAA Tournament: #10 Colorado State Blows Out #10 Virginia 67-42

The Rams made a statement for the Mountain West

Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire

CSU leaves their mark.

The entire basketball community said the Mountian West was underseeded in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The committee basically said prove it. And the Colorado State Rams took that personally. They came into Dayton on a mission and walked out with a giant confidence gaining 67-42 victory over the Virginia Cavaliers.

First Half

The game started out in typical Virginia fashion with the under 16 timeout having a score of Virginia 4 – Colorado State 2. Then Isaiah Stevens made a three, one of just two field goals in the game for him, to give the Rams the lead for the rest of the game. Joel Scott, Nique Clifford, and Patrick Cartier led the way for the Rams in the first half offensively. The Rams shot 50% from the floor and 43% from three, which against a Virginia defense is fantastic.

The real story of the first half was Virginia’s shooting. It was part just missing shots and part CSU defense. Virginia went almost an hour of real time with out scoring a point. Reece Beekman made a free throw with 9:20 left on the clock in the first half and they didn’t score again until Beekman made a jump shot at the 16:37 mark of the second half. A 12:43 stretch of no points for the Cavaliers.

Second half

You would think Virginia would do better in the second half and they did. It’s just Colorado State continued to dominate the game. Anytime the Cavaliers went on a run, the Rams came right back. Reece Beekman was able to get to the line more in the second half which pushed his point total into double digits, but the Rams were able to hold everyone else to seven or less points.

Nique Clifford and Joel Scott both came away with double-doubles, with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 23 points, 11 rebounds respectively.  The Rams made all the necessary plays even without Isaiah Stevens having a large impact. He drew Virginia’s toughest defender and was held to just five points, but he chipped in six rebounds and four assists.

Final thoughts

This was just a great performance from a Rams team that definitely need this type of performance after the past few months. They also fired a shot at the commitee for underseeding the Mountain West like they did. Everyone was watching and it became the talk of the sports world on twitter.

Some fun facts from Reddit, courtesy of u/longconsilver13:

  • UVA had 42 points and 42 missed field goals.
  • UVA over 40 minutes only outscored second half Colorado State by just 2 points.
  • If we take out Colorado State’s highest scorer, they still win by 2.
  • UVA scored 12 points fewer than their NET ranking.
  • And one from u/morrisjr1989, CSU had more rebounds than Virginia had points (CSU had 43 rebounds).

Next UP

The Rams now travel to Charlotte to face the Texas Longhorns and a couple familiar faces. Former Fresno State head coach Rodney Terry is the Longhorns head coach and the Rams will see former Oral Roberts guard Max Abmas as well.

This will be a matchup of two very similar teams and almost a complete opposite game from the Virginia game. If you look at the stats, both teams are very similar across the board. The other player to watch for Texas is Dylan Disu, the 6’9″ 225lbs forward is shooting 50% from three. So this will be a fun one.

Thursday, March 21st 4:50 pm MT in Charlotte vs #7 Texas

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1361]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

2024 NCAA Tournament: #10 Virginia vs. #10 Colorado State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Virginia Cavaliers face off with the Colorado State Rams in a First Four matchup. Here’s what to look out for.

2024 NCAA Tournament: #10 Virginia vs. #10 Colorado State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Rams and Cavaliers face off in the First Four

Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire

Can the Rams move on?

WHO: #10 Virginia Cavaliers (23-10) vs. #10 Colorado State Rams (24-10)

WHEN: Wednesday, March 19th — 7:10 p.m. MST / 6:10 p.m. PST

WHERE: UD Arena; Dayton, OH (13,409)

TV: TruTV

STREAM: Max will be carrying the entire NCAA Tournament

SERIES RECORD: This will be the first ever matchup between the two schools.

ODDS: Colorado State -2.5

It’s not the expected First Four matchup, but we’re here now. Colorado State was not predicted to be the final team in the tournament and Virginia was not predicted to be in the tournament at all. Now both squads face off to send themselves to the first round.

Colorado State finished 7th in the Mountain West and lost to New Mexico in the Mountain West semi-finals. Virginia finished 3rd in the ACC and lost to NC State in the ACC semi-finals. Both squads lost to the eventually tournament champions.

Players to Watch

F Jacob Groves – Virginia

The senior forward form Spokane, WA will be a player for the Rams to key on on defense. Groves is a 6’9″ forward who isn’t afraid to let it fly from deep (He has three or more attempted threes in 20 out 33 games for Virginia). Limiting Groves from deep will be a big factor for CSU.

F Joel Scott – Colorado State

The former D2 Player of the Year has stepped up in a big way for the Rams at the end of the season. Since a defeat to San Diego State in February, Scott has been averaging 16.4 points on 58.7% shooting from the floor. His inside game has been key for the Rams since they’ve struggled from the outside in conference play.

