Louisiana Tech

WAC Basketball Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:52:28 -0500

Nevada has perhaps the league's best player in Luke Babbitt, but a lack of depth should help keep the likes of Utah State and NMSU in the midst of the league race. .

Conference Rank: 11th

10 year average: 11th

Conference Page

All-WAC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Jahmar Young	Nevada	So
G	Mac Hopson	Idaho	Sr
G	Roderick Flemings	Hawaii	Sr
G/F	Jared Quayle	Utah State	Sr
F	Luke Babbitt	Nevada	Fr

Player of the Year - Luke Babbitt Freshman of the Year - Greg Smith (Fresno)
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
CHN All-Americans Luke Babbitt High-Major All-Americans Luke Babbitt (1st Team) Mac Hopson (3rd) Roderick Flemings Armon Johnson Jared Quayle Jahmar Young All-Freshman Greg Smith		Points: Jahmar Young 17.9 Rebounds: Wendell McKines 10.0 Assists: Mac Hopson 5.9 Team Points: New Mexico State 76.3

WAC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

46	Nevada	WAC	1	NCAA
51	Utah State	WAC	2	NIT
75	New Mexico St	WAC	3	NIT
105	Boise State	WAC	4	CBI/CIT
146	Idaho	WAC	5
169	Fresno State	WAC	6
185	Louisiana Tech	WAC	7
197	San Jose State	WAC	8
255	Hawaii	WAC	9

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the WAC?

College Basketball Preview - 348 Team Ranking - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Poll: Who Will Win the WAC?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:06:17 -0400

Thursday/Friday Football Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:58:41 -0400

Two of the nation's top 20 offenses get together in Columbia tonight (9 PM on ESPN) for a game that will go a long way in shaping the Big 12 North race. #21 Nebraska (3-1, 0-0 Big 12) visits #24 Missouri (4-0, 0-0) in hopes if getting back to their dominant ways in this series. Gary Pinkel's Tigers have won four of the last six in the series, including the last three meetings in Columbia by an average of 23 points per contest. Things should be a lot closer tonight, and the Huskers may even leave with a victory provided they take full advantage of their scoring opportunities.

That's what cost them in their one defeat of the year, an 16-15 loss at Virginia Tech last month. Nebraska moved the ball throughout due to the production of QB Zac Lee and RB Roy Helu Jr. but could not finish in the red zone. That ultimately cost them when the Hokies finally woke up offensively late. Not falling into that same trap is key tonight because they face an offense that has proven to be nearly as explosive as the 2008 edition even with key personnel losses.

Sophomore QB Blaine Gabbert has made the transition from seldom-used backup to starter in grand fashion, leading the Big 12 in pass efficiency while throwing for over 1,100 yards and eleven touchdowns with no interceptions. And while the skil position players haven't become household names in the fashion of Jeremy Maclin and Chase Coffman they have been productive, especially receivers Danario Alexander and Jared Perry.

Given the nature of both offenses this game will likely come down to which defense can make the key stops. Nebraska has the statistical edge, ranking fourth in the Big 12 in total defense while the Tigers are eighth in that category. Bo Pelini also has one of the nation's best defensive ends in senior Ndamukong Suh, and the Blackshirts will need to live up to the tradition of their name if Nebraska is to beat Missouri on the road.

The pick here: Missouri, due to their recent dominance in the series and they're defense should be able to do enough to slow down Helu Jr. on the ground. Tigers by a touchdown.

Friday: Louisiana Tech (2-2, 1-0 WAC) @ Nevada (1-3, 0-0) 9 PM on ESPN

Two of the expected challengers to Boise State will play on Friday night in Reno with the home team looking to build upon the momentum gained in their 63-28 beating of in-state rival UNLV last week. Nevada has had few problems in regards to offensive production outside of their shutout loss to Notre Dame but turnovers have been a killer in their three losses.

For the season Chris Ault's team is a minus-12 in turnover margin, with Nevada giving the ball away fourteen times (ten lost fumbles). They were even a minus-3 against the Rebels but when you put up 773 yards of offense the turnovers can be accounted for. Mike Ball (184 yards), Colin Kaepernick (173 yards) and Luke Lippincott (170 yards) were outstanding last week in helping the Wolf Pack rush for 559 yards last week, so if starting RB Vai Taua (elbow) can't go tomorrow night then it won't be a huge issue.

But they will receive a stiffer test from the Bulldogs, who had a solid night on the ground last Wednesday against Hawaii in their conference opener. Daniel Porter led the way for Derek Dooley's team on the ground against the Warriors, rushing for 160 of Louisiana Tech's 352 rushing yards, and Nevada will also have to account for WR Phillip Livas. What may do them in on the road however is their rushing defense (allowing 187 ypg), which ranks seventh in the conference.

Going up against a rushing attack that's tied for third nationally, Tech will need to hope that the Wolf Pack are charitable with the football on Friday night. Look for Kaepernick and company to do a better job of ball security.

