Tag: San Jose State Basketball

Mountain West Basketball Best Player At The Midway Point

Halfway through the season, who has been the best player in the Mountain West? A month later, let’s see how the numbers have changed. Contact/Follow the author @aztecbreakdown Top player halfway through the season. Earlier this season I took a look …

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Halfway through the season, who has been the best player in the Mountain West?

A month later, let’s see how the numbers have changed.

Contact/Follow the author @aztecbreakdown

Top player halfway through the season.

Earlier this season I took a look at who have been the best performers in the Mountain West this basketball season. Without of conference play officially over, and most teams having played about half of their games, it is time to revist the topic.

I used the same exact methodology as before, just with up to date numbers. If you remember the stats and what they represent, skip ahead to the rankings. The explanations are below if you’d like a refresher, or missed the first article.

To do my research, I looked at 3 advanced analytics for every player in the conference, took the Z-Scores of each statistic, and then averaged it out.

The three analytics are: Points over Expectation, Player Impact Plus-Minus, and Wins Added. All three of these stats measure specific things, and count contributions on both sides of the ball, as opposed to just counting offense or defense. Let’s quickly go over what each statistic does.

Points Over Expectation – Also known as POE, this is an efficiency stat. It takes into account the number and type of shots a player takes (or defends) and compares the outcome to what an average player would’ve done with the same number and type of possessions. A score of zero is the equivalent of an average player.

POE takes into account the number of shots, therefore the higher usage a player has, the more likely they are to be farther from 0. So players that are really efficient on large volume are the ones that get good scores here. Since basketball is about scoring more points than your opponent, someone who can score, and defend, at an efficient level is a valuable player. The number given is points per game relative to an average player. For more on POE click here.

Player Impact Plus Minus – Also known as PIPM, this is an impact stat. Basically, it measures how well a player has performed in the role they’re in. A player being used in the way that best suits their skill set will have a higher score than a player who is talented in certain areas but not able to show that talent off. As an example, if Nico Caravacho was asked to shoot 3 pointers all game he would hurt his team, as that’s not his skill set.

This statistic is important because no matter how purely talented a player might be, if the player doesn’t use the talents correctly it will hurt the team and prevent winning. PIPM also makes adjustments for the quality of opponents, which POE does not. Quality of opponents is an important factor when determining who has been the best so far. The number represents points per 100 possessions relative to an average player. For more on PIPM click here.

Wins Added –  Wins added is an estimation of how many wins a player has provided for their team. It takes the contributions a player has made and compares them to the other players on the team, the opponents faced, and the amount of wins the team has, and gives out a number for how many wins can be attributed to that player. It is similar in concept to Win Shares, which can be found on sports-reference.com, it just uses a better methodology.

As you can see, these stats measure different things, but they are all relevant in the conversation of “who has been the best player so far” and they help cover up each others weaknesses. With that, let’s look at the top players so far. For reference, when using Z-Scores, the maximum score is basically 3, while 0 is average, and the worst possible is -3. (Technically, with this sample size, the maximum is 6.72. With Bell Curves however, it is rare to find a score greater than 3.)

20. Caleb Morris, Air Force. Averaged Z-Score: 1.056. 10.2 Pts. 2.8 Rebs. 1.8 Ast.

19. Jazz Johnson, Nevada. Averaged Z-Score: 1.073. 16.4 Pts. 3.4 Rebs. 1.8 Ast.

18. Alphonso Anderson, Utah State. Averaged Z-Score: 1.095. 11.5 Pts. 4.8 Rebs. 1.3 Ast.

17. Ryan Swan-Ford, Air Force. Averaged Z-Score: 1.118. 13.1 Pts. 3.2 Rebs. 1.8 Ast.

16. K.J. Feagin, San Diego State. Averaged Z-Score: 1.128. 7.3 Pts. 3.1 Rebs. 3.6 Ast.

15. Nate Grimes, Fresno State. Averaged Z-Score: 1.200. 12.8 Pts. 9.6 Rebs. 0.7 Ast.

14. Diogo Brito, Utah State. Averaged Z-Score: 1.263. 8.9 Pts. 4.3 Rebs. 2.7 Ast.

13. Abel Porter, Utah State. Averaged Z-Score: 1.340. 7.1 Pts. 2.4 Rebs. 3.8 Ast.

12. Lindsey Drew, Nevada. Averaged Z-Score: 1.348. 12.6 Pts. 5.8 Rebs. 4.1 Ast.

11. Matt Mitchell. San Diego State. Averaged Z-Score: 1.474. 11.1 Pts. 4.4 Rebs. 1.5 Ast.

10. Roderick Williams, Boise State. Averaged Z-Score: 1.486. 11.9 Pts. 8.3 Rebs. 0.6 Ast.

Roderick Williams comes in at 8th in PIPM, and 14th in POE. He can’t stretch the floor, or hit free throws at a consistent rate, but he helps control the glass (8th in the nation in defensive rebounding percentage, 69th in offensive) and is an efficient scorer despite his shooting limitations. In addition, Williams is currently 8th in the nation at drawing fouls, which would be more impressive with a better free throw percentage, but can still help a team win games by taking the opponents’ bigs off the floor. Even though other players get all the hype, the Broncos’ offense is 13 points better per 100 possessions when Williams is on the court.

9. Carlton Bragg Jr., New Mexico. Averaged Z-Score: 1.493. 13.5 Pts. 10.8 Rebs. 0.8 Ast.

Since the last post Carlton Bragg has dropped down to 10th in PIPM, no doubt in relation to his suspension. He also checks in at 18th in POE. New Mexico was off to a good start, with wins against Wisconsin and New Mexico State, before Bragg was suspended along with J.J. Caldwell. Bragg is one of the best rebounders in the country, ranking 20th and 16th in defensive and offensive rebounding, respectively. There is no doubt that if New Mexico can get Bragg back it will help their chances at making the tournament. At the time I’m writing this there has been no information released as to why Bragg was suspended.