Keys to the Game

Virginia

Limiting the Rams open looks and keeping them on the outside will be the keys on defense for Virginia. The Cavaliers defense is one of the best in the nation, but the CSU offense is one of the best at ball movement. If Virginia wants to play on Thursday, they’ll have to stay consistent the entire game.

On offense, the Cavaliers need to keep the Rams moving. CSU’s defense doubles the post a decent amount which leaves 4 on 3 for the offense. This causes the Rams to rotate to cover the open man and they have a tendency to overrun their rotation leaving a wide open shot or cut to the basket.

Colorado State

Wait for your shot. The Virginia defense allows for ball rotation and the CSU Princeton-style offense wants to keep the ball moving back and forth. The Cavaliers defense is suffocating, so the Rams can’t force a shot like they have been. They need to be patient and get inside looks.

When CSU is on defense, it’s a similar story. Virginia plays at the slowest tempo in the NCAA. This can lull teams to sleep at times. So the Rams will need to maintain their patience and cover their man until they get the ball back on offense.

Predictions

This one will be a dog fight. CSU has the better offense and Virginia has the better defense. The Rams have been doing damage inside and win when they do so. The Cavaliers smothering defense will keep this close. This could come down to the last couple minutes, but the Rams will use that chip on their shoulder to come out on top.

Final Score: Colorado State 62, Virginia 57

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1361]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

2024 NCAA Tournament: Utah State Basketball-A First Look at the TCU Horned Frogs

2024 NCAA Tournament: Utah State Basketball-A First Look at the TCU Horned Frogs Who are the Horned Toads? Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire MWC Regular Season Champion Utah State draw battle hardened TCU in First Round matchup in Indy. First …

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fb7dafw2b08817yr player_id=none image=https://mwwire.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

2024 NCAA Tournament: Utah State Basketball-A First Look at the TCU Horned Frogs

Who are the Horned Toads?

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

MWC Regular Season Champion Utah State draw battle hardened TCU in First Round matchup in Indy.

First year Head Coach Danny Sprinkle has led Utah State to the NCAA Tournament. With an at-large ticket punched, thanks to one of the more memorable inaugural seasons in Mountain West history in Logan. As the Aggies finished the year with a 28-7 (15-5) record, sole possession of the Regular Season Title & ranked 22nd in the final AP Poll.

Despite losing to San Diego State in the semifinals of the conference tournament on Friday in Las Vegas. The Aggies regular season performance gave them the second highest seed of any Mountain West team, go figure.

With that, fans in Logan heard their team’s name called & paired with former Mountain West member TCU. These two haven’t met on the hardwood since 1982, when Utah State secured the 84-59 win over the visiting Horned Frogs. It definitely was some time ago, as TCU was still a part of the disbanded Southwest Conference & Utah State was a part of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association, now the Big West.

Who Are The Horned Frogs

Some fans around the conference remember TCU from their shared time in the WAC together and later when they joined the Mountain West in 2005. Yes, there were plenty of memories made for teams in Fort Worth. But as the collapse of the Big East began what would become a decade’s worth of conference realignment, the Horned Frogs took the opportunity to rise to the Power 5 level & join the Big 12.

The football driven move made sense for TCU, who never won a Mountain West title of either sort & never finished higher than 5th in the conference. It was a program stagnant and now prepping for a move to one of the country’s most competitive conferences featuring blue blood Kansas & a plethora of other big names.

It was a move that saw the Horned Frogs finish last or second to last place the next four years in their new conference before the coaching carousel blessed them with one of their own.

Coach

Since departing the conference a little over ten years ago, TCU has only had two head coaches, very small by Mountain West standards. Trent Johnson was hired as the man to take the program to the Big 12 promise land. After taking LSU, Stanford & Nevada to the NCAA Tournament before ultimately resigning after a total of four seasons in Baton Rouge.

His time in Fort Worth was short, with only one season finished above .500, it was time to go in a new direction. In comes former starting point guard & coaching heavy hitter Jamie Dixon. Who as a player back in the late eighties, led TCU to the big dance before falling to Notre Dame in the Second Round.

After his playing days, Dixon spent time in the assistant coaching ranks, mostly under UCLA coaching legend Ben Howland. Dixon inherited the Pittsburgh program from his former boss in 2003.

Building the Panther program into a national & Big East powerhouse. Taking Pitt to the NCAA Tournament eleven of his thirteen years with the Panthers, including three Sweet 16 appearances & a run to the Elite eight in 2009.

But what many consider to be a botched move by Pittsburgh’s new AD at the time, sent him back to TCU in 2016. A move he says was timed perfectly, perfect for Horned Frog fans.

