Checking in on… the WAC
Posted by rtmsf on January 22nd, 2010
Sam Wasson of bleedCrimson.net and Travis Mason-Bushman of Vandal Nation are the RTC correspondents for the Western Athletic Conference.
Current Standings
1. Louisiana Tech, 17-3 (5-1)
1. New Mexico State, 12-7 (5-1)
3. Nevada 12-7 (4-2)
3. Utah State, 14-6 (4-2)
5. San Jose State 10-8 (3-3)
5. Fresno State, 10-10 (3-3)
7. Hawai’i, 9-10 (2-4)
8. Idaho 8-8 (1-4)
9. Boise State, 9-11 (0-7)
The cream is starting to rise to the top as Louisiana Tech and New Mexico State lead the league at 5-1 but preseason pick Utah State is tied with perennial WAC power Nevada for third place at 4-2. The battle for the middle of the league is being waged between a better-than-their-record-indicates San Jose State squad along with a slumping Fresno State and a beaten-up Hawai’i squad. The battle for the WAC basement resides in the state of Idaho where the Broncos of Boise State are off to their worst league start ever and Idaho is off to a surprising 1-4 start.
Boise State (9-11, 0-7)
The week’s results:
01/16 L @ Utah State, 81-59
01/20 L vs. Nevada, 88-82
Upcoming games:
01/25 @ Idaho
Things did not get any better for the Broncos in the past week as they extended their losing streak to seven games after being blown out by Utah State and dropping a tight contest at home to Nevada. The Broncos are now off to their worst start in league play ever and it’s their longest losing streak since the 2001-02 season. Despite their seven-game losing streak, the Broncos are not out of contention just yet for a spot in the conference tournament. Their in-state brethren, the Idaho Vandals, have won just one league game and with a game against Utah State before round one of the in-state showdown, it is conceivable that the Broncos could tie things up at the bottom with a win next week over Idaho.
Fresno State (10-10, 3-3)
The week’s results:
01/16 L @ New Mexico State, 86-77
01/21 vs. Utah State, 69-43
Upcoming games:
01/23 vs. Nevada
01/28 @ Idaho
The Bulldogs have lost three straight after starting league play 3-0. Their latest setback was a thrashing at the hands of Utah State. The Bulldogs’ bigger concern is the health of their leading scorer Paul George who sprained an ankle early in the loss and did not return. His return to the court is up in the air and with a tough game against Nevada coming up, a hot start to the season is threatening to give way to a midseason slide.
Hawaii (9-10, 2-4)
The week’s results:
01/18 W vs San Jose State, 68-67
01/21 L vs. New Mexico State, 71-69
Upcoming games:
01/24 vs Louisiana Tech
01/28 @ San Jose State
The Warriors were involved in a pair of down-to-the-wire thrillers as they hosted San Jose State and New Mexico State. They were on the winning side of one and the losing side of on, edging out San Jose State on a pair of free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining but then falling victim to a last second jumper from New Mexico State’s Jahmar Young. The Warriors host their second league leading team when the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs come to town on January 24, and follow that up with a rematch against San Jose State. A split of the two games would keep the Warriors in the middle of the WAC pack.
Idaho (8-8, 1-4)
The week’s results:
01/16 L @ Nevada, 76-68
Upcoming games:
01/23 vs. Utah State
01/25 vs. Boise State
01/28 vs. Fresno State
The Vandals are on a three-game losing streak after falling to Nevada on the road last week. Idaho has a crucial three-game home stand starting with red-hot Utah State, then in-state rival Boise State in a game that could determine which of the two teams stays out of the WAC basement for the remainder of the season and ending with a game against a potentially Paul George-less Fresno State. Idaho can put itself right back in the league race with a sweep of the home stand or, if they lose all three games, they could find themselves in the WAC basement.
Louisiana Tech (17-2, 5-0)
The week’s results:
01/21 L @ San Jose State, 87-76
Upcoming games:
01/24 @ Hawai’i
The Bulldogs’ winning streak came to an end in San Jose as the Spartans knocked off the league leader 87-76. The loss snapped a 10-game win streak. Kyle Gibson led the Bulldogs with 22 points but it was not enough to offset his career night by SJSU’s Adrian Oliver who scored 39 points. The Bulldogs will look to get back on the winning track when they face Hawai’i.
Nevada (10-7, 2-2)
The week’s results:
01/16 W vs. Idaho, 76-68
01/20 @ Boise State, 88-82
Upcoming games:
01/23 @ Fresno State
The Wolf Pack beat the two Idaho schools, one at home and the other on the road to bounce back from their overtime loss to Utah State on national television. The Wolf Pack improved to 4-2 and sit just a half game behind New Mexico State in the loss column.
New Mexico State (10-7, 3-1)
The week’s results:
01/16 W vs. Fresno State, 86-77
01/21 W @ Hawai’i, 71-69
Upcoming games:
01/23 @ San Jose State
New Mexico State is on a roll having won four in a row following a disappointing loss to Nevada back on January 4. The Aggies have posted back-to-back comeback wins against Fresno State and Hawai’i. Jahmar Young buried a last second 18-foot jumper with 0.9 seconds left on the clock to give the Aggies a win at Hawai’i. That coupled with a loss by Louisiana Tech at San Jose State moved the Aggies into a tie for first place atop the WAC. The Aggies face San Jose State on Saturday night in a game that will feature a couple of electric scorers in New Mexico State’s Jahmar Young and San Jose State’s Adrian Oliver, who torched Louisiana Tech for 39 points in SJSU’s win.
San Jose State (10-8, 3-3)
The week’s results:
01/18 L @ Hawai’i, 68-67
01/21 W vs. Louisiana Tech, 87-76
Upcoming games:
01/23 vs. New Mexico State
01/28 vs. Hawai’i
The Spartans split their two games, losing a heartbreaker to Hawai’i 68-67 when the Warriors hit a pair of free throws with 2.1 seconds left to win the game. However, they bounced back to hand Louisiana Tech their first loss in conference play. Adrian Oliver scored a career-high 39 points, one shy of the single game record of 40 set by Wally Rank on January 3, 1980. The Spartans host league leading New Mexico State on Saturday in a game that should be a shootout.
Utah State (14-6, 4-2)
The week’s results:
01/16 W vs. Boise State, 81-59
01/21 W @ Fresno State, 69-43
Upcoming games:
01/23 @ Idaho
The Aggies have their mojo back. After getting pounded by 22 at Louisiana Tech, Utah State has found whatever they were missing and is now the team doing the pounding. Riding a four-game win streak the Aggies have beaten three of their past four opponents by an average of 30.7 points. Their lone close game was an impressive overtime win in Reno, site of this year’s conference tournament. The Aggies travel to Moscow, ID, to take on the Vandals where it will pit head coach Stew Morrill against long-time assistant Don Verlin who is now in his second season at Idaho.
UPCOMING GAMES
01/23 – Idaho vs. Utah State – 5:00 p.m. PT (ESPN360)
01/23 – Hawai’i vs. Louisiana Tech – 7:00 p.m. HT (KFVE Honolulu)
01/23 – San Jose State vs. New Mexico State – 7:00 p.m. PT
01/23 – Fresno State vs. Nevada – 7:00 p.m. PT (Comcast SportsNet California)
01/25 – Idaho vs. Boise State – 8:00 p.m. PT (ESPNU)
01/28 – San Jose State vs. Hawai’i – 7:00 p.m. PT
01/28 – Idaho vs. Fresno State – 7:00 p.m. PT
