Nevada

Daily Conference Poll: Who Will Win the WAC?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:24:04 -0500

College Football: #12 TCU @ #8 Utah Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:28:21 -0500

For those of you with access to CBS College Sports (I'm not one of them), consider yourselves very lucky: you get to check out a game that could very well decide the Mountain West when TCU visits Utah tonight. Of course, the Utes still have BYU on the schedule, but a TCU win could essentially lock up the conference title for the Horned Frogs and set them up for a run at a BCS at-large berth. Also on the schedule before Saturday is another attempt by the ACC to provide some clarity to its race, and a pair of WAC teams treading water in regards to bowl eligibility.

#23 Maryland @ Virginia Tech 7:30 PM EST on ESPN

The lone ACC team with one conference loss is Maryland, and the Terps visit Blacksburg to take on the banged-up Hokies. In their loss at Florida State less than two weeks ago both Tyrod Taylor and Sean Glennon went down with ankle injuries, only to watch helplessly as the Seminole defense went after Cory Holt and engineered the comeback 30-20 win. Both are gametime decisions for this one, a game that the Hokies desperately need if they're to be a factor in the Coastal Division race the remainder of the year. Maryland, on the other hand, is one of those "Jekyll and Hyde" teams that you really don't know what to expect.

One week they're beating a ranked Cal team at home; and the next time you see them they're getting shut out at Virginia. RB Da'Rel Scott needs to have a big game for the Terps to be successful, but he'll have a tough time doing so against a stout Hokie front four. But Chris Turner will be the best quarterback on the field, which is why the Terrapins will pull out a close win. Also, one interesting fact: the head coaches (Frank Beamer and Ralph Friedgen) go a ways back, coaching together at Maryland (1972) and at The Citadel (1973-78). They (and their wives) were also in the same lamaze class preceeding the births of their first children.

#12 TCU @ #8 Utah 8 PM EST on CBS College Sports

The BCS at-large sweepstakes will lose one more contestant with this game, a showdown that will also go a long way in determining who wins the Mountain West. With only one loss between them (TCU at Oklahoma) these are clearly two of the better teams in America, even if their league doesn't get the attention that's regularly lavished upon the BCS leagues. The historical numbers point in the direction of Kyle Whittingham's Utes, who hold a 4-1 edge in the series (2-0 in Salt Lake City) and are 4-0 all-time in games in which both they and the opponent are ranked. But the TCU defense is one of the nation's best, leading the country in rush defense and ranking second in total defense. Utah is no slouch either, boasting the country's seventh-best defense. But with many expecting the "Blackout" to be a success and the Utes to move that much closer to their second BCS berth (2004 Fiesta Bowl), I like QB Andy Dalton and the Horned Frogs to pull off another Thursday night upset.

Friday: Nevada @ Fresno State 9 PM on ESPN2

Thanks to the disappointing beginning of WAC play for Fresno State and the dominant play of Boise State, the Bulldogs' game with Nevada tomorrow is more about keeping their collective heads above water than winning the conference. The Bulldogs, who have already lost league games to Hawaii and Louisiana Tech, find themselves needing a win to become bowl eligible. So much for a team that some thought could be in the running for a BCS at-large spot back in August. Nevada has struggled as well, sitting at .500 with home games against San Jose State and Boise State on the horizon. These are two of the better offenses in the WAC (Nevada 1st, Fresno State 3rd), but both have been subpar on defense. Add to this Fresno's 1-2 record at home and you have the makings of a wild affair. The Bulldogs win a close one, but don't be surprised if the Wolf Pack grab the win.

WAC Basketball Preview: 08-09

CHN — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:22:02 -0500

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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

WAC Preseason Poll & All-Conference Team

Press Release — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:20:36 -0400

WAC MEDIA POLL

DENVER – The 2008-09 Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball media poll has tabbed Nevada as this year’s favorite. Utah State senior forward Gary Wilkinson has been named the preseason Player of the Year. Nevada freshman Luke Babbitt was tabbed this year’s preseason Newcomer of the Year.

Nevada received 255 points and 20 first-place votes. Utah State was picked second with 220 points and four first place votes. New Mexico State garnered 201 points and two first place votes for third place followed by Louisiana Tech with 149 points. Boise State was fifth with three first place votes and 142 points followed by San Jose State with a first place vote and 132 points. Fresno State was seventh with 114 points, followed by Hawai‘i (103) and Idaho (34).

Wilkinson averaged 13.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game last season, helping Utah State to a share of the conference regular season crown last year.

