Tag: SDSU basketball

NCAA Tournament Simulation: First Round, West Region

The Mountain West Wire 2020 NCAA Tournament Simulation rolls on, as we look at the results of the first round of the West Region.

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NCAA Tournament Simulation: First Round, West Region

A shocking upset ends a dream season abruptly

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Our NCAA sim heads out West as the first round rolls on.

The results are already in from the Midwest and East regions, and now our third slate of games comes from the West Region. Gonzaga, San Diego State, and Oregon are all playing in the Pacific time zone, while Seton Hall is staying close to home to start things off.

As a reminder, we here at Mountain West Wire are using the final bracket generated by the Bracket Matrix and simulating games via WhatIfSports. A hearty thanks to both for helping us get some catharsis in these trying times. As a further reminder, each game is only simulated once — whatever happens, happens. That’s the beauty of the Big Dance.

Without further ado, let’s jump into the results.

(#4) Oregon 69, (#13) Akron 67

Full Box Score and Play-by-Play

SPOKANE, Wash. — The first game of this Spokane pod is an absolute classic. The Ducks survive a scare from the Zips, thanks to a Payton Pritchard buzzer-beater. Akron’s Loren Jackson led all scorers with 26 points. The 13-seed jumped out to an early lead, but the Ducks stormed back in the second half. An 8-0 run from Akron tied the game with 3:25 to play, and the teams mostly traded baskets down the stretch. Thankfully for the Ducks, their All-American had the final shot — and he did not miss.

(#6) Penn State 77, (#11) Wichita State 63

Full Box Score and Play-By-Play

ALBANY, N.Y. — The most successful season of the Pat Chambers era continues as the Nittany Lions never really had to sweat in this one. Wichita State kept it respectable, but a 20-point performance from Lamar Stevens kept the Shockers at arm’s length all game. In the aftermath of the loss, six Wichita State players announce they are transferring out of the program, unexpectedly throwing head coach Gregg Marshall into the hot seat. Penn State moves on to face the winner of the Seton Hall-Hofstra game.

(#8) LSU 87, (#9) Rutgers 78

Full Box Score and Play-by-Play

SPOKANE, Wash. — The second Spokane pod gets started with this 8-9 matchup of two teams who were both in the Top 25 during the season. Though the Scarlet Knights can officially celebrate their first NCAA Tournament berth in 30 years, the party is short-lived as Will Wade’s club wages a balanced attack. All five starters end up in double figures for LSU, but off-the-court distractions start to pop up as buzz builds for a new documentary detailing the FBI investigation into college basketball, which brings Wade’s past improprieties back into the national zeitgeist.

(#3) Seton Hall 86, (#14) Hofstra 66

Full Box Score and Play-by-Play

ALBANY, N.Y. — The Pirates easily dispatch their seaboard compatriots, but curiously, Naismith candidate Myles Powell is relatively quiet in this one. The star guard scores just 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting and attempts just two three-pointers all game. Instead, Seton Hall relies on strong performances from Sandro Mamukelashvili and Jared Rhoden. The CAA champs trailed by 18 at the half and never really threatened an upset. A bit of a dull game as we head into the midday doldrums.

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Mountain West Tournament: Day 2 Results and Highlights

Wyoming’s dream run continues, as the Cowboys pulled off another upset in the MW Tournament. Earlier in the day, the hosts were ousted.

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Mountain West Tournament: Day 2 Results and Highlights

Cowboys’ dream run continues; Broncos send hosts home

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Wyoming’s late night upset highlights an exciting Day 2

It was nearly midnight in Laramie by the time the quarterfinal round of the Mountain West Tournament drew to a close. But Wyoming fans had plenty of reasons to stay up past their bedtime. Here’s a quick recap of how eight became four, as we roll into the semis.

(#1) San Diego State 73, (#9) Air Force 60

Full Recap: Aztecs eliminate Falcons

The Aztecs got off to a slow start against Air Force, as has become their custom of late. But just as customary was the second-half surge that saw SDSU through to the semifinals. Jordan Schakel led the Aztecs with 17 points, while the Falcons’ AJ Walker poured in a game-high 18.

(#5) Boise State 67, (#4) UNLV 61

Full Recap: Broncos headed to semifinals

On paper, this was always supposed to be a close matchup. This game didn’t disappoint in that respect, although the home crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center won’t be happy to see their team ousted so early – especially after a five-game winning streak to get here. Boise State’s RJ Williams exploded for 23 points and 15 rebounds as the Broncos move on to face San Diego State tomorrow.

