WAC TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES
Boise State Broncos (19-11, 9-7 WAC)
Junior Anthony Thomas recorded an assist against the Wolf Pack, raising his season total to an impressive 144 assists, pushing him up the charts and breaking his previous record of 141, which he set last season ... Thomas now sits in the No. 3 spot on the all-time single season assist list and is just one shy of reaching the single season record of 145 ... for the 21st consecutive game, the Broncos had two or more players score in double-digits ... three players recorded in double-figures against Nevada ... with a win on the road against New Mexico State, it marks the first win over the Aggies when playing at the Pan American Center during the regular season ... the win not only breaks a three-game skid for the Broncos, but marks the first conference road win for Boise State since Feb. 7 when it beat San Jose State, 89-83 ... it marked just the third conference win on the road this season.
Fresno State Bulldogs (12-20, 3-13 WAC)
The Bulldogs went 0-2 last week, dropping road games at Boise State and Idaho ... Fresno State dropped a 79-65 decision at Boise before taking a 59-56 setback at Idaho ... against Boise State, senior guard Dwight O’Neil paced the Bulldogs by recording team-highs with 19 points and five rebounds ... freshman guard Paul George picked up right where he left off from the previous meeting with the Broncos, when the freshman tallied a career-high 29 points, by knocking down 15 first half points on five of seven shooting from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers ... in the loss at Idaho, junior forward Sylvester Seay scored a team-high 14 points, with 11 coming in the first half, and tied a career-high by swatting four Vandal shots ... O’Neil also reached double figures by recording 13 points and grabbing five rebounds ... Fresno State will meet up with Hawai?i in the WAC Tournament’s first round on Tuesday.
Hawai?i Rainbow Warriors (13-16, 5-11 WAC)
Hawai?i concluded its regular-season schedule with a 70-59 loss Saturday night at the Stan Sheriff Center ... UH lost its fourth straight game and finished in eight place in the WAC standings ... nothing seemed to go right for UH in their final home game of the season ... UH shot just 32 percent from the floor and turned the ball over 21 times, one short of its season high ... Kareem Nitoto led the ’Bows with 11 points, while Bill Amis finished 10. Roderick Flemings, who entered the game leading UH at nearly 17 pointer per game, was held to just nine point ... it marked just the second time this season the junior did not score in double-digits ... UH led 22-21 in the first half but were out-scored 14-3 in the final seven minutes of the half ... UH now heads to Reno, Nev., for the 2009 WAC Tournament ... the No. 8 Bows will face No. 9 seed Fresno State in the first round on Tuesday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Idaho Vandals (16-14, 9-7 WAC)
Idaho secured the No. 3 seed at this week’s WAC tournament after sweeping a pair of home games this past week ... Idaho downed Louisiana Tech 66-58 on Thursday before defeating Fresno State 59-56 ... against Louisiana Tech, Trevor Morris scored 14 points ... Idaho then nabbed an improbable third-place finish in the WAC with an improbable come-from-behind 59-56 victory over Fresno State ... the Vandals, picked ninth in preseason polls by the league’s coaches and media, erased a 12-point deficit and limited the Bulldogs to just 20 points in the second half to earn Idaho’s highest conference finish since the 1998-99 season ... at 16-14 overall, Idaho has guaranteed itself at least a .500 finish for the first time since 1998-99 ... at 9-7, the Vandals finish tied for third in the WAC standings ... No. 3 Idaho will face sixth-seeded Louisiana Tech in the quarterfinal round of the tournament, Thursday (March 12) at 8:30 p.m.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (14-17, 6-10 WAC)
Louisiana Tech play its final game of the regular season last week, dropping a 66-58 decision at Idaho ... junior Kyle Gibson answered the proverbial bell shortly after with seven straight points to pull the Bulldogs back within two 50-48 with less than five minutes to play ... it would not prove enough, however, as the Vandals finished with the win ... Gibson’s 25 points led all scorers for the night. Jefferson led the Vandals with 13 points ... it could be sweet revenge for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in the first round of the 2009 WAC Tournament in the Lawlor Events Center as the Bulldogs will get a shot at the Idaho Vandals ... Idaho and Tech split the regular season with the home team winning both times. It will be the first time the Vandals and the Bulldogs will have played in the WAC Tournament.