Babbitt, a 2008 graduate of Galena High School in Reno, became the third player in Nevada prep history to be named a McDonald’s All-American.

The All-WAC team included Wilkinson, New Mexico State junior guard Jonathan Gibson, Louisiana Tech junior guard Kyle Gibson, Nevada sophomore forward Armon Johnson, and San Jose State junior center C.J. Webster.

The following is the complete 2008-09 WAC men’s basketball media poll with first-place votes in parentheses (points awarded on a 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis):

Rank Team Points

1. Nevada (20) 255

2. Utah State (4) 220

3. New Mexico State (2) 201

4. Louisiana Tech 149

5. Boise State (3) 142

6. San Jose State (1) 132

7. Fresno State 114

8. Hawai‘i 103

9. Idaho 34

Preseason All-WAC Team

Jonathan Gibson, Jr., G, New Mexico State

Kyle Gibson, Jr., G, Louisiana Tech

Armon Johnson, So., F, Nevada

C.J. Webster, Jr., C, San Jose State

Gary Wilkinson, Sr., F, Utah State

Preseason Player of the Year: Gary Wilkinson, Sr., F, Utah State

Newcomer of the Year: Luke Babbitt, Fr., F, Nevada

WAC COACHES POLL

The Western Athletic Conference announced its men’s basketball preseason poll and all-WAC teams, as voted on by the nine head coaches in the league. Nevada was selected to win the WAC, while Nevada sophomore Armon Johnson was tabbed the league’s preseason Player of the Year.

Nevada, the 2007-08 WAC regular season co-champion, received seven first place votes and 63 points. Utah State captured second place with 57 points, receiving two first-place votes. New Mexico State took third place with 48 points. With 43 points, San Jose State was voted fourth. Boise State (30) and Louisiana Tech (29) followed closely behind in fifth and sixth place, respectively. Hawai‘i (25) and Fresno State (20) finished seventh and eighth, respectively, while Idaho (9) was ranked ninth.

The coaches also voted on preseason first and second all-WAC teams. Nevada sophomore forward Armon Johnson, the 2007-08 WAC Freshman of the Year, leads the list of first-teamers. San Jose State junior center C.J. Webster and Utah State senior forward Gary Wilkinson, 2007-08 all-Newcomer team honorees, also earned spots on the preseason first team. New Mexico State guard Jonathan Gibson and Louisiana Tech guard Kyle Gibson round out the first team.

Second-team selections include Luke Babbitt (Nevada), Brandon Fields (Nevada), Anthony Thomas (Boise State), Tai Wesley (Utah State) and Jahmar Young (New Mexico State)

Nevada shared the 2007-08 regular season title with Boise State, Utah State, and New Mexico State. The team advanced to the first-ever College Basketball Invitational Tournament last season.

2008-09 Preseason Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll

Rank Teams (1st Place Votes) Points

1. Nevada (7) 63

2. Utah State (2) 57

3. New Mexico State 48

4. San Jose State 43

5. Boise State 30

6. Louisiana Tech 29

7. Hawai‘i 25

. 8. Fresno State 20

9. Idaho 9

Preseason All-WAC Teams

First Team Second Team

Jonathan Gibson, Jr., G, New Mexico St. Luke Babbitt, Fr., F, Nevada

Kyle Gibson, Jr., G, Louisiana Tech Brandon Fields, Jr., G, Nevada

Armon Johnson, So., F, Nevada Anthony Thomas, Jr., F, Boise State

C.J. Webster, Jr., C, San Jose State Tai Wesley, So., F, Utah State

Gary Wilkinson, Sr., F, Utah State Jahmar Young, So., G, New Mexico St.

Player of the Year: Armon Johnson, Nevada

2008-09 Nevada Basketball Preview: #59

Joel Welser — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:11:07 -0400

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Nevada Wolf Pack

Overall Rank: #59

Conference Rank: #1 WAC

2007-08: 21-12, 12-4, 1^st

2007-08 postseason: CBI

Despite the loss of three starters, Nevada is still a favorite to win the Western Athletic Conference. The conference as a whole had a horrible season in 2007-2008 and the conference full of young players does not expect to improve too much. That is good news for the Wolf Pack while they can rebuild and still compete for a conference championship. However, once again, it will probably be just the conference tournament winner who will represent the conference in the NCAA Tournament.