Dixon has led his alma mater to four NCAA Tournament appearances in eight seasons. Including three straight with their participation in this year’s tournament announced Saturday. A result fans of the program for the last few decades only dreamed off, but with a track record like Dixon’s, came in no time at all.

Star Players

Sr. F-Emmanuel Miller (6’7, 215)

Stats: 15.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.7 APG & 1.1 SPG in 33 Games, 33 Starts

Sr. G-Jameer Nelson Jr. (6’2, 205)

Stats: 11.3 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.6 RPG & 2.0 SPG in 33 Games, 21 Starts

Sr. G-Micah Peavy (6’8, 215)

Stats: 11.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.7 APG & 1.3 SPG in 33 Games, 33 Starts

How Did They Get Here

Like the Mountain West, the Big 12 was an absolute minefield to navigate from top to bottom. TCU utilized a hot 7-0 start in non-conference play & 11-2 finish to prepare an expected gauntlet in a new look Big 12.

The conference added BYU, Cincinnati, UCF & Houston ahead of the season. Creating the largest version of the conference ever at fourteen teams, before the expected departure of Oklahoma & Texas to the SEC this summer.

So in a conference no member has ever navigated before, for the first & only time ever, TCU went to work. Finishing the regular season with a 21-12 (9-9, 7th in Big 12) record, they joined the conference tournament as a No. 8 seed & a First Round Bye. Their first opponent was the Oklahoma Sooners, whom TCU had only faced once in conference play (A 80-71 win at home in January).

Jamie Dixon’s team survived their Second Round opponent, to advance with a 77-70 win over the Sooners, thanks to a monster 26 point performance from senior Emanuel Miller. The Quarterfinals were not as kind to the Horned Frogs. As No. 1 seeded Houston used a poor shooting night from deep by TCU & stout defense to defeat Dixon’s team 60-45, enroute to the championship game on Saturday.

It wasn’t the way any team wants to go out in March. But finishing in the top-half of what KenPom.com ($) has ranked as the top conference in the entire country by a very credible margin, has it’s perks.

One of those perks being a punched ticket to this year’s Big Dance. Facing No. 8 Utah State as a No. 9 seed in the First Round of the Midwest bracket in Indianapolis, IN on Friday afternoon 5:55 PM MT.

Biggest Wins

Saturday January13th, Home vs. No. 2 Houston 68-67

Saturday January 27th, Away @ Baylor 105-102 3OT

Tuesday January 30th, Home vs. No. 15 Texas Tech 85-78

The Metrics

NET Ranking:  42nd

KenPom:  33rd

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1361]

2024 MWC Tournament: Three Reasons Why the Utah State Aggies Can Win It All

Can the recently crowned MWC Regular Season Champions Pull off the Double? 2024 MWC Tournament: Why the Utah State Aggies can win it all. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Utah State travels to Las Vegas in search of their second league title …

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fb7dafw2b08817yr player_id=none image=https://mwwire.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Can the recently crowned MWC Regular Season Champions Pull off the Double?

2024 MWC Tournament: Why the Utah State Aggies can win it all.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Utah State travels to Las Vegas in search of their second league title in a weeks time, here’s how they can win it all.

It’s that time folks, March Madness. A time for the sport to receive a huge boost in national attention & fanfare. But before we can all tune into non-stop basketball from breakfast to dinner. Several tickets still need to be punched.

The same holds true in the Mountain West. As teams prepare to kick off what could be four straight days of basketball for some & a quit exit for others on Wednesday afternoon in Las Vegas.

There isn’t necessarily a defined easy path to the title game. Even though some won’t have to hit the floor until day two. Everyone has a chance to to climb the ladder come Saturday. But the recently crowned Mountain West Regular Season Champions Utah State may have the leg up on the competition.

The Track Record

First year Head Coach Danny Sprinkle knows a little something about punched tickets & cutting down nets. The former Montana State head man led his alma mater to back-to-back conference championships & NCAA Tournament appearances, their first in program history.  Last year’s tournament matchup against Kansas State of the Big 12 wasn’t your typical lower seed early exit either.

They hit the national stage & gave No. 3 Kansas State a run for their money in a potential upset as the No. 14 seed. Montana State gained the lead early on over their Big 12 foe. The Wildcats would go on several runs to create distance between them & Danny Sprinkle’s group. Though the Bobcats didn’t go quietly, keeping the deficit to single digits most of the way.

Montana State would fall 77-65 to one of the more dangerous teams to emerge in last season’s tournament. Kansas State would go on a run to the Elite Eight before falling to the tournament’s true Cinderella, Florida Atlantic. Something that might not have happened if the Bobcats would have pulled off the upset.

Has the right team been assembled in Logan that can give Coach Sprinkle his third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament & a chance at securing his first win?