8. Yanni Wetzell, San Diego State. Averaged Z-Score: 1.674. 10.7 Pts. 6.2 Rebs. 1.1 Ast.

Yanni Wetzell is probably the player who was mentioned as being a snub the most after the first time I did this exercise a few weeks ago. He has quickly become a fan favorite in San Diego with his beautiful post moves and his smooth New Zealand accent. Yanni comes in at 5th in PIPM and 39th in POE. He only shoots 59% on free throws, and he hasn’t been the shooter from deep that Aztec fans expected. He is a really good back to the basket scorer however and is comfortable passing out of double teams. He has been a great glue guy for the Aztecs, doing everything they need him to do during the game.

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Mountain West Basketball Power Rankings: Still No Unanimous Pick At No. 1

Mountain West Basketball Power Rankings: Still No Unanimous Pick At No. 1 San Diego State is still No. 1 Contact/Follow @MWCwire Two teams claim first-place votes, again. A reminder that these rankings range from Dec. 23 through 29th, so keep that …

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Mountain West Basketball Power Rankings: Still No Unanimous Pick At No. 1

San Diego State is still No. 1

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Two teams claim first-place votes, again.

A reminder that these rankings range from Dec. 23 through 29th, so keep that in mind if these power rankings go out later in the week.

There was not a lot of basketball played during the Christmas holidays with Boise State being out in Hawaii for a few games and a bunch of non-Division I games on this past Saturday.

Having said that, the amount of movement was minimal this week due to the lack of games. One change that happened was that the Aztecs pulled within one first-place vote of being unanimous. Last week, Utah State had two first-place votes but now they are down to one.

The top four remained the same but it was Boise State who swapped spots with Colorado State to go to No. 5 after it went 3-1 with its one loss only being to Georgia Tech.

Besides that it was a boring week for those rankings with the lack of interesting games. That will all change once league play resumes in full force.

Previous Rankings: Week 1

Rank Team Previously
1. San Diego State (11-first place votes) 1st
2. Utah State (1-first place votes) 2nd
3. New Mexico 3rd
4. Nevada 4th
5. Boise State 6th
6. Colorado State 5th
7. UNLV 7th
8. Air Force 8th
9. Fresno State 9th
10. Wyoming 10th
10. San Jose State 10th

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2020 New Year’s Resolution For The Mountain West

J 2020 New Year’s Resolution For The Mountain West What goals do you want to see for your team in 2020? Contact/Follow @MWCwire Resolution time. Now that 2019 has come and gone, we have asked our staff to hand out some resoultions for their team and …

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2020 New Year’s Resolution For The Mountain West

What goals do you want to see for your team in 2020?

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Resolution time.

Now that 2019 has come and gone, we have asked our staff to hand out some resoultions for their team and the league as a whole. If you have any of your own respond to this embeded tweet below.

Mountain West

Raj: Boise State is the Mountain West and jokes aside; the MWC better find a way to campaign more for the Broncos to get into future NY6 games along with finding a way to get the Broncos in better bowl matchups. And yes, go get the standard bearer of the conference the money we deserve in this new TV deal.

Jeremy: Gotta agree with Raj, the league needs to promote itself better for whatever team is in position for a New Year’s Six Bowl or when it comes to the NCAA selection committee which could see the Mountain West have a top-three seed in San Diego State and maybe three teams overall in Utah State and New Mexico.

Be more vocal and don’t just spew that the stats speak for themselves. No need to go full Mike Aresco but speak up for the league more often and accept more media interviews.

Tron: The Mountain West needs to find a way to be more competitive as a conference, in both football and basketball. In football they need to find a way to campaign for better bowl games whenever possible. In basketball they need to find a way to get more teams to the tourney consistently, possibly by adding a round robin tournament into the schedule the way other mid majors are considering, in order to give your best teams more quad 1-2 competition. Adding a good basketball only school (like they tried with Gonzaga) could help a lot too, in terms of getting more teams into the tourney, which generates more money for the conference and the teams in it. 

Roger: The MWC must continue to schedule big games on National TV, do what they can to get more national exposure to generate both respect on the national stage and of course generate more  income. They can start by doing a top to bottom upgrade to their web site that was good 10 years ago but must keep up with the times, web site is clunky, maybe do push notifications on favorite teams and when they play games Take a look at the SEC website for some tips. Something much more media & social media emphasis.

Josh F: Craig Thompson needs to find his voice. We make fun of the AAC a lot, but he constantly puts his conference out there in national discussions. Meanwhile, Thompson sits in his office drinking coffee doing nothing. 

Ted M.:  The Mountain West needs a successor for Commissioner Craig Thompson. In charge since its inception, he held the conference together years ago when TCU, Utah and BYU left. But that was nearly 10 years ago. In sports, one must regularly prove one’s mettle. It has been a very long time since Thompson has made notable progress. He did not recognize the value of integrating Wichita State whose Final Four caliber basketball program wanted to join the Mountain West in a big way.

Thompson openly blew off the Shockers.  For a conference with just eleven basketball teams it was a missed chance. He recently muffed a potential Gonzaga integration, and turned a private discussion about BYU’s return into the Mountain West – very public. No progress was made. Today, the conference is misrepresented and under-recognized. Games are hard to watch due to late airings, and being poorly televised- if at all.  The Mountain West is grossly underrated. Until change is made it will remain so. Looking at the the American Athletic Conference, which has demanded Power 6 status, it’s clear that with strong leadership so much more can be realized by a strong G5 like the Mountain West.  