Who’s Out:

Marcelus Kemp led the team averaging a smooth 20.0 points per game. He was a consistent outside shooter and could almost always create his own shot when necessary. His 3.3 assists and 5.4 rebounds per contest also ranked second on the team. That is a huge loss, but the absence of JaVale McGee, who left early for the NBA, is even bigger. McGee was a consistent scorer under the basket and could stretch the defense with his outside shooting. On the other side of the floor he grabbed a ton of rebounds and blocked 2.8 shots per contest. While there are experienced options ready to fill the void left by Kemp, the same cannot be said for McGee. The frontcourt also loses starter Demarshay Johnson and roleplayers David Ellis and Matt LaGrone. That leaves very little experience left in the frontcourt. Guard Curry Lynch has also wrapped up his collegiate career in Reno after playing in just nine contests as a senior.

Who’s In:

Despite all the losses, it is Coach Mark Fox’s superb recruiting class that has Wolf Pack fans excited about the future and the present. Luke Babbitt is the best of the bunch. The 6-9 power forward earned McDonald’s All-American accolades and can literally do it all. He can use his 225 pound frame to battle in the paint, his ball handling skills to get to the basket or his shooting ability to knock down three-pointers. And that is just in the scoring department. Babbitt is also a fine passer and rebounder. The only concern is his defense, but if he sticks to the post that will not be much of an issue. Babbitt lacks the foot speed to take on some small forwards in the WAC, but the Wolf Pack need him to play at the four and five spots for now anyway. Ahyaro Philips and Dario Hunt will provide depth in the paint. The good news for this recruiting class keeps coming. Small forward Joey Shaw might sound familiar. The 6-6 Glendale, Arizona product averaged 4.5 points and 1.9 rebounds two years as a redshirt freshman at Indiana. Shaw is a good athlete and shooter and should fit well in the starting lineup. Shooting guard Mark McLaughlin and point guard London Giles also have enough talent to start. McLaughlin is a future star and can put up points in a hurry. He can score from anywhere on the floor, but he will need to add more strength to his wiry 6-5, 180 pound frame before he will be effective around the basket at this level. In the worst case scenario, he will be a great shooter off the bench. Giles is not as highly touted as Babbitt, Shaw or McLaughlin, but he is a versatile player who will find a role on the team.

Who to Watch:

Even with the talent that McLaughlin and Giles have, they will have to spend some time learning behind Armon Johnson and Brandon Fields. Johnson started all but one game at the point as a freshman. His 3.4 assists and 2.4 turnovers per contest were not bad at all for a freshman and those numbers should improve this year. But the reigning WAC Freshman of the Year can also score and could see more minutes at the shooting guard spot in the coming years. Fields is the team’s leading returning scorer and the lone returning three-point threat on the team. Fields is a good defender and will be the new go-to-scorer with the absence of Kemp. Lyndale Burleson gives Nevada some experienced depth to go along with the newcomers.

Final Projection:

As good as the backcourt will be, the frontcourt has some issues. Babbitt is prepared to have a great year, but who is going to start by his side? Malik Cooke, at 6-6, will not bring any size to the unit and Richie Phillips needs to finally stay healthy if he wants to make an impact. Babbitt and the backcourt can do enough to win the WAC, but if the Wolf Pack want to make some noise in March, another big man needs to be found.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Armon Johnson, Sophomore, Guard, 11.5 points per game

Brandon Fields, Junior, Guard, 12.4 points per game

Joey Shaw, Junior, Forward, DNP last season

Malik Cooke, Sophomore, Forward, 2.4 points per game

Luke Babbitt, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2008-09 Preview & Awards | Coach Interviews | Discuss the Preview

Poll: Who is the Best Team in the BracketBuster Pool?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:47:46 -0400

State of '08: The Two-Program States

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:33:15 -0400

What is the top D1 basketball program in each state.. and which program is the worst? While there's not much competition in Hawaii.. there are great debates to be had in loaded regions like California, North Carolina, and Texas. The State of '08 is a state by state ranking based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

Up first today: The seven 2-program states.. followed by individual state articles. Note that 8 states have either one or no teams (Alaska). For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

TWO PROGRAM STATES

DELAWARE - The "First State" starts off our cross-country journey..

Delaware - The First State was one of the hardest to rank. While Delaware was a top mid-major program at the turn of the century.. the Hens hit some lean years culminating in an embarrassing 2007 (5 wins). But UDel edges out their counterpart in large part due to being in a far superior conference (CAA vs MEAC).