The Ultimate Schedule: WAC

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:19:25 -0400

WAC Scheduling “Rules”:

- Five non-conference games (as a result of playing at Hawaii, you get to make up travel costs with an extra home game)

- Eight conference games

Week 1: Oregon @ Boise State (September 3^rd)

Things got a little heated in last season’s meeting, which was won by the Broncos. Boise State picked up two personal fouls for late hits, one of which resulted in an ejection (Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli was knocked out of the game on one of those hits). Of course the rematch coincides with the new mandate that teams must shake hands prior to the game. Let’s just say that Masoli and friends were none too thrilled with that prospect, and RB LaGarrette Blount told Sports Illustrated’s Austin Murphy in the offseason that “we owe them an ass whuppin’.” The national media may place more focus on Alabama/ Virginia Tech, but this may be the game of the weekend.

Other Games Considered: Nevada @ Notre Dame (9/5), Louisiana Tech @ Auburn (9/5), Idaho @ New Mexico State (9/5)

Week 2: Louisiana Tech @ Navy (September 12^th)

Before playing Army last season the Bulldogs had never faced a service academy team in football. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea to mention that Louisiana Tech managed just 152 yards of offense in the 14-7 loss, and Navy’s a much better team than the Black Knights. But Derek Dooley’s team should perform better on offense this season with Ross Jenkins firmly entrenched as the starter.

The Bulldogs ranked second in the WAC and thirteenth nationally in rush defense, allowing opponents to rush for just under 104 yards per game. A performance like that against the team that’s led the nation in rushing each of the last four seasons would be improbable, but the Bulldogs just need to do enough to ensure a win.

Other Games Considered: Fresno State @ Wisconsin (9/12), Utah @ San Jose State (9/12)

Week 3: Boise State @ Fresno State (September 18^th)

The Bulldogs haven’t had much success against Boise State in recent years, dropping three straight and seven of the last eight meetings. If Pat Hill’s team wants to entertain any thoughts of winning the WAC they need to defend their home turf in front of a national television audience. Things got beyond out of hand on the “Smurf Turf” last season, with Boise State romping to a brutally efficient 61-10 win. Fresno State won’t be able to match the Broncos score for score; if the defense can slow down the vaunted BSU attack they just might stick around for a bit.

Other Games Considered: Nevada @ Colorado State (9/19), San Jose State @ Stanford (9/19)

Week 4: Missouri @ Nevada (September 25^th)

For the second consecutive season the Wolf Pack will host a team from the Big 12, and the thought of beating Missouri is a bit more realistic than beating Texas Tech last season. The Tigers will be working with a new quarterback (Blaine Gabbert) among other newcomers at the skill positions, and while the defense returns First Team All-Big 12 selection Sean Witherspoon (155 tackles) Colin Kaepernick could be in position to make some things happen. Things got out of hand in Columbia last season, with the Tigers blowing out Nevada 69-17. But Chase Daniel, Jeremy Maclin and Chase Coffman won’t be on the field in Reno, which gives the home team a puncher’s chance.

Other Games Considered: Fresno State @ Cincinnati (9/26), New Mexico State @ New Mexico (9/26)

Week 5: New Mexico State @ San Diego State (October 3^rd)

Not exactly a marquee game, but it is a matchup between two teams working with new coaching staffs. Brady Hoke and DeWayne Walker hope to change the culture at their respective schools, and a game like this could be a springboard into bigger things. You have to learn how to win before aspiring to win championships. The solutions for both teams go beyond one side of the football; they struggled on both sides of the ball in 2008. This will either be a low-scoring game because both teams struggle offensively or a high-scoring game due to the play of both defenses.

Other Games Considered: UNLV @ Nevada (10/3), Hawaii @ Louisiana Tech (9/30)

Week 6: Louisiana Tech @ Nevada (October 9^th)

The winner becomes Boise State’s biggest challenger while the loser has to hope for some serious help if they’re to remain a part of the championship chase. Nevada’s won the last four meetings, including coming back from a 31-14 deficit to steal a 35-31 decision in Ruston last year. The Bulldogs will need a big day from QB Ross Jenkins, but they won’t need to ask him to match Colin Kaepernick play for play. Both teams have the talent necessary to pose a threat to Boise State; whether or not they get to play the Broncos with something on the line will likely be decided by this game.

Other Game Considered: Fresno State @ Hawaii (10/10)

Week 7: Boise State @ Tulsa (October 14^th)

There could be some serious fireworks in Tulsa when the Broncos step onto the field. Two of the nation’s best offenses in 2008 are poised to rack up points in 2009, even though the Golden Hurricane haven’t decided on a starting quarterback just yet. G.J. Kinne, Jacob Bower and Shavodrick Beaver are all possibilities to start, and all three will likely see snaps. The options available to Tulsa head coach Todd Graham could make preparation a bit more difficult for the Broncos. This could be a game in which the team with the ball last wins.

Other Games Considered: San Jose State @ Fresno State (10/17), Nevada @ Utah State (10/17)

Week 8: Louisiana Tech @ Utah State (October 24^th)

There are some, despite the hiring of a new head coach, who believe that the Aggies can make a move up the WAC standings. But the Bulldogs have won the last four meetings and used a pair of pick-sixes to win 45-38 in Ruston last season. In order for Gary Andersen’s team to move up in the standings the defense needs to improve. Utah State ranked eighth in the conference in both scoring and total defense. Hence the decision to hire the former Utah defensive coordinator, who helped lead the Utes to an undefeated season last year. If the Aggies take care of the football they’ll be in the game throughout.

