Mountain West Conference Notebook
by John Eisel
Mountain West Power Poll
1. Colorado State (11-2)
Preseason ranking: 9
Best win: 83-82 vs. Colorado. It’s the Buffs’ only loss this season and it’s always nice to beat the in-state rival.
Worst loss: 71-67 at Kansas State. The Wildcats are 8-1 right now.
Comment: The Rams have had good big men inside for a few years. Now, they’re not turning the ball over. Dale Layer has gone from hanging by a thread to back on solid ground – at least for now. If the Rams keep it up, he’s in line for some postseason accolades.
If the season ended today: The Rams would have an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament, from 5-8.
2. Air Force (12-1)
Preseason ranking: 6
Best win: 54-56 vs. Georgia Tech. The Jackets may not be a national power, but they’re still a name team.
Worst loss: 85-74 at Washington. Easy choice and at the end of the season, this loss may benefit the Falcons more than some of their wins.
Comment: This team is carrying the conference right now.
If the season ended today: The Falcons would be a 7-9 seed in the NCAA Tournament and Jeff Bzdelik would look like the coaching hire of the year in college basketball.
3. Brigham Young (8-3)
Preseason ranking: 7
Best win: 76-68 at Washington State. In four games, BYU is the only team Wazzu hasn’t beaten.
Worst loss: 83-71 vs. Loyola Marymount. Hey, it was their first game of the year.
Comment: New coach Dave Rose is certainly putting in the best players he thinks he has with no regard for who played a lot last year. BYU’s typical starting five has been Trent Plaisted, Brock Reichner, Jimmy Balderson, Fernando Malaman and Rashaun Broadus. Only Balderson had any significant playing time for BYU last season.
If the season ended today: The Cougars would miss out on the NCAA Tournament, but would get an NIT berth.
4. New Mexico (9-4)
Preseason ranking: 2
Best win: 95-52 vs. Ole Miss. Yeah, the Rebels are 9-3 but they’ve lost to the only decent teams they’ve played they’ve lost to.
Worst loss: at New Mexico State 67-61. The Aggies are not good and it hurts more since it’s an in-state rival.
Comment: The flux on the New Mexico Lobo roster keeps coming. Two junior college players left the team because of lack of playing time, including Joel Box, who was supposed to be a big force on the inside.
If the season ended today: A bunch of people in Albuquerque would be wondering what’s going on with this team.
5. UNLV (6-6)
Preseason ranking: 5
Best win: 67-61 vs. Hawaii. Sure, the Rebels lost to them later on the road, but a win against a good Hawaii team is still a win.
Worst loss: I was going to put their loss to Oregon State, when they blew a 27-point first half lead, but losing at home to Pepperdine 75-61?
Comment: Will the Rebel fans please calm down? The Rebels have played a tough schedule that will make the conference season look like a cakewalk.
If the season ended today: Lon Kruger would protest because the easy part of the schedule is coming.
6. Utah (7-4)
Preseason ranking: 4
Best win: 66-50 vs. Rhode Island. That’s not that good.
Worst loss: 69-42 at Washington State. BYU won at Washington State.
Comment: Ray Giacoletti’s honeymoon ended seconds after the 96-94 loss at Rice. Follow that up with lopsided losses to Colorado, Arizona and Washington State? And Tim Drisdom isn’t playing like he’s in his fourth year at the point.
If the season ended today: The Utes would not be going to the NCAA Tournament for only the second time in 12 years.
7. Wyoming (7-5)
Preseason ranking: 8
Best win: 87-78 vs. Charlotte. It would have been a better victory last year.
Worst loss: 59-50 at Princeton. Yes, the same Princeton that only scored 21 points in another game.
Comment: Justin Williams needs someone else to step up. Everyone else is doing their own thing or figuring out what’s going on.
If the season ended today: There would be a lot of grumbling in Laramie.
8. San Diego State (7-5)
Preseason ranking: 1
Best win: UC Santa Barbara 66-54. No, I’m not kidding.
Worst loss: I would put in-town rival San Diego, but I’m going with the 66-63 loss to Illinois-Chicago.
Comment: Everyone was suckered into the team with the two first-team All-MWC players in the starting five and what we’ve gotten is the same underachieving Aztecs from the past few years. And now Marcus Slaughter is injured for the first two weeks of conference play.
If the season ended today: Steve Fisher would be long gone.
9. TCU (4-9)
Preseason ranking: 3
Best win: 71-63 against Texas Arlington.
Worst loss: I think we’ll go with the home loss to Division-II Tarleton State, 68-59.
Comment: Thank God they’re not in last year’s Conference USA.
If the season ended today: The team would go out and recruit some shooters. The team is only making 35 percent of its shots.
Non-conference First Team
Marcus Slaughter – SDSU
Jason Smith – Colorado State
Justin Williams – Wyoming
Mark Walters – New Mexico
Jacob Burtschi – Air Force
Coach of the Year – Dale Layer, CSU
Freshman of the Year – Trent Plaisted, BYU