Nevada Wolf Pack (19-11, 11-5 WAC)
The Nevada Wolf Pack went a perfect 2-0 last week to secure itself the No. 2 seed at the upcoming WAC Tournament ... Nevada defeated San Jose State at home, 89-66, before taking down Boise State in Boise, 69-60 ... against SJSU, junior Brandon Fields scored 20 points and freshman Luke Babbitt added 19 ... sophomore Armon Johnson added 12 points for the Wolf Pack... in the win at Boise State, Fields scored 19 points and Babbitt had 14 ... Fields was 4-of-8 from the field and hit 8-of-10 free throws. The Wolf Pack shot 39.1 percent from the floor and 73.7 percent from the free-throw line ... Nevada won for the third consecutive game and the fifth time in its last six contests ... Nevada will take on seventh-seeded San Jose State at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 12 in the WAC Tournament quarterfinals at Lawlor Events Center.
New Mexico State Aggies (16-14, 9-7 WAC)
New Mexico State went 1-1 last week, dropping a 104-92 decision at home to Boise State before defeating Hawai?i in Honolulu, 70-59, on Saturday night ... against Boise State, Jahmar Young had 24 points to lead the Aggies and Jonathan Gibson added 21 ... NMSU concluded the regular season with a 70-59 win at Hawai’i on Saturday ... freshman forward Troy Gillenwater scored a game-high 18 points off the bench while sophomore forward Wendell McKines recorded his 14th double-double of season with 16 points and 11 rebounds ... Gibson and freshman guard Hernst Laroche were also in double-figures with 13 and 10 points, respectively ... McKines had nine points while Gibson and Gillenwater added eight points each ... NM State, who tied for third place in the league, plays Boise State in the WAC Tournament, Thursday, March 12, at 1 p.m. in Reno, Nev.
San Jose State Spartans (13-16, 6-10 WAC)
San Jose State wrapped up regular season play on the road last week, dropping an 89-66 decision at Nevada before falling 89-77 at Utah State ... at Nevada, C.J. Webster finished with 22 points and a game-high 12 rebounds ... at Utah State, Adrian Oliver and Robert Owens, who combined to go 1-for-15 from the field at Nevada two nights earlier, scored 20 and 18 points, respectively ... Oliver led the Spartans with 20 points and Owens came off the bench with 18 including 4-of-8 from 3-point range ... SJSU, which had a season-low eight turnovers, had its best offensive production of the season from its bench with 33 points, 10 of which came from DaShawn Wright who made all five of his field goal attempts ... SJSU begins its quest for a WAC Tournament championship, Thursday, March 12, in a 6:00 p.m. game against host University of Nevada.
Utah State Aggies (27-4, 14-2 WAC)
Utah State played just one game last week, wrapping up regular season play with an 89-77 win at home against San Jose State ... all five Utah State starters posted double-digits to lead the Aggies to an 89-77 win against San Jose State on USU’s “Senior Night,” honoring its lone senior, Gary Wilkinson, Saturday at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum ... the Aggies, who were presented their regular-season WAC trophy following the game, concluded regular-season play with a 14-2 WAC mark and a 27-4 overall ledger ... USU won its 34th-straight home game, the second-longest in the country behind the 41 in a row by Kansas ... USU also logged back-to-back undefeated home seasons for the first time in school history, going 17-0 on its home court both this season and last year, as the Aggies have their fifth undefeated home ledger in the program’s modern era ... USU will be the top seed for the WAC Tournament.