(#2) Utah State 75, (#7) New Mexico 70

The Lobos might have scored a win at The Pit on Senior Day, but they weren’t able to repeat the task against Utah State on Thursday. Sam Merrill’s 29 points were simply too much for New Mexico, despite the game remaining close throughout. Perhaps it was an act of grace, as the Lobos’ tumultuous likely draws to close. New Mexico’s record is likely good enough to earn an invite to the CBI or CIT, but it is unclear whether the team would accept one.

(#11) Wyoming 74, (#3) Nevada 71

Allen Edwards’ team had to wait a long time to start their game, but they decisively answered any questions about whether they could carry the momentum of their upset over Colorado State into Thursday’s game against Nevada. Perhaps owing to the late tip, the Wolf Pack were outlasted by a Wyoming team that became the first-ever double-digit seed to reach the Mountain West semifinals. They will face Utah State on Friday for a trip to the championship game.

Check back tomorrow for updates from Day 3 of the Mountain West Tournament. In the meantime, head over to our MW Tournament Hub to keep up on all the hoops coverage here at Mountain West Wire.

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Utah State Leads The Race for #2 Seed in MW Tournament

The Mountain West title has already been won, but a battle is brewing for 2nd place – and a spot on the other side of the bracket from SDSU.

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Utah State Leads Six Teams Vying for #2 Seed in MW Tourney

Aggies have the inside track, but any slip-ups could cause chaos

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

SDSU has already clinched the top spot, but how will things play out beneath them?

With the Mountain West regular season title already locked up by San Diego State—and with the Aztecs focusing on bigger things, like a potential #1 seed and a chance to cut down the nets in Atlanta—the major storyline in the league has shifted to who will finish in second place.

Currently, there are five teams leading the fight for the Mountain West’s silver medal: Utah State, Colorado State, Nevada, Boise State, and UNLV. The Aggies currently hold a half-game edge over the Rams and Wolf Pack, with the Broncos a full game back. UNLV is in sixth place, but their 8-6 record is only one and half games off Utah State’s pace.

Why is the race for second place so important?

Because with undefeated San Diego State on the other side of the bracket, the teams that finish in second and third will have a few extra games before they have to play the Aztecs. The teams that earn the #4 and #5 seed will face the difficult task of playing an above-average team in their first game and SDSU in the next.

With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, each game holds massive sway over seeding for the Mountain West Tournament. To give you an idea of just how contentious these next few weeks will be, take a look at some of the big matchups remaining on the schedule:

  • 2/18 – Nevada @ New Mexico
  • 2/18 – Colorado State @ UNLV
  • 2/22 – UNLV @ San Diego State
  • 2/23 – New Mexico @ Boise State
  • 2/25 – Colorado State @ San Diego State
  • 2/26 – Boise State @ UNLV
  • 2/29 – San Diego State @ Nevada
  • 2/29 – Utah State @ New Mexico

With so many important games remaining, there are myriad scenarios of how the standings will look on March 1. Here’s a quick investigation into how each team can find their way to second place in the Mountain West.

NEW MEXICO (17-10, 6-8 MW)

Remaining Schedule: 2/18 vs. Nevada, 2/23 @ Boise State, 2/26 @ Air Force, 2/29 vs. Utah State

Yes, that’s right. The Lobos are still in it.

New Mexico is currently in seventh place and below .500 in league play, but they have just enough rope that if everything goes right—and it really is almost everything—they could end up finishing in second place.

Here’s how: Wyoming would need to beat Utah State and Nevada. San Jose State would need to beat Colorado State, Utah State, and UNLV. Air Force would need to beat the Rams in Fort Collins. If all of that happens, and New Mexico takes care of its own business against the Wolf Pack, Broncos, and Falcons, it would set up a spectacular season finale in The Pit.

If the Lobos could win that game, then New Mexico, Utah State, Nevada, Boise State, and Colorado State would all finish with a league record of 10-8. Tiebreaking procedures dictate that the team with the best record against these opponents will receive the highest seed. The Lobos and Aggies would move into a two-way tiebreaker by virtue each having gone 4-2 against these opponents.