Delaware State - From 2005 to 2007, the Hornets were easily the better team.. making the Tourney in 2005 and winning 20 games in 2006. This was an amazing run considering how awful the team was earlier in the decade.

MONTANA - Did you even know Montana had two teams?

Montana - Despite having virtually the same success last year (232 RPI vs 236th), the Grizzlies get the nod here based on long-term success and overall statute. Montana made the big dance in 2005 & 2006.

Montana State - The last season that Montana State was significantly better than their rivals was in 2002.. yet Montana managed to sneak into the NCAA Tournament that year and steal State's thunder.

NEBRASKA - Score one for the "mid-majors"..

Creighton - A no-brainer here.. Creighton has been one of the top 40 programs or so over the last decade. Even last year, when it seemed like Dana Altman's crew were struggling, they still beat the Huskers by 12 and finished substantially higher in the computer rankings.

Nebraska - Nebraska is never awful.. but its also been awhile since they've been good. It always seems like they hover between 90-110 in the RPI.. completely mediocre for a BCS program. I don't see any major success on the horizon for the next few years either.

NEVADA - A virtual tie. (This was easily the hardest choice to make)

UNLV - Lon Kruger has done a great job getting this program back on track. Coming off back to back tournament trips, a third is definitely within reach as top players like Wink Adams return. UNLV also has the added benefit of being in a more challenging league (the MWC) and being located in Las Vegas, a nationally recognized (if not respected) city.

Nevada - Coming off four straight NCAA Tournament trips, Nevada had a disappointing season despite winning 20 games. But a recruiting class ranked Top 25 nationally has fans hoping for a return trip in 2009. While Nevada has had better success in the past five years, UNLV's past and projected future is brighter.

NEW HAMPSHIRE - Perhaps the worst basketball state in the union?

New Hampshire - UNH is simply a bad program, as the Wildcats have peaked with an RPI of 250 in the last decade. But UNH has at least been competitive in America East games recently.. winning 20 games in the past three seasons.

Dartmouth - One of the worst programs in the country, Dartmouth hasn't been above 250th in the RPI since 1999. The low was 2004 with an abysmal RPI of 324th (3rd worst in the country). In the last three years, the Big Green have won 11 Ivy League games.. which is so bad that it makes UNH look decent.

NEW MEXICO - Competition between these two programs is high now that NMSU is out of the doldrums.

New Mexico - While the numbers of these program are relatively similar since 2006, UNM gets the edge for long-term stability, for being in a higher-ranked conference ..and playing in a cool arena (The Pit).

New Mexico State - As recently as 2005, NMSU was one of the worst programs in the country. But moving to the WAC (and hiring Reggie Theus) helped lead to a shocking rebound that culminated in a 2007 conference title.

WEST VIRGINIA - WVU is easily the peak of the Mountain State..

West Virginia - Bob Huggins or not, WVU is a far superior program to Marshall making this a no-brainer. WVU has been Top 60 in the RPI each of the last four seasons..

Marshall - On the flip-side, Marshall hasn't approached the Top 100.. and its results haven't improved since moving from the MAC to the CUSA.

Draft Poll: Who Will be the First Mid-Major Prospect Selected?

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:58:28 -0400

Siegel's Take: 2008 Power Forward Analysis

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:25:57 -0400

This is the fourth of five Siegel's Take articles analyzing the 2008 NBA Draft prospects. Today's focus is the risky group of power forwards.

As I say every year in every article, its important to note that I'm not as kind as most Draft analysts out there. The reality of the NBA Draft is that only a few guys will be stars, a handful more will be starters, a dozen guys will be career reserves, and the rest will all fizzle into nothingness within a couple of seasons.

On with the fun. Players are ranked by their NBA potential:

1) Michael Beasley - Kansas State - While Derrick Rose is the media darling, I'm fully on board Beasley's bandwagon. At some level, numbers simply don't lie.. and 26 ppg and 12 rpg in just 31 mpg is all you need to know. While Rose is a lock to be a solid NBA point guard, Beasley is a basketball freak who has a chance to be an elite All-NBA type player. The perception that he lacks focus and desire rightly deserves attention, but here the potential reward greatly surpasses the risk.

2) JaVale McGee - Nevada - McGee is the type of risk/reward prospect that can make a GM look like a genius or a fool. In fact, on this list I wavered forever trying to slot him into the ranking. Basically, he's the anti-Ryan Anderson, a physical freak with tremendous upside that doesn't really know how to play basketball. Also, despite being an unknown to most observers, he's only 12 months younger than a veteran like Roy Hibbert. Some see McGee as a late-bloomer ready to explode, others see him as a bust along the lines of Patrick O'Bryant.

