Sam Wasson of bleedCrimson.net and Travis Mason-Bushman of Vandal Nation are the RTC correspondents for the Western Athletic Conference.
CURRENT STANDINGS:
- Louisiana Tech (11-2)
- Utah State (9-4)
- Boise State (8-4)
- Idaho (6-4)
- Nevada (7-5)
- Hawai’i (6-6)
- San Jose State (6-5)
- New Mexico State (6-6)
- Fresno State (6-7)
The WAC has picked up a little steam in the non-conference now that they have finished facing the tougher opponents and has a non-conference record of 65-42. In the past week of play it posted a 17-7 record in non-conference play. Unfortunately the league had plenty of wasted opportunities to notch RPI-boosting wins and as a result the highest rated team in the RPI is Louisiana Tech at #69 and they are the only team with a Top 100 RPI. Nevada is the next closest at #102. With most of the team wrapping up their non-conference play in the next week against weak opponents, the league as a whole is the 14th rated league according to conference RPI, much lower than they had hoped for heading into the season and even behind the Colonial Athletic, Conference USA, West Coast Conference and Horizon League and just ahead of the Mid-American and Big Sky.
Boise State (5-4)
The week’s results: 12/19 W vs. Houston Baptist, 96-59, 12/21 W vs. Portland State, 69-62, 12/23 W vs. Montana State, 58-56
Upcoming games: 12/29 vs. Northwest Nazarene
Ike Okoye leads the Broncos nearly averaging a double-double with 14.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. La’Shard Anderson is averaging 12.1 points per game. Two other Broncos are averaging double-digits in scoring as Robert Arnold is averaging 11.0 points per game and Kurt Cunningham is averaging 10 points per game for the Broncos.
The Broncos are riding a three game winning streak and should make it four in a row before they head into league play on the road. Boise State notched wins over Houston Baptist and then took down a pair of Big Sky opponents in Portland State and Montana State. The Broncos host Northwest Nazarene on Tuesday, December 29.
Fresno State (6-7)
The week’s results: 12/19 W vs. North Dakota State, 68-54, 12/21 L @ Montana, 59-56, 12/23 L @ Oregon State, 73-65
Upcoming games: 12/28 vs. Colorado State
The Bulldogs have lost two in a row to drop below .500 on the season after losses at Montana and Oregon State. The Bulldogs came up three points shy versus the Grizzlies in Missoula in a game that was tied at halftime. Fresno State led until 2:47 left in the game and trailed by one point with 41 seconds left but Montana’s Anthony Johnson drained a foul-line jumper to give the Grizzlies a three point lead. Paul George scored 28 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the game but it was not quite enough. Against Oregon State the Bulldogs led 4-2 early on but after a 9-0 run by the Beavers, the Bulldogs trailed the rest of the game. Paul George once again led the Bulldogs scoring 15 points and grabbing nine rebounds. George is averaging 17.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game this season. Sylvester Seay is averaging 15.6 points and 5.5 rebounds while Greg Smith is averaging 11.5 points and 6.6 points per game.
The Bulldogs wrap up non-conference play at home against Colorado State on Monday, December 28.
Hawaii (6-5)
The week’s results: 12/22 W vs. College of Charleston (Diamond Head Classic), 84-71, 12/23 L vs. No. 20 UNLV (Diamond Head Classic), 77-53, 12/25 L vs. St. Mary’s (Diamond Head Classic), 84-75.
Upcoming games: 12/29 vs. Northwestern State
The Warriors picked up a solid win over College of Charleston in the Diamond Head Classic but were overmatched against No. 20 UNLV falling 77-53 and St. Mary’s on Christmas Day. The Warriors will close out non-conference play against Northwestern State.
Roderick Flemings is averaging 15.0 points and 6.5 rebounds for the Warriors. Petras Balocka is averaging a double-double with 10.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Dwain Williams and Hiram Thompson are both averaging double-digits in scoring with Williams at 12.0 points per game and Thompson at 10.2 points per game.
Idaho (6-4)
The week’s results: 12/22 L @ Portland, 82-52
Upcoming games: 12/29 vs. Lewis-Clark State (in Boise, ID)
The Vandals started the non-conference season with an impressive 94-87 win over Utah in Salt Lake City. However, they ended the non-conference season with a disastrous 30-point loss to Portland. Portland’s Jared Stohl torched the Vandals for 30 points on a school-record 10 threes. Not helping the cause were the Vandals’ awful free throw shooting, 12-of-29 (41.4 percent) and they hit just 2-of-11 three point attempts. Mac Hopson led the Vandals with 15 points while Marvin Jefferson pulled won eight rebounds. The Vandals have a lengthy layoff to think about their last loss before they start conference play. Idaho has a 12-day layoff before facing Hawai’i on the islands on January 3, 2010.