WAC NOTES
RENO READY FOR WAC TOURNAMENT
The WAC will host its 26th Men’s Basketball Tournament this week at the Lawlor Events Center located on the campus of the University of Nevada. The tournament features all nine men’s and women’s teams. The WAC tournaments were last held in Reno in 2006. The 2007 and 2008 tournaments were held in Las Cruces, New Mexico at New Mexico State University. The tournament will be presented by Verizon Wireless.
WAC HONOREES SELECTED
The WAC men’s basketball postseason award winners as selected by the league’s nine head coaches were announced on Sunday, March 8.The first team is led by Utah State senior forward Gary Wilkinson who was also voted the WAC’s Player of the Year. Wilkinson is the second-straight Aggie to earn Player of the Year honors as USU’s Jaycee Carroll earned the award last season. Wilkinson led Utah State in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 17.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in WAC play. The senior led USU to its second-straight WAC regular season crown. Nevada’s Luke Babbitt and Armon Johnson, Idaho’s Mac Hopson and New Mexico State’s Jahmar Young were also first team selections. Wilkinson was the only repeat all-WAC honoree from last season. Wilkinson earned second team all-WAC honors last year. Nevada forward Luke Babbitt became the second-straight Wolf Pack player to earn the WAC’s Freshman of the Year award. In 16 conference games, Babbitt averaged 17.3 points per contest and 7.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 46.6 percent from the field. Utah State head coach Stew Morrill earned his first Don Haskins Coach of the Year honor by leading the Aggies to a second-straight regular season WAC title. In his 11th year with Utah State, Morrill led the Aggies to a 14-2 conference record. He also led his Aggies to a second-straight undefeated season at home, where the team holds the nation’s second-best home win streak at 34 games.
All-Conference
First Team
Mac Hopson, Idaho, G, 6-2, 195, Jr., Portland, Ore. (Washington State)
Luke Babbitt, Nevada, F, 6-9, 225, Fr., Reno, Nev. (Galena HS)
Armon Johnson, Nevada, G, 6-3, 195, So., Reno, Nev (Hug HS)
Jahmar Young, New Mexico State, G, 6-5, 180, So., Baltimore, Md. (Laurinberg Prep)
Gary Wilkinson, Utah State, F, 6-9, 240, Sr., South Jordan, Utah (Salt Lake CC)
Second Team
Mark Sanchez, Boise State, F, 6-7, 235, Sr., Tucson, Ariz. (Pima CC)
Sylvester Seay, Fresno State, Fr, 6-9, 220, Jr., San Bernardino, Calif. (Arizona State)
Roderick Flemings, Hawai?i, F, 6-7, 210, Jr., Dallas, Texas (Weatherford College)
Kyle Gibson, Louisiana Tech, G, 6-5, 205, Jr., Los Angeles, Calif. (Dorsey HS)
Jared Quayle, Utah State, G, 6-1, 180, Jr., Perry, Utah (Western Wyoming CC)
All-Defensive Team
Ike Okoye, Boise State, F, 6-9, 230, Jr., Sacramento, Calif. (Wyoming)
Anthony Thomas, Boise State, G, 6-0, 199, Jr., Masnfield, Texas (Mansfield Summitt HS)
Kareem Nitoto, Hawai?i, G, 6-2, 185, So., Berkley, Calif. (San Leandro HS)
Magnum Rolle, Louisiana Tech, C/F, 6-11, 220, Jr., Freeport, Bahamas (LSU)
Lyndale Burleson, Nevada, G, 6-3, 190, Sr., Seattle, Wash. (Franklin HS)
All-Newcomer Team
Roderick Flemings, Hawai?i, F, 6-7, 210, Jr., Dallas, Texas (Weatherford College)
Mac Hopson, Idaho, G, 6-2, 195, Jr., Portland, Ore. (Washington State)
Magnum Rolle, Louisiana Tech, C/F, 6-11, 220, Jr., Freeport, Bahamas (LSU)
Luke Babbitt, Nevada, F, 6-9, 225, Fr., Reno, Nev. (Galena HS)
Jared Quayle, Utah State, G, 6-1, 180, Jr., Perry, Utah (Western Wyoming CC)
Player of the Year: Gary Wilkinson, Utah State
Freshman of the Year: Luke Babbitt, Nevada
Don Haskins Coach of the Year: Stew Morrill, Utah State
NEVADA’S FIELDS RECEIVES FINAL WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOR
Nevada’s Brandon Fields has been named the Western Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for Mar. 2-8. The honor marks the second career WAC Player of the Week award for Fields.