Other Game Considered: Boise State @ Hawaii (10/24)

Week 9: Bye Week (October 31^st)

Utah State at Fresno State may be the game with the biggest impact on the conference race, and neither has been projected to be a title contender. Boise State hosts a San Jose State team that could match them defensively but still has a number of questions to answer on offense. Hawaii’s trip to Nevada has the ability to be a wild affair, but you have to wonder about the ability of the Warrior defense to stop Colin Kaepernick.

Week 10: Boise State @ Louisiana Tech (November 6^th)

Boise State has won the last seven in the series, and they haven’t been very close either. It’s another case of a team getting into a shootout with the Broncos, only to find that they don’t have the bullets necessary to survive. Provided both teams take care of business in the weeks leading up to this matchup it should be a frenzied atmosphere with a national television audience tuning in. A good individual matchup to watch will be Tech WR Phillip Livas against Boise State CB Kyle Wilson.

Other Games Considered: Nevada @ San Jose State (11/8), Utah State @ Hawaii (11/7)

Week 11: San Jose State @ Utah State (November 14^th)

One of these two teams, if not both, may be in the position of needing wins to become bowl eligible in mid-November. The Spartans have had a tough time winning in Logan, including a loss there in 2005. SJSU won in Logan in 2007, but the final margin was just three points. The Spartans won at home 30-7 last season, holding the Aggies to 190 yards of offense and ten first downs. The lone touchdown for Utah State came with less than two minutes remaining in the game when the Spartan starters were on the bench. Expect a closer meeting in the rematch.

Other Games Considered: Fresno State @ Nevada (11/14), Louisiana Tech @ LSU (11/14)

Week 12: Louisiana Tech @ Fresno State (November 21^st)

The battle of the Bulldogs and the winner will do themselves a favor in the caliber of their bowl game. Daniel Porter gashed Fresno State to the tune of 189 yards in the 38-35 Louisiana Tech win, so he’ll be a focal point for Fresno State’s defensive efforts. Fresno State rushed for just sixty-three yards in the loss while allowing Louisiana Tech to rush for 280. Phillip Livas also had an impact, returning a punt eighty-one yards for a touchdown. Louisiana Tech did practically nothing in the air but the dominant performance on the ground was all they needed. Fresno State had better take care of that if they want to entertain any thoughts of winning.

Other Games Considered: Hawaii @ San Jose State (11/21), Boise State @ Utah State (11/20)

Week 13: Nevada @ Boise State (November 27^th)

The WAC title could be on the line the night after Thanksgiving, and in the case of the Broncos they could be chasing a BCS berth as well. New Mexico State the following weekend won’t pose much of a challenge, so it may all come down to beating a Nevada team that gave them all they wanted in Reno last year. Boise State has won the last seven games in the series, with the majority of those wins being blowouts. Boise State survived last season despite turning the ball over four times, stopping the Wolf Pack late in the fourth quarter to hang onto the 41-34 win. Nevada can compete; whether or not they can compete against Boise State on the road has proven to be another matter in the past.

Other Game Considered: Navy @ Hawaii (11/28)

Week 14: San Jose State @ Louisiana Tech (December 5^th)

Louisiana Tech was dominant in last year’s 21-0 win, holding the Spartans to 148 yards of offense and a paltry six first downs. It’s hard to predict the same, but Dick Tomey’s team has never been known to light up a scoreboard. Kyle Reed was decent last year and the hope this season is that Reed can help lead an offensive resurgence. By the time December 5^th rolls around we’ll know what kind of answer the Spartans have for their offensive issues, and someone could be playing for a bowl berth as well.

Other Games Considered: Wisconsin @ Hawaii (12/5), Fresno State @ Illinois (12/5)

WAC Football Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:15:22 -0400

Boise State looks for a return to the BCS

The last decade has been a rather successful one for the Boise State football program, and the last two seasons have been rather special. Under Chris Petersen Boise State has won thirty-five of thirty nine games, and they’ve also finished the regular season undefeated on two separate occasions. Because Utah was ranked higher in the final BCS poll Boise State ended up taking on TCU in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl instead of going back to the BCS, but that shouldn’t take away from an outstanding campaign. And last season’s 12-1 outfit was expected to be even better in 2009, meaning that the Broncos could be poised to once again crash the BCS party.

Quarterback Kellen Moore had an outstanding rookie season, throwing for nearly 3,500 yards and twenty-five touchdowns. Only six starters return on each side of the football, but with just three seniors on the preseason two-deep the Broncos could be poised for a sustained run at the top of the WAC. Boise State finished 2008 ranked second in the WAC in total offense and first in total defense, numbers that should replicate themselves in 2009. Boise State’s credentials are known; a season-opening grudge match with Oregon will determine how realistic their BCS aspirations are.