3) Alexis Ajinca - HTV - This 20 year old has the height of a center (7'1"), but the body and makeup of a power forward. Scouting Europeans isn't my thing, but from listening to and reading others opinions in recent weeks, I get the sense there's some good momentum building here.

4) JJ Hickson - NC State - After starting his freshman season with a couple big time games, Hickson finished with solid averages of 15 and 9 per game. When you consider Arthur below, who averaged only 12 and 9 in his sophomore season and is 13 months older, you have to wonder why Arthur is the more highly rated talent. The main reason is that Hickson is one of the rawer talents out there, with a small skill set that mostly involves dunking and small post shots. Still, I prefer Hickson because he's thicker, stronger and more explosive in the paint.

5) Darrell Arthur - Kansas - I'm not a big Arthur fan, and he falls into this slot mostly by default. Arthur would show scattered 20 minute stretches of dominance, but follow it up with a two week disappearing act. To me, this inconsistency wasn't due to a lack of effort or passion, but simply gaping holes in his skill set. Despite a decent post game, Arthur is a surprisingly weak finisher and he doesn't project to be a plus jump-shooter. He only got to the FT line once or twice a game last year, unacceptable for a 6'9" kid. There's potential here, but he'll most likely go higher in the Draft than he should.

6) Serge Ibaka - PF - Lhospitalet - Not going to say much here, because like most other prospects, Ibaka looks great on YouTube highlights. Still, I suggest digging up some clips on this guy because his length and athleticism are pretty darn impressive. Basically a big X factor.

7) Ryan Anderson - California - Some of the other writers on CHN are much higher on Anderson than I am. Though the numbers he put up in two season are unparalleled (outside of Beasley), he doesn't pass the "eye test". My real worry here is on defense, where he's not athletic enough to guard wings and not strong or long enough to guard bigs in the post. Also, though he's a great collegiate outside shooter, I'm not certain this will equate to the NBA three-point line. Still, Anderson definitely has value as a pro reserve.

8) Richard Hendrix - PF - Alabama - Back in the day, Hendrix was once thought to be a straight H.S. to NBA prospect. But three years later and Hendrix is trying to prove his worth at the Pre-Draft camp. He's somewhat underrated in my opinion, barely any worse than potential lottery picks like Arthur and Hickson. A lack of "wow" athleticism really holds him back, especially when you consider he has virtually no perimeter game. But Hendrix has always been a consistently solid performer who grabs boards, understands the game, and tends to be a team player.

9) Jason Thompson - Rider - Some sites, mainly NBADraft.net, have Thompson as a first round pick, though I'm not buying that. Its usually easier to gauge the skill of mid-major guards as opposed to mid-major bigs, because someone like Thompson had no physical equal in the MAAC. At 6'11", 250 lbs or so, he dominated on the offensive end, though defensively he wasn't nearly as dominant. The real issue for Thompson though is that his size is no longer a plus against NBA centers, so power forward is his more likely position. But against pro fours, Thompson will have a serious disadvantage on the defensive end. Its hard to imagine him being anything but a bit player in the big leagues.

10) DJ White - Indiana- After a weak junior season, I though White had no chance at a pro career. But he made huge strides last year, especially on the offensive end where he became the Hoosiers go-to player (and a consistent 20 & 10 threat) once Eric Gordon slumped. Even though it seems like White's been around forever, he's only 13 months older than Darrell Arthur, so you have to really consider him to be a junior. Similar to Hendrix above, White just doesn't have that extra boost of athleticism. Still, though it seems like he doesn't have much of an upside, I thought the same thing last year and he proved me wrong.

Summary: While Beasley has All-NBA potential, the rest of this list doesn't excite me. In fact, its conceivable that no one else even pans out as a full-time starter. McGee and Ajinka come in 2 and 3 because of upside.. but both have serious flop potential. Anderson and Hendrix are less risky.. but if you're afraid of taking a chance you shouldn't be an NBA GM. At the end of the list, Thompson and White will just be hoping to avoid the D-League.

Last Year's Siegel's Take - PF Ranking
1) Brandan Wright
2) Al Horford
3) Yi Jianlian
4) Joakim Noah
5) Josh McRoberts
6) Glen Davis
7) Nick Fazekas
8) Jason Smith
9) Herbert Hill
10) Jermareo Davidson