Tag: UNLV basketball

UNLV Looking For A Victory Against Pacific

UNLV Looking For A Victory Against Pacific Rebels are back from a long break. Contact/Follow @MWCwire UNLV looking for a win. UNLV (4-7) has had an 11-day break from game play coming into tonight’s game against Pacific (10-3). This will be the …

[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]

UNLV Looking For A Victory Against Pacific

Rebels are back from a long break.

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

UNLV looking for a win.

UNLV (4-7) has had an 11-day break from game play coming into tonight’s game against Pacific (10-3). This will be the Rebels first game inside of Thomas & Mack since November 26. One player that UNLV has been missing for the past six games will be back tonight against Pacific and that is Jonah Antonio.

Antonio has missed the last six games with a thumb injury and will be a much needed addition to the Rebels roster. Antonio will be able to provide another 3-point threat for coach T.J. Otzelberger’s offensive.

Antonio’s ability to space the floor will be just as beneficial as his actual shooting ability. Following the loss to BYU the Rebels will need another scorer to help the team if another scoring drought occurs. Pacific is led by head coach Damon Stoudamire.

The team has turned around from where they were last season and that’s thanks to defense. The Tigers are in the top 20 in the nation for fewest points allowed per game at 58.8. UNLV is averaging 67 points per game and the team needs to make shots against Pacific.

With Jonah Antonio back that will free up the driving lanes for Amauri Hardy and Donnie Tillman two players that need to be productive for UNLV to be successful. UNLV has a home stand starting with Pacific before conference play in January these next three games are very important for the Rebels to get into a rhythm as a team. 

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

[protected-iframe id=”c0286d6e1aad69344270e42782a7311d-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://anchor.fm/mwwire/embed” width=”400px” height=”102px” frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no”]

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

Mountain West Wire’s Player of The Year Watch List: Week Six Take A Look At the Best Performances Around the Mountain West In Week Six. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Who is in the running for Player of the Year? The staff at the Mountain …

[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]

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

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

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Who is in the running for Player of the Year?

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 Sixth week is as follows:

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

17 Points, 17 Rebounds and 4 Steals against New Mexico State

Carlton Bragg Jr. is really becoming the player many thought he could be out of high school. The former five-star big man has moved around a bit after starting his collegiate career out as a Jayhawk. But Bragg Jr. has found a home in Albuquerque and posted his now fifth double-double of the season last week to help the Lobos sweep in-state rivals New Mexico State for the first time in Paul Weir’s tenure.

Bragg Jr. finished the night shooting 80% from the field and going 9-10 from the free throw line. He has been a force down low, and a defensive anchor with 1 block and 4 steals in this contest. This is Bragg Jr.’s debut on our list but now seeing him get consistently better throughout the season, it most likely will not be the last.

2. Derrick Alston Jr, junior guard Boise State (4 Points):

10 Points, 7 Rebounds and 2 Assists against Tulsa

31 Points 4 Assists and 4 Rebounds against Alabama State

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

19 Points, 10 Rebounds and 1 Block against Tulsa

12 Points, 16 Rebounds and 1 Steal against Alabama State

4. Alphonso Anderson, junior forward Utah State (2 Points):

14 Points, 4 Rebounds and 1 Block against BYU

11 Points, 9 Rebounds and 3 Assists against St. Katherine

5. Nico Carvacho, senior center Colorado State (1 Point):

12 Points, 12 Rebounds and 1 Block against South Dakota State

9 Points, 10 Rebounds and 3 Blocks against Colorado

Past Weeks:

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3| Week 4 | Week 5

Current Overall Point Totals:

JaQuan Lyle, senior guard UNM (10 Points)

Derrick Alston Jr, junior guard BSU (9 Points)

Jalen Harris, junior guard Nevada (9 Points)

Jazz Johnson, senior guard Nevada (6 Points)

Sam Merrill, senior guard USU (6 Points)

Alphonso Anderson, junior guard USU (5 Points)

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

Nico Carvacho, senior center CSU (5 Points)

Lindsey Drew, senior guard Nevada (5 Points)

Malachi Flynn, junior guard San Diego State (5 Points)

Justinian Jessup, senior guard Boise State (5 Points)

Justin Bean, sophomore forward USU (4 Points)

Amauri Hardy, junior guard UNLV (4 Points)

Hunter Maldonado, sophomore guard Wyoming (4 Points)

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

Jordan Schakel, junior guard SDSU (2 Points)

Donnie Tillman, junior forward UNLV (2 Points)

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. 

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

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.

[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]

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.

[lawrence-related id=23624]

#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.

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

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. …

[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]

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.

