Still hard to get a good idea. Utah State and Seattle aren't playing and San Jose isn't playing anybody.
I still can't get La. Tech over Utah State despite the difference in games played and I'm wondering how good that Southern MIss team is after losing road games to two WAC schools last week as the WAC enters this week 36-36 with some non-Div I games mixed in there.
Aggies/Lobos and San Jose/Santa Clara are games to watch this week.
We will get a better idea on San Jose this week. They played on the road at Kansas but other than that, another weak schedule in the WAC. They host a 6-2 Santa Clara team this week, probably a better indicator of how they will do in the WAC. Santa Clara lost by two to Utah State.
Rank Previous Last week This week
1. Utah State (5-1) 1 W W. Oregon Sat @ Utah Valley
2. La. Tech (8-2) 2 L @ NW State, W vs. S. Miss Wed @ McNeese St. Mon @ Little Rock
3. NMSU (5-4) 3 W @ S. Alabama Sat @ New Mexico
4. Arlington (4-2) 4 W @Texas Pan American Thurs. Houston Baptist
5. Denver (2-5) 7 W Mercer Sat. Neb.-Omaha
6. San Jose St. (5-3) 8 W Cal Davis, W Sac St. Tue. Santa Clara
7. UTSA (3-6) 5 L @ Miss. State, L S. Carolina Upstate
8. Idaho (3-5) 6 W @ E. Wash., L @ UTEP Sat. Walla Walla
9. Texas State (4-5) 9 L Oral Roberts, W Texas Pan American Sat @ Texas, Mon @ Northwestern
10. Seattle (2-3) 10 Mon. @ E Wash, Thurs. Washington, Mon Jackson St.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
NMSU with first road win
The New Mexico State men’s basketball team picked up its first road win of the season, beating South Alabama 58-52 in Mobile, Ala., on Tuesday.
“I feel fortunate to get out of here with a win based on our recent history to finish games,” Aggies coach Marvin Menzies said. “I knew it would be a close game. I wasn’t sure who would have the lead in the last four minutes. We got stops when we needed them.”
The Aggies led by six at halftime and held off the Jaguars to improve to 5-4 on the season. Aggies senior Bandja Sy stole an attempted backdoor pass by Jaguars guard Freddie Goldstein with 20 seconds left and the Aggies leading by three.
South Alabama entered the game shooting 40 percent from 3-point range. The Jaguars were 5-for-17 (29 percent) from long range on Tuesday and 32 percent from the floor.
“We didn’t have great offensive execution,” Menzies said. “We have to get out point guards and bigs in sync. It was a plus for us the way we defended the 3-point line, 29 percent is huge. Our defense has been carrying us.”
Leading by six at halftime, NMSU turned the ball over on seven of its first 10 possessions in the second half after committing seven turnovers in the first half. South Alabama closed to within two with 15:34 to play but the Aggies answered with a 9-2 run that pushed the lead back to nine with 11:10 to play.
Neither team was good at the foul line — NMSU was 9-for-18, but the Aggies made just enough, 6-for-10, in the last eight minutes to hold the Jaguars off. South Alabama closed to within two with two minutes to play but the Jaguars were just 9-for-17 from the line.
Sy had 11 points and 14 rebounds as the Aggies shot 48 percent from the floor. Daniel Mullings led the Aggies with 13 points and Sim Bhullar had 12 points in 16 minutes.
The Aggies led 31-25 at halftime after leading by 17 with 8:08 left in the first half. Five of NMSU’s seven first-half turnovers were in the last eight minutes as the Jaguars closed to five on an Augustine Rubit follow with three seconds left.
Rubit’s bucket was one of few easy looks for the Jaguars, who started 3-for-19 and shot 30 percent from the floor in the first half while NMSU was 52 percent. South Alabama was 1-for-7 from 3-point range in the first half.
The Aggies went up 17-4 on a Watson floater with 12:50 left in the first half to cap a 15-0 NMSU run. Terrel de Rouen drove to the basket for another lay in to put NMSU up 23-6 with 8:08 to play in the half as part of a 21-2 NMSU run.
South Alabama: Three keys and a prediction
NMSU started the 2007-08 season 0-7 on the road. That included losses at Duke, Louisville, Texas and WEst Virginia on a neutral court and road losses to UNM and UTEP. Probably the hardest schedule under Menzies.
NMSU is 0-4 on the road this year entering tonight's game at Sun Belt's South Alabama.
Defend the 3: South Alabama shoots 40 percent from 3-point range and score 32 percent of their 74 points per game from the 3. The Aggies hold opponents to 30 percent from 3 so tonight should be a good test. Junior guard Xavier Roberson shoots 50 percent from 3, Senior Freddie Goldstein shoots 28 percent and junior Antoine Allen shoots 39 percent. Guard Mychal Ammons is another big guard at 6-6 who scores 12 ppg and shoots 53 percent from 3 but on just 17 attempts.
Mirror Southern Miss game plan: Like Southern Miss, South Alabama is an undersized team that likes to play fast, 72 possessions per 40 minutes. I don't think the Aggies will face full court pressure the entire game though like they did against Southern MIss, however. Sim Bhullar played like the 7-5 monster he is, on both ends of the floor. Chili Nephawe was also good. If the Aggies are to play an extended period of time without Nephawe down the line, I think the Aggies have players in Dixon and Barry who could compliment Bhullar. NMSU scored 34 points in the paint against Southern Miss and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds and shoot nearly 70 percent at the foul line. That's a good formula for a road win.
Turnovers: Continues to be a key for this team. NMSU got away with 20 turnovers at home, but I would say 20 plus turnovers cost the Aggies road wins at