SB Nation - Nevada Wolf Pack

In a Perfect World (Conference Realignment)

Evan Pfaff — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:30:13 -0000

by Tony Gutierrez - AP

Could a University of Houston QB be soon hoisting the Big 12 Championship trophy? (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Today the Big Ten conference issued a statement that they are exploring the possibility of expanding.

Every few years we hear the same rumblings and every few years there are articles published about what realignment would look like. But not since Penn State was admitted into the Big Ten has anything official been released. With that, below is the definitive article on the topic.

And even though this is a basketball blog, I will focus on the BCS aspect of realignment to argue my points. I will discuss basketball, though, and all points held for football can loosely translate over to hoops as well.

Currently there are six BCS conferences and those 6 all get automatic BCS-bowl bids. Those conferences are Big East, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-10, ACC. Of those six, three of the conferences have enough football teams to have a conference championship game (the Big East would have enough if more of their charter schools had D1 football programs).

Part of the BCS issue is that you have some conferences without 12 schools, who don't currently have conference championship games. Adding conference championship games will ultimately help the BCS by crowing, on a field, a true conference champ. This will help with BCS bowl bids, and especially the BCS championship game. (Think of a rule where you have to at least win your division to get a BCS bid.

The other BCS issue is of the non-BCS schools and where they should lie. My realignment program take that into account.

Without further ado, after The Jump is the Big12Hoops.com Realignment plan.

MIZZOU MOVES TO THE BIG 10.

Why is this good for the Big 10? By admitting Mizzou into the Big 10, the Big 10 would secure a coveted TV market, namely St Louis. They would also get a share of the Kansas City TV market. By expanding westward, revenues from the Big 10 Network and apparel sales would grow. The Big 10 would also secure a 12^th team and legitimize a conference championship game. The divisions would be as follow:

Big 10 East: Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue, Penn State

Big 10 West: Mizzou, Illinois, Northwestern, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa

Under this scenario all regional rivalries remain in tact

Why is this good for Mizzou? The Big 12 seems to forget about schools not named Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas (basketball). There is no television network, so Mizzou's games are generally only regionally shown. There is Big Monday for basketball, but that is mainly reserved for Texas and KU. Under this, Mizzou's football games could be carried on the Big 10 Network and basketball games will be tied into the Big 10 ESPN deal. All this leads to a major recruiting advantage in both revenue generating sports.

Mizzou also has a rival in Illinois that would heat up instantly and the heated rivalry with Kansas will replace the Illinois basketball and football games on the schedules. Instead of St Louis, though, the KU games will be played at the Sprint Center and Arrowhead in KC.

But what about... Iowa State? The Cyclones seem to also be a natural fit and could easily add fuel to the rivalry with in-state foe Iowa Hawkeyes. The problem is that the Big 10 gains little from that arrangement. They are already pretty entrenched in the Hawkeye State and the addition of ISU wouldn't help their regional or national reputation.

THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON JOINS THE BIG XII

Why is this good for the Big 12? The University of Houston is a large campus, in a region of Texas that is currently underdeveloped with college sports. Houston is the 4^th largest city in the country, and by planting a team there, the Big 12 will get even more Texas viewership.

The big question would be on alignment, since there will now be 5 Texas schools. My proposal is for

Big 12 "North": Nebraska, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State

Big 12 "South": Texas, Houston, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Baylor, Colorado

The division names will have to be rebranded, but adding Colorado to the South is acceptable because Coloradoans joke that there are more Texans in the state than natives.

Why is this good for Houston? Historically, the Cougars have had a good football team, and have won a basketball national championship. Having a Big XII logo on their court will increase their recruiting presence in the city and state and potentially turn them into powerhouse.

But what about... TCU? TCU would be a good choice, if they were bigger. Their 8000 student just wouldn't cut it if the conference wishes to remain the BIG 12. Houston's enrollment is approximately 30,000 students. Commuter school or not, Houston would help retain the "Big" in Big 12.

BYU AND UTAH GO TO THE PAC-10

Why is this good for the Pac-10? By including Utah and BYU into the Pac-10, the conference will have the 12 schools needed for an automatic conference championship games. Both programs have historically legitimate football and basketball programs, and they will bring their rivalry with them. Geographically, they are far enough West to warrant admission into the conference.

The division would be as follows

Pac-10 North: Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, BYU, Utah

Pac-10 South: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Stanford, UCLA, USC

Why is this good for BYU and Utah? Both recruit well from the West, and inclusion into the conference will aid that. And by coming over as a pair (and as rivals) they bring legitimacy to the expansion eastward.

But what about... geography? The state of Utah doesn't border any states of current Pac-10 members, and that may cause some issues, but distance isn't really something the conference has ever regarded. Consider that Tucson, AZ to Seattle, WA is 1100 miles, or 400 miles farther than Tucson to Provo, UT.

ADD MORE TEAMS TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST

Why is this good for the Mountain West? As it stands under this scenario, the Mountain West is down to 7 members (the current 9, minus BYU and Utah). To get up with the big boys, the MWC needs to add 5 schools. The 5 that should move to the MWC should be: Boise State, Nevada, New Mexico State, Rice, SMU.

There is already talk of Boise coming over to the MWC, so that is a no brainer. The others are coming over as "rivals" to existing MWC schools. Nevada will face UNLV, New Mexico State will pair with New Mexico, Rice and SMU will pit against TCU is a three-way battle for Texas.

Having 12 schools will allow the conference to host a championship game, matching the winners of each division, which would be as follows:

MWC North: UNLV, Nevada, Air Force, Wyoming, Colorado State, Boise State

MWC South: San Diego State, New Mexico, New Mexico State, TCU, Rice, SMU

Why is this good for the 5 programs? The shift from either the C-USA or WAC will legitimize the programs (see the next point). All will also enter the new MWC with a foe. Everyone wins.

But what about... the MWC still remaining relatively minute as compared to their BCS brethren? Why would these schools shift from one conference to another, just for shits and giggles? See next point.

ADMIT THE MOUNTAIN WEST INTO THE BCS

Why is this good for the BCS? Controversy will mainly be avoided. By admitting the redesigned MWC into the BCS you are accepting the current BCS gate crashers. You are bringing in the current at-large schools causing heartache and giving yourself another conference champion that the country can latch onto.

Why is this good for the MWC? Why isn't it good for the MWC?

But what about... the C-USA and WAC? These two conferences are now in shambles. What to do? See next item.

MERGE THE C-USA AND WAC

Why is this good for the two conferences? Because of the success of some of their schools, and regional ability to move, the Conference USA and WAC are currently left in shambles (under this proposal). Essentially afterthoughts as they are, now they are left with 15 schools between them. They could either split them up 8 and 7 or combine forces and form a 15 league mega conference. In terms of basketball, as we have seen with the Big East, and their 16 school hoops conference, too many schools doesn't water down the pool.

But what about... regionality? The C-USA is currently a conglomerate of throw-ins from around the country. Under this plan, that would just increase to a truly national conference. The members of it would be: Fresno St, Hawaii, Idaho, La Tech, San Jose St, Utah St, UTEP, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, Cent Florida, ECU, Marshall, Memphis, Southern Miss

Using the scenario outlined above, 18 schools will change conferences. This sounds like a lot, but as you can see many will be moving as groups and either with or to a rival.

But what about the Big East? Well, the Big East is the one conference I am leaving alone. In their football world, they are lacking the 12 members to create a championship game. But when you include their basketball members, they are a 16-team powerhouse.

One final thought. I reserve the right to claim this entire scenario null and void if Notre Dame ever decides to join the Big 10. If that were to happen, I would still endorse some shifting, but nothing to the extent of this proposal. More on that if a Notre Dame to the Big 10 rumor starts getting some legitimate traction.