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

NET Rankings Debut: San Diego State At No. 3

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

[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]

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

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

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: …

[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]

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

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

[protected-iframe id=”c0286d6e1aad69344270e42782a7311d-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://anchor.fm/mwwire/embed” width=”400px” height=”102px” frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no”]

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

Mountain West Wire’s Player of The Year Watch List: Week Five Take A Look At the Best Performances Around the Mountain West In Week Five. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Who is in the running for Player of the Year? The staff at the Mountain …

[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]

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

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

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Who is in the running for Player of the Year?

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: 

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. 

The order for the Fourth week is as follows:

1. Justinian Jessup, senior guard Boise State (5 Points)

24 Points, 3 Rebounds and 2 Assists against New Mexico

27 Points, 4 Rebounds and 2 Steals against Colorado State

Jessup makes his Mountain West Wire Player of the Year watch list debut after an impressive week shooting it from deep in two Mountain West conference games last week. Jessup went a combined 13-21 from beyond the three-point line while averaging 25.5 PPG. Now the Broncos did lose in The Pit on Wednesday but if Jessup made just one more three it would have been an entirely different feel around the conference this week.

But our staff didn’t seem to mind and this shooting performance coupled with his defensive contributions out on the top of the key made for an impressive performance.

2. Hunter Maldonado, sophomore guard Wyoming (4 Points):

18 Points, 8 Rebounds, 9 Assists and 2 Steals against Air Force

27 Points, 6 Rebounds and 2 Assists against New Mexico

3. Jalen Harris, junior guard Nevada (3 Point):

16 Points, 11 Rebounds and 8 Assists against Santa Clara

31 Points, 2 Assists and 6 Rebounds against Air Force

4. JaQuan Lyle, senior guard UNM (2 Points):

31 Points, 6 Assists and 2 Steals against Boise State

13 Points, 3 Assists and 3 Rebounds against Wyoming

5. Derrick Alston Jr. junior guard Boise State (1 Point):

20 Points, 5 Rebounds and 6 Assists against New Mexico

20 Points, 11 Rebounds and 3 Assists against Colorado State

Past Weeks:

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3| Week 4 

Current Overall Point Totals:

JaQuan Lyle, senior guard UNM (10 Points)

Jalen Harris, junior guard Nevada (9 Points)

Jazz Johnson, senior guard Nevada (6 Points)

Sam Merrill, senior guard USU (6 Point)

Derrick Alston Jr, junior guard BSU (5 Points)

Lindsey Drew, senior guard Nevada (5 Points)

Malachi Flynn, junior guard San Diego State (5 Points)

Justinian Jessup, senior guard Boise State (5 Points)

Justin Bean, sophomore forward USU (4 Points)

Nico Carvacho, senior center CSU (4 Points)

Amauri Hardy, junior guard UNLV (4 Points)

Hunter Maldonado, sophomore guard Wyoming (4 Points)

Alphonso Anderson, junior guard USU (3 Points)

Jordan Schakel, junior guard SDSU (2 Points)

Donnie Tillman, junior forward UNLV (2 Points)

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

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 …

[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]

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.

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

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

Taking a Look At Week Six’s Mountain West Opponent’s Performances in Week Five Each Mountain West Teams Opponents for Week 6 Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Take a look at each team’s opponents for this week and how they did last week. …

[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]

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

Each Mountain West Teams Opponents for Week 6

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

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

Future Foes Week Five Recap:

Back to normal in the world of Future Hoops Foes going into the second week of December. 

Air Force Falcons (4-6, 1-1)

Sat, Dec. 14th

Denver Pioneers:

Rodney Billups‘ Pioneer squad is 4-6 on the year after a 19 point loss at UCLA this past Sunday. Not much was expected of this years Denver team as it was picked to finish last in the Summit League. They might surprise a few folks come conference play as they have wins against a Utah Valley team that went toe-to-toe with Kentucky in Rupp Arena this past month and Cal-St. Fullerton who was picked to finish fifth in a competitive Big West Conference this year.

Watch out for senior guard Ade Murkey, as the big guard out of Minneapolis is averaging a team high 12.8 PPG and has scored in double figures in four straight contests.

Boise State Broncos (5-3, 1-1)

Wed, Dec. 11th

Tulsa Golden Hurricanes:

The Golden Hurricanes are 7-2 and are receiving contributions from a little bit of everyone. Frank Haith’s squad was picked to finish tenth in the American this year and that may still be an accurate prediction, as Tulsa has yet to face a big ticket opponent aside from maybe Vanderbilt and the American will be scrappy come conference play. The true tests come in the month of December in road games at Arkansas and Kansas State, not to mention Boise State at home this week.

