MWC 2018/19 Hoops hunches

Southwestern USA Journalists think highly of these kids:
Preseason PoY: G Caleb Martin, Sr., Nevada
Preseason Star Freshman: F/C Jordan Brown, Fr., Nevada
Preseason Newcomer  F Vance Jackson, So., New Mexico

Nevada Wolf Pack: Coach Musselman has the tools
UNLV Rebels- Rebs will surprise some folks.  Keep your eyes on Shakur Juiston
San Diego State Aztecs got into gear late last season so watch out in January.
New Mexico Lobos- Buckeye transfer JaQuan Lyle will give the Lobos a lift
Colorado State Rams_ Kendie Moore can score but coach Medved  will take some time getting  the Rams in gear
Utah State Aggies may rely too much on treys
Boise State Broncos iareusually solid but could slip a bit this season
Fresno State Bulldogs new coach will lean on guard play, defense
Wyoming Cowboys- Justin James is the key
Air Force Falcons will struggle to get to the middle of the MWC standings
San José St Spartans- Rough OOC start doesn't bode well.

Dec 8, 2018

#mussbus J Caroline scored 16 points for #6 Nevada  in a comeback win over #25 Ariz St last night, but it's way to early to talk about an undefeated season. They travel to Utah (Pac12) on Dec 29, and have to face tough conference  foes, Utah, St and Fresno St twice.
After a bad loss to NMST (WAC) .New mexico lost to St Mary's (WCC) 85-60 last night.

Jan 3, 2019

#nevada opened MWC conference play with Jordan Caroline  (15 PTS, 12 REB, 7 AST) leading the Wolfpack over Utah St. UNM beat AFA, Boise beat Wyoming, UNLV edged Col.St and Fresno St beat SJST

Jan 10, 2019

#nevada took out it anger for getting crushed by New Mexico over the weekend and pounded SJST 92-53. Braxton Higgins scored 33 points for Fresno St in a 78-77 win over Utah St. 

jan 13, 2019

More jagged mountain hoops as UNM, who crushed Nevada a week ago, fell to Col St 91-76 yesterday. Meanwhile Nevada is back in stride getting a big win over Fresno St. Caleb Martin had 27 for the #mussbus. Boise St and Utah St won while SDST lost a headscratcher 62-48 to AFA.

jan 16, 2019

Caleb Martin hit a trey at the buzzer for Nevada to outlast Boise St 72-71. SDST recovered from the AFA loss by pounding UNM 97-77 

jan 17, 2019

AFA 106 INLV 88 . I never thought the airmen could find so much  firepower on the court. Ryan Swan scored 22 for AFA..
Utah St beat SJST

Jan 20, 2019

Nevada brought AFA down from its lofty scoring games with 67-52 win . Fresno keeps rolling with a big 63-53 win over Boise St.. Utah St got a big won over Col St.

Nevada 5-1

Fresno St 4-1

UNLV4-1

Utah St4-2

Boise St 3-2

Blowout I didn't expect: UNLV 94 SJST 56 . UNLV 83 Wyo 56

Jan 23, 2019 

Air Force surprised Boise St 74-60.  Fresno and UNLV  defeated respectively, SDST and New Nexico.
Nevada 5-1 Fresno St 5-1 UNLV 5-1
Utah St 4-2 Boise St 3-3

feb 3

Top dogs in MWC : Nevada (8-1)  blew out Boise St.  Utah St (7-2) Sam Merrill had 20 points and five assists in an easy win over UNLV. Fresno St (7-2) #NateGrimes matched  19 points, 19rebounds in a win over UNM.

FEB 7

#mussbus stayed on track with a 98-82 win over Colorado St last night. Jordan Caroline (40 PTS, 12 REB, 3 AST) led Nevada (22-1, 9-1 MW) to the victory. AFA beat Wyoming and UNLV beat Boise St.

