Mountain West Conference Notebook
by John Eisel
Mountain West Conference Power Poll
1. Utah (22-3, 10-0 MWC)
It almost seems pointless continuing. It’s Utah and then everybody else. Hopefully they can actually win an NCAA Tournament game- they’d be only the third in conference history. That’s not good.
2. New Mexico (18-6, 5-4)
Since the Lobos’ preseason schedule was losses to Wake Forest and Oregon and a bunch of so-what wins, Danny Granger’s injury has limited the Lobos’ NCAA Tournament hopes to three days in Denver. Now they need to hope they can catch Wyoming or Air Force for the No. 3 seed in the tournament to avoid Utah in the semifinals.
3. Air Force (15-9, 6-3)
This has been a really good season for the Zoomies. Hopefully they’ll be able to win a few games in the NIT on the road, because there’s no way Clune Arena is going to host an NIT game. Maybe they’ll package an NIT deal with future MWC opponent TCU. That’d be cool.
4. Wyoming (14-9, 6-4)
If Ray Giacoletti and the Utes weren’t pounding everybody, Steve McClain would be the MWC coach of the year. The Cowboys will still have a first-team point guard in Jay Straight.
5. San Diego State (11-12, 4-5)
With Marcus Slaughter and Brandon Heath, the Aztecs have enough talent to win the conference tournament, if they get some lucky breaks and Steve Fisher can find some of the magic of 1989.
6. UNLV (11-11, 3-6)
At least the Rebels will have something to put on their highlight reel for the year after that miracle comeback against the Aztecs. It was a miracle, which is why the Rebels are still below the Aztecs in the power poll. The crazy thing is, this team still has the talent to win the conference tournament.
7. BYU (3-7, 9-16)
It’s been a lousy year for the Cougars, but after a tough game against the Cowboys, they still pulled themselves together against Colorado State to comeback after falling behind 9-0.
8. Colorado State (9-14, 1-9)
This just isn’t CSU’s year.
Matt Nelson, who otherwise hits more than 60 percent of his shots, goes four for 14 against BYU and the Rams lose by a point. Ouch. It doesn’t help they turn the ball over 4.8 more times than their oppponents a game. Those extra possessions would help a lot when you’re losing by eight points a game.
If the season ended today
NCAA Tournament: Utah’s sending postcards to conference members from Boise or Tucson.
NIT: New Mexico hosts games if or until they go to New York. The Pokes could host a team in the first round, while the Zoomies will only see the floor during practice time.
MWC honors
First team:
Andrew Bogut, C, Utah. That was pretty easy.
Danny Granger, F, New Mexico. Look at the Lobos with and without Granger.
Jay Straight, G, Wyoming. He’s first in the league in assists in conference play.
Marcus Slaughter, F, San Diego State. He’d get more notoriety if he wasn’t playing in San Diego State. The Aztecs just aren’t part of the immediate conciousness of the rest of the conference.
Odartey Blankson, F, UNLV. Despite the Rebels’ struggles this year, Blankson is still in the top six in point and rebounding.
Newcomer of the year:
Justin Williams, F, Wyoming. Best shot blocker in the conference, can also be counted on for 190 points and seven rebounds a game.
Coach of the year:
Ray Giacoletti, Utah. In his first year, the Utes are the most dominant team this conference has ever seen.
Player of the year:
Andrew Bogut, C, Utah. Even if he leaves after this year for the NBA, he’ll be thought of as one of the best players in MWC history.
How the rest of the season shakes out
February 19 (Saturday)
UTAH at AIR FORCE – Air Force’s home winning streak ends. Utah by 7.
BYU at NEW MEXICO – Lobos try to make up for their issue in Provo.
SAN DIEGO ST. at COLORADO ST. – The Rams have to win sometime.
UNLV at WYOMING – Both teams are playing well, so I’m going with the home team.
February 21 (Monday)
BYU at AIR FORCE – The Cougars are not refined enough to stay with the Falcons.
UNLV at COLORADO STATE – The Rebels will turn those Ram turnovers into dunks.
UTAH at NEW MEXICO – The Lobos will need everyone to show up to win this game.
SAN DIEGO STATE at WYOMING – This is a bad situation for the Aztecs.
February 26 (Saturday)
AIR FORCE at UNLV – For whatever reason, the Rebels have always been able to handle the Falcons. But not this year.
BYU at UTAH – Utah big.
WYOMING at COLORADO STATE – These game are always close, but this year, the Cowboys have found ways to win close games, the Rams have not.
NEW MEXICO at SAN DIEGO ST.- I think the Lobos have gotten over their road woes against the Rams.
February 28 (Monday)
AIR FORCE at SAN DIEGO STATE- Falcons will find a way to win this game.
NEW MEXICO at UNLV- With a national television audience at home, I think the Rebs pull it together to win.
March 5 (Saturday)
WYOMING at AIR FORCE – Zoomies take care of the Pokes to tie for second place.
UNLV at BYU – Rebels should win this game. SHOULD.
COLORADO STATE at NEW MEXICO – Lobos win in front of 15,000 fans.
SAN DIEGO STATE at UTAH – The Utes finish off the first perfect season in conference history.
Final regular season predictions:
1. Utah (26-3, 14-0 MWC)
2. Air Force (18-11, 10-4)
3. Wyoming (17-10, 9-5)
4. New Mexico (21-8, 8-6)
5. UNLV (15-12, 6-8)
6. San Diego State (11-17, 4-10)
7. BYU (3-11, 9-20)
8. Colorado State (10-17, 2-12)