The Fire Power

Aside from having an experienced head coach leading the team to the Field of 68 promise land, you’ll need the players capable of scoring enough points to get you there. The Aggies have plenty of that, with the second highest scoring average in the conference & a top-40 adjusted offensive efficiency ranking on KenPom.

Danny Sprinkle also has four different double-digit scorers to rely on with all four capable of huge scoring outbursts any given night. With the quartet of Great Osobor, Ian Martinez, Darius Brown II & Mason Falslev holding 25 combined 20+ point game performances in the regular season.

Also, to put current season averages aside. Brown II & Osobor have NCAA Tournament experience from their time at Montana State together. While Martinez played in the tournament himself last year at Maryland. Where the Terrapins went 1-1 before falling 73-51 to No. 1 seed Alabama in the Second Round in the South Region.

With a deep, highly capable & experienced squad. The Aggies have the chance to win their first game in the big dance since 2001, in Stew Morrill’s third season in Logan. To give them the opportunity, they’ll need the right man running the show in Las Vegas, luckily they have just the player.

The Floor General

For any good team to flourish in a high stress environment such as the Thomas & Mack Center in March, you need a good leader. It doesn’t get much better around the Mountain West than Aggie point guard Darius Brown II. The graduate transfer from Montana State has been a key piece to what could easily be described as the feel good story of the college basketball season.

He’s made a jump in competition twice in the past two off-seasons. Each time locking in & stepping up his own level of play to whatever is needed for his new squad, usually being coached by Sprinkle.

His career high averages in points (12.4 PPG), assists (6.4 APG), rebounds (4.4 RPG) & three point shooting totals (40.4%, on 57/141 attempts) this season have proven huge for Utah State. Especially that last statistic, as Brown II has netted two three point game winners in the past few weeks.

Two clutch moments in Utah State’s escape from Fresno State back in late February. Not traditional game winners, but not one but two clutch moments in a game that essentially led to his team winning a surprisingly tough road game.

As mentioned prior, anyone can win this time of year, it’s March Madness for crying out lout. But not many other teams are primed for an NCAA Tournament appearance like Utah State.

Whether or not that path to the big dance includes a second conference title on Saturday remains to be seen. But you won’t find many folks betting against the Aggies this week.

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1361]

MWC Basketball Quick Hitters: Saturday January 28th Results

MWC Basketball Quick Hitters: Saturday January 28th Results Wyoming steals the show with overtime win in rivalry game. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Boise State falls again, the Bulldogs climb the ladder, UNLV has a big 2nd-half & the …

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fb7dafw2b08817yr player_id=none image=https://mwwire.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

MWC Basketball Quick Hitters: Saturday January 28th Results

Wyoming steals the show with overtime win in rivalry game.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Boise State falls again, the Bulldogs climb the ladder, UNLV has a big 2nd-half & the Cowboys down the Rams in the border war, hardwood edition.

Conference action was in full swing Saturday night. Filled with rivalry upsets, overtime thrillers & plain ole Mountain West basketball. It seems as though fans of the conference are treated to something exciting every time I write these quick hitters, Saturday was no different.

As we approach the onset of February, the phrase “every game counts” should be plastered all over locker room walls throughout the Mountain West.

Wyoming 79, No. 24 Colorado State 76

The Wyoming Cowboys have become the living embodiment of what should be the conference’s official slogan “Any team, any night”. After treating fans to back-to-back wins inside Arena-Auditorium in the middle of January, Jeff Linder’s squad was ready for another conference win at home Saturday night.

Which was unlucky for the visiting No. 24 Colorado State Rams. Because for the fifth time this season, the Cowboys mounted a double-digit comeback to secure the win against their southern rivals.

Things were close throughout this game inside the Dome of Doom. So much so that this one couldn’t be decided in just two twenty minute halves. With the Cowboys down 11 points with just fifty-one seconds left, a 12-1 run capped by a game tying layup sent the game to overtime. From there the Cowboys were lifted to the OT win by Akuel Kot, who scored 11 of his 18 points after the regulation buzzer sounded.

Colorado State came to play with four Rams reaching double figures, including a double-double from Nique Clifford (13 points & 12 rebounds). The loss began Colorado State’s second two game losing streak in conference play. Not where Niko Medved’s group thought they would be a month ago, but there’s plenty of games to drag themselves out of their current mid-table place.

It was the first win over a top-25 team for Wyoming since 2018. Which also put them in third place in the conference. Behind a three-way tie for second place & league leaders Utah State.

No. 18 Utah State 90, Boise State 84

The Aggies traveled north to Boise hoping to return home with a resume boosting win and remain in first place in the Mountain West. While the Boise State Broncos were hoping for the home upset, which would have made them league leaders on Saturday afternoon.