Nevada 9-1

Utah St 8-2   Fresno St 7-3

Feb 10

 #mussbus got revenge for it's only conference loss by pummeling UNM 91-62. #boise st took out some of its frustration for a mediocre season by clobbering San Jose St 105-57. Fresno St beat UNLV to move into a tie for second place with Utah St who lost to SDST.

feb 14

Fresno St  and Utah St gained a half game on idle Nevada with wins over respectively, Boise and Wyoming. UNM crushed SJSt.

feb 17

SDST(8-4) is making a late season rally and looked solid in a win over Boise St yesterday.   #DevinWatson paced San Diego State with 19 points. Fresno St and Utah St  each won and are tied for second with 10-3 records. #mussbus (11-1) roared past Wyoming 82-49 

feb 21

#mussbus gets diverted:  Devin Watson (15 PTS, 5 REB, 8 AST) led SDST(9-4) to a 65-57 win over nevada(11-2). Fresno St(10-4)  was upset by AFA and Utah St(11-3)moved to within a game of Nevad with a 71-55 win over UNM. Queta scored 23 for Utah St.

feb 24

#mussbus got back into gear holding off Fresno St(10-5). AFA(7-8) and  SDST(10-4) remained hot with wins respectively over SJST(0-14) and UNLV(9-6). Utah St(12-3) beat Boise St (6-8) and remains a half game behind Nevada (12-2)

feb 27

 Quinn Taylor(13 PTS, 11 REB, 4 AST) helped Utah St cool down SDST  70-54 . Noah Bauman (26 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST) helped SJST  defeat UNM 89-82 for its first MWC victory this season.

march 3

How about that? Utah St(14-3) beat Nevada(13-3) 81-76 to move into first place by half a game.  Tre'Shawn Thurman (Nevada) 21 PTS, 10 REB, 3 STL . Sam Merrill(Utah St) 29 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST. Nevada  travels to AFA who moved to 8-8 in MWC play with a win over Wyoming  yesterday and hosts SDST(11-5) who beat SJST  yesterday.  USU is at Colorado St(7-9) who lost to UNM (6-10) yesterday.

march 6

 #SamMerrill scored 38 points for Utah St(15-3) in an OT win over Colorado St that guarantees them at least a tie for the MWC regular season title. Nevada(14-3) beat AFA and needs a win over SDST on Saturday for a share of the MWC title.

march 10

Caleb Martin (25 PTS, 6 REB, 7 AST) led the #mussbus to an 81-53 win over SDST which gave  Nevada a tie for the MWC regular season title with Utah St at 15-3.

March 15

Boise put quite a scare into Nevada before the Wolfpack put them way in the final three minutes.. It took UTah St  about half a game to figure out the UNM press. Nev 77-Boise 69. Utah St 91 UNM 83. Fresno St  76 AFA 50. sdst 63 unlv 55.

March 16

#mussbus gets a flat and loses to SDST who faces Utah St , a winner over Fresno St, in the MWCT final. If SDST wins , I don't see the committee inviting UTah St and  giving three slots to the MWC.

March 17

 #samMerrill scored 24 points, hitting 11 of 12 from the charity stripe and earning MWCT MVP honors, in Utah State's 64-57 win over a pesky SDST Aztecs squad. Nevada will likely get an at large bid. I picked Utah st to finish second in my pre-season ratings,

april 7

 #MarvinMenzies three-year tenure as the head coach at UNLV is over, and South Dakota State head coach T.J. Otzelberger, who  led SDak  to multiple NCAA tournament appearances, is in.  That's some different turf to recruit.

april 8

#mussbus is leaving Nevada on its way to Arkansas

april 12

#stevealford will replace the #mussbus at Nevada. He coached at New Mexico (MWC) before his his UCLA gig.
May 30: good news for Utah St:  #Queta  , the 6'11 center (11.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game), is coming back  and will hook up with  #SamMerrill, the reigning MWC player of the year.

June 21 , 2019

A couple of MWC players were drafted in rd2 of the NBA draft. Cody Martin (Nevada ) and Jalen McDaniels (San Diego St) went to the Hornets. Justin James (Wyoming) went to the Kings.