The better question may be who finishes second behind the Broncos: Fresno State, Louisiana Tech or Nevada? Louisiana Tech improved their win total by three games under Derek Dooley, finishing in a three-way tie for second in 2008. Nine starters return on offense with First Team All-WAC performers Daniel Porter and Phillip Livas (as a punt returner) leading the way. Quarterback Ross Jenkins had a solid campaign for the Bulldogs, who were expected to rely on Georgia Tech transfer Taylor Bennett when the season began.

Jenkins didn’t put up the greatest numbers but he kept his turnovers to a minimum while making sure the ball ended up in the hands of the Bulldogs’ best playmakers. Look for more out of him in 2009. Defensively Louisiana Tech returns seven starters, including leading tackler FS Antonio Baker (115 tackles). Baker and defensive tackle D’Anthony Smith were both First Team All-WAC selections last season and will be expected to make the same impact in 2009. But while Louisiana Tech hosts Boise State they have to visit both Fresno State and Nevada.

Speaking of the Wolf Pack, Chris Ault has the pleasure of welcoming back one of the nation’s most underrated quarterbacks in junior Colin Kaepernick. As well as Kellen Moore played at Boise State last season it was Kaepernick who was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year, accounting for nearly 4,000 yards of total offense and thirty-nine combined touchdowns.

Seven starters return on both sides of the football for Nevada, and the fact that they get both Bulldogs (Fresno State and Louisiana Tech) in Reno. If the Wolf Pack can improve a defense that ranked sixth in the WAC in total defense, they may be able to go into the regular season finale at Boise State with a shot at the conference title.

There was the question of whether or not Pat Hill would stick around after last season, but he’s back and the Bulldogs are hungry to improve upon a disappointing 2008 season. Things started off pretty well for Fresno State, winning at Rutgers in the season opener. But the defense faltered, finishing seventh in the conference in total defense, and the offense turned the ball over twenty-four times (the defense forced just thirteen turnovers). But they were still able to get to a bowl game, losing to Colorado State in the New Mexico Bowl.

Fresno State returns eighteen starters with nine being on defense. Defensive end Chris Carter and linebacker Ben Jacobs led the Bulldogs in tackles last season; in fact the top four tacklers from 2008 return. Offensively Fresno State will need a big year from their running backs, and with the top five rushers from 2008 back they’ve got a chance to do just that. With a new quarterback taking over for the graduated Tom Brandstater the running game becomes that much more important. Fresno State gets Boise State and Louisiana Tech at home, a scheduling quirk that could give them an advantage over the other contenders.

The next tier could be just as hard-fought, with San Jose State, Hawaii and maybe even Utah State jockeying for position. Hawaii didn’t end 2008 on the best note, getting blown out in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl by Notre Dame. Head coach Greg McMackin didn’t help matters with some comments made in poor taste at WAC Media Day, and it remains to be seen if the controversy has any impact on the Warriors. Seven starters return on offense, led by a quarterback in Greg Alexander who progressed as the season went on. The defense may have some problems with just two starters returning. Defensive end John Fonoti and middle linebacker Brashton Satele will need to be leaders in every sense of the word if the Warriors are to exceed expectations.

San Jose State’s issues aren’t on the defensive side of the football; the Dick Tomey era has been defined by tough defensive play. But can the Spartans put up enough points to win a game or two they won’t be expected to. SJSU ranked second in the conference in scoring defense, allowing just under twenty-two points per game. Not a bad number…unless the offense is scoring just under twenty points per game (last in the WAC). Seven starters return on each side of the football, and they’ll be tested early with games against USC, Utah and Stanford to start the season.

There’s intrigue in Logan due to the arrival of Gary Andersen, who over the previous five seasons was the defensive coordinator at Utah. The Aggies return seventeen starters, including ten on offense, and the hope is that the change in messenger can bring about a change in results. There’s an awful lot of experience back, led by QB Diondre Borel, C Brennan McFadden and OLB Paul Igboeli, but how quickly can you teach a team not used to winning how to win? If the Aggies prove to be quick studies could surprise some people.

Fighting to stay out of the cellar are perennial doormat Idaho and rebuilding New Mexico State. Rob Akey dropped into a tough situation in Moscow taking over an Idaho program that had been dropped by the wayside by Dennis Erickson when the Arizona State job opened a couple of years ago. When combining the lack of trust the players may have in the coaching situation (and it’s understandable) with a lack of success rebuilding can take a bit longer than anticipated.

The Vandals return seven starters on offense and nine on defense, making up arguably the most experienced team of the Akey era. QB Nathan Enderle will need to cut down on his seventeen interceptions while staying right around the twenty touchdowns number he posted last season, and the top three rushers from last season also return. Free safety Virdell Larkins, who led the Vandals with eighty-two tackles in 2008, returns to lead a defense that was last in the conference in total defense by sixty yards.

New head coach DeWayne Walker has quite the task ahead of him in taking over for the departed Hal Mumme. The Aggies had offensive capabilities due to the system combined with QB Chase Holbrook, but when you can’t stop anyone you’re going to have a hard time winning football games. Hence the decision to hire Walker, who consistently had UCLA in the top half of the Pac-10 in most of the major defensive categories during his time in Los Angeles.