Fields, a junior from Arlington, Texas (Bowie HS), led the Wolf Pack to wins over San Jose State and Boise State last week. Fields scored 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field and 5-of-6 from the free throw line in Nevada’s victory over San Jose State. He also added a pair of assists against the Spartans. Fields also came off the bench to score 19 points in Saturday’s victory at Boise State. He went 4-of-8 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range, and made 8-of-10 free throws. He also pulled down three rebounds in the win.
On the week, Fields averaged 19.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. He shot 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from the field and was 4-of-8 from long range. He also hit 13-of-16 free throws and did not commit a turnover.
Other nominees: Boise State junior Kurt Cunningham, Fresno State senior Dwight O’Neil, Idaho junior Mac Hopson and Utah State junior Jared Quayle.
EIGHT WAC PLAYERS SELECTED TO ALL-DISTRICT TEAM
Eight WAC student-athletes have been named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District 6 team. The honorees are now eligible for the NABC All-America teams to be announced at the conclusion of the season. Utah State led the way with three players, including Gary Wilkinson, Jared Quayle and Tai Wesley. Nevada had two with Luke Babbitt and Armon Johnson. Mac Hopson represented Idaho on the team. New Mexico State’s Jahmar Young made the team and Hawai?i’s Roderick Flemings also earned a spot on the squad.
WAC AMONG ELITE COMPANY AS EACH LEAGUE MEMBER BOASTS 12 OR MORE WINS, FIRST TIME SINCE 1966 THAT ALL WAC TEAMS HAVE HAD 12 OR MORE WINS
As of March 8, the WAC continues to be one of only two conferences in the nation to boast 12-plus wins for each of its member schools. Each member of the WAC has at least 12 wins this season. The SEC is the only other conferences in the country that have achieved the same mark. It also denotes the first time that each of the WAC’s member institutions have had 12 or more wins since the 1965-66 season.
WAC CONTINUES TO CLIMB RPI CHARTS
As a conference, the WAC continues to climb the RPI rankings, coming in at 11 according to both CollegeRPI.com and RealTimeRPI.com. The WAC ranks just ahead of the Horizon, Metro Atlantic, Colonial, and West Coast Conferences. Utah State’s men’s basketball team continues to climb the RPI chart, coming in at a WAC-best 27. After being ranked in previous weeks, USU continues to receive votes in both the AP and Coaches Polls. USU’s No. 21 ranking in the Feb. 9 AP poll marks the highest for a Utah State team since Feb. 9, 2004 when that Aggie team was ranked 19th in the nation. Nevada also holds a top-100 RPI mark at 82.
UTAH STATE’S STEW MORRILL NAMED FINALIST FOR HENRY IBA AWARD AND SKIP PROSSER MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
Utah State veteran men’s basketball coach Stew Morrill is one of 10 finalists for the 2009 Henry Iba Award, which is annually given to the nation’s coach of the year, it was announced on Monday by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). Morrill has led Utah State to a 27-4 overall record this year and its second straight Western Athletic Conference regular season championship, including its first outright league title, as USU finished with a 14-2 in the WAC. He is also he is one of 12 finalists for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award. The Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award is given annually to a Division I head coach who best represents the high standards of the coaching profession. Winning with integrity. The award was established by CollegeInsider.com and the Prosser Family. The award is named in memory of former Wake Forest head coach Skip Prosser who passed away suddenly on July 26, 2007.