Boise State fans showed out, giving both teams a sold out ExtraMile Arena to entertain. And it’s safe to say they didn’t disappoint. The name of the game was runs, some here by the Aggies followed by others from the Broncos. The two sides traded buckets, but it was Boise State who went into the half up 39-37. The second-half looked like much of the same, a 7-0 run by Boise State to open things up only to be followed up by a 11-1 Utah State run.

Leon Rice’s group nearly sealed the deal, up 75-72 with just 10 seconds left on the clock before an Ian Martinez coast to coast layup. That sent the game to overtime, like I said they didn’t dissapoint.

An 8-1 Aggie run to open things up in overtime may have been the nail in the coffin. As the Broncos were able to bring it to within two (84-82) with thirty-four seconds left in the game, but Utah State then went 6-6 from the charity stripe to seal the victory.

Danny Sprinkle’s group held strong and didn’t waiver in regulation. Utah State had five players reach double figures. Led by 19 points & 5 assists from Darius Brown II, helped along by a perfect night shooting from all places on the floor by Josh Uduje (18 points). Not to mention double-doubles from both members of their frontcourt, Great Osobor (14 points & 10 rebounds) & Isaac Johnson (13 points & 11 rebounds).

Boise State had a poor night from beyond the arc, which overshadowed two twenty point games from Tyson Degenhart (24 points) & O’Mar Stanley (20 points & 9 rebounds) down low.

The win as eluded to earlier gave the Aggies the sole possession of first place in the conference. Something many folks not named Danny Sprinkle likely didn’t expect back in November. For Boise State the loss slides them down into a three-way tie with No. 25 New Mexico and San Diego State.

There isn’t a giant need to panic just yet, but once the nations longest home win streak has been reduced to rubble twice this month. It’s safe to say adjustments are needed.

Fresno State 84, Air Force 70-MW Wire Article Link

Both Air Force & Fresno State are fighting an uphill battle out of the Mountain West cellar. Both squads were looking for their second conference win Saturday night, but only one could emerge victorious.

Joe Scott’s squad looked prime for a second conference road win on Saturday. As things were close in the first half, but the Falcons were in the driver seat. Thanks to some stellar 3-point shooting from the tip, knocking down four of their first six attempts. They amassed multiple five point leads before leading 43-40 as the half-time buzzer sounded.

The second-half began with much of the same. Buckets on both sides, including three-pointers aplenty. Both teams shot well from the floor, but maybe the more surprising stat was how well they shot from deep. As the Bulldogs & visiting Falcons knocked down 11-25 (44%) threes. But the Bulldogs late game defense, which held the Falcons to just one field goal before an 8-0 Fresno State run helped put send Air force home packing with yet another loss.

The Bulldogs received double-doubles from two of their starters Saturday. Longtime point guard Isaiah Hill posted 11 points & 10 assists and transfer big man Enoch Boakye led his team in scoring with 19 points while also grabbing 10 rebounds. Boakye had maybe his best game in a Bulldog uniform against the Falcons.

While Air Force received double-digits from their high scoring frontcourt of Rytis Petraitis (14 points, 5 rebounds & 5 assists) & a game high from Beau Becker (22 points, 4 rebounds shooting 4-8 from deep). The Falcons

With that win Fresno State got their second conference win & placed themselves just a little further away from last place in the conference. They may find themselves on the wrong side of the Mountain West standings. As the middle of the pack are potentially fighting for an NCAA Tournament berth (the league is just that good this year).

The road loss placed the Falcons in a tie for last place with San Jose State. A climb that seems as steep as Mt. Everest in this gauntlet of a conference.

UNLV 77, San Jose State 65

Tim Miles & his Spartans were hoping to end a two game homestand with a win before heading on the road to face league leaders No. 18 Utah State next week. But Kevin Kruger’s Runnin’ Rebels were hoping to end a two game losing streak before they returned to Sin City.

There was plenty on the line for both teams, but the win is heading east with UNLV tonight. As the Runnin’ Rebels couldn’t miss, shooting 68.2% from the floor & 46.6% from three-point range.

UNLV was propelled to victory by Keylan Boone who dropped a game high 18 points off of 7-10 shooting (70%). He was joined by freshman sensation Dedan Thomas Jr. who had another big night with 16 points on 5-9 shooting (2-4, from deep) to go along with 6 assists to just 1 turnover.

The Spartans could have kept the W in San Jose. But limited bench contributions put a damper on four different players logging double-digits and made a 7 point half-time lead disappear. As UNLV outscored their hosts 45-26 in the second-half. Myron Amey Jr. continues to enjoy his breakout season with 18 points, 5 rebounds & 3 assists while shooting 50% from the floor.

The loss put San Jose State in a tie for last place with the only team they’ve beat in conference play Air Force. For UNLV they find themselves still stuck in the middle of the pack in the conference standings. Not a bad place to be technically when you’re tied with nationally ranked No. 24 Colorado State.