Larry: Basketball for the conference as a whole seems to be in a better place than they were last year, I know that sounds crazy with Musselman in Arkansas and Neemias Queta injured on the bench but hear me out. The middle of the pack looks stronger and you can see guys like Medvid, Alford and Hutson building programs at their respective schools (slowly but still doing so) and recruiting on a higher level than before. I would love to see this continued momentum and a respect for the conference nationally, which has been hard to obtain in recent years. The conference is on the up and up and with San Diego State and New Mexico returning to past form that helps. But to return to 3+ big league living in the shadow of the infamous 2013 season some changes need to be made. Scheduling for most of the conference has improved with games against Auburn, Florida, LSU, Duke and more helping team’s national profile. It’s hard living in mid-major land and to find that aforementioned national respect you need to be dominant, and Utah State and San Diego State are doing just that. We can use more as a conference but the improvement isn’t going unnoticed. 

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

We are tracking the best players of the Mountain West hoops season on a weekly basis.

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

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

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Who is in the running for Player of the Year? The list welcomes three new faces and the board has a new leader.

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 eighth week is as follows:

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

32 Points, 2 Rebounds and 6 Assists against Portland

23 Points, 9 Rebounds and 6 Assists against UTEP

17 Points, 5 Assists and 3 Rebounds against CSUN

Derrick Alston Jr. has made the jump in production we all hoped he would going into his junior season in Boise. After averaging 24 points a game this past week while the Broncos played in the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu and a home game this past weekend against CSUN, Alston has his team riding a three-game winning streak and nestled in sixth place in the Mountain West at 9-5 (1-1 MW).

Alston has made three past appearances in our top-five but hasn’t had a first place finish until now. That coupled with his consistency throughout the season has him in first place on our big board with 14 points total. He is a talented player with professional attributes but has been forced into a go-to scorer role that has him taking 14.7 field goal attempts a game (a conference-high). He can certainly score, but as a 6-9 guard, he also has a playmaking ability that is overlooked by the need to knock down shots.

Some help arrived at semester break, which could help distribute the offensive burden a bit and we should see the same consistent play from Alston Jr. that we have seen to thus far, but keep an eye on his ability to facilitate offense for others going forward. As it will be needed if the Broncos hope to break into the top-five of the conference and challenge the current big 3.

2. Malachi Flynn, junior guard San Diego State (4 Points):

14 Points, 7 Assists, 5 Steals and 5 Rebounds against Cal Poly

3.  Orlando Robinson, freshman forward Fresno State (3 Points):

24 Points, 7 Rebounds and 2 Blocks against San Francisco

27 Points, 5 Rebounds and 5 Blocks against UC-Riverside

4.  Corey Manigault, senior forward New Mexico (2 Points):

20 Points, 11 Rebounds and 4 Steals against UC Davis

5. Abu Kigab, junior forward Boise State (1 Point):

3 Points, 2 Assists and 1 Steal against Portland

11 Points and 10 Rebounds against UTEP

33 Points and 11 Rebounds against CSUN

Past Weeks:

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3| Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7

Current Overall Point Totals:

Derrick Alston Jr, junior guard BSU (14 Points)

JaQuan Lyle, senior guard UNM (11 Points)

Sam Merrill, senior guard USU (11 Points)

Malachi Flynn, junior guard San Diego State (9 Points)

Jalen Harris, junior guard Nevada (9 Points)

Nico Carvacho, senior center CSU (7 Points)

Hunter Maldonado, sophomore guard Wyoming (7 Points)

Jazz Johnson, senior guard Nevada (6 Points)

Alphonso Anderson, junior guard USU (5 Points)

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

Lindsey Drew, senior guard Nevada (5 Points)

Justinian Jessup, senior guard Boise State (5 Points)

Justin Bean, sophomore forward USU (4 Points)

Amauri Hardy, junior guard UNLV (4 Points)

Isaiah Stevens, freshman guard Colorado State (4 Points)

Orlando Robinson, freshman forward Fresno State (3 Points)

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

Corey Manigault, senior forward New Mexico (2 Points):

Jordan Schakel, junior guard SDSU (2 Points)

Donnie Tillman, junior forward UNLV (2 Points)

Abu Kigab, junior forward Boise State (1 Point):

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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Mountain West Basketball Power Rankings: Ringing In 2020

Mountain West Basketball Power Rankings: Ringing In 2020 San Diego State is our first No. 1. Contact/Follow @MWCwire Two teams claim first place votes. The Mountain West basketball season is at the midway point and now is a good point to start our …

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Mountain West Basketball Power Rankings: Ringing In 2020

San Diego State is our first No. 1.

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Two teams claim first place votes.

The Mountain West basketball season is at the midway point and now is a good point to start our weekly power rankings now that we know what teams are good or not so good.

San Diego State is one of just a handful of undefeated teams in the country and are No. 15 in the latest AP poll and are the only Mountian West team ranked in the polls.

Utah State is another early Mountain West contender but they are not quite at San Diego State’s level with a pair of losses and sitting at 12-2. New Mexico is also at 12-2 just like the Aggies and these three teams are the early contenders.

The rest of the league, or at least the middle, is a jumbled mess and will see some shuffling throughout these rankings over the rest of the season. When league play gets going there definitely will be some shuffling over the next month.

These initial rankings do have the Aztecs at the top but they do not own every first place vote as there are two votes allocated for Utah State.

Rank Team Previously
1. San Diego State (10-first place votes) 1st
2. Utah State (2-first place votes) 2nd
3. New Mexico 3rd
4. Nevada 4th
5. Colorado State 5th
6. Boise State 6th
7. UNLV 7th
8. Air Force 8th
9. Fresno State 9th
10. Wyoming 10th
11. San Jose State 11th

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Future Hoops Foes: Week Seven Recap of Week Eight’s Opponents

Taking a Look At Week Eights’s Mountain West Opponent’s Performances in Week Seven Each Mountain West Teams Opponents for Week 8 Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Take a look at each team’s opponents for this week and how they did last week. …

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Taking a Look At Week Eights’s Mountain West Opponent’s Performances in Week Seven

Each Mountain West Teams Opponents for Week 8

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Take a look at each team’s opponents for this week and how they did last week.