WAC GOES 5-4 IN BRACKETBUSTER GAMES
Western Athletic Conference teams went 5-4 in the seventh annual ESPNU BracketBusters ? a multi-day men’s basketball event matching NCAA Tournament hopefuls against each other which took place this past week. Three of the WAC’s games were televised nationally, including Nevada, Utah State and Boise State.
2009 WAC ESPNU BracketBusters Results
Nevada def. Virginia Commonwealth, 71-70
Television: ESPNU
Louisiana Tech def. Murray State, 69-60
Saint Mary’s def. #23 Utah State, 75-64
Television: ESPN2
Portland State def. Boise State, 93-81
Television: ESPNU
New Mexico State def. Cal State Fullerton, 94-68
Fresno State def. UC Davis, 71-70
Idaho def. Cal State Northridge, 78-75
UC Riverside def. San Jose State, 53-52
UC Irvine def. Hawai?i, 76-70
Underline denotes home team
YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
Of the 124 players on rosters in the WAC, 75 (60.5 percent) are made up of juniors and sophomores. There are currently just 20 seniors in the league, eight of which are current starters. There are nearly just as many freshman starters (6) in the league as there are senior starters (8). Juniors and sophomores make up 60.5 percent of the starting lineups on the WAC.
TURNING IT AROUND
After winning eight games last season, Idaho has more than surpassed its win total from last season. The Vandals went 8-21 (.276) last season and now hold an 16-14 (.533) mark this year. Louisiana Tech, which went 6-24 (.200) last season, has also surpassed its win total from last year as the team currently holds an 14-17 (.452) mark.
UTAH STATE’S OVERALL WIN STREAK COMES TO AN END, HOME STREAK STILL ALIVE
Utah State’s win streak ended at 19 games with a loss to Boise State on Feb. 19. The streak is tied for the longest in school history with the 1999-2000 team that also won 19 straight games. Before its loss to Boise State, Utah State had also won 16 straight WAC games dating back to the 2007-08 season including eight straight on the road. USU’s 16 straight WAC victories ranks second all-time in the conference. Utah holds the record for most consecutive WAC wins at 19, set from the 1997-98 to 1998-99 seasons. The Aggies currently hold the nation’s second-best home win streak in the country at 34 games. Kansas holds the top home win streak at 41 games.
SAN JOSE STATE WAC ROAD SUCCESS
This year’s San Jose State team is the first in school history to win three conference road games in a season since joining the WAC in 1996. The Spartans picked up wins at Fresno State, Hawai?i and Louisiana Tech. The 1994 Spartans are the last SJSU team to win at least four conference road games, posting a 6-3 win-loss record en route to an overall 15-12 mark.
WAC RANKS TOP-20 NATIONALLY IN SIX TEAM, FOUR INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL CATEGORIES
As of March 5, the WAC ranks in the top-20 in six team and four individual statistical categories. Utah State ranks second nationally in field goal shooting at 49.8 percent, fifth in win-loss percentage (86.7), eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.42) and 14th in rebound margin (6.9). New Mexico State ranks 16th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (39.8). Boise State ranks 17th in assists per game at 16.3. Individually, USU’s Tyler Newbold holds the highest individual ranking as he is second in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.72. Hernst Laroche ranks 18th in the same category at 2.54. New Mexico State’s Wendell McKines is 19th in rebounds per game at 9.9, and Idaho’s Mac Hopson ranks 20th nationally in assists per game at 5.8.
IDAHO SETS SCHOOL RECORD FOR LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY
Idaho’s 54-point victory over UC Irvine on Nov. 28 was its largest margin of victory over a Division I opponent in school history. The previous record was a 53-point margin against Pacific in 1983. It ranked as the second largest margin ever at Idaho behind a 111-34 win over Northwest College in 1987.