The tiebreaker then moves to head-to-head record, which would give New Mexico the advantage—the final game of the season would be the only regular-season meeting of the two teams.

There is virtually no chance that all of that would happen. But the mere fact that it is even still a possibility is amazing, considering how quickly the Lobos have fallen off the map after their 15-3 start to the season.

UNLV (13-14, 8-6 MW)

Remaining Schedule: 2/18 vs. Colorado State, 2/22 @ San Diego State, 2/26 vs. Boise State, 2/29 @ San Jose State

It would still take some major chaos in the Mountain West for the Rebels to finish in second place, but it’s not as far-fetched as New Mexico’s bid. UNLV has plenty of roads into second place—even without a win over San Diego State.

Like New Mexico, the Rebels would really need Utah State to fall apart down the stretch, with the other three teams currently ahead of them stumbling as well. But UNLV could lose to the Aztecs and still finish 11-7. A handful of scenarios could see the Rebels sitting clear of everyone else in the #2 position.

Interestingly, if the Rebels can’t land in the #2 or #3 spot, they may actually have better luck down as the #6 or #7 team. They could stay away from San Diego State and will still have the benefit of playing at home for the Mountain West Tournament.

These scenarios are much, much more likely than the Rebels finishing second. But even more likely is that one of the next four teams will take home the silver. [CONTINUED]

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Aggies Out for Revenge in Return Match against Broncos

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

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

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

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

GAME DETAILS

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

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

WHERE: Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, Logan, UT

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

LISTEN: TuneIn USU, TuneIn BSU

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

ODDS: Utah State -7, per KenPom

GAME PREVIEW

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A close call in Laramie

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

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

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

Aggies on the rise?

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

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

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

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

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

Tournament implications

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Week 8 DPI Rankings: CSU hangs around, UNLV falls behind

Week 8 DPI Rankings: CSU hangs around, UNLV falls behind Off-court turmoil could cause a shake-up in the top half Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire Happy Holidays from Mountain West Wire! Enjoy the yuletide with this week’s installment of …

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Week 8 DPI Rankings: CSU hangs around, UNLV falls behind

Off-court turmoil could cause a shake-up in the top half

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Happy Holidays from Mountain West Wire! Enjoy the yuletide with this week’s installment of the DPI rankings.

It seems almost impossible that it’s already the holiday season, but here we are. There have been nearly two months of hoops already and the non-conference season is just about over.

And while we think we may have clarity now, league play is a horse of a different color. Teams that are on cloud nine right now may come crashing back to earth. Others that have been struggling might finally shake the demons free from their backs.

But as we inch ever closer to the official onset of the Mountain West season, let’s take one last look at how all the teams stack up with just a few buy-games left on the league’s non-conference docket.

As always, for a full rundown of how the Dieckhoff Power Index, or DPI, is calculated, head over to my site. And bear in mind, non-Division I games do not count toward the DPI, so all those games against Life Pacific and Portland Bible go out the window. These ratings are current through December 23.

#1 — SAN DIEGO STATE

http://www.dpihoops.net/sdsuwk8.png

The Aztecs had nearly two weeks off between their nailbiter against San Jose State and their next game versus Utah. Clearly, they used this time to reflect and improve. SDSU ran the Utes out of the building just days after the former Mountain West squad beat Kentucky. The defense continues to be the star of the show, but this team can score, too.

#2 — UTAH STATE

The Aggies have been dancing on the knife’s edge over the past few weeks, but they’ve come out on the other side mostly unscathed. In their past four games, Utah State has won in overtime, won by four points, won by two points in overtime, and won by three points. But margins notwithstandings, wins over Florida and South Florida solidified their at-large case.

#3 — NEW MEXICO

Oh, no. Things were going a little too well for the Lobos, weren’t they? After an impressive start, New Mexico announced over the weekend that starters Carlton Bragg and JJ Caldwell would be suspended indefinitely. Paul Weir was able to corral the rest of the team together and they won again over lowly Houston Baptist, but adversity has descended upon Albuquerque.

#4 — NEVADA

The Wolf Pack are the prime candidate to take on third place in the league should the Lobos stumble during this tumultuous time. Their trio of is legitimately dangerous. They hung very tight with Saint Mary’s last week, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them hang a big win over SDSU or Utah State this season. They’ve still got a lot of room to grow, though.