Cougars' remaining non-conference schedule breakdown

sroufe — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:03:33 -0000

More photos » by Patrick Smith - AP

Get used to this people... BYU forward Brandon Davies (0) is just getting started in Provo... (AP Photo/Patrick Smith)

Browse more photos »

Here's a preview of the next six non-MWC contests facing the Cougars over the holidays and heading into conference play next month...

Remaining Non-Conference Games:

BYU vs. Wagner - Thursday, December 17
7 PM Tipoff (MST); TV: BYUTV

The Seahawks hail from Staten Island. They are currently 1-7 and their best-known opponent thus far has been Bucknell, who beat Wagner by 24 in New York. Prediction - Cougars 96, Seahawks 60.

BYU vs. Eastern Washington - Saturday, December 19
7 PM Tipoff (MST); TV: BYUTV

Rodney Stuckey's alma mater is 4-5 but has been competitive in most of their matchups this season. The Eagles most recently lost to Seattle at home in overtime (The same Seattle that beat Utah in Salt Lake and Fresno State in Washington. Their star, Charles Garcia is getting serious NBA attention.). This is a very winnable game for the Cougars at home but senior Brandon Moore could give them problems inside. Prediction - Cougars 89, Eagles 76.

BYU vs. Nevada - Tuesday, December 22
HoopTV Las Vegas Classic - Las Vegas (Orleans Arena)
1 PM Tipoff (MST); TV: BYUTV

This tournament game was originally scheduled for 8:30 pm, but was moved up due to the Cougars contest in the Las Vegas Bowl that evening. BYU has played very well in Orleans Arena in the past - games against Louisville and North Carolina come to mind - but Nevada should have some fans and this is by no means an automatic win. The Cougars have already lost to one WAC opponent and can't afford to lose another. The Wolfpack is currently 4-4 but their losses have all been to quality competition: North Carolina, UOP, UNLV and VCU. The game against EWU will be a good test for the Cougars' post players going against Moore in preparation for Nevada's Luke Babbitt. The sophomore forward is the latest NBA prospect to come out of Reno and has recorded 7 consecutive double-doubles. Prediction - Cougars 74, Wolfpack 71

BYU vs. Nebraska or Tulsa - Wednesday, December 23
HoopTV Las Vegas Classic - Las Vegas (Orleans Arena)
Time - TBA; TV: BYUTV

Nebraska is 7-2 so far and have already knocked off two PAC-10 opponents: USC (in L.A.) and Oregon State. BYU assistant Walter Roese (the surname is pronounced with an 'H' not an 'R) is now coaching in Lincoln. The Cornhuskers are winning with some very impressive defense, holding both of the aforementioned schools below 50 points. This could be a scrappy contest should the Cougars draw Nebraska and BYU will need Tavernari or someone other than Fredette and Haws to really step it up offensively. Prediction - Cougars 64, Cornhuskers 58

Tulsa is also a quality program and potentially a tough matchup for BYU. They are 7-1 and crushed Oklahoma State earlier this month in Tulsa. The Hurricane's lone loss came to Missouri State in Springfield. (Missouri State (9-0) will probably be ranked soon as they have also beaten Auburn and Air Force pretty convincingly.) Tulsa has one of the best centers in the country in Jerome Jordan. Jordan might have been a first-round selection had he made himself eligible last June. If the Cougars can't get their perimeter shots to fall it will be very, very difficult to score on Jordan inside. Prediction - Golden Hurricane 78, Cougars 75

BYU vs Arizona - Monday, December 28 at Tucson
7 PM Tipoff (MST); TV: Fox College Sports (FCS)

This will be an exciting matchup between two of the better point guards in the West. Wildcats' guard Nic Wise remains from last years' Sweet-16 team (with Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill). Arizona has officially begun the post-Lute Olson era however, and Sean Miller is a terrific coach. You should remember him from when he coached Xavier past the Cougars in the 2007 tourney. The Wildcats have been somewhat of a disappointment thus far, as despite it being a rebuilding year in Tucson they have dropped winnable contests to Wisconsin on the road and UNLV at home. Most recently they were destroyed at home by San Diego State. Could Arizona really lose to three MWC opponents in one season? Yes. Prediction - Cougars 70, Wildcats 64.

BYU vs. Eastern New Mexico - Saturday, January 2
7 PM Tipoff (MST); TV: TBA

ENM is located in Portales and is a small school with about 4,300 students. Interestingly, their men's (Greyhounds) and women's (Zia's) athletic teams have different mascots. The Greyhounds are 4-4 on the season with their marquee win being against the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. This will be a good learning experience for the Greyhounds. Remember that win over Southern? Prediction - Cougars 110, Greyhounds 62

(First conference game scheduled for Wednesday, January 6 vs. UNLV in Provo)

BYU vs. UTEP - Saturday, January 9 at El Paso
6 PM Tipoff (MST); TV: CBS College Sports

The Miners are 5-1 thus far but they haven't really played anyone. Their lone loss was at home to New Mexico State. That had to have been a bummer since they had just beaten the Aggies two weeks earlier by 21 in Las Cruzes. So despite the Cougars going on the road, this should really be the calm before the storm of conference competition. Prediction - Cougars 90, Miners 71

Summary:

Before the season began I asserted that BYU's depth and somewhat weaker schedule this season could permit them to have a quality record headed into MWC competition:

"The Cougars should have a very good record going into conference play. That's 15 games into the season and I see no reason why BYU can't be 13-2 at that point."

The Cougars currently sit at 8-1 and their remaining six non-conference contests are all highly winnable. In fact you could probably assume that the games against Wagner and the Eastern Washington and New Mexico's are automatic despite that being a bit hubristic on my part. I also expect the Cougars to have a good showing in the Las Vegas Classic.

The last two games against Arizona State and Fresno State are a sign of things to come. Opponents are now familiar enough with Fredette that they are going to seal off the lane and force the Cougars wing-players to make their mid-range to outside jumpers. Luckily for BYU Tyler Haws and/or Jackson Emery have done just that. You can't say enough good things about Haws' play so far. We certainly anticipated him being a big-time player and even a contributor to the team this season. However, I wasn't expecting him to be playing over 30 minutes a game, rebounding like a kangaroo on crack and consistently making clutch plays down the stretch of games.

But the best thing about this is Tavernari. He's been abysmal shooting from, well, everywhere but the FT line. That's obviously not what's great. What's wonderful is that he's not going to get any worse. JT is shooting 10% below his season average from last year and easily 7% worse behind the arc than any season he's spent in Provo. His minutes are down, his rebounding is down, his assists are down - but all that is going to change.

These last few non-conference games will provide Tavernari the opportunity to get his confidence back. The games against Wagner and EWU may be just what the doctor ordered - and returning to Orleans Arena where JT has excelled in the past (and where he is familiar having played high school ball in Vegas) could really break him out of this funk. Just in time for conference play.

Additionally, young players like Haws, Davies and others like Abouo and Hartsock are only going to continue to improve. Hartsock has shown that the past couple of games (13 points against the Sun Devils and 11 boards against the Bulldogs) and is now starting at the four. This team is deep. As deep as any I can remember.

If the Cougars do manage to come into MWC play with only one or two losses they will be positioning themselves for a better tournament seed come March. So while UNLV, New Mexico and San Diego State have all been impressive, BYU is the three-time defending champs and their future is looking just as bright as their past.

Updated BYU statistics after the jump...