The task is to take a team that returns seven starters on each side of the ball and teach them how to win consistently (NMSU hasn’t finished above .500 since 2002). Junior Jeff Fleming will start the opener at quarterback, which also happens to be their conference opener (Idaho). New Mexico State got in trouble last season due to turnover margin and the fact that they could neither run the football nor stop the run. Look for those aspects to improve under Coach Walker.

Storyline: Can Boise State get back to the BCS? For all the talk about the Mountain West clamoring for an automatic spot, can the success of the Broncos over the last decade be ignored? And don’t expect a cakewalk through the conference either; BSU will visit Fresno State, Hawaii and Louisiana Tech this year. Not to mention non-conference games against Oregon and Tulsa.

Players of the Year: QB Colin Kaepernick (Nevada) and CB Kyle Wilson (Boise State)

How they’ll finish

1. Boise State

2. Nevada

3. Louisiana Tech

4. Fresno State

5. San Jose State

6. Hawaii

7. Utah State

8. Idaho

9. New Mexico State

Next: WAC Ultimate Schedule

WAC Championship: Preview & Odds

Evan Dorey — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 10:26:38 -0400

This is one in a series of conference tournament previews, in which I run down all the teams involved, give a brief statistical review and present the log5 projections, using in-conference offensive and defensive efficiency. The basic log5 methodology comes from Bill James, and this is an area Ken Pomeroy has looked at in the past as well. I claim nothing new in the application, but obviously with slightly different methodologies, these numbers may differ from others you find. I don’t claim to be an expert on any particular conference, and I’m sure there are some mis-characterizations on some players I’ve seen sparingly at best, so please add your thoughts in the comments. Anyway, with no further ado, the preview follows below:

Western Athletic Conference

The WAC tournament takes place in Reno, NV, home of the Nevada Wolfpack, with the bottom two teams contesting an opening-round game before the quarterfinals.

#	Team	QF	SF	F	W
1	Utah St.	100.00%	89.40%	71.39%	41.57%
2	Nevada	100.00%	89.99%	74.64%	44.22%
3	Idaho	100.00%	50.12%	10.97%	2.85%
4	Boise St.	100.00%	52.31%	13.57%	4.07%
5	New Mexico St.	100.00%	47.69%	11.64%	3.30%
6	Louisiana Tech	100.00%	49.88%	10.88%	2.82%
7	San Jose St.	100.00%	10.01%	3.52%	0.59%
8	Hawaii	47.47%	4.79%	1.48%	0.25%
9	Fresno St.	52.53%	5.81%	1.92%	0.35%

Nevada’s home court advantage gives them a serious chance of causing an upset in what would otherwise be a romp for the Aggies. The 3-6 teams don’t show a lot of separation, and any could pull an upset of the top two.

#1 – Utah St. Aggies (27-4, 14-2) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.131

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2006 (1^st Round)

The Aggies looked to be one of the nation’s mid-major darlings when they sat at 24-1 overall, and were fairly well placed in the national rankings, but closing the season 3-3 has taken a bit of the shine of their record. Still, this is a very good team, powered by one of the nation’s best offenses. Utah St. plays a slow offensive style, and does a heck of a job with it, shooting excellent percentages inside and out, and controlling turnovers effectively. The Aggies’ Achilles heel has been defense, as they are only ranked 5rh in the WAC, allowing opponents to shoot well from three and rarely taking the ball away from them.

Players to watch:

6-9 SR Gary Wilkinson, 16.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 59.9 eFG% - The best player on the league’s best team, Wilkinson sits in the top 3 of the league in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage, a dangerous combination of traits for the Aggies’ opponents. He’s great at the free throw line and rarely turns the ball over, so whenever the ball gets into Wilkinson’s hands, it’s a positive for Utah St.

6-1 JR Jared Quayle, 12.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 55.5 eFG% - Quayle is the team’s best three-point threat at 38%, and also chips in with good assist and steal rates. He’s not quite as efficient as Wilkinson, but that’s hardly an insult, and his strong shooting and ability to avoid turnovers means he makes few mistakes.

#2 – Nevada Wolfpack (19-11, 11-5) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.071

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2007 (2^nd Round)

Nevada beat Utah St. on its floor just a week ago, so a repeat performance in the tournament final would not be a huge surprise from the clear #2 team in the WAC. The Wolfpack have had the best offense outside of Logan, thanks to a low turnover rate and great free-throw shooting. They are one of the nation’s weakest teams at making threes, so they will ideally avoid taking too many. Nevada also boasts the WAC’s best defense, and though it has not been good outside on this side of the ball either, it dominates inside, holding opponents to 42% from inside the arc.

Players to watch:

6-9 FR Luke Babbitt, 16.4 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 49.9 eFG% - Babbitt has been one of the WAC’s best freshman, and leads the team in both points and rebounds. He’s been a consistent player who has stepped into a leading role on the team with little problem.