#5 — COLORADO STATE

You just can’t get rid of these Rams! Though they aren’t making many waves on the national scale, give them credit for sticking around the top half of the league for this long. Nico Carvacho is Nico Carvacho, and Isaiah Stevens has been a revelation in Niko Medved’s backcourt. Fellow freshman David Roddy started his first game in CSU’s 111-104 triple OT win over Tulsa.

#6 — BOISE STATE

Boise State has given a pretty good indication of where they are right now with their performance so far, both on the season as a whole and in the Diamond Head Classic. The Broncos lost to a wayward Georgia Tech club and then pummeled an up-and-down Portland team. They got a crummy Christmas gift, drawing a good UTEP team in their final game in Hawai’i.

#7 — FRESNO STATE

Because the DPI doesn’t count non-D1 games, the Bulldogs sit at just 3-8—yet they’ve managed to stay in seventh place, thanks to a slightly above-average defense. It was another heartbreaker for Justin Hutson on Monday, with Fresno State falling to San Francisco by just two points. That’s the sixth time the Bulldogs have either lost by one possession or lost in overtime.

#8 — AIR FORCE

The Falcons continue to struggle during this disappointing year, following up a narrow win over Denver with a loss to Drake. The offense has been good, but they haven’t been able to stop opponents from scoring. They rank near the bottom of the nation both in their ability to make teams miss and in their proclivity toward forcing turnovers.

#9 — UNLV

A rocky start to the season got worse at the start of the month with the news that grad transfer Elijah Mitrou-Long would miss six to eight weeks with a thumb injury. The Rebels are 1-2 without him, with losses to BYU and Pacific buoyed only by a forgettable triumph over Robert Morris. Fans may already be counting down the days until David Jenkins debuts in Vegas.

#10 — WYOMING

More of the same from the Cowboys, as Hunter Maldonado continues to pile up mounds of individual statistics while the team flounders. They did snap a six-game skid, though. To be clear, that’s not a knock on Maldonado. He has developed into a fine player; there’s just not enough talent throughout the roster. But their defensive metrics indicate that they’re putting forth the effort.

#11 — SAN JOSÉ STATE

Yeesh. The Spartans’ skid has extended to eight games after San Jose State fell to Santa Clara and UC Riverside last week. The shots just aren’t falling and they don’t take care of the ball. Seneca Knight is having a good year, but once again, the Spartans have separated themselves as the clear-cut lowest ranked team in the Mountain West.

That’s it for this week. Here’s wishing you all a safe and happy holiday from Mountain West Wire and the DPI.

But buckle up. Conference play starts next week.

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

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Week 7 DPI Rankings: Lobos Rising After Six-Game Streak

It was back to non-conference play last week for the Mountain West. Not everybody was in action—and some who were now wish they hadn’t been.

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Week 7 DPI Rankings: Lobos Rising After Six-Game Streak

The top two stand pat, but plenty of movement below

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

New Mexico, Boise State climbing in the latest DPI rankings for Week 7

It was back to non-conference play last week for the league’s affiliate members on the heels of the opening salvo to the long Mountain West season. Not everybody was in action—and some now wish they hadn’t been.

But it wasn’t all misery.

Some teams are making big strides, including one squad trying to make a move into the uppermost echelon of the MWC.

Below are the DPI rankings heading into the heart of Week 7. If you’re new to the rankings or just want a refresher, head here for a rundown of how the DPI is calculated. The ratings below reflect games played through Tuesday, December 17. As always, non-Division I games are not counted in the DPI.

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#1 — SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS

Last Week: #1

The Aztecs moved to the #1 spot in the Mountain West last week and with no games since their close shave against San Jose State, they haven’t moved much up or down. Brian Dutcher’s team is still undefeated and boasts one of the best defenses in the country. Malachi Flynn’s star turn has propelled SDSU into the national polls, along with the play of Matt Mitchell, Yanni Wetzell, and Jordan Schakel. If KJ Feagin can provide a little more offense, this team could really turn in a special season.

#2 — UTAH STATE AGGIES

Last Week: #2

It’s been a bit of a rough patch for the Aggies over the past few games. They still have one of the two best rosters in the league, but they aren’t quite living up to preseason expectations so far. After losing to Saint Mary’s and looking underwhelming in their first two Mountain West games, Utah State fell to BYU on Saturday in Salt Lake City. It was only their second loss, but it’s a missed opportunity for a good out-of-conference win to put on their NCAA Tournament resume.