Future Foes Week Seven Recap:

Air Force Falcons (6-7, 1-1)

None

Boise State Broncos (6-5, 1-1)

Sat, Dec. 28th

Cal-State Northridge Matadors:

We have seen Mark Gottfried and the Matadors twice this season against Mountain West opponents and a one point victory over Fresno State remains one of their three wins on the season (3-10), sorry Bulldog fans. There was a lot of hype around the program coming into the season in Northridge. Gottfried returned two prolific scorers in junior guard Terrell Gomez (22.2 PPG) and sophomore forward Lamine Diane (24.8 PPG in 18-19).

But is was announced early in the season that Diane had been suspended indefinitely due to being ruled academically ineligible for the first semester. His absence has been felt, and Gomez is keeping the ship afloat with help from sophomore guard Darius Brown II (10.6 PPG). This should be a shootout as the Matadors love to get up shots, ranking in the top-150 in the country for field goal attempts and averaging 36% from three which is good for 89th in the country.

Colorado State Rams (8-6, 0-2)

Sat, Dec. 28th

Doane Tigers:

The Doane Tigers are from Doane Univeristy in Crete, NE and play in the Great Plains Athletic Conference in the NAIA. They are 4-11 (0-6 in the GPAC) on the season and unlike most NAIA teams haven’t played a division one opponent thus far. Keep an eye on junior guard Anthony Laravie who is leading the tigers with 17.0 PPG and junior forward Miguel Lopez who is adding 9.7 PPG and a team high 7.5 RPG.

Fresno State Bulldogs (4-7, 0-2)

Mon, Dec. 23rd

San Francisco Dons:

The Dons haven’t missed a beat with the departure of head coach Kyle Smith to Washington State. Todd Golden who spent the past three seasons in the Don’s program as an associate Head Coach has the program at 10-3 with a nice win over Cal at home.

San Francisco takes and makes a lot of shots, as they rank in the top-100 in FG% and 3P%. They also have a well rounded scoring attack with junior guard Jamaree Bouyea leading the pack with 14.8 PPG, junior guard Charles Minlend chipping in 14.2 PPG and 7-foot senior big man Jimbo Lull in the post averaging 12.2 PPG and 7.5 RPG.

Sat, Dec. 28th

UC-Riverside Highlanders:

Another team we have seen a lot of this season is the Highlanders of UC-Riverside who are coming off of an impressive 80-65 win over San Jose State on Sunday. They are now 8-5 on the season with their best win still being an improving Nebraska team out in the Big Ten.

Sophomore big man Callum McRae (7-1 275) leads the team in scoring at 10.2 PPG and he just received some help in form of Washington State transfer Arinze Chidom, who through two games is averaging 12.5 PPG and 6.5 RPG. We thought the Spartans would give them a bit more of a challenge but this team played at a higher level with Chidom in the lineup.

Nevada Wolf Pack (8-5, 1-0)

None

New Mexico Lobos (12-2, 2-0)

Sun, Dec. 29th

UC-Davis Aggies:

Jim Les and crew are in a bit of a rebuilding year, with the Aggies at 5-9 and no quality wins to note. UC-Davis was picked to finish 8th in the Big West this season (and receiving one first place vote in the process) and maybe living up to that prediction thus far. Senior guard Joe Mooney is leading the Aggies in scoring with 16.0 PPG. The Aggies are a smaller team with only three players standing 6-7 or taller.

Their leading rebounder is 6-4 freshman guard Elijah Pepper with 5.1 RPG. The Lobos have trouble with smaller teams that can shoot it, and with Caldwell and Bragg Jr. out with unknown return dates we can expect to see the Lobo team of the foreseeable future on Sunday.

No. 15 San Diego State Aztecs (12-0, 2-0)

Sat, Dec. 28th

Cal Poly Mustangs:

The Mustangs are 2-10 on the season with an impressive win over Siena under their belt and another over NAIA school Simpson (CA). The Mustangs are led by sophomore guard Junior Ballard with 12.4 PPG, and he doesn’t receive much help. Cal Poly is 326th in the country in points per game averaging just 62.5 a contest. I don’t see the Mustangs ending the Aztecs undefeated streak but look for San Diego State to add to that win column on Saturday.

San Jose State Spartans (3-10, 0-2)

Sat, Dec. 28th

Pepperdine Waves:

The Waves were given the coveted 4th place predicted finish in the WCC behind the normal big three of Gonzaga, BYU and St. Mary’s. Pepperdine is 7-6 on the season but in a conference with six teams that have 10 wins or more thus far, they may need to adjust and step up their level of play to hold up to that top-5 predicted finish. They are riding a four game winning streak and should have no problem in San Jose on Saturday. Look out for dynamic scorer Colbey Ross (20.3 PPG and 7.2 APG) and low post presence Kameron Edwards (17.3 PPG) to make the Spartans night rough.

Nevada-Las Vegas Running Rebels (5-8, 1-0)

Sat, Dec. 28th

Eastern Michigan Eagles:

UNLV hosts Eastern Michigan this Saturday and the 9-2 Eagles shouldn’t be overlooked. This may be a matchup of the inconsistent this weekend as the Eagles like the Rebels have had some ups and downs all season. With wins against Valparaiso, UMBC and North Texas but coming off of a fresh 53 point loss to Michigan State in East Lansing this past Saturday.

Eastern Michigan is led by the hometown hero, junior forward Ty Groce (12.3 PPG and 5.3 RPG) with help from fellow juniors Noah Morgan (10.5 PPG) and Yeikson Montero (10.4 PPG). This could be anyone’s game and if the Rebels are knocking down shots and preventing penetration from the wing they could head into conference play with a winning streak and some momentum.