6-3 SO Armon Johnson, 15.0 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, 44.0 eFG% - Johnson is an excellent ball control guard, putting up a very good assist rate and a strong turnover rate as well.

#3 – Idaho Vandals (16-14, 9-7) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.011

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1990 (1^st Round)

There’s a big gap back from the two leading teams to a cluster that sit 3^rd – 6^th, and Idaho is the hottest of these, coming in on a 6-1 record in its last seven games. The Vandals have only been 5^th in efficiency margin, and are average on both ends of the floor. They rarely turn the ball over, and are decent shooters, but are terrible on the offensive glass. Defensively, their malaise is more general , as they are below average in most areas, but their biggest struggles have come defending the three-point shot.

Players to watch:

6-2 JR Mac Hopson, 16.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.8 SPG, 52.3 eFG% - Hopson has been the best guard in the WAC, leading the conference in assists and steals, and putting up a lot of points as well. He shoots about the same percentage from three and two, and at around 46%, that makes him a very dangerous scorer.

6-6 JR Brandon Wiley, 8.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 57.2 eFG% - Wiley is only the team’s fifth scorer, but he leads in rebounding and shoots a good percentage on the relatively few chances he gets.

#4 – Boise St. Broncos (19-11, 9-7) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.009

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

Boise is the third ranked team in the WAC by EM, but lost out on a tiebreaker to in-state rivals Idaho to get the 4^th seed, and a potential semifinal against Utah St. The Broncos are the WAC’s fastest paced team, and take the ball inside with good success, over 50% on two-point shots. They don’t make a lot of threes, however, and are poor offensive rebounders who rarely get to the foul line. The Bronco defense has been better, holding opponents to fairly low percentages, though it forces few turnovers.

Players to watch:

6-7 SR Mark Sanchez, 12.8 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 53.1 eFG% - Sanchez leads the team in scoring and rebounding, and is a quality inside shooter who went through a serious lull in mid-January, but has come back in the last couple of weeks.

6-9 JR Kurt Cunningham, 9.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 54.3 eFG% - Cunningham is a player who would benefit a lot from getting more playing time, as he’s been spectacular when he’s had chances, leading the WAC in field goal percentage at 67%, and is a good rebounder. He has had a fair amount of foul trouble, though, and will need to cut down on that to get those extra minutes.

#5 – New Mexico St. Aggies (16-14, 9-7) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.001

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2007 (1^st Round)

New Mexico St. has had an up-and-down season, but earned a spot right in the middle of the WAC with a very good offense and one of the conference’s worst defenses. The Aggies are excellent three point shooters who make relatively few mistakes on the offensive end, but struggle to defend the inside, crushed on the boards and not defending shots particularly well.

Players to watch:

6-4 SO Jahmar Young, 18.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 50.4 eFG% - Young is the conference’s leading scorer, but unlike what you might expect, he doesn’t have a dominant role in the Aggie offense. Instead, he’s a deadly shooter on a fairly high number of attempts, 44% from behind the arc and over 80% from the free throw line, and rarely turns the ball over.

6-6 SO Wendell McKines, 12.2 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 51.7 eFG% - McKines is the conference’s leading rebounder, and the only WAC player to average a double-double, if only barely. He’s a pretty solid scorer, but his game depends on his strong showings on the glass.

#6 – Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (14-17, 6-10) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.011

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1991 (1^st Round)

If you’re looking for an outside shot to make some noise in Reno, it just might be the Bulldogs, who have been somewhat better than their record, and should have a serious chance against Idaho in the quarters, and against Nevada, a team they beat on the road, in the semis. Louisiana Tech has had one of the WAC’s best defenses, forcing a lot of turnovers and giving opponents a lot of trouble behind the arc. It also shoots well from long-distance, but turns the ball over quite often and has been poor at the free throw line.

Players to watch:

6-11 JR Magnum Rolle, 12.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.8 BPG, 53.2 eFG% - The Bahamian big man has dominated on the glass and is a good shot-blocker, and shoots a decent percentage for an inside player.

6-5 FR Kyle Gibson, 14.1 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 55.1 eFG% - Gibson is the team’s best three-point shooter at 43%, and has been on fire over the last month, averaging nearly 20 points since the start of February.

#7 – San Jose St. Spartans (13-16, 6-10) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.069

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1996 (1^st Round)

Now, as we head down to the bottom three teams, there is a clear separation in the efficiency margin between this group and the teams above. The Spartans have had the conference’s worst defense, allowing opponents to shoot a good percentage and giving them a lot of chances by rarely getting them to cough up the ball. They’ve been especially vulnerable from three, giving up more than 40% from the field. The same problem on the outside occurs on the offensive end, as they make a pretty low percentage of long-distance attempts. The good news in that respect is that they attempt very few threes, tending to stick to the inside, where they’ve been better, and that they get a lot of extra chances from the offensive glass.

Players to watch:

6-9 JR Chris Oakes, 8.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 58.2 eFG% - Oakes is a good player who just needs to take a bigger role on the offensive end to really break through. He’s a great rebounder who puts up good shot-blocking numbers and shoots an excellent percentage, but is only 5^th on the team in scoring because he takes few attempts.