There are five players averaging eight points or better but the Hurricanes are led by Juco transfer Brandon Rachal averaging 15.9 PPG, which includes a 30 point performance in a win against Austin Peay.

Sat, Dec. 14th

Alabama State Hornets:

The Hornets are currently 1-6 on the season, and that lone win comes against Chicago State who just broke a 53-game losing streak on the road. Scoring is in short supply for an Alabama State team who is averaging 56.6 PPG as a team. But senior guard Tobi Ewuosho leading the team with 14.1 PPG and had a season high 23 points against a good Houston squad.

Colorado State Rams (6-5, 0-2)

Tues, Dec. 10th

South Dakota State Jackrabbits:

First year head coach Eric Henderson is 6-5 on the year but lacks a signature win going into Tuesday’s game in Fort Collins. A win against the Rams may be his best chance at giving his team momentum going into conference play as they are currently riding a two game losing streak. Look out for junior forward Doug Wilson as he is doing his best to replace the scoring prowess of David Jenkins Jr. and Mike Daum with a team high 16.5 PPG and 7.4 RPG.

Fri, Dec. 13th

Colorado Buffaloes:

Tad Boyle‘s squad is coming off of their first loss of the season on the road at Kansas, and need to knock down more shots after going just 18-60 from the field in Allen Field house on Saturday. The Buffaloes are led by Mckinley Wright IV and Tyler Bey who lead a deep team into Fort Collins looking for a second straight win against the Rams after a six point win at home last season. The Buffaloes are still a very dangerous team and should be looking to avoid creating a losing streak which would include their instate rival, but a win for the Rams at home would make for a great blemish on Colorado’s tournament resume.

Fresno State Bulldogs (2-6, 0-2)

Wed, Dec. 11th

California Golden Bears:

The Golden Bears are in a bit of a rebuilding year but have shown promise. Sophomore guard Matt Bradley is leading the charge with 17.0 PPG and has capable players around him, making CAL a be a bit better than their last place prediction in the PAC-12 may suggest. At least outside of the PAC-12 with an overtime win against UNLV under their belt. Mark Fox’s team is looking to break a two game losing streak heading to Fresno on Wednesday and if the Bulldogs aren’t careful, they could give CAL a 2-0 record against the Mountain West.

Sat, Dec. 14th

Cal Poly Mustangs:

The Mustangs are 2-7 on the season but are coming off of a four-point win over Siena on Saturday at home. It hasn’t been pretty for Cal Poly so far in the season and Saturday’s win was the first win over an NCAA division one opponent. But they will try and rally behind sophomore guard Junior Ballard (12.7 PPG) and former Boise State Bronco Malek Harwell (10.3 PPG) to get a win in Fresno this weekend.

Nevada Wolf Pack (7-3, 1-0)

Tues, Dec. 10th

Brigham Young Cougars:

All eyes should be on the Cougars this week as star forward Yoeli Childs is two games into his senior season and ready to make an impact for first year head coach Mark Pope. BYU has been a bit of a mixed bag, and their 7-4 record when further examined might tell you that. A last minute buzzer beater against the other Cougars in Houston followed by an overtime loss in Boise then a win against UCLA followed by a loss to at the time No. 4 Kansas, it’s been a lot.

Most recently they started a three game stretch playing the Mountain West and are 1-0 with a 33 point neutral site win over UNLV this past weekend. The Cougars now have four players averaging double digits and have become the BYU team we all were anxious to see back in August. The Wolf Pack have an opportunity for a solid win on Tuesday and you can bet we will be watching.

New Mexico Lobos (9-2, 2-0)

Sat, Dec. 14th

New Mexico State Aggies:

Part Two of the Rio Grande Rivalry will take place in Albuquerque this weekend, and I think the story line has to be Paul Weir looking for just his second win ever against the Lobo’s in-state rivals. The Aggies have been given a slight bug from the injury bug himself and have been without senior leader A.J. Harris and wing Clayton Henry thus far. They combined for about fourteen points a game last season but brought a defensive presence and play making abilities that may be lacking on an Aggie team that is 5-5 on the season. Even though the time tables are close I don’t expect to see Harris or Clayton suit in Albuquerque on Saturday as of right now.

New Mexico State avenged an earlier season loss to UTEP this past week and could go .500 in rivalry games with a win on Saturday. Look out for senior wing Trevelin Queen who had a season high 23 Points against the Lobos in their first meeting this season. And don’t forget sophomore guard Jabari Rice who is having a great season doubling his playing time while quadrupling his scoring output.