Louisiana Tech (11-2)
The week’s results: 12/19 W vs. McNeese State, 87-81, 12/22 W vs. UT-Pan American, 79-58
Upcoming games: 12/29 @ Houston
The Bulldogs continued their impressive play with a pair of victories over McNeese State and UT-Pan American. The Bulldogs have one final non-conference test against Houston. Louisiana Tech continues to have five players averaging double-digits in scoring and are led by Kyle Gibson who is averaging 21.1 points per game. Two Bulldogs are nearly averaging double-doubles as Olu Ashaolu is averaging 11.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and Magnum Rolle is averaging 11.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
Nevada (7-5)
The week’s results: 12/19 W vs. Wagner, 74-61, 12/22 L vs. BYU (Las Vegas Classic), 110-104, 12/23 W vs. Tulsa (Las Vegas Classic), 99-68
Upcoming games: 12/28 vs. Portland
The Wolf Pack lost a shootout with the BYU Cougars in the Las Vegas Classic, 110-104. The Pack led 50-46 at the half but BYU scored 64 points in the second half to erase the halftime deficit. BYU’s Jimmer Fredette scored 33 points and dished out six assists and had three steals. Armon Johnson nearly matched Fredette’s production for the Wolf Pack with 30 points and five assists. Luke Babbitt scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Wolf Pack as well. Nevada rebounded from the loss with a convincing 99-68 victory over Tulsa. Luke Babbitt led the way for the Wolf Pack with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Dario Hunt and Armon Johnson each chipped in 17 points as the Wolf Pack shot 56 percent (36-of-64) from the field for the game.
The Wolf Pack wrap up non-conference play against Portland on Monday, December 28.
New Mexico State (6-6)
The week’s results: 12/18 W @ Pepperdine, 78-72, 12/21 W vs. Alcorn State, 97-72, 12/23 W vs. Texas Southern, 79-75
Upcoming games: 12/28 vs. Prairie View A&M
The Aggies and head coach Marvin Menzies are on a three game winning streak but the bigger news for the squad is that they received a much needed boost in depth when is was announced that junior forward Wendell McKines was declared academically eligible and cleared to play with the team the rest of the season. McKines suited up for the first time this season against Alcorn State, a 97-72 Aggie victory. McKines scored eight points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out six assists. However, his presence was much more noticeable in the Aggies’ 79-75 victory over a pesky Texas Southern squad. The Aggies played without starting center Hamidu Rahman who is averaging 12.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. McKines stepped up and scored 18 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out another six assists as the Aggies avoided the upset against Texas Southern.
The Aggies host one final non-conference game at home versus Prairie View A&M as they try to push their record over .500 for the first time all season.
San Jose State (6-5)
The week’s results: 12/18 W @ UC-Irvine, 69-56, 12/21 L @ Northern Colorado, 93-69, 12/23 W @ Santa Clara, 74-68
Upcoming games: 12/28 vs. UC-Irvine
After a week without playing the Spartans took to the road for a three-game swing and came away with a 2-1 record. The Spartans picked up a 69-56 victory over UC-Irvine but then traveled to Greeley, CO, and got whacked by Northern Colorado. The Bears’ hit 18 three pointers en route the victory over the visiting Spartans. SJSU rebounded with a solid 74-68 win at Santa Clara. The Spartans will wrap up their non-conference schedule with a return game from UC-Irvine as the Spartans try to sweep the Anteaters.
The Spartans have three players averaging double-digits in scoring as they’re led by Adrian Oliver at 19.9 points per game. Chris Oakes is averaging a double-double scoring 10.3 points and grabbing 11.4 rebounds per game and Justin Graham is averaging 10.4 points and 4.3 assists per game.
Utah State (9-4)
The week’s results: 12/18 L @ Long Beach State, 75-62, 12/21 W vs. Morehead State, 79-72, 12/22 W vs. Cal State-Fullerton, 83-60, 12/23 W vs. Weber State, 85-73
Upcoming games: 12/29 vs. Western Oregon
The Aggies should head into conference play on a four game winning streak. After dropping a tough game at Long Beach State, the Aggies rebounded with three consecutive home wins versus Morehead State, Cal State-Fullerton and Weber State. The Aggies’ game against Weber State pitted Stew Morrill against former assistant Randy Rahe. It was the Aggies’ second win over Weber State this season and it earned them the Old Oquirrh Bucket which is awarded for basketball supremacy in the state of Utah each season. The Aggies finished with a 5-1 record against their in-state rivals with their lone loss coming to BYU.
The Aggies have one final non-conference game versus Western Oregon before heading on the road to start WAC play. Utah State has three players averaging double-digits in scoring and are led by Tai Wesley who is averaging 14.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Jared Quayle is averaging 12.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while Nate Bendall is averaging 11.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
UPCOMING GAMES OF INTEREST:
- 12/28 – San Jose State vs. UC-Irvine – 7:00 P.M. PT
- 12/28 – Nevada vs. Portland – 7:00 P.M PT
- 12/28 – Fresno State vs. Colorado State – 7:00 P.M. PT
- 12/29 – Louisiana Tech at Houston – 7:00 P.M. CT