http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=oneil_dana&id=5658901
And another story on Herb.
One more link...this on UNM's renovation.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
No. 8 — Louisiana Tech junior forward Olu Ashaolu
Ashaolu could afford to have off nights and get lost in the mix last year with Kyle Gibson, Jamel Guyton and Magnum Rolle around. But the 6-7 Ashaolu still shot 53 percent from the field for 11 ppg. He's the leading returning rebounder at 8.1 per game over the course of the season last year, which was fourth in the WAC. We will see more from his offensive game this year, but he was in double figures in 19 games and he had 10 double-doubles. He led the team with 175 rebounds on the defensive end, which was better than Rolle's 166.
No. 10 — Nevada's frontcourt trio of forwards Olek Czyz, Dario Hunt and Malik Story
No. 9 — Boise State senior forward Daequon Montreal
No. 10 — Nevada's frontcourt trio of forwards Olek Czyz, Dario Hunt and Malik Story
No. 9 — Boise State senior forward Daequon Montreal
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
No. 9 — Boise State senior forward Daequon Montreal
I think Boise State is going to be better than what some may think. They have three scorers in La'Shard Anderson, Robert Arnold and Montreal. Arnold had 26 against the Aggies in one game and 35 in Las Cruces. Montreal chipped in with 22. Who knows if the Broncos will play the same style though with a new coach.
But Montreal led the Broncos with 14 ppg to go with 5.4 rebounds per game in WAC play once he got comfortable after transferring from Southern Idaho. The 6-8 senior ended up on the all newcomer team. He shot 56 percent from the floor, earning his share of putbacks after averaging 2.4 offensive boards per game. He only started 11 of the 16 WAC games. Perhaps he earned himself a spot in the starting five this year.
No. 8 on Thursday
No. 10 — Nevada's frontcourt trio of forwards Olek Czyz, Dario Hunt and Malik Story.
But Montreal led the Broncos with 14 ppg to go with 5.4 rebounds per game in WAC play once he got comfortable after transferring from Southern Idaho. The 6-8 senior ended up on the all newcomer team. He shot 56 percent from the floor, earning his share of putbacks after averaging 2.4 offensive boards per game. He only started 11 of the 16 WAC games. Perhaps he earned himself a spot in the starting five this year.
No. 8 on Thursday
No. 10 — Nevada's frontcourt trio of forwards Olek Czyz, Dario Hunt and Malik Story.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Top 10 players in the WAC
This post will start a 10-part series every day until practice opens on Oct. 15.
The WAC lost a ridiculous amount of talent from a year ago. Adrian Oliver from San Jose State is the lone returning player in the top 10 scorers from a year ago. The top 3 rebounders and six of the top 10 are gone. It opens the door for new players to step in, but from top to bottom, this year is a down year in talent level across the board. It will be interesting to see what newcomers emerge as the year goes on, but here are some of the names that to me at least, will carry the torch early on.
All but two of the Top 10 are returners. Hawaii has a transfer from Arizona in Zane Johnson, Fresno State has former Lobo Jonathan Willis and Brandon Wiley returns for Idaho after missing last year with an injury. And freshmen are always hard to figure.
The definition for what qualifies for the Top 10 are somewhat loose. Like I said before, the determining factor you will notice is they are all proven guys in the WAC and for their particular teams. When the preseason polls come out, I think Utah State and New Mexico State will be unanimous as first and second in some order and the number of quality players returning on both teams are a big reason. Not every team is represented here, but the lower teams have some great players who are capable of putting up numbers anywhere.
So here is No. 10.
No. 10 — Nevada's frontcourt trio of forwards Olek Czyz, Dario Hunt and Malik Story. This is the only number that combines more than one player I promise. But Nevada has proven over time to be a quality program and it's fair to say one or all of these guys will produce for the Wolf Pack. Perhaps 10 will prove to be low as the season goes on, but the fact remains they are an unknown but there is a gaping hole left by the departure of Luke Babbitt, Armon Johnson, Brandon Fields and Joey Shaw.
Czyz is a 6-7 redshirt sophomore who left Duke to return to Reno, where he won two high school championships. Story is a 6-5 redshirt sophomore who played in 31 games on one year at Indiana where he averaged 6 ppg. Hunt is somewhat proven. 6-8 very athletic shot blocker was on the All-Defensive team last year and was third in the league with 1.94 blocks per game to go with 6.5 points and seven rebounds. We shall see if he has the offensive game to go with it as the Wolf Pack look to replace 64 points per game.
Look for No. 9 on Wednesday.
The WAC lost a ridiculous amount of talent from a year ago. Adrian Oliver from San Jose State is the lone returning player in the top 10 scorers from a year ago. The top 3 rebounders and six of the top 10 are gone. It opens the door for new players to step in, but from top to bottom, this year is a down year in talent level across the board. It will be interesting to see what newcomers emerge as the year goes on, but here are some of the names that to me at least, will carry the torch early on.