Utah State Aggies (12-2, 2-0)

Eastern Oregon Mountaineers:

Another NAIA opponent in the Mountain West this week, the Mountaineers of Eastern Oregon play in the Cascade Collegiate Conference out of La Grande, OR. The Mountaineers are 7-6 on the season and are led by junior guard Max McCullough (20.6 PPG) and 7-foot senior big man Jarek Schetzle (19.1 PPG and 9.8 RPG)

Wyoming Cowboys (4-9, 0-2)

Sat, Dec. 28th

Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves:

The Praire Wolves of Nebraska Wesleyan University are a division three school in Lincoln, NE. They play in the American Rivers Conference and are 10-2 on the season coming off of a 82-84 point loss to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, which ended a six game winning streak for the Prairie Wolves. This technically counts as an exhibition for Nebraska Wesleyan but you can bet they are going to attempt the upset in Laramie. Watch out for senior guard Nate Schimonitz who is averaging 26.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 4.3 APG and 1.8 SPG.

Read: 

Check out the latest edition of our Player of the Week series with all previous weeks included.

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Future Hoops Foes: Week Six Recap of Week Seven’s Opponents

Taking a Look At Week Seven’s Mountain West Opponent’s Performances in Week Six Each Mountain West Teams Opponents for Week 7 Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Take a look at each team’s opponents for this week and how they did last week. …

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Taking a Look At Week Seven’s Mountain West Opponent’s Performances in Week Six

Each Mountain West Teams Opponents for Week 7

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Take a look at each team’s opponents for this week and how they did last week.

Future Foes Week Six Recap:

Air Force Falcons (5-6, 1-1)

Tues, Dec. 17th

Johnson and Wales Wildcats:

The Wildcats are 6-4 on the season and currently compete in NCAA division three. Through those ten games they are led by senior guard Brian Hogan-Gary who is averaging 22.3 PPG and 10.6 RPG. He has help though, and that is junior guard Justin Bullock who is contributing 17.7 PPG so far. Looks like a nice game to get the Falcons back to .500 on the season.

Sat, Dec. 21st

Drake Bulldogs:

The Bulldogs are 8-3 on the season and have nice wins against Murray State and Lehigh so far. Second year head coach Darian DeVries posted an impressive twenty-four win season and regular season championship in his first year in Des Moines and isn’t looking for any stoppage in momentum.

Drake isn’t shooting the lights out of the gym and leading scorer Roman Penn is only averaging 10.7 PPG just ahead of senior guard Anthony Murphy at 10.5 PPG and 7-foot sophomore Liam Robbins at 10.2 PPG. They have multiples guys that can get it done and are a part of a defense that is holding opponents to just 62.3 PPG on the season, good for 53rd in the nation.

Boise State Broncos (6-4, 1-1)

Sun, Dec. 22nd

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets:

Josh Pastner’s Yellow Jackets are 4-4 on the season so far, and aside from a 34 point loss to Syracuse at home the other three losses all to SEC teams were a lot closer. Georgia Tech has formiddable athletes and length which could provide issues for a Bronco team that has a shallow front court presence to begin with. Their second and third leading scorers are both 6-9 big men in junior Moses Wright (12.3 PPG) and senior James Banks III (10.6 PPG). But their most dangerous asset is sophomore guard Michael Devoe who is averaging 19.4 PPG and 3.5 APG which includes a 34 point performance at Georgia where he also grabbed 10 rebounds.

Colorado State Rams (7-6, 0-2)

Sat, Dec. 21st

Tulsa Golden Hurricanes:

Tulsa is a tough team, and if you are unsure ask Boise State. The Golden Hurricanes have found a formula that works with junior college transfer Brandon Rachal leading the pack and three players averaging nine points or more right behind him. Tulsa was able to come out with a win at home last week against the Broncos by completely taking Alston Jr. and Jessup out of the game.

They have long athletic forwards who can guard the perimeter and give three point shooters a hard time while clogging the lanes with that same length and athletic ability. Tulsa is a good team and they were tested against an even better Eric Musselman led Arkansas team and came away with a loss last week to make them 8-3 on the year.

Fresno State Bulldogs (3-7, 0-2)

Fri, Dec. 20th

IUPUI Jaguars:

George Hill’s alma mater is 4-8 on the season with a win against an average South Florida team as the highlight of an otherwise lack luster non-conference slate. Head coach Jason Gardner is in his sixth season in charge of IUPUI with the 2018-19 season being the closest he has come to reaching the .500 mark. He has senior guard Marcus Burk averaging 20.0 PPG through their first twelve games but not much else. Watch out for Burk on Friday Fresno fans.

Nevada Wolf Pack (7-4, 1-0)

Wed, Dec. 18th

Texas Southern Tigers:

The Tigers are coached by former Nevada assistant Johnny Jones and Jones has the juggernaut of the SWAC known as Texas Southern at 3-6 thus far in the season. The Tigers always have an impressive SOS in non-conference play with a lineup full of high profile buy games. That 3-6 record isn’t too shabby considering those losses are to San Diego State, Arkansas and Gonzaga. And with a nice win over Northern Kentucky, Texas Southern looks to be a power in conference play once again.

Senior guard Tyrik Armstrong is leading this squad with 13.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 3.6 APG. Watch out for him and pretty much everyone else as this squad has some talented newcomers and high major transfers getting minutes off of the bench.

Sat, Dec. 21st

Saint Mary’s Gaels:

We knew heading into the season that Mountain West fans would see the Gaels quite a bit, and they haven’t disappointed. They gave Utah State their first loss of the season and beat Fresno State in a neutral site game. Next up is the Nevada Wolf Pack in a neutral site game in San Francisco and Steve Alford’s team could make a statement in the Mountain West by doing something no one else has been able to do, beat the Gaels.

Jordan Ford has been Jordan Ford and junior forward Malik Fitts is back at his normal level of play after struggling a bit early on. A loss to #13 ranked Dayton is their only blemish at 10-2, while let’s not forget Winthrop.