#3 — NEW MEXICO LOBOS

Last Week: #4

The Lobos have won six straight after toppling New Mexico State and Grand Canyon since the last DPI rankings were posted here. Though they aren’t playing at the level of SDSU just yet, this patchwork roster of homegrown talent and incoming transfers has performed admirably in the early going. JaQuan Lyle has been everything that Paul Weir could have wanted and more. Oh, and Carlton Bragg is averaging a double-double. So far, so good.

#4 — NEVADA WOLF PACK

Last Week: #3

The Wolf Pack looked like they were starting to turn a corner over the past few weeks, winning five straight games on either side of Thanksgiving. But last week, Nevada was the second casualty of BYU’s surge, along with Utah State and UNLV. The offense had been clicking on all cylinders, but immediately downshifted from a 100-point performance against Air Force to a 42-point outing against the Cougars. That kind of volatility that makes it tough to trust Steve Alford’s club.

#5 — BOISE STATE BRONCOS

Last Week: #6

Leon Rice is getting things back on track in Boise, but outside of their win over BYU—before Yoeli Childs came back, of course—the Broncos haven’t really beaten anybody. It was another rocky showing for Boise State last week, with a midweek loss to Tulsa preceding a blowout win over Alabama State. Derrick Alston is averaging 21 points and Justinian Jessup is finding his form. But the starting five is not the problem here; Rice’s team suffers from a lack of depth.

#6 — COLORADO STATE RAMS

Last Week: #5

The Rams jumped out to a promising start, but they’ve lost three of their past four games, including both of their opening Mountain West bouts. Mixed in there was a 72-68 win over South Dakota State, and while the Jackrabbits are not a bad squad by any means, that they played CSU so closely gives a good indication of where the Rams are right now. Niko Medved’s team gave in-state rivals Colorado a run for their money, but ultimately fell 56-48 over the weekend.

#7 — AIR FORCE FALCONS

Last Week: #8

The defense still leaves a lot to be desired, but recently, the Falcons have been getting better results than they did during a rough November. The new month has been kinder to the cadets, with Air Force winning four of its past five (Note: Tuesday’s 99-42  win over Johnson & Wales is not counted in the DPI). AJ Walker has taken an important step forward as an offensive option. The sophomore was averaging 20 points per game over the past three games coming into Tuesday.

#8 — FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS

Last Week: #10

Justin Huston finally got his team to a second Division I win on Saturday against Cal Poly. But the bigger story here is the seven losses that they have already incurred. Nate Grimes is doing exactly what was expected of him so far, averaging a double-double with 13.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per night. Guards Jarred Hyder and New Williams both have some good performances under their belts, but they haven’t been able to click at the same time. That needs to change.

#9 — UNLV RUNNIN’ REBELS

Last Week: #9

The Rebels didn’t play last week, so the bad taste of the 33-point loss to BYU back has been lingering for a week and a half. There have been a lot of close calls, with UNLV playing in four separate overtime games so far. They are shooting under 42% from the field and turning the ball over 15 times a night. Games against Pacific and Robert Morris this week offer TJ Otzelberger the chance to start making some headway in his first year at the helm.

#10 — WYOMING COWBOYS

Last Week: #7

Allen Edwards got his Cowboys out to a 3-3 start, but they have dropped five straight games, including their most recent defeat at the hands of Northern Colorado. The Bears didn’t just sneak past Wyoming, either—the Big Sky hopefuls handed the home team a 21-point drubbing at Arena-Auditorium. The defense has been fair to middling, but the offense has been dreadful thus far. The Cowboys are shooting under 50% on two-pointers and just over 30% on threes.

#11 — SAN JOSÉ STATE SPARTANS

Last Week: #11

There’s a bit of a running joke around here about which Spartan is most likely to transfer next year, since the sputtering Spartans have seen five double-digit scorers depart in the past three offseasons—including Brandon Clarke, who parlayed his post-SJSU star turn at Gonzaga into a budding NBA career. All jokes aside, Seneca Knight has separated himself as the Spartans’ top option, scoring 12.5 points per game. Hopefully the sophomore can remain an important building block for Jean Prioleau.

That’s it for this week. Check back next week to see who’s rising and falling in the Mountain West and be sure to visit the Dieckhoff Power Index daily for updated rankings on all 353 teams in Division I basketball.

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

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