All but two of the Top 10 are returners. Hawaii has a transfer from Arizona in Zane Johnson, Fresno State has former Lobo Jonathan Willis and Brandon Wiley returns for Idaho after missing last year with an injury. And freshmen are always hard to figure.
The definition for what qualifies for the Top 10 are somewhat loose. Like I said before, the determining factor you will notice is they are all proven guys in the WAC and for their particular teams. When the preseason polls come out, I think Utah State and New Mexico State will be unanimous as first and second in some order and the number of quality players returning on both teams are a big reason. Not every team is represented here, but the lower teams have some great players who are capable of putting up numbers anywhere.
So here is No. 10.
No. 10 — Nevada's frontcourt trio of forwards Olek Czyz, Dario Hunt and Malik Story. This is the only number that combines more than one player I promise. But Nevada has proven over time to be a quality program and it's fair to say one or all of these guys will produce for the Wolf Pack. Perhaps 10 will prove to be low as the season goes on, but the fact remains they are an unknown but there is a gaping hole left by the departure of Luke Babbitt, Armon Johnson, Brandon Fields and Joey Shaw.
Czyz is a 6-7 redshirt sophomore who left Duke to return to Reno, where he won two high school championships. Story is a 6-5 redshirt sophomore who played in 31 games on one year at Indiana where he averaged 6 ppg. Hunt is somewhat proven. 6-8 very athletic shot blocker was on the All-Defensive team last year and was third in the league with 1.94 blocks per game to go with 6.5 points and seven rebounds. We shall see if he has the offensive game to go with it as the Wolf Pack look to replace 64 points per game.
Look for No. 9 on Wednesday.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Question for readers
I was hoping to do a Mailbag of sorts for the print and online version of the Sun-News this year. That is assuming that I could get five to 10 questions regarding NMSU and/or WAC questions a week from folks who follow this little blog? And assuming I'm smart enough to come up with an answer. What do you think? It would also require a name and location when you write in, which I hope won't discourage questions. They will remain private until they show up in print, online and on the blog. I have to approve all comments before they are published.
I got an email for the 2010-11 John Wooden Award preseason Top 50. Here are some names I thought you might find interesting. Let me know if you want the whole list.
2010-11 NMSU opponents
Randy Culpepper, UTEP sr
Nikola Vucevic USC jr
Derrick Williams Arizona sophomore
Other notable names perhaps
I got an email for the 2010-11 John Wooden Award preseason Top 50. Here are some names I thought you might find interesting. Let me know if you want the whole list.
2010-11 NMSU opponents
Randy Culpepper, UTEP sr
Nikola Vucevic USC jr
Derrick Williams Arizona sophomore
Other notable names perhaps
Kalin Lucas, Mich. State sr.
Durrell Summers, Mich. State sr.
Jeffery Taylor, Vanderbilt junior, two-year player at Hobbs High
Friday, September 17, 2010
A ridiculously early prediction blog entry
Last year around this time, the talk surrounding the New Mexico State men's basketball team was about who wasn't going to be around rather than excitement about the upcoming season.
I think this is the best schedule the Aggies have had under Menzies. They play Arizona UMass and USC on the road in a four-day period in November.
The schedule his first year included games at Duke and Louisville, where even if the Aggies weren't shorthanded because of eligibility, winning those games would have been a challenge. They also played Texas and West Virginia on a neutral court.
This year's neutral court games (UMass on Nov. 20 and USC on Nov. 21 in Springfield) are more manageable, and playing at Arizona on Nov. 18 isn't a guaranteed win for Arizona. Perhaps the game I'm looking forward to the most is the Dec. 23 game against St. Mary's at the Pan Am. St. Mary's has most of their guards back from a year ago, but they lost their man in the middle.
I have the Aggies finishing 25-6.
They start 2-0 and lose a competitive game at Arizona. I think it's important for the Aggies to get one of the two games in Springfield both for confidence level and RPI for later on. Lets say they split and come home at 3-2.
UTEP is loaded and UNM is going to have to replace two big pieces from a year ago. But I've never seen an Aggies team compete at the Pit so a split in these four games is conservative. I think a sweep of the Lobos is entirely possible with this group of juniors and seniors, but I have the Aggies at 5-4 entering a five game home stand.
The Aggies close out the home stand with a close win over St. Mary's to move to 10-4 entering WAC play.
I think the popular belief is that the WAC is going to be a two-horse race between Utah State and NMSU. But Boise State will be better so that second game is going to be tough, but I think the Aggies open conference play 5-0 entering the Nevada/Utah State road swing Jan. 20 and Jan. 22.
NMSU has shown they can win at Nevada in the past couple years on that court. I think they split that road trip with a loss at Utah State to move to 6-1 in the league and 16-5 overall.