New Mexico Lobos (10-2, 2-0)

Tues, Dec. 17th

Grand Canyon Antelopes:

Dan Majerle and crew are having a bit of a down year in Phoenix. The Lopes of Grand Canyon opened the year with a loss to Davenport at home and have gone 4-8 on the season since. The Lopes aren’t lacking talent but are having a hard time putting it all together. Junior big man Alessandro Lever is leading the team with 14.3 PPG but grabbing just 4.8 rebounds in the process.

Carlos Johnson isn’t having the senior jump in production we might have expected, staying steady at 13.0 PPG (1.3 PPG short of last years average) while grabbing a team leading 5.4 boards a game. J.J. Rhymes is out for the season with an injury but the Lopes do get junior guard Mikey Dixon on Tuesday after transferring over from St. John’s last season. GCU can be a tough game on any schedule but a loss to this year’s team would be a bad look for a New Mexico team gaining momentum.

Sun, Dec. 22nd

Houston Baptist Huskies:

The Huskies are currently 0-8 and are one of three remaining winless teams in the country. They are extremely guard heavy and are led by senior guard Jalon Gates at 17.6 PPG and complimented by Junior guard Ian Dubose with 16.9 PPG. The Huskies get up a lot of shots and if these two are both knocking them down the Lobos who sometimes attempt to win games by making more shots then their opponents with little defense may be in for a tough night.

They haven’t played any slouches either, with losses to Tulsa, Texas Tech, Michigan, Houston and Dayton so far. The Lobos need to guard the perimeter and stop any penetration in the lane if they want to win this game, or just knock down more shots.

No. 20 San Diego State Aztecs (10-0, 2-0)

Wed, Dec. 18th

San Diego Christian Hawks:

The Hawks are 2-6 on the season as they make their yearly trip into Viejas arena on Wednesday. And although the stats on the San Diego Christian’s basketball site aren’t too accurate it looks like senior guard Bryce Parsons might be leading the Hawks in scoring. 

Sat, Dec. 21st

Utah Utes:

Larry Krystkowiak’s group is 8-2 on the season with a questionable loss to Coastal Carolina and a slightly understandable one to a Tulane team that Ron Hunter has on the up and up. Timmy Allen is a name to watch as the sophomore forward has stepped up as needed for Utah averaging 20.6 PPG and 7.4 RPG. Allen was a part of our top-25 opposing players to watch out for rankings at the beginning of the season and we can see why.

He and fellow sophomore Both Gach have stepped up big time and a win over this Utah team will only benefit the Aztecs. But they also have to be careful as this team full of freshmen and sophomores is beginning to figure things out and could ruin an unblemished resume for Aztecs come this weekend.

San Jose State Spartans (3-8, 0-2)

Wed, Dec. 18th

Santa Clara Broncos:

The Broncos continue to impress as they are looking to extend a 12-game winning streak at home against the Spartans on Wednesday. Santa Clara is 10-2 on the season and are currently led by sophomore big man Guglielmo Caruso with 11.2 PPG and a team high 5.5 RPG. The leading scorer role has been an interchangeable one for the Broncos this season as it has been shared by fellow sophomore Trey Wertz and junior forward Donovan Mitchell throughout the season.

Mitchell and San Jose State Guard Richard Washington were teammates back in Winston-Salem, and a win for the Spartans could go a long way as they are looking for their fourth win of the season which would tie last years overall win total in just December.

Sun, Dec. 22nd

UC-Riverside Highlanders:

This years Highlanders team looks much improved, and like San Jose State are attempting to surpass last seasons win total of ten games by garnering their 8th win on Sunday. They are led by 7-1 275 lb sophomore center Callum McRae with 10.7 PPG and 7.6 RPG. UC-Riverside has a power five win against an improving Nebraska team to boast about but not much else. This is a very winnable game for San Jose State, but if things aren’t firing on all cylinders they could give UC-Riverside that eighth win on Sunday.

Nevada-Las Vegas Running Rebels (4-7, 1-0)

Wed, Dec. 18th

Pacific Tigers:

The Tigers are 10-3 on the season including a triple overtime battle with Boise State in late November. Damon Stoudamire’s squad plays tough defense keeping their opponents to 58.8 PPG which is 19th in the country. Senior forward Jahlil Tripp has emerged as the leader on this Tigers team with 13.0 PPG and a team high 7.1 RPG. But he has a versatile supporting cast filled with efficient big men and tall guards. UNLV needs a solid win in the middle of December in preparation for conference play and this could be it.

Sat, Dec. 21st

Robert Morris Colonials:

The once mighty Colonials look to be in a down year, picked 5th in the NEC preseason poll. Stuck behind what looks like a four team race in the NEC, Robert Morris is 3-8 on the year with an okay win against Florida Gulf Coast on the road. Senior guard Josh Williams leads the team in scoring with 11.4 PPG. The Colonials have a hard time scoring the basketball ranking 287th in the nation, UNLV should come out with a win on Saturday as long as their big men are the difference in this one.

Utah State Aggies (10-2, 2-0)

Wed, Dec. 18th

South Florida Bulls:

Brian Gregory’s squad is 6-4 on the year but has been all over the place in terms of production. With a bad loss at home to IUPUI followed by a solid win against Wofford the following week. Junior guard David Collins leads this Bulls squad with 15.3 PPG, supported by senior guard Laquincy Rideau with 13.4 PPG and a team high 3.7 APG. South Florida should be a nice test for Utah State after coming off of a loss to BYU in a neutral site match up right before their next biggest test of the season in Florida in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic.