Current MWC Standings

1-No. 18 Utah State 6-1, 18-2

2-Boise State 5-2, 14-6

2-San Diego State 5-2, 16-4

2-No. 25 New Mexico 5-2, 17-3

3-Wyoming 4-3, 11-9

4-Nevada 3-3, 16-4

5-No. 24 Colorado State 3-4, 15-5

5-UNLV 3-4, 10-9

6-Fresno State 2-5, 9-11

7-San Jose State 1-6, 8-12

7-Air Force 1-6, 8-11

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1361]

MWC Basketball Quick Hitters: Tuesday January 23rd Results

MWC Basketball Quick Hitters: Tuesday January 23rd Results Boise State & San Diego State stay in title race with wins Tuesday night. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Boise State escapes upset in Fresno while UNLV & Wyoming receive …

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fb7dafw2b08817yr player_id=none image=https://mwwire.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

MWC Basketball Quick Hitters: Tuesday January 23rd Results

Boise State & San Diego State stay in title race with wins Tuesday night.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Boise State escapes upset in Fresno while UNLV & Wyoming receive shellackings Tuesday night.

Mountain West Action was a little light Tuesday night. But the close calls and double-digit blowouts were aplenty in the conference’s three late games of the night.

The turn of the year seemed like just yesterday. So on the eve of February and the midway point of conference play, every win counts. Even late night games featuring teams on opposite ends of the conference standings.

San Diego State 81, Wyoming 65

San Diego State is still one of the best teams in the entire country. Yes I know a couple of losses in non-conference & conference play hurt, but this group will still challenge for a Mountain West title come March.

While Wyoming has solid offensive weapons and is certainly capable of any Mountain West upset. That wasn’t the case Tuesday night, but the Cowboys gave Aztec fans a bit of a scare for the first twenty minutes of action at least.

The Aztecs and Cowboys started the night out inside Viejas Arena. With San Diego State taking the early 8-2 lead, their guests did their best to keep things close. Exchanging the lead fifteen times before the Aztecs took the 34-32 lead heading into half-time. The second half was where Brian Dutcher’s group took charge, only giving up the lead one more time before outscoring the Cowboys 39-24 to close out the game.

San Diego State was led by March Madness hero Lamont Butler, who dropped 23 points on 71% shooting (10-14). Joining him in double-digits was Darrion Trammell with 12 points off of the bench and another 17 points from All-American hopeful Jaedon LeDee.

The Cowboys were spunky but received very little help from their bench (2 points from Cam Manyawu). Jeff Linder did receive a stellar performance from star point guard Sam Griffin, who logged 22 points, 5 rebounds & 3 assists while shooting 50% from the field & 62.5% from deep (5-8). Wyoming also received 18 points from Mason Walters & 16 points from Akuel Kot, but it wasn’t enough.

Wyoming holds onto their mid-table place while going .500 in conference play with their loss in San Diego. While the Aztecs secure a much needed win if they hope to catch up to league leaders Boise State & No. 18 Utah State.

Boise State 72, Fresno State 68

Any game in the Mountain West is tough, it’s the narrative that holds true year in and year out, especially on the road. Leon Rice’s Broncos knew that heading into the Save Mart Center to face a struggling Fresno State team who were not looking to lose at home on Tuesday.

Things started off slow, with both teams exchanging buckets until the Broncos went on a run that gave them the edge for most of the first-half. Leading by as much as 13 points the multiple times before half-time, Boise State began to feel at ease with a double-digit lead heading into the break.

The second-half looked like it was going to be much of the same, as an O’Mar Stanley layup with twelve minutes left to go in the game put Boise State up 61-45 on their fading opponents.

But everyone knows it is not over until it’s over, especially a veteran coach like Leon Rice. That knowledge didn’t help his team though, as a Bulldog comeback sparked by senior guards Isaiah Hill & Donovan Yap led to a 23-11 run in the closing minutes.

It was inspiring nonetheless & a lesson to never count your opponent out for a Bronco team that is challenging for a conference title at the moment, but it was too little too late.

The Broncos were led by Chibuzo Agbo & Max Rice, who had 16 points a piece while shooting 44% from the floor on the night. Other performances of note include Big East transfer O’Mar Stanley who has been a major addition for Dave Rice’s Broncos this season. Stanley logged 14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists & 2 blocks while shooting 71% from the floor & 2-2 from deep. With that the big man has gone 5-5 from three-point range over his last two games.

A big night off of the bench from Donovan Yap Jr. (17 points) kept the Bulldogs in this one. As the Las Vegas native scored double-digits off of the bench for the fourth straight game. Isaiah Hill has been a consistent contributor this season and chipped in 15 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds & 3 steals for this Fresno State team that appears to be fighting for scraps midway through the month of January.