The Aggies return home for home wins against Boise and Idaho. There is always a game the Aggies don't show up at on the road. Last year it was Fresno. This year I think it's Fresno. They beat La. Tech twice within a week to enter the BracketBuster 10-2 in the WAC and 20-6.
Hopefully they get someone fun instead of a Big West opponent...again. They win in the Pan Am to go 21-6. NMSU always hopes for a split on the tough SJSU, Hawaii road trip. They sweep it this year. I've been waiting for San Jose State for three years and I think I'm giving up on them, but it's a tough game the Aggies pull out.
NMSU beats Utah State and completes a rare sweep of Nevada to finish the regular season 25-6 and 14-2 in the WAC.
I worry about road games at Nevada, Boise and San Jose State, but even losing those, the Aggies should finish over 20 wins with a veteran team that should be able to wear down WAC opponents in the paint.
I think this is the best schedule the Aggies have had under Menzies. They play Arizona UMass and USC on the road in a four-day period in November.
The schedule his first year included games at Duke and Louisville, where even if the Aggies weren't shorthanded because of eligibility, winning those games would have been a challenge. They also played Texas and West Virginia on a neutral court.
This year's neutral court games (UMass on Nov. 20 and USC on Nov. 21 in Springfield) are more manageable, and playing at Arizona on Nov. 18 isn't a guaranteed win for Arizona. Perhaps the game I'm looking forward to the most is the Dec. 23 game against St. Mary's at the Pan Am. St. Mary's has most of their guards back from a year ago, but they lost their man in the middle.
I have the Aggies finishing 25-6.
They start 2-0 and lose a competitive game at Arizona. I think it's important for the Aggies to get one of the two games in Springfield both for confidence level and RPI for later on. Lets say they split and come home at 3-2.
UTEP is loaded and UNM is going to have to replace two big pieces from a year ago. But I've never seen an Aggies team compete at the Pit so a split in these four games is conservative. I think a sweep of the Lobos is entirely possible with this group of juniors and seniors, but I have the Aggies at 5-4 entering a five game home stand.
The Aggies close out the home stand with a close win over St. Mary's to move to 10-4 entering WAC play.
I think the popular belief is that the WAC is going to be a two-horse race between Utah State and NMSU. But Boise State will be better so that second game is going to be tough, but I think the Aggies open conference play 5-0 entering the Nevada/Utah State road swing Jan. 20 and Jan. 22.
NMSU has shown they can win at Nevada in the past couple years on that court. I think they split that road trip with a loss at Utah State to move to 6-1 in the league and 16-5 overall.
The Aggies return home for home wins against Boise and Idaho. There is always a game the Aggies don't show up at on the road. Last year it was Fresno. This year I think it's Fresno. They beat La. Tech twice within a week to enter the BracketBuster 10-2 in the WAC and 20-6.
Hopefully they get someone fun instead of a Big West opponent...again. They win in the Pan Am to go 21-6. NMSU always hopes for a split on the tough SJSU, Hawaii road trip. They sweep it this year. I've been waiting for San Jose State for three years and I think I'm giving up on them, but it's a tough game the Aggies pull out.
NMSU beats Utah State and completes a rare sweep of Nevada to finish the regular season 25-6 and 14-2 in the WAC.
I worry about road games at Nevada, Boise and San Jose State, but even losing those, the Aggies should finish over 20 wins with a veteran team that should be able to wear down WAC opponents in the paint.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Another guard
The Aggies have another guard enrolled and taking classes. Depending on the NCAA, New York guard Reynaldo Walters could join the team this year, but it's more likely he will join the Aggies with Canadian combo guard Daniel Mullings next season. Walters had committed to Norfolk in 2009 but has enrolled in Las Cruces. If neither qualify, they won't practice with the club similar to Hamidu Rahman and Troy Gillenwater their first year.
Another link.
Both players fit into what has become a common practice for Marviin Menzies, who has been big on redshirting players and building with freshmen who have a year under their belt on a university before joining the fold.
The schedule is getting close, perhaps early next week. I believe the Aggies start on the road at Louisiana Lafeyette on that first weekend of the season, normally in mid-November. Their first home game could be that weekend against the TBA team as part of the Springfield tournament
Another note, Troy Gillenwater was cleared to work out individually after missing the last month with an ankle injury.
Another link.
Both players fit into what has become a common practice for Marviin Menzies, who has been big on redshirting players and building with freshmen who have a year under their belt on a university before joining the fold.
The schedule is getting close, perhaps early next week. I believe the Aggies start on the road at Louisiana Lafeyette on that first weekend of the season, normally in mid-November. Their first home game could be that weekend against the TBA team as part of the Springfield tournament
Another note, Troy Gillenwater was cleared to work out individually after missing the last month with an ankle injury.
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