NEVADA’S BABBITT AND FRESNO STATE’S GEORGE AMONG TOP FRESHMEN IN NATION
The only freshman in WAC history to earn back-to-back WAC Player of the Week honors, Luke Babbitt has opened his first season with Nevada in strong fashion, leading the team in both scoring and rebounding. Babbitt has a chance to become the first Nevada freshman to lead the team in scoring since Terrance Green in 1999-00. He could also become the first freshman to pace the Pack in rebounding since Nick Fazekas averaged 7.6 rebounds per game in 2003-04. He currently ranks fifth among the nation’s freshmen in scoring. Fresno State freshman Paul George is also among the nation’s elite freshman. George currently ranks eighth among the nation’s freshman in scoring.
USU POSTS SECOND-BEST DEFENSIVE EFFORT IN NCAA HISTORY
Utah State accomplished a rare feat Nov. 25 in its 75-49 home win against Weber State as it held the Wildcats without a field goal for the final 16:20 of the game, which according to the NCAA is the second-longest field goal drought in NCAA history. The longest stretch in NCAA history one team has held another without a field goal was on Feb. 25, 1979 when Duke held North Carolina scoreless for 20:48. For Utah State, its defensive effort against Weber State is the best since Feb. 15, 2006, when it held Idaho scoreless for 13:53, which was the third-longest scoring drought in NCAA history. USU also had a 37-0 run against the Vandals, which is an NCAA record, and it held Idaho without a field goal for 16:01 during that game, which was the second-longest streak in NCAA history before the WSU game.
TOP WAC TEAMS OVER LAST FIVE YEARS
Over the last five seasons dating back to 2003-04, Utah State has turned in a 146-48 record, the best record of any WAC team during that time (.753 winning percentage). In conference games, Nevada has won 79 games, the most in that same time period. The top three teams in winning percentage (both overall and WAC) over the last five seasons:
Overall Record (Pct.)
1. Utah State 146-48 (.753)
2. Nevada 146-50 (.745)
3. Boise State 114-77 (.597)
WAC Record (Pct.)
1. Nevada 79-21 (.790)
2. Utah State 46-18 (.719)
3. Boise State 60-58 (.508)
FRESNO STATE’S GEORGE PUTS DOWN DUNK THAT LANDS NO. 1 ON SPORTCENTER’S TOP PLAYS
Paul George highlighted Fresno State’s game at Saint Mary’s (11/17) with a memorable dunk that landed as the No. 1 play on Sportscenter’s Top 10 “Plays of the Day” for Nov. 18, 2008 and opened the preview highlights for the broadcast. The dunk, where the freshman slashed straight to the basket and delivered an emphatic one-handed slam on two Gael defenders, beat a pair of Lebron James’ and other professional highlights for the top spot.
UTAH STATE’S WILKINSON EARNS SPOT ON NATIONAL WATCH LISTS
Utah State’s Gary Wilkinson has been named one of 50 players to headline the Naismith Trophy watch list. The watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2008-09 college basketball season. The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T will be awarded at the 2009 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Detroit, Mich. He was also named one of 30 candidates for the 2008-09 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, which is presented annually to the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete of the Year. Wilkinson, a 6-9 senior forward from South Jordan, Utah is the only player from the Western Athletic Conference to be selected for both the Naismith and Lowe’s CLASS award. Entering the 2008-09 season, Wilkinson was voted as the WAC’s preseason Player of the Year by the media after earning second-team all-WAC honors as a junior. As a senior, Wilkinson is averaging 16.9 points and 7.1 rebounds.
SAN JOSE STATE’S PIERCE SETS SCHOOL THREE-POINT MARKS
Forward Tim Pierce became the new San Jose State career record holder for 3-points baskets made. He broke the old record of 123 set by Michael Quinney. Pierce also holds the SJSU all-time record for 3-point field goal attempted. Pierce also set the SJSU record for most consecutive three-point baskets made as he connected on nine in a row (5-for-5 in second half at San Diego and 4-for-4 to open the game against Northern Colorado).