There’s still plenty of time to dig their way out of the conference’s basement. As this close loss at home places them in a tie for last place with Air Force after an impressive victory for the Falcons in Las Vegas. While Boise State escaped with what you could argue was their second close call in a weeks time.

Boasting a top-30 ranked defense (per KenPom) but an offense that is far behind other title contenders this late into the season. The weapons are there but the chemistry hasn’t been at times for Boise State. A tough next five games will truly test their mental fortitude well into February.

Air Force 90, UNLV 58

The Runnin’ Rebels played host inside the Thomas & Mack Center to current Mountain West basement dweller Air Force. The Falcons, like any other conference foe this year can pull off the upset on any given night. With Joe Scott leading a sub par overall offense this season while at the same time boasting three different players averaging over fifteen points a game.

The Falcons looked every bit of that hidden offensive firepower I mentioned, taking an 8-2 lead to start the game and they never looked back. Heading into half-time with a fifteen point lead over UNLV & outscoring them 51-34  in the second-half to help secure the 32-point road victory in Sin City.

Air Force couldn’t miss, from anywhere Tuesday night. Logging an impressive 55.4% from the floor (31-56) while shooting a more impressive 50% (14-28) from beyond the arc.

There were five Falcons in double-digits when the final buzzer sounded, Beau Becker (14), Jeffery Mills (11), Ethan Taylor (22) and a season high from freshman Luke Kearney (16 points). Joining them was super sophomore Rytis Petraitis, who logged his first career triple-double with 18 points, 12 rebounds & 11 assists.

Kevin Kruger’s squad shot horribly from everywhere but the free throw line (17-23). Senior guard Justin Webster led his team with 14 points, followed by Juco transfer Rob Whaley Jr. who chipped in 11 points (his 4th straight game with 10+ points off the bench).

The Falcons secured their first conference win of the season and ended an 8-game winning streak. While UNLV slid just a tad from their place in the middle of the standings.

Current MWC Standings

1-No. 18 Utah State 5-1, 17-2

1-Boise State 5-1, 14-5

2-San Diego State 5-2, 16-4

3-No. 25 New Mexico 4-2, 16-3

4-No. 24 Colorado State 3-2, 15-3

5-Wyoming 3-3, 10-9

6-Nevada 2-3, 15-4

7-UNLV 2-4, 9-9

8-San Jose State 1-4, 8-10

9-Air Force 1-5, 8-11

9-Fresno State 1-5, 8-11

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1361]

Nevada vs. Wyoming: Game Preview, How to Watch, Central Players, Keys & Prediction

The Nevada Wolf Pack travels to the high plains of Wyoming to snap its six-game losing streak against the Wyoming Cowboys.

 

Nevada vs. Wyoming: Game Preview, How to Watch, Central Players, Keys & Prediction

The Wolf Pack travels to the high plains of Wyoming to snap its six-game losing streak against the Cowboys.

Contact/Follow @KayceeClark-Mellott and @MWCwire

WHO: Nevada (15-3, 2-2 in the MWC) vs. Wyoming (9-8, 2-2 in the MWC)

WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 20, 5:30 PM MT

WHERE: Arena-Auditorium “Dome of Doom”, Laramie, Wyo.

TELEVISION: Mountain West Network

STREAM:  FuboTV – Get a free trial

LINE: Nevada +8.5

RANKINGS:

  Nevada Wyoming
AP RV (22) NR
USA TODAY COACHES POLL RV (14) NR
NET RANKINGS 45 204
KENPOM 47 214

The last victory for the Nevada Wolf Pack against the Wyoming Cowboys came in the 2020 COVID-19 season, Wyoming head coach Jeff Linder’s first season. Linder and the Pokes have won six straight from that season sweep of the Cowboys, including four games in Laramie.

Nevada’s season, thus far, is the best since the 2018-19 season, when they played in the NCAA Tournament as a seven-seed. The Wolf Pack is one of the best defensive teams in the Mountain West Conference (MWC), allowing the fewest points in the league. Coupled with three players scoring in double figures, Nevada has become one of the top teams in the conference. However, the team has lost two straight matchups against Boise State and San Diego State.

Both losses included some of Nevada’s worst shooting percentages of the season and the most fouls committed in a game against the Aztecs. The Wolf Pack allowed 41 rebounds in both games, the most in a season. Although both teams are in the top four in the conference for rebounding, Wyoming and Nevada are in the middle of the MWC.

The Cowboys have a season of many unknowns. They lost four starters from last season to graduation or the transfer portal. The only returning players for Wyoming are Brendan Wenzel, Caden Powell, Kenny Foster — who experienced a season-ending injury in the preseason — and Cort Roberson — who mainly works on the scout team.