6-9 JR C.J. Webster, 11.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 49.6 eFG% - Webster is another solid inside player who shoots effectively and has done well on the glass.

#8 – Hawaii Warriors (13-16, 5-11) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.062

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2002 (1^st Round)

The Warriors have had the worst offense in the WAC, and while they’ve been good defensively, it just hasn’t been enough to make up for their struggles with the ball. They are one of the country’s worst three-point shooting teams, and while they do minimize this by focusing on getting the ball inside, they haven’t been all that good there either. The Warriors do have offensive strengths, as they are among the national elite in offensive rebounding and in getting to the free throw line. Defensively, Hawaii forces a lot of turnovers, and holds opponents pretty well inside, but allows a high enough percentage on three-pointers to cause itself trouble.

Players to watch:

6-7 JR Roderick Flemings, 16.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 49.3 eFG% - Flemings has led the WAC in minutes played, and is a critical player for Hawaii’s offensive chances, both the most important and most efficient man on the team. He’s a good inside scorer who does pretty well at the free throw line and on the offensive glass.

6-9 JR Bill Amis, 10.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.4 BPG, 47.7 eFG% - Amis is a very good rebounder and shot-blocker, but his offensive game could use some work, his percentage is lower than you’d like from a 6-9 player.

#9 – Fresno St. Bulldogs (12-20, 3-13) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.055

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2001 (2^nd Round)

Fresno has been fairly unlucky, as it is last ranked in the standings, but 7^th in efficiency margin. It has been a fairly poor shooting team that is at its best on the defensive perimeter, holding opponents to just 31% from behind the arc. The Bulldogs do give up a lot of points inside, and have struggled on the glass at both ends.

Players to watch:

6-7 FR Paul George, 14.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 56.0 eFG% - George has been an excellent freshman, but after a spectacular start has cooled down a little in the final month of the season. He’s a strong three-point shooter who also leads the team in rebounds and steals.

6-9 JR Sylvester Seay, 15.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 51.8 eFG% - Seay is the Bulldogs’ leading scorer, a good inside shooter and shot-blocker who can also step out and hit threes, though not as well as George.

My statistical all-WAC team:

Idaho JR G Mac Hopson, 16.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.8 SPG, 52.3 eFG%

Utah St. JR G Jared Quayle, 12.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 55.5 eFG%

New Mexico St. SO G Jahmar Young, 18.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 50.4 eFG%

Utah St. SR F Gary Wilkinson, 16.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 59.9 eFG%

Fresno St. FR F Paul George, 14.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 56.0 eFG%

+2009 NCAA Tournament
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Kyle Gibson: WAC Player of the Week

Press Release — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 02:28:46 -0500

DENVER - Louisiana Tech's Kyle Gibson has been named the Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for Feb. 9-15. The honor marks the first career WAC Player of the Week award for Gibson.

Gibson, a junior from Los Angeles, Calif. (Dorsey HS), led the Bulldogs to a 55-42 win against Fresno State last week. Gibson scored a season-high 26 points after shooting 8-of-9 (88.9 percent) from the field and 6-of-6 from beyond the arc. Gibson was also a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. He tallied five steals and four rebounds in the game.

Gibson's 6-of-6 effort from beyond the arc is the top single-game three-point performance in the WAC this season.

Other nominees: Boise State senior Mark Sanchez; Fresno State freshman Paul George; Idaho junior Mac Hopson; Nevada sophomore Armon Johnson; New Mexico State sophomore Jahmar Young; and Utah State senior Gary Wilkinson.

College Football: December 26th-28th Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:17:53 -0500

Now that the presents have been unwrapped and many of you are rushing to stores for post-Christmas deals, it's time for college football to blitz into the new year with a glut of games. You can argue all day about the merits of thirty-four bowl games (personally, I think it's too many), but at the least some of these games offer momentary diversions from college basketball, which in many cases is still a week or so away from conference play. The early winners before Christmas: Boise State/TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl in regards to the best game, and Notre Dame when it comes to the team with the best performance. I'm glad to see that my face painting paid off. Now it's time to take a look at the five bowls that'll be played this weekend, beginning with the Motor City Bowl between Florida Atlantic and Central Michigan tonight. Happy Holidays!

Friday December 26th

Motor City Bowl (Detroit): Florida Atlantic vs. Central Michigan 7:30 PM on ESPN

Everywhere you turn leading up to this game, it's bee promoted as a matchup between two of the nation's more underrated signal callers. And that's an accurate description for this game, featuring a pair of juniors in Rusty Smith (FAU) and Dan LeFevour (CMU) who have either missed so press due to their team's struggles (FAU) or the fact that QB from a rival school put up outstanding numbers (CMU with Ball State's Nate Davis being the culprit).Expect a lot of points in this game, for neither defense has been much to write home about this season.

Last year the Chippewas combined with Purdue to produce the second-highest scoring game (51-48 Purdue win) in bowl history, and the Owls come into this game four weeks after winning a 57-50 marathon over rival Florida International to pick up their sixth win. In their final regular season appearance CMU gave up 516 yards and 5 touchdown passes to Eastern Michigan's Andy Schmitt in a 56-52 loss. I'll take Central Michigan to win this shootout by a touchdown because they've been a bit more consistent throughout the year.