Sat, Dec. 21st

Florida Gators:

Mike White’s Gators are 6-3 on the year, with losses to Florida State, UCONN and Butler. Florida just hasn’t figured out how to put a lot of talented pieces together, and graduate transfer Kerry Blackshear Jr. whose leading the team in points (13.3) and rebounds (8.4) hasn’t taken the Gators to that next level as expected. Another disappointing fixture has been freshman Scottie Lewis, who is averaging just 7.9 PPG (5th on the team) after coming to Gainesville as the 3rd best overall recruit all time and bringing the 8th ranked 2019 recruiting class with him.

This was a heavily anticipated match up in the preseason and even though Neemias Queta isn’t at full strength, he will still be scouted based on his match up with Blackshear Jr. down low.

Wyoming Cowboys (3-8, 0-2)

Wed, Dec. 18th

Utah Valley Wolverines:

Utah Valley is a dangerous match up and it’s hard to gauge which caliber of Wolverines team you might get on any given night. With junior guard Isaiah White returning from injury recently first year head coach Mark Madsen now has five players averaging double figures going into Wednesdays game. Even though they have some bigger than average guards, they still display a guard heavy rotation led by senior TJ Washington alongside White. If the Cowboys can utilize their size advantage in the front court, this could be a nice win at home.

Sat, Dec. 21st

Denver Pioneers:

The Cowboys will be the fourth Mountain West team the Pioneers have faced this season, and they could be their lone Mountain West win at home on Saturday night if things go well. Wyoming has had some ups and downs and if they aren’t careful could head back home with a loss at the hands of Rodney Billup’s squad in Denver.

Senior guard Ade Murkey (14.7 PPG) and sophomore guard Jase Townsend (14.0 PPG) lead a struggling Denver team in scoring, but the difference maker could be freshman big man Robert Jones in the post. Jones is a former top-200 recruit and could take advantage of a Wyoming frontcourt that has had a hard time on the glass this season.

Side Note:

Revisit our Top-25 opposing players ranking with multiple players that made the list player your favorite Mountain West teams this week.

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NET Rankings Debut: San Diego State At No. 3

Where do the Mountain West teams stack up in the first NET rankings?

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Net Rankings Debut: San Diego State Aztecs at No. 3

Initial rankings have Mountain West teams distributed as expected

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

With the Net Rankings debut the Aztecs look to be the clear Mountain West front runner.

The Holidays came just a week early for some as the media, fans and coaching staffs across the country were given their first look at this season’s NET Rankings this morning. And after a much critiqued initial debut last year, adjustments were made to the ranking system in it’s second year of existence to assure accuracy and draw less scrutiny. And amongst the blue bloods, high majors and Gonzaga’s of the world stood a familiar face at number three.

The Aztecs were the highest ranked Mountain West team in our first glimpse of the season, debuting at number three in the nation just behind Ohio State and Kansas. San Diego State is also the highest-ranked undefeated team in the nation, followed by No. 7 Auburn, No. 19 Liberty and No. 20 Duquesne.

The NET is the new NCAA metric and it gives the selection committee an idea of team’s performances based on the combination of four ratings. It takes it’s own metrics and those of KenPom, BPI, the Sagarin ratings and team’s strength of schedule to give us a full 353 team ranking.

Now for one, these aren’t set in stone and there is still plenty of basketball to be played before these rankings turn into tickets punched, but it’s a start. And though they have been adjusted and initial critiques are taken into consideration, they are still a tad flawed.

Number six ranked Kentucky is currently listed at 58th, but a more explainable ranking could be found with North Carolina at 95th at 6-4 on the season with some questionable losses. But there can be some truth to the rankings, as National Champion runner up Texas Tech debuted at No. 3 last season. Right behind eventual champion Virginia at No. two.

The rest of the Mountain West faired a bit how you may suspect at this point of the season. Utah State is in the top-50 at 47th and New Mexico is just outside of it with losses to Auburn and UTEP at 57th. Nevada and Boise State are the only other Mountain West teams in the top-100, while Colorado State is the last team to be ranked inside of the top-200.

Mountain West NET Rankings:

3. San Diego State 10-0

47. Utah State 10-2

57. New Mexico 10-2

94. Nevada 7-4

100. Boise State 6-4

140. Colorado State 7-6

219. Fresno State 3-7

224. Air Force 5-6

232. UNLV 4-7

268. San Jose State 3-8

289. Wyoming 3-8

As the conference has hopes of becoming a multi-bid league in the near future this wasn’t a bad start. The conference as a whole is better when San Diego State and New Mexico are at their best, and Utah State’s reemergence after taking some time off from their 2000s dominance in the WAC doesn’t hurt.

While others like Nevada and Boise State will figure it out with a first year head coach settling in and sit-out reinforcements coming next year. And other traditional powers like UNLV may be back to normal sooner than you may think. But this first ranking has certainly given us something to keep our eyes on and come tournament time something to refer back to.

Full List Here

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Dec. 14, 2019 Mountain West Basketball Scoreboard, Schedule, Updates

Dec. 14, 2019 Mountain West Basketball Scoreboard, Schedule, Updates Mountain West hoops has a full slate on this Saturday. Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire More non-conference hoops. Air Force at Denver, 3 p.m. ET, TV: Altitude KenPom: …

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Dec. 14, 2019 Mountain West Basketball Scoreboard, Schedule, Updates

Mountain West hoops has a full slate on this Saturday.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

More non-conference hoops.

Air Force at Denver, 3 p.m. ET, TV: Altitude

KenPom: Colorado State -3

Jeremy: Air Force

Larry: Air Force

Josh F: Denver

Erwin: Air Force

Ted: Air Force

Andrew: Air Force

Alabama State at Boise State, 6 p.m. ET, TV: Mountain West Network

KenPom: Boise State -17

Jeremy: Boise State

Larry: Boise State

Josh F: Boise State

Erwin: Boise State

Ted: Boise State

Utah State at BYU, 7 p.m. ET, TV: BYUtv

KenPom: Utah State -7

Jeremy: Utah State

Larry: Larry (!!)