As the team has already matched its win total from last year, the Cowboys are looking to reach double-digit wins with an upset over the Wolf Pack. Games at the “Dome of Doom” have favored Wyoming thus far this season, with a 6-1 record, including two conference victories, courtesy of Akuel Kot’s game-winning buzzer-beaters over San Jose State and Fresno State.

Turnovers have troubled the Pokes all season as the 20th most per game in the NCAA. Sam Griffin and Kot lead the team with 3.1 turnovers each per game. Only two games have seen the Cowboys commit less than 10 turnovers.

While Nevada looks to get back on track in conference play, Wyoming aims to achieve a winning record in the conference.

Key Players to the Game:

G Kenan Blackshear–Nevada

23-24 Stats: 16.3 PPG, 4.7 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG & 51.4% FG

Last time out: 14 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals on 6-12 (50%) shooting, including 2-5 from the line, at San Diego State.

Kenan Blackshear is an all-around player for the Wolf Pack. He leads the team in assists and steals and is second among starters in scoring, rebounds and shooting percentage. His four highest-scoring games have all come this season, with a career-high of 31 points at Washington in November. 

Both guards — Blackshear and Jarod Lucas — are prominent players for Nevada, but the stature of Blackshear may pose difficulties for Wyoming’s defense. His passing vision and abilities can help propel the Wolf Pack while drawing attention away from others.

F Caden Powell-Wyoming

23-24 Stats: 7.2 PPG, 1.0 APG, 5.9 RPG, 0.9 BPG & 50% FG

Last time out: 2 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and a block on 0-2 shooting against Fresno State.

The obvious answer for the Pokes is leading scorer Griffin or Kot with the buzzer-beaters and scoring double digits in all but one game this season. However, Powell must be a dominant force on the glass. As Nevada has allowed over 40 rebounds in their last two games, it’s central for the Cowboys to continue that trend.

Powell also makes half the shots he puts up, and while playing the best scoring defense in the conference, throwing up the most efficient shots is vital. Since MWC play started, Powell has yet to post double figures, only averaging 4.8 points on 46.2%. A dominant big-man performance can send Wyoming into the driver’s seat of this game. 

Keys to the Game

For Nevada:  Control the glass. Improve shooting efficiency. Get back on defense.

The game plan must focus on rebounds after allowing over 40 rebounds in back-to-back games. The Wolf Pack has been outrebounded in half of its games this season. Additionally, the team’s rebound margin is even at zero, ranking 193 in the NCAA. The combination of Nick Davidson and Blackshear must be highly prominent in the paint, offensively and defensively. 

The Wolf Pack also must find efficient shots to take. Since MWC play started, the team’s field goal percentage has dropped 4.4 percentage points. Nevada shot 36% against Boise State. Additionally, the team has become less effective at the line, dropping nearly six percentage points in that same time. The goal is always to have more points than the opponent, and decreasing numbers is not a good sign for winning. 

Against San Diego State, Nevada gave up 15 fast break points. In MWC games, the average Nevada has allowed is 7.75, but it has only scored 7.83 on the season. It is pertinent to ensure that the Cowboys can’t get fast points against an unset defense, notably when Wyoming is ranked 19th lowest in fast break points.

For Wyoming: Get to the charity stripe. Box out and snag the rebounds. Beyond the arc action.

The Cowboys are one of the best from the line in the league. At 75.3%, Wyoming only trails Colorado State in free throw percentage. In addition, Nevada fouls the third most in the MWC, sending San Diego State to the line for 34 shots. Not a single player for Wyoming shoots under 50% from the line, with seven players shooting 80% or better.

Rebounding is a fundamental key to winning games. As a middle-tier rebounding team in the conference, Wyoming posts a 6-3 record when winning the rebound margin while 3-5 when opponents outrebound the Pokes.

Wyoming is one of the best from beyond the arc. Despite the low number of shots beyond the arc per game, the team shoots 38.6% from three and is ranked 16th in the NCAA. Wyoming has shot over 40% in eight games this season and won seven of them. Even when the team shoots above its average, it holds an 8-2 record while 1-6 when below. The magic number for the Pokes is 38.6%.

Prediction:

Nevada 68, Wyoming 60

Wyoming will cover the spread of +8.5 but ultimately come up short. While Nevada has not been able to grab a board the past two games, this came against the conference’s top teams. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they are neither a top team in the MWC nor prolific at grabbing boards. The Wolf Pack will also clean up some of their foul troubles and return to the win column. Nevada will halt the Pokes’ domination over them and move to 16-3.

Kaycee Clark-Mellott covers college football and basketball for the Mountain West Wire, mainly covering the Wyoming Cowboys.

Advertisement [lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1361]