No. 25 San Diego State Aztecs (10-0, 2-0)

None

San Jose State Spartans (3-7, 0-2)

Sat, Dec. 14th

Stanford Cardinals:

The Cardinals are 8-1 on the season with their only loss coming by 1 point against an undefeated top-25 ranked Butler squad. Stanford is led by German forward Oscar Da Silva who leads the team with 16.6 PPG and is coming off of his best game of the season against UNC-Wilmington. Backing him up is freshman guard Tyrell Terry with 15.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.2 APG and 2.1 SPG. He can do a bit of everything and compliments Da Silva and a rotation filled with youth and experience.

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

None

Utah State Aggies (9-1, 2-0)

Tues, Dec. 10th

St. Katherine Firebirds:

St. Katherine is an NAIA team out of San Marcos, CA and are currently 3-8 on the year so far. The Firebirds are led by junior guard Zethan Dumpson who is averaging 13.3 PPG and had a season high 20 points against NAIA No. 10 ranked Arizona Christian in early November. The Aggies are undefeated against NAIA opponents and should stay that way heading in the weekend against in-state rival BYU.

Sat, Dec. 14th

Brigham Young Cougars:

All eyes should be on the Cougars this week as star forward Yoeli Childs is two games into his senior season and ready to make an impact for first year head coach Mark Pope. BYU has been a bit of a mixed bag, and their 7-4 record when further examined might tell you that. A last minute buzzer beater against the other Cougars in Houston followed by an overtime loss in Boise then a win against UCLA followed by a loss to at the time No. 4 Kansas, it’s been a lot.

Most recently they started a three game stretch playing the Mountain West and are 1-0 with a 33 point neutral site win over UNLV this past weekend. The Cougars now have four players averaging double digits and have become the BYU team we all were anxious to see back in August. The Wolf Pack have an opportunity for a solid win on Tuesday and you can bet we will be watching.

Wyoming Cowboys (3-7, 0-2)

Sat, Dec. 14th

Northern Colorado Bears:

The Bears are 4-4 but are more dangerous than their record reflects. Northern Colorado was picked to finish in the top five of their conference in both the media and coaches preseason polls. This even after losing guard Jordan Davis who averaged 23.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 4.7 APG last season. They have some weapons, and it starts with sophomore guard Bodie Hume who is averaging 16.6 PPG and 4.3 RPG. Hume has help though, and senior guard Jonah Radebaugh is a go to player for the Bears. Radebaugh is a 6’3 guard but is second on the team in rebounding at 7.0 RPG and leads the team in assists with 4.4 a game.

Side Note:

Make sure to revisit our Head of the Class article to check up on the best players around the conference ranked based on class.

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

UNLV vs. Fresno State Open Up Mountain West Play

UNLV vs. Fresno State Open Up Mountain West Play Bulldogs, Rebels square off. Contact/Follow @MWCwire UNLV travels to Fresno State UNLV opens conference play today against Fresno State. The Runnin’ Rebels (3-6) have lost three games in overtime this …

[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]

UNLV vs. Fresno State Open Up Mountain West Play

Bulldogs, Rebels square off.

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

UNLV travels to Fresno State

UNLV opens conference play today against Fresno State. The Runnin’ Rebels (3-6) have lost three games in overtime this season. The most recent one coming this past Saturday against Cincinnati. By KenPom’s rankings, UNLV is the fourth unluckiest team in the country with so many close losses.

Coach T.J. Otzelberger knows that his team is playing hard and can build off the effort they have given in the close games they have been in.

This conference game against Fresno State (2-5) is the earliest UNLV has started conference play. The game is a one-off because after this game UNLV finishes its non-conference schedule and does play a conference opponent again until January 1st of 2020.

For the Rebels to turnaround their losing spell in close games the team must find a way to avoid the scoring droughts that have plagued them so far early in the season.

Against Cincinnati, UNLVhad a 12-point lead (38-26) in the second half, but the team only scored two points over an 8-minute stretch.

Junior guard Amauri Hardy is not only leading the Rebels in scoring but also leads all Mountain West players in field goals made (58). The ball can stop with Hardy or Elijah Mitrou-Long. The team has to continuously move the ball around instead of stand around and wait for one player to make a play.

UNLV not only has to avoid scoring droughts the team also must limit its turnovers. The Rebels have committed the third-most turnovers of all-Mountain West teams taking care of the ball is going to huge for the Rebels to get the victory.

By getting a win early in December the Rebels can get a jumpstart with having one conference win before their matchup against Utah State.

This game tips at 7 p.m. PT and is airing on AT&T Sportsnet.

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

[protected-iframe id=”c0286d6e1aad69344270e42782a7311d-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://anchor.fm/mwwire/embed” width=”400px” height=”102px” frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no”]