Saturday December 27th

Meineke Car Care Bowl (Charlotte): West Virginia vs. North Carolina 1 PM on ESPN

The legendary career of West Virginia QB Pat White comes to an end on Saturday, and awaiting them in Charlotte is a young team looking to begin building on an ACC title run in 2009 with a win here. I don't know if you'd call Charlotte a home away from home for the Tar Heels since they rarely play football games in the Queen City. But Mecklenburg County does have the second-highest number of Carolina grads in the state, and many made sure to buy tickets to this game. But given how well the Mountaineers travel themselves, their fans will also be heard from in a sold-out stadium.

The key for Butch Davis' team will be some consistency from QB T.J. Yates, who has returned from injury that forced him to sit out a few games earlier in the season. If you haven't seen WVU's 3-3-5 defense then it can be confusing to decipher. But if backs Shaun Draughn and Greg Little can run the ball effectively the Heels will have a shot. As for the Mountaineers it's quite simple: if they don't turn the ball over then in most cases they win. Look for West Virginia to send out White and his classmates in style, but it won't be an easy task.

Champs Sports Bowl (Orlando): Wisconsin vs. Florida State 4:30 PM on ESPN

While the Badgers are the team coming into this game with a win, you have to ask yourself whether or not that's given them any kind of positive momentum. See, they nearly lost to an FCS opponent in Cal Poly (their head coach, Rich Ellerson, was just hired by Army to revive their program) but thanks to a missed extra point the Badgers survived. Meanwhile Florida State fell to rival Florida, but there wasn't much to be surprised about there. Unlike last year's bowl prep, Bobby Bowden and his staff haven't had to deal with any serious off-field issues so they should be focused and ready for what could be a home game in regards to the attendance. Add to this a powerful defense that can suffocate one-dimensional offenses and you've got a Seminole victory.

Emerald Bowl (San Francisco): Miami (FL) vs. California 8 PM on ESPN

This is essentially a home game for the Golden Bears, and the Hurricanes made the trip without five players due to their violating team rules (including QB Robert Marve). Freshman Jacory Harris will be the man throughout for the Canes under center, and it'll be up to him to avoid the uneven play that has plagued the position for the past couple of years. Luckily for him (and offensive coordinator Patrick Nix) running backs Javarris James and Graig Cooper are available and will look to score points on a solid Cal defense. As for Jeff Tedford, the start goes to senior Nate Longshore and he's also got a pair of backs to lean on; Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen. But it's the experience across the board that will get the job done for the Golden Bears in this one. Miami is on its way back towards the top of the ACC, and this game (win or lose) will give those youngsters valuable experience for the future.

Sunday December 28th

Independence Bowl (Shreveport, LA): Northern Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech 8:15 on ESPN

This game matches a pair of programs looking to take that next step: from playing for bowl eligibility to playing for conference championships. Jerry Kill took Northern Illinois from two wins to a bowl game in his first season in DeKalb, while Derek Dooley is well on his way to building a potential challenger to Boise State in just his second year at Louisiana Tech. The interesting development for the Bulldogs this season has been the quarterback position, where Ross Jenkins took over when many expected Georgia Tech transfer Taylor Bennett to be the guy.

The numbers haven't been great by any stretch of the imagination, but when you've got a pair of backs as good as Daniel Porter (1,086 yards and 8 TDs) and Patrick Jackson (644 yards and 8 TDs) that's fine. NIU has the MAC's best defense, and despite what you may be thinking about the quality of defense in that conference keep in mind that the Huskies rank 20th nationally in total defense. But while they're only 60st against the run, Louisiana Tech is 25th in rushing offense. Look for the Bulldogs to win a close, low-scoring affair.

Daily Conference Poll: Who Will Win the WAC?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:23:41 -0500

WAC Basketball Preview: 08-09

CHN — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:21:39 -0500

Conference Rank: 14th

Conference Page

All-WAC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Armon Johnson	Nevada	So
G	Kyle Gibson	La Tech	Jr
G	Jonathan Gibson	New Mexico St	Jr
F	Luke Babbitt	Nevada	Fr
F	Gary Wilkinson	Utah State	Sr
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
High-Major All-Americans Gary Wilkinson All-Freshman Luke Babbitt		Points: Kyle Gibson 16.5 Rebounds: Chris Oakes 7.2 Assists: Anthony Thomas 4.2 Team Points: Boise State 81.4

WAC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

59	Nevada	WAC	1	NCAA
77	New Mexico St	WAC	2	NIT
124	Utah State	WAC	3
163	San Jose State	WAC	4
217	Fresno State	WAC	5
225	Louisiana Tech	WAC	6
246	Boise State	WAC	7
266	Hawaii	WAC	8
306	Idaho	WAC	9

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the WAC?

Other WAC Content

Head Coach Interviews

Greg Graham: Boise State

Conference Media Poll

WAC Poll & All-Conference Team

Other

Rise & Fall: The WAC