Josh F: Utah State

Erwin: BYU

Ted: Utah State

Andrew: Utah State

Stanford at San Jose State, 7 p.m. ET, TV: CBS Sports Network

KenPom: Stanford -16

Jeremy: Stanford

Larry: Stanford

Josh F: Stanford

Erwin: Stanford

Ted: Stanford

New Mexico State at New Mexico, 7 p.m. ET, TV: AT&T SportsNet

KenPom: New Mexico -5

Jeremy:  New Mexico

Larry: New Mexico 

Josh F: New Mexico

Erwin: New Mexico

Ted: New Mexico

Northern Colorado at Wyoming, 9 p.m. ET, TV: Mountain West Network

KenPom: Northern Colorado -2

Jeremy: Wyoming

Larry: Northern Colorado 

Josh F: Northern Colorado

Erwin: Wyoming

Ted: Wyoming

Fresno State at Cal Poly, 10 p.m. ET, TV: BigWest.org

KenPom: Fresno State -8

Jeremy: Fresno State

Larry: Fresno State 

Josh F: Fresno State

Erwin: Fresno State

Ted: Fresno State

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DPI Rankings Week 6: Aztecs take over the #1 spot

Mountain West Basketball: Week 6 DPI Computer Rankings San Diego State takes over, Nevada takes a big step Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire Aztecs the league’s new #1 after close call Earlier than ever, the Mountain West basketball season …

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Mountain West Basketball: Week 6 DPI Computer Rankings

San Diego State takes over, Nevada takes a big step

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Aztecs the league’s new #1 after close call

Earlier than ever, the Mountain West basketball season has officially started. And just as quickly, it’s back on hold as teams gear up to finish their out-of-conference schedules.

But even if it was just one week, there was plenty of intrigue.

We had three total overtimes between the New Mexico-Boise State and UNLV-Fresno State games. We had a few teams finally wake up from their long hibernation, while others still looked very much asleep.

And then of course, we had Malachi Flynn coming up in the clutch and ensuring that the league stays represented in the national polls.

The coming week will be light duty for most of the teams around the Mountain West, but there are still a few games to keep an eye on, including two tussles with BYU and some dates with the Pac-12.

So, as we embark further down the road of the 2019-20 campaign, let’s stop and take a look where the Mountain West teams stand heading into Week 6. I’ve provided some graphics that will hopefully give some context for the relative strengths and weaknesses of each team.

The rankings below reflect games played through Monday, December 9. For a rundown of how these rankings are calculated, head over to DPI Hoops. You can also find rankings for all 353 Division I teams.

(Note: Games against non-Div. I opponents are not counted in the DPI.)

 

#1 — SAN DIEGO STATE

The Aztecs have taken over the top spot from Utah State, but they were just a few centimeters away from major disappointment on Sunday against San Jose State. Thankfully, Flynn’s last-second bomb found the bottom of the net and sent San Diego State to a perfect 10-0 record and a spot in the Top 25.

#2 — UTAH STATE

Even though they managed to win both of their games, the Aggies were ousted from the national polls on Monday while the Aztecs took their spot. Utah State could be on the brink of an absolute game-changer, though, with star big man Neemias Queta returning to action after a knee injury.

#3 — NEVADA

The Wolf Pack had a fantastic week and are looking more and more like they could separate themselves from the logjam in the middle of the Mountain West and settle into the #3 spot behind Utah State and SDSU. Jalen Harris, in particular, has been playing out of his mind. Five straight for Nevada.

#4 — NEW MEXICO

It wasn’t always a sure thing, but the Lobos managed to jump out to an early 2-0 mark in the Mountain West. New Mexico survived a boxing match against Boise State that went to overtime before dispatching Wyoming with ease in Laramie. JaQuan Lyle looks to have found his home in ABQ.

#5 — COLORADO STATE

For now at least, the Rams continue to surprise by sitting atop the logjam of teams behind the league’s top four. Nico Carvacho continues to impress, but Colorado State went 0-for-2 on the week, losing to San Diego State and Boise State. Those same Broncos are hot on their tail.

#6 — BOISE STATE

Thankfully for Leon Rice, his star shooter Justinian Jessup has finally woken up from his long slumber. Derrick Alston Jr. and RJ Williams have done an admirable job holding up the load, but the Broncos need to be firing on all cylinders to catch up to the league’s top four teams.

#7 — WYOMING

The Cowboys remain relatively high in the polls, but they are starting to slide backward. Losses to Air Force and New Mexico this past week certainly didn’t do them any favors. Hunter Maldonado might be deserving of all-MWC honors down the line, but this team as a whole is lacking.

#8 — AIR FORCE

The Falcons’ defense has been one of the worst in the nation to start the year, but the offense has been quite good. Those traits were on full display this week, as Air Force allowed both Wyoming and Nevada to set season-high scoring marks while generating an 85.5 points per game of their own.

#9 — UNLV

It took two overtimes, but the Rebels opened their Mountain West season with a win over Fresno State. Unfortunately, they must have used up all of their good karma, because they got absolutely flattened by BYU in Salt Lake City. Turnovers continue to haunt T.J. Otzelberger’s club.

#10 — FRESNO STATE

It’s hard to imagine a more hard-luck team than Fresno State. (Actually, we’ll reconsider that in a moment.) The Bulldogs played three periods of extra time against UNLV and Utah State, but came away with nothing to show for it. Quickly approaching a nightmare scenario in Fresno.

#11 — SAN JOSE STATE

OK, so maybe the Spartans’ bad luck can compete with Fresno State’s. San Jose State hung with Utah State for twenty minutes before giving up the ghost. Then on Sunday, despite the efforts of leading scorer Seneca Knight, the Spartans came up infinitesimally short against SDSU.

That’s it for this week, folks! Check back next week for another round of Mountain West DPI rankings.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for 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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