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Jimmer Fredette	9	31.7	5.6	13.0	42.7	1.8	4.2	42.1	5.8	6.2	92.9	1.0	2.3	3.3	5.8	2.7	1.8	0.2	1.0	18.7
Jackson Emery	9	24.0	3.8	7.6	50.0	2.8	5.8	48.1	1.8	2.2	80.0	0.6	3.2	3.8	1.6	1.2	2.7	0.1	3.1	12.1
Jonathan Tavernari	9	25.4	4.0	11.7	34.3	1.7	5.4	30.6	0.9	1.1	80.0	0.6	4.4	5.0	1.2	1.1	1.3	0.2	2.0	10.6
Tyler Haws	9	26.6	3.6	7.3	48.5	0.4	2.0	22.2	2.3	2.8	84.0	1.4	2.7	4.1	1.6	1.1	0.7	0.2	2.0	9.9
Noah Hartsock	9	21.8	2.7	4.0	66.7	0.1	0.1	100.0	0.8	1.0	77.8	1.2	3.9	5.1	0.6	0.3	0.7	1.0	1.6	6.2
Chris Miles	9	15.9	2.1	3.8	55.9	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	1.2	81.8	1.3	2.4	3.8	0.8	0.4	0.3	0.6	2.2	5.2
Charles Abouo	9	12.0	1.4	3.4	41.9	0.3	0.8	42.9	1.7	2.1	78.9	1.1	1.3	2.4	0.7	1.0	0.8	0.4	1.7	4.9
Michael Loyd, Jr.	9	13.1	1.7	2.7	62.5	0.8	1.4	53.8	0.2	0.4	50.0	0.0	0.8	0.8	1.1	1.0	0.3	0.0	0.7	4.3
Brandon Davies	9	12.0	1.4	2.1	68.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.1	1.8	62.5	1.1	2.0	3.1	0.4	1.2	0.2	0.6	2.3	4.0
Lamont Morgan, Jr.	9	9.7	0.9	1.3	66.7	0.2	0.3	66.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.3	0.4	1.9	0.6	0.3	0.0	0.2	2.0
James Anderson	8	4.1	0.4	0.9	42.9	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.3	50.0	0.6	0.5	1.1	0.0	0.3	0.3	0.0	1.1	0.9
Logan Magnusson	7	3.7	0.3	0.9	33.3	0.1	0.3	50.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.4	1.3	1.7	0.4	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.7
Brock Zylstra	6	2.0	0.3	0.7	50.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.7

Poll

What will the Cougars' record be going into conference play?

RPI WATCH: 11/23/09

BracketCat — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:00:13 -0000

Well, it's officially basketball season here at BOTC, so I'm going to try and get some basketball-related stuff on here on a more consistent basis. Big 12 Outlook will return after New Year's, but in the meantime, I need to resume the Big 12 previews and shift them into overdrive a little in order to make up for lost time.

The other thing I want to do is update you on all of our opponents on a daily basis. I'll look at how they performed in yesterday's games and maybe track the RPIs a little, too. The idea is to get a general picture, on a day-to-day basis, of how strong our non-conference schedule is, because I've seen some concern from various corners of late.

For a more detailed discussion, hit the jump. But here's a short preview: We did ourselves a lot of good in Puerto Rico.

Here's how our opponents have performed to date, in order to provide a baseline comparison and bring everyone up to speed. (After all, not everyone has been paying attention to hoops like I have, given our North-contending football team and what have you.)

Kansas State RPI = 28

Great Wins (RPI 1-50) = Dayton

Good Wins (RPI 51-100) = Loyola

Bad Losses (RPI 100 or greater) = none

Loyola (2-1) | RPI = 64: Loss at Kansas State (92-54), Win over Canisius (89-69), Win at Holy Cross (76-73)
Western Illinois (2-2) | RPI = 112: Loss at Arizona State (87-35), Loss at Kansas State (82-50), Win over Truman State (71-59), Win at Central Arkansas (56-46)
Boston (1-4) | RPI = 141: Loss at Iona (82-73), Loss to George Washington (69-59), Loss to Kansas State (80-70), Win over Indiana (71-67), Loss to No. 21 Georgia Tech (85-67)
Ole Miss (4-1) | RPI = 76: Win over UALR (92-64), Win over Alabama State (90-53), Win over Indiana (89-71), Win over Kansas State (86-74), Loss to No. 5 Villanova (79-67)
No. 18 Dayton (2-2) | RPI = 32: Win over Creighton (90-80), Win over No. 21 Georgia Tech (63-59), Loss to No. 5 Villanova (71-65), Loss to Kansas State (83-75)
IUPUI (4-1) | RPI = 75: Win at Drake (88-82), Win at Eastern Illinois (69-66), Win over Austin Peay (77-63), Loss at Auburn (80-65), Win over Georgia State (67-56)
Fort Hays State (2-0) | RPI = N/A (D-II): Win over Friends (82-46), Win over Central Christian College (85-66)
Washington State (3-0) | RPI = 140: Win over MVSU (94-66), Win over Eastern Washington (67-61), Win over IPFW (89-70)
Xavier (3-0) | RPI = 79: Win over Youngstown State (83-57), Win over Bowling Green (101-57), Win over Sacred Heart (105-65)
UNLV (3-0) | RPI = 1: Win over Pittsburg State (91-52), Win over Nevada (88-75), Win over Southern Illinois (78-69)
Alabama (2-1) | RPI = 186: Loss to Cornell (71-67), Win over Jackson State (86-69), Win over Providence (84-75)
UAPB (0-3) | RPI = 166: Loss at Colorado (88-72), Loss at Denver (75-56), Loss at UTEP (70-52)
Cleveland State (3-1) | RPI = 260: Loss at St. Bonaventure (72-62), Win over Wilmington (99-74), Win over Florida A&M (78-64), Win over Sam Houston State (80-65)
South Dakota (2-2) | RPI = N/A (D-I transition): Loss at Texas Tech (88-49), Loss to Oregon State (62-47), Win over TAMUCC (76-73), Win over Mayville State (99-67)
Missouri (2-0) | RPI = 280: Win over UT Martin (83-68), Win over UTPA (100-64)
Texas A&M (3-0) | RPI = 135: Win over Angelo State (88-69), Win at SMU (80-68), Win over Samford (68-49)
Colorado (3-0) | RPI = 128: Win over UAPB (88-72), Win over Coppin State (82-58), Win over Texas Southern (88-77)
No. 3 Texas (2-0) | RPI = 17: Win over UC Irvine (89-42), Win over Western Carolina (73-41)
Oklahoma State (3-0) | RPI = 21: Win over Seattle (86-64), Win over Southern (93-61), Win over North Texas (82-68)
Baylor (4-0) | RPI = 60: Win over Norfolk State (86-58), Win over Hartford (71-69), Win over Southern (61-45), Win over Hardin-Simmons (106-45)
No. 1 Kansas (3-0) | RPI = 46: Win over Hofstra (101-65), Win over Memphis (57-55), Win over Central Arkansas (94-44)
Nebraska (2-1) | RPI = 134: Win over SCUU (76-49), Loss at Saint Louis (69-55), Win over TCU (90-77)
Iowa State (4-0) | RPI = 188: Win over Idaho State (88-68), Win over Chicago State (72-50), Win at Drake (90-70), Win over MVSU (96-55)
No. 17 Oklahoma (2-1) | RPI = 65: Win over Mount St. Mary's (95-71), Win over UL Monroe (72-61), Loss at VCU (82-69)
Texas Tech (5-0) | RPI = 86: Win over South Dakota (88-49), Win over TAMUCC (66-59), Win over Oregon State (64-60), Win over Northwestern State (94-75), Win over Lamar (77-54)

My plan is to update this daily with the games are played the previous day, and I'll probably start looking at RPIs some time after Thanksgiving (they're pretty meaningless before that point due to the disparity in scheduling).

Update: Got bored and added the RPIs around midnight. I'll save the analysis for tomorrow's edition.

2009-10 BYU Basketball Preview

sroufe — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:00:53 -0000

View full size photo »

The season may not officially begin until November 13th versus Bradley, but now that Cougar Tipoff is past, preseason rankings and media predictions are submitted, and the football team's conference title hopes have gone the way of the dodo, it seems appropriate to preview the upcoming season. So read the official '09/'10 official prospectus if you haven't done so already and let's begin.

2008-09 Review:
   Record - 25-8 (12-4 MWC)
   MWC Champions - (Regular Season) Title shared with New Mexico and Utah
   NCAA Tournament - Lost in Round 1 to Texas A&M, 79-66

Key Loss:

Lee Cummard, G/F - The Cougars' best overall player for at least the past two seasons. Cummard put up 16.8 PPG and 6.2 RPG last season, twice finished on the MWC First-Team, and was the MWC Co-MVP and an Honorable Mention AP All-American in 2007/08.

Key Additions:

Tyler Haws, G - Prepped at Lone Peak HS (as did incumbent guard Jackson Emery) in Utah County. Arguably, had the greatest high school career in state history. Finished as the Knights' all-time leading scorer (1,772) and won two state titles (nearly three). Haws isn't the best creator but he is an unbelievable finisher. That should work to his benefit during his freshman season as he'll be surrounded with some players (like Emery) with the ability and experience to find him on the break. Haws has the most upside of any BYU guard since Travis Hansen. Of course his dad, Marty Haws was a terrific guard for the Cougars during the late '80's. He has a nice perimeter game that could improve but he is an excellent rebounder for his size. He should see a lot of minutes during his freshman season prior to leaving on an LDS mission next year.

Brandon Davies, F - Just as Haws has tremendous upside, that can be said here as well. Davies is another local product (Provo HS) with major upside. He is very strong and possesses good fundamentals for a big man his age. What he lacks in quickness/agility, he makes up for in strength and efficiency in his footwork/ball control. Davies is a decent shot blocker as well. Again, like Haws, Davies should see some significant action this season and be a huge part of the Cougars' success over the next several years.

Brock Zylstra, G/F - Zylstra is back after serving an LDS Mission. He red-shirted in 2006-07. Zylstra is a smart, athletic wing from Southern California. He should provide some nice depth behind Emery and Haws but likely won't be a key member of the rotation. Zylstra should merit some minutes though, especially early in the season, and figures to play a larger role next season after Haws leaves on his mission and Tavernari graduates.

Logan Magnusson - G/F - Magnusson was one of the key contributors to Salt Lake Community College's team that won the NJCAA Division I National Title last season. (Magnusson played at Dixie State before that.) Magnusson won't provide the Cougars with much offense but is a nice guy to have on Rose's bench - a scrappy wing player with good size that defends well and rebounds aggressively.

Projected Depth Chart and Commentary:

PG - Jimmer Fredette; Lamont Morgan Jr.; Michael Loyd Jr.
SG - Jackson Emery; Brock Zylstra
SF - Charles Abouo; Tyler Haws; Logan Magnusson
PF - Jonathan Tavernari; Noah Hartsock, Brandon Davies
C - Chris Miles; James Anderson

Practice Squad - Tanner Lamb (Snow College, Orem HS); Andrew Johnston (Snow Canyon HS, St. George, UT) and Kyle Rose (Southridge HS, Beaverton, OR and nephew of coach Rose)

It is likely to depend on the opponent whether or not Rose starts Tavernari at the 4 rather than Hartsock (or perhaps Davies). Obviously that isn't his natural position and he understandably has a difficult time trying to defend true PF's in the post. However, he provides some major problems for teams that try to defend him on the perimeter with less mobile big-men. The problem with starting Tavernari at the 3 is that both Abouo and Haws have the talent to merit serious floor time there. It's a nice conundrum and one that should easily work itself out during the early part of the season.

Despite Tavernari's lack of size at the 4, the Cougars post players are as good a group collectively as the Marriott Center has seen in many moons. Miles figures to be improved with experience and is a substantial upgrade over Gavin MacGregor. (Though I hear G-Mac plays a mean trombone.) Hartsock is a year removed from his mission and should be dramatically improved in terms of both conditioning and skill-set. Of course there is Davies as well. And finally Anderson is a solid shot-blocker that isn't a horrific option of the bench when the others get into foul trouble.

The starting guard spots are final: Fredette and Emery. Of course, you know all about Jimmmmer and his crossssover. Some fans are so enamored with the aforementioned move you would have thought Tim Hardaway had transferred from UTEP. Still, Fredette is a fiery competitor, has a knack for getting into traffic and drawing contact and has greatly improved his perimeter game. His status awarded by the media as preseason MWC MVP appears a bit outrageous on its face but he is likely to be the best all-around player on the team this season. Morgan and Loyd each have their strengths (speed) and weaknesses (shooting, size) but are serviceable backups.

Emery, like Hartsock, should benefit exceedingly from having been home from Mexico for over a year now. When he's healthy he is the Cougars' best defender and possibly the best on-the-ball defender in the conference. I'm really looking forward to seeing him play this season. Emery is the ideal player to put beside Fredette as he doesn't demand the ball and Jimmer is so ostensibly pass-second.

Predictions:

BYU has a much weaker non-conference schedule than the past couple seasons that saw them pitted against North Carolina, Louisville and Wake Forest (to name a few). This year they do travel to Utah State, Fresno State, Nevada, Arizona and UTEP however. They also host Arizona State. Utah State lost forward Gary Wilkerson though and Arizona is in rebuilding mode after losing Chase Budinger (who is playing well so far for the Rockets I might add) and Jordan Hill. Nevada has a nice player however in Luke Babbitt and Fresno and Steve Cleveland has a good prospect as well in Paul George. Finally, the ASU game is interesting considering the Cougars actually won in Tempe last December (Andy Katz is a jerk) and the Sun Devils have since lost James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph. Add in the fact that the game is in Provo and the Cougars should win that game.

The Cougars should have a very good record going into conference play. That's 15 games into the season and I see no reason why BYU can't be 13-2 at that point.

In terms of conference play it will be interesting as always. Utah, of course, lost Luke Nevill, Shaun Green, Lawrence Borha and Tyler Kepkay all to graduation. It ought to be a rebuilding year in Salt Lake. UNLV lost Wink Adams, Joe Darger (goodbye faux-hawk!) and Rene Rougeau. Still Lon Kruger added some very nice transfers in Derrick Jasper (Kentucky) and Chace Stanback (UCLA). The Rebels may not be as deep as they've been in recent years but they'll still be dangerous with Tre'Von Willis and Matt Shaw as well. San Diego State also lost some experienced players but the Aztecs have added Kawhi Leonard, a freshman G/F from Riverside, CA. Leonard could have played anywhere and most expect him to impact the MWC immediately.

New Mexico has to be excited for basketball even if they weren't going to be that good right? Well, the Lobos should compete again for the conference championship. Despite losing Tony Danridge and Daniel Faris there remain some nice players in Albuquerque. That includes Phillip McDonald who, like Leonard, had his pick of schools to choose from coming out of high school.

So those are the traditional "powers" in MWC basketball. Wyoming, Air Force, Colorado State round up the rest of BYU's conference schedule but none of those programs are likely to compete for the conference championship this season. Of course the Rams should be improved - Andy Ogide could be either a dud or all-conference.

In summary, BYU biggest competition should come from UNLV. SDSU and New Mexico should also be solid. BYU however appears to have the most experience and the most depth of any team in the conference. Combine that with the Cougars' track record at home and they should actually improve on their 12-4 record from last season. I think they can win 14 conference games and go into the MWC tournament with a 27-4 record.

It's not like I'm going out on a limb here. The MWC Media, Athlon, Doug Gottlieb (ESPN), USA Today and Yahoo! Sports have all projected the Cougars to win the conference with a similar record. Athlon projected BYU to be a 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament and Joe Lunardi has them as a 7 seed. I think those seedings are realistic and attainable for this club. And as we've seen multiple times over the past decade, if the Cougars are finally going to get that infamously elusive tourney win in March, they'll need to be seeded at least as high as 7.

There's a lot to look forward to, especially after the roller-coaster of a football season we've had in Provo. Hopefully, Cougar fans can find some stability in an unlikely (at least in terms of the erratic Tavernari being called "stable") source.

GO COUGARS!!!

Fredette photo via bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com

BtB 2009-10 Western Athletic Conference Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:18:43 -0000

The membership of the Western Athletic Conference has to hope that the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century resembles the beginning of the first decade, and not its end. You see, the WAC skidded at the end of the "aughts," only qualifying the league champion to the 2008 and 2009 tournaments, with both teams falling at the first hurdle. (Though Utah State, conveniently placed in a Boise pod, gave Marquette a battle last season, falling by one.)

Really, the last four years of the decade saw the WAC on a bit of a downswing. Between 2006 and 2009, the conference only won one tournament game, Nevada's win over Creighton in a 7/10 matchup in 2007. Compare that to the first six years of the decade, when a league member won at least one tournament game each tournament. And in that 2000-2005 span, the only year the WAC received a single bid was 2003, when now former member Tulsa won their first round game..as a 13 seed!

The conference's two main standard bearers in the early part of this century, Utah State and Nevada, are poised to bring the WAC back to prominence this time around, but they'll be challenged by the other seven schools, particularly New Mexico State and an Idaho team that made big strides last year. More on all nine teams after the jump.

Let's start with a look at the final WAC standings for 2008-09.

Western Athletic Conference Standings

(updated 3.24.2009 at 12:09 AM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Utah State Aggies	14	2	30	5
Nevada Wolf Pack	11	5	21	13
Boise St. Broncos	9	7	19	13
New Mexico St. Aggies	9	7	17	15
Idaho Vandals	9	7	17	16
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs	6	10	15	18
San Jose St. Spartans	6	10	13	17
Hawaii Warriors	5	11	13	17
Fresno St. Bulldogs	3	13	13	21

Now here are my picks for the 2009-10 season, presented in reverse order.

Fresno State (last NCAA: 2001) Steve Cleveland continues to rebuild the Fresno State program, and this team should improve on the three conference wins they earned last season, even if their place in the standings doesn't change. The overall talent, led by swingman Paul George (14.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 44.7% 3-pointers) and the team's only senior, forward Sylvester Seay (15.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg), is good, but Cleveland needs a new point guard to replace Dwight O'Neil. JC transfer Steven Shepp, a 6-2 junior from Virginia, could be the answer. There is a lot of excitement in Fresno about 6-9 freshman Greg Smith, who will join Seay and 6-8 Nedeljko Golubovic (7.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg) in the frontcourt. The Bulldogs will participate in the West Coast Classic, a unique round-robin event in which they'll host Pacific and San Diego State and visit Northern Arizona and Santa Clara.

Hawai'i (last NCAA: 2002) The Warriors return just about everyone from last year's 8th place team, including 6-7 F Roderick Flemings (16.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg), who will be a serious contender for WAC Player of the Year. The only significant loss is that of G Kareem Nitoto, one of coach Bob Nash's primary stoppers, who transferred to UC Riverside. His departure could hurt the conference's third-ranked defense. Flemings will get some help on the offensive end, as JC transfer Jeremy Lay arrives to help carry the load at point guard, as returning starter Hiram Thompson battled injuries in '08-09. Providence transfer Dwain Williams will also be eligible. He averaged 11 points and 2 assists a game as a Friar and was the team's best foul and three-point shooter. 7-0 Brazilian JC transfer Douglas Kurtz woll help bolster a frontline that returns 6-9 senior Bill Amis, who averaged nearly 11 points and 7 boards a game last year, and 6-8 Lithuanian senior Petras Balocka (8.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg). The Warriors will anchor the Christmastime Diamond Head Classic, where they will face Southern Conference favorite College of Charleston before facing either SMU or UNLV, both former conference-mates in their second game. The Rainbow Classic has been converted to a four-team round-robin. UH will face McNeese State, Northern Colorado, and Southern Utah in that event.

Louisiana Tech (last NCAA: 1991) Kerry Rupp's team actually finished the year ranked only behind Utah State in the WAC's total defense table, giving up abour 63 points a game. Unfortunately, they only managed to score about 63 points per game, despite featuring three players who averaged in double-figures. That meant the Bulldogs finished rock bottom in the league in scoring and with a 6-10 league mark. As all three of their leading scorers--senior sharpshooter Kyle Gibson (16.1 ppg), 603 senior Jamel Guyton (11.8 ppg), and former LSU standout Magnum Rolle (12.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg) are all back, Tech has an excellent shot at improving their scoring totals. Rupp just needs some of his other players, such as sophomore guard Olu Ashaolu (5.3 ppg) and senior forward David Jackson (5 ppg, 3.5 rpg), to step up their production. 5-11 JC transfer DeAndre Brown, who was named the top junior college player in Texas last season, is another possible answer. If La Tech can find some more points from somewhere, they could really surprise.

San Jose State (last NCAA: 1996) Like La Tech, the Spartans won 6 WAC games last year. They should win a few more this year if their star, Washington transfer Adrian Oliver, can stay healthy. The 6-4 guard averaged over 17 points a game in the 18 games he was able to appear in when healthy. Coach George Nessman will have to find a replacement for his team's third leading scorer of a year ago, senior forward Tim Pierce (11.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg). The frontline returnees, 6-9 C.J. Webster (12 ppg, 6.5 rpg), who earned an extra year of eligibility, and 6-10 Chris Oakes (8.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg), are a formidable unit. They'll be joined by 6-8 JC transfer Moses Omolade. Junior Justin Graham, who averaged more than 8 points and nearly 5 assists a game, will partner with Oliver in the backcourt. 6-3 senior Robert Owens (7 ppg), a 38 percent three-point shooter will also see plenty of time this year. In an interesting scheduling quirk, Oliver will get to play on his former homecourt on November 20. The game in Seattle is the Spartans only one scheduled against a Pac-10 opponent this season.

Boise State (last NCAA: 2008) The Broncos followed up on their 2008 WAC title and NCAA appearance with 19 wins and an appearance in the College Basketball Invitational. To make the postseason for a third straight season, coach Greg Graham will have to replace three key performers. most notably Mark Sanchez, the Broncos' leading scorer (13 ppg) and rebounder (7.2 rpg) last time out. The frontcourt will still be strong without Sanchez, as 6-9 C Kurt Cunningham (10.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg), 6-9 F Ike Okoye (8.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg), and 6-7 Paul Noonan (10 ppg, 3.6 rpg) return. They'll be joined by 6-7 JC transfer Daequon Montreal, who averaged nearly 16 points and 9 boards a game at the College of Southern Idaho. The offense is in good hands with PG Anthony Thomas at the helm. He averaged 9 points a contest last year while setting the Broncos' single-season record for assists. BSU could use another backcourt scorer, however, with returnees Justin Salzwedel and La'Shard Anderson being the best hopes. The Broncos travel to Illinois this season and play in a round-robin event at Montana, which also features North Dakota and Loyola Marymount.

Idaho (last NCAA: 1990) First-year coach Don Verlin led the Vandals to 17 wins last year (they won only 38 total games in the previous five years), a sweep of archrivals Boise State, and a win over Pacific in the College Insider Tournament. Thanks to the eligibility of a player who left that very Tiger program, Idaho could very well improve on their 9-7 league finish this season. Steffan Johnson, who was last seen earning a spot on the all-Big West first team during his junior year in Stockton, will team with 6-2 senior Mac Hopson (16.4 ppg, 5.9 apg) and 6-4 Kashif Watson (10.3 ppg) to form perhaps the best backcourt in the league. The frontcourt, led by 6-9 Marvin Jefferson (9.1 ppg), 6-6 Brandon Wiley (8.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and 6-7 Luciano de Souza (8.5 ppg) is solid, but could stand to increase its scoring. 6-8 Luiz Toledo, who averaged 13.6 ppg at St. Francis Xavier University in Canada, could end up being another inside scoring option for Idaho.

Nevada (last NCAA: 2007) Assistant David Carter takes over for Mark Fox, who left for a BCS conference gig (Georgia). The Wolf Pack underwent some roster changes in the offseason. Most notably, 6-6 F Malik Cooke (9.6 ppg. 6.2 rpg) transferred and 6-8 F Ahyaro Phillips got kicked off the team, but the two leaders of the team, 6-9 Luke Babbitt (16.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and 6-3 Armon Johnson (15.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg) are back. The two Reno products can't do it all by themselves, though. Carter expects to get more out of returnees Brandon Fields, who averaged 9.4 points per contest coming off the bench last year, Jerry Shaw (7.4 ppg, 4 rpg), and Dario Hunt (3.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg). The fact that two recruits, highly-regarded Devonte Elliott and Jerry Evans, Jr., couldn't get eligible hurts. 6-9 Serbian F Marko Cukic is eligible, though, and he'll see plenty of action. Nevada has another tough schedule lined up, with games atUNLV, VCU, Pacific, and North Carolina lined up, to go along with home tilts against Houston, Portland, and games at the Christmas week Las Vegas Classic against BYU and either Nebraska or Tulsa.

New Mexico State (last NCAA: 2007) Coach Marvin Menzies brings everyone back from a team that led the WAC in scoring last season. Unfortunately, the Aggies were the bizarro Louisiana Tech, finishing dead last in defense. Still, NMSU won 9 games last time out, and if they can get more stops they'll be a serious postseason threat. Four Aggies averaged in double-figures last year, starters Jahmar Young (17.9 ppg, 4 rpg), 3-point specialist Jonathan Gibson (14.1 ppg), and inside force Wendell McKines (12.1 ppg, 10 rpg), and reserve Troy Gillenwater (12.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg). Pass-first PG Hernst Laroche (5.8 ppg, 4.3 apg) will lead the offense.

Utah State (last NCAA: 2009) Despite losing WAC Player of the Year Gary Wilkinson (17.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and marksman Stavon Williams (6 ppg), the Aggies are again the favorite thanks to who returns. Stew Morrill's backcourt is led by two players who can do a little of everything, Jared Quayle (13.1 ppg, 6 rpg, 3.7 apg) and Tyler Newbold (9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.2 apg). Jaxon Myaer may see more time this year with the departure of Williams, especially as he's also an effective three-point shooter. In the frontcourt, 6-7 Tai Wesley (12 ppg, 6 rpg) is back while JC transfer Nate Bendall, a 6-8 forward who averaged over 14 points and 6 boards a game for last year's NJCAA champions, Salt Lake CC, is expected to replace Wilkinson. 6-6 freshman Tyrone White may see some time on the wing to help stretch defenses. As usual, the Aggies will be challenged by their in-state rivals, as they visit Utah and host BYU. They also travel to Northeastern and host a four-team round-robin that features Cal State-Fullerton, Morehead State, and Weber State, three teams who will challenge for their respective league crowns.

Utah State is my pick, and they'll hold the WAC's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. Of course, the big question is whether the conference can manage multiple bids this season. The talent is certainly there at the top.

To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-WAC team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-WAC Team

Player of the Year: Luke Babbitt, 6-9 F, So. (Nevada)

Remainder of the Team
Roderick Flemings, 6-7 F, Sr. (Hawai'i)
Mac Hopson, 6-2 G, Sr. (Idaho)
Adrian Oliver, 6-4 G, Jr. (San Jose State)
Jahmar Young, 6-5 G, Jr. (New Mexico State)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the WAC this season?

Boise State

2 votes

Fresno State

0 votes

Hawai'i

1 votes

Idaho

6 votes

Louisiana Tech

2 votes

Nevada

4 votes

New Mexico State

2 votes

San Jose State

0 votes

Utah State

1 votes

18 votes | Poll has closed

The 2009-10 Coaching Carousel Recap

Chris Dobbertean — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:00:23 -0000

More photos » by Dusty Compton - AP

(Yes, it's a column about coaching changes that doesn't feature a picture of either John Calipari, Josh Pastner, or Sean Miller.) Former Florida assistant Anthony Grant left VCU during this offseason to return to the SEC, taking over at Alabama. (AP Photo/Tuscaloosa News, Dusty Compton)

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As I posted last Monday, everyone knows that John Calipari is Billy Gillispie's replacement at Kentucky, and that Josh Pastner now has to try to keep Memphis at the top of Conference USA. It's also no secret that Sean Miller left Xavier to become Lute Olson's permanent replacement at Arizona, and that the Musketeers promoted assistant Chris Mack to the head job.

But there were 24 other coaching changes in Division I after the 2008-09 season. Some of these were the result of the domino effect that happens when a school in a power conference hires someone who was successful at a lower level, a decision that often leads to multiple jobs opening up. Others were cases where athletic directors felt that they needed to make changes, but stayed within the current staff.

This year's coaching carousel was a pretty lengthy one. Proving that the pressure is getting a bit ridiculous, even at lower levels of Division I, John Cooper (No, not THAT John Cooper.) replaces Cy Alexander at Tennessee State, which is a noteworthy story because Alexander was fired back on Feburary 9. Cooper was previously Jeff Lebo's associate head coach at Auburn. The final change of the offseason (I say that now like it's a certainty.) was finalized late Thursday when Cornell assistant Zach Spiker was hired at Army to replace Jim Crews.

While that's a start, it's certainly not everything that happened in the world of coaching during the spring and summer. After the jump, I'll run through the rest of the coaching changes made this offseason.

At one point, Kevin O'Neill was the interim coach in Tucson and the replacement in waiting for Lute Olson. That obviously didn't happen, so now the former Northwestern and Tennessee head coach has replaced Tim Floyd at USC.

Alabama hired Anthony Grant to replace Mark Gottfried. VCU then followed its own playbook by replacing Grant with another Florida assistant, Shaka Smart.

Georgia hired Mark Fox to do what Dennis Felton failed to do, rebuild the program. Nevada promoted assistant David Carter to replace Fox with the hopes he'll have the Wolf Pack ready to challenge Utah State and Idaho at the top of the league this year.

Tony Bennett left Washington State to replace Dave Leitao at Virginia. Former Portland State coach Ken Bone heads to the Palouse to replace him, with Vikings assistant Tyler Geving taking over the head job there.

Buzz Peterson left his job as Director of Player Personnel with the Charlotte Bobcats to return to Appalachian State. He left the Mountaineers to take the Tulsa job in 2000, leaving there for an average four seasons at Tennessee. After being forced out in Knoxville, Peterson coached Coastal Carolina for two years before heading to Charlotte. Elon will also have a new coach. Ernie Nestor was fired, and the school looked to tap into a winning formula in hiring his replacement. The Phoenix will now be led by former Davidson assistant Matt Matheny.

Isiah Thomas will now attempt to not ruin Florida International's program like he ruined the CBA and the New York Knicks. He's off to a great start at earning friends and influencing people.

Holy Cross hired Notre Dame assistant Sean Kearney to replace Ralph Willard, who left to be an assistant for Rick Pitino at Louisville.

Ritchie McKay left Liberty to be one of Bennett's assistants. Another former Colorado State head man, Marquette assistant Dale Layer is his replacement. Former South Carolina assistant Scott Cherry is the other new hire in the Big South, he replaces the fired Bart Lundy at High Point.

Dennis Wolff couldn't bring America East glory to Boston University, so he was fired and replaced with Villanova assistant Patrick Chambers.

Tom Green (not the "funny" Canadian) had significant success at Fairleigh Dickinson, just not over the past couple of years. He was fired and the Knights will be led by his former assistant, Greg Vetrone, at least on an interim basis.

Washington assistant Cameron Dollar, a star player on UCLA's 1995 National Championship team will lead Seattle through their Division I transition period, replacing Joe Callero, who took the job at Cal Poly in the Big West. North Carolina Central is the other Independent with a new coach for 2009-10. Henry Dickerson wasn't rehired, and he will be replaced by one of his assistants, LeVelle Morton.

Kevin Nickelberry resigned at Hampton, where Edward Joyner, Jr., one of Nickelberry's assistants will lead the team on at least an interim basis.

At Grambling, a tragic incident led to the end of Rick Duckett's tenure. Henry White, a transfer from Hill (Tex.) Junior College, died after an offseason workout on a 104 degree day at the Louisiana school. The school says Duckett resigned, but the coach says he was fired via a letter from the school. Assistant Robert Washington, Jr. will be the interim coach.

Tom Schuberth was fired at Texas-Pan American, where winning will always be tough because of the slim chance at making the NCAAs (something that won't change with Great West membership). St. Edward's coach Ryan Marks is the new head man in Edinboro.

There were two other changes in the Ohio Valley this offseason besides the Tennessee State switch I mentioned before the jump. Former Arkansas State head man Dickie Nutt is back in the business, taking over a Southeast Missouri State program that spent most of last season in turmoil after the Scot Edgar regime. Bret Campbell resigned at Tennessee-Martin. His replacement is former assistant Jason James.

At the end of the season, I'll come back and look at how each of these coaches did in filling their new jobs. On Tuesday, however, I turn my attention back to the players with my first ever preseason All-America teams.

Dennis Gates takes assistant coaching job at Nevada

Mike Breese — Thu, 28 May 2009 05:08:19 -0000

After openly interviewing for the job earlier this month, Associate Head Coach for the NIU Men's Basketball team Dennis Gates (bio) is gone from the Huskies to the Wolf Pack of Nevada. The hiring actually took place around two weeks ago according to a source close to the team.

Gates' pedigree at Northern is...well short but sweet. He rose fast in only one year, being named the Associate Head Coach at only 28 years old this past year. Last year Gates was an assistant coach for Reach USA Basketball team, whose romp in China was cut short by earthquakes. One of his main duties included mentoring such NIU Guards such as Jake Anderson and Mike Dinunno.

He was also known as a "recruiting guru", specializing in the Chicago area. His list of recruits reeled in include PGs Bryan Hall from his alma matter Whitney Hall and Dinunno as well. Just this past year he was instrumental in recruiting the highly-touted Tony Nixon, our only class of 2009 signing.

The Nevada situation is that they are trying to replace positions after their Head Coach Mark Fox left to be the new coach for the Georgia Bulldogs. Nevada's new head coach David Carter was Associate HC for the Wolf Pack since 2004 himself. Nevada is a consistent 20-25+ game winner every single year, but plays in the perennially weak Western Athletic Conference. Gates has extremely high goals for himself in the immediate future, and he feels that he can do so better moving out West closer to his Alma matter in Cal. I can foresee NIU sometime in the near future becoming a school like Nevada, racking up wins in the MAC with postseason appearances every year. Interesting note is that Nevada AD Cary Groth had the same position at NIU until 2003.

This is disappointing for Huskie fans in that Gates was a rising talent, maybe rising too fast for Northern Illinois to keep him. I speak for most of Huskie nation in that I would like to have seen Gates become head coach for whenever Ricardo Patton left for a different job. I guess that won't be the case anymore, and we may be recruiting against Gates in the Chicago area for possible recruits in the near future.

Thanks Gates for your time as a Huskie! Hopefully your efforts here will be remembered for some time to come.

Friday Night Link Dump

Gamecock Man — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 02:47:29 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

8 months ago: Former Nevada head basketball coach Mark Fox laughs during a news conference where he was introduced as Georgia's new basketball coach, Friday April 3, 2009 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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Football

Joe Person on Spring Practice. The big news is that the injury bug has hit our secondary to a certain degree. We're young and thin at the position due to graduation and early departures, so staying healthy once fall rolls around will be really critical to not suffering a 2007-like defensive collapse down the stretch.

Basketball

Devan Downey All-America Honorable Mention. Downey is the first Gamecock to be so honored since BJ McKie.

Other NCAA News

Georgia Hires Mark Fox of Nevada. Fox, a former assistant of LSU coach Trent Johnson while Johnson was getting his start at Nevada, has been a successful mid-major assistant and head coach. Fox is known as a strong recruiter for helping to bring Nick Fazekas and Kirk Snyder to Nevada, and the style of play Fox picked up from Johnson can succeed in the SEC as indicated by the way LSU played this past year.

Like Westerdawg, I think this is a good hire for UGA. UGA was hoping to hit a home run and hire Mike Anderson, Jeff Capel, or Oliver Purnell, but as cocknfire seems to imply, programs like UGA can't always make that kind of hire. A coach like Anderson that has built another power-conference program to a high level has little incentive to take on a tough job at a school with little tradition. That's why schools like UGA and South Carolina end up going for the successful mid-major candidates like Dennis Felton, Darrin Horn, and Mark Fox. And oftentimes, those hires are successful, as Carolina's choice of Horn appears to be thus far. Fox isn't a sure-fire hire; Dennis Felton had good credentials when he got to Athens, and he failed. Indeed, Fox has a tough road ahead of him, as UGA moves into next year with lots of holes and question marks. However, if Fox can successfully instill his system and can lure some of the substantial in-state talent in Georgia to Athens (the Atlanta area is a recruiting hot bed and lots of the talent goes to the ACC schools and SEC powers), he could have some success two or three years down the road.

Vols and Bruce Pearl Renegotiate Contract. Would have loved to see him go to Memphis to replace John Calipari. Oh well.

We're Dancing: Utah State Aggies

SFBE.MP — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 17:55:07 -0000

Utah State wins, period. The Aggies have registered 30 wins this year but their latest, a 72-62 victory over Nevada in the WAC final, put them at ease when thinking about NCAA tournament status. The Agricultural fiends admited that they were treating the WAC chamopionship as their only entry point to the Big Dance.

Utah State put the clamps on Nevada with six minutes to go, holding the Wolfpack scoreless during that span. Not only was the defense clicking but the Aggies shot 50 percent from the floor.

More on this possible Cinderella after the jump.

Location: Logan, UT

Enrollment: 13,179

Record: 30-4 (14-2)

Leading Scorers: Gary Wilkinson (17.1 ppg), Jared Quayle (12.9 ppg), Tai Wesley (11.9 ppg)

What to know:

Utah State has been in question all year despite their stellar record, due to the fact that they have no games versus a Top 25 team and they were only 1-2 versus the Top 50.
The Aggies are efficient. They average a nation's best 1.17 points per possession, which is in direct correlation with their nation's best 49.8 percent field goal shooting.

Projection: Utah State will be looking at an 8 or a 9 seed and provides everyone with a possible "sexy pick" to knock off a number one seed in the second round.

Thrill a Minute Thursday Review/Friday Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:26:56 -0000

From start to finish, yesterday was one of the craziest conference tournament days I've ever experienced. If today is one-tenth as exciting and surprising, it will still be well worth it. Let's get to the recap/preview.

One tourney bid is on the line, and it will be decided in my vicinity. (I will indeed be there.) The top two seeds in the Patriot League American University and College of the Holy Cross meet up at Bender Arena (ESPN2, 4:45 EDT). The Eagles are looking for their second straight conference crown, while the Crusaders look to get back to the Dance for the first time since 2007.

There is an almost excessive amount of non-championship conference tournament action going on today.

ACC Quarterfinals (all games on ESPN2 outside of ACC country and Raycom inside it)

Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina (12 EDT) - The Hokies probably knocked Miami out of the conversation yesterday. They can make their case a lot stronger by knocking off the Tar Heels today. UNC, meanwhile, has to like the carnage that took place among the potential #1 seeds yesterday.
Georgia Tech vs. Florida State (2:30 EDT*) - The Yellow Jackets next step in replicating Georgia's run through the SEC tournament last year, knocking out a Seminole team that's now fighting for a top four seed.
Maryland vs. Wake Forest (7 EDT) - The Terps did what they had to do last night. Now they look to get another big win for their resume against a Demon Deacon team who is now very much back in the two seed conversation.
Boston College vs. Duke (9:30 EDT*) - The Eagles are looking good for a bid. They now look to improve their seeding with a second win over the Blue Devils this season.

A-10 Semifinals (FS Ohio/MASN/Cox RI/Comcast Network)

Xavier vs. Temple (6:30 EDT) - After making it five in a row over St. Joe's, the Owls could make the A10 a three-bid league if they can beat the Musketeers.
Dayton vs. Duquesne (9 EDT*) - The Dukes pretty much ended URI's at-large hopes last night, but they probably need to win the auto bid to get in. The Flyers should be safe after defeating Richmond.

Big East Semifinals (all games on ESPN)

Louisville vs. Villanova (7 EDT) - Dwayne Anderson gave the Wildcats a win over a plucky Marquette side yesterday afternoon. Now they have to face a Cardinal team who all but ended Providence's hopes and probably has a better shot at holding on to a #1 seed than previously thought, thanks to the upsets in the night session.
West Virginia vs. Syracuse (9:30 EDT*) - How much do the Orange have left after winning that historic battle against UConn last night? While SU defeated the Mountaineers by 13 back on February 4, they had a full week off before that game. WVU, confident off a thumping of Pitt, should be fresher. But the Orange's momentum can't be discounted.

Big Ten Quarterfinals

Minnesota vs. Michigan State (ESPN, 12 EDT) - The Gophers should be safe after bursting Northwestern's bubble yesterday, but a win over Sparty would almost surely lock up a bid.
Wisconsin vs. Ohio State (ESPN, 2:30 EDT*) - The 4/5 quarterfinal features two teams who have to feel much better about their chances right now.
Michigan vs. Illinois (Big Ten, 6:30 EDT) - The Wolverines had little trouble with Iowa yesterday. Next, they look to win the rubber match against an Illini team who has dropped two straight..
Penn State vs. Purdue (Big Ten, 9 EDT*) - The Nittany Lions made sure they took care of Indiana. Like Michigan, they look to win the rubber match against their opposition, a Boilermaker team that's dropped two in a row.

Big 12 Semifinals (Games on Big 12/Altitude/Full Court)

Baylor vs. Texas (7 EDT) - While the Bears defeated Kansas yesterday, they're still on the fringe of consideration. The Longhorns ended Kansas State's hopes and now look to do the same to their in-state rivals, all while pushing to a conference title that may boost their seed.
Oklahoma State vs. Missouri (9:30 EDT*) - It was a sweet victory for the Cowboys last night. Not only did they probably lock up a bid, they closed the door on archrival Oklahoma's chances for a #1 seed. The Tigers stopped Texas Tech's attempt at a Cinderella run, pulling away in the second half. If MU can consistently do that at a neutral site, that should boost their seeding.

Big West Semifinals (all games on ESPNU)

Cal State-Northridge vs. UC Santa Barbara (8:30 EDT) and Long Beach State vs. Pacific (11 EDT*) - The top 4 seeds are still alive for the auto bid. Northridge swept UCSB and Long Beach swept the UOP during the regular season.

Conference USA Semifinals (all games on CBS CS)

Memphis vs. Houston (4 EDT) - The Cougars had a late night, defeating UTEP in OT. Now they have to face a Tiger team with aspirations for the top line on their home court.
UAB vs. Tulsa (6:30 EDT*) - The Blazers look to keep their at-large hopes alive by avenging a one-point loss at the Reynolds Center on January 28.

MWC Semifinals (all games on the mtn./CBS CS)

BYU vs. San Diego State (9 EDT) - That's three wins in three tries for the Aztecs over UNLV, with two of those coming at the Thomas & Mack Center. That fact should be enough to get SDSU in. A win over the Cougars today would really give them some breathing room.
Utah vs. Wyoming (11:30 EDT*) - The Utes escaped TCU thanks to a Lawrence Borha 3 in the dying seconds. They next take on the sixth-seeded Cowboys, who seriously dented New Mexico's at-large hopes last night, 75-67.

Pac-10 Semifinals (all games on (FSN/selected CSN outlets)

Arizona State vs. Washington (9 EDT) - The Sun Devils may have snapped their archrival Arizona's tourney streak. They could give their seed a boost by continuing their run in this tournament. The Huskies started their run at the title by defeating Stanford, 85-73.
UCLA vs. USC (11:30 EDT) - The Trojans upended California thanks in part to an errant inbound pass in the last throes. Now they find themselves back in the discussion and facing a cross-town semifinal. The rival Bruins beat Washington State by 11 in their quarterfinal.

SEC Quarterfinals (all games on Raycom/Full Court/FS South/Sun Sports)

Kentucky vs. LSU (1 EDT) - The Wildcats got by Ole Miss pretty easily. Next up is a Tiger team looking to snap a two-game skid and who beat UK by 3 at Rupp two weeks ago.
Mississippi State vs. South Carolina (3:30 EDT*) - MSU won the battle of the Bulldogs yesterday. Now they have a chance to knock the Gamecocks out.
Alabama vs. Tennessee (7:30 EDT) - So much for Vanderbilt's viability as an at-large candidate, as the Tide took care of them last night. Now they take on a Vol team they just stunned on Sunday afternoon at Thompson-Boling.
Florida vs. Auburn (10 EDT*) - The Gators pulled away from Arkansas in the second half. This one is a straight-up elimination game now.

Southland Semifinals (all games on Full Court)

Second-seeded Nicholls State takes on 6 seed Texas-San Antonio (7 EDT*), while top seed Stephen F. Austin faces fourth-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (9:30 EDT*). The Colonels lost their only meeting with the Roadrunners (at home), while the Lumberjacks won their only meeting with the Islanders (on the road).

WAC Semifinals

Utah State vs. New Mexico State (no TV, 9;30 EDT) and Nevada vs. Louisiana Tech (ESPN2, 11;59 EDT) - The favorites remain on course to meet for the title tomorrow night.

The MAC semifinals (Ball State vs. Buffalo (7:30 EDT) and Akron vs. Bowling Green (10 EDT) will also be on FS Ohio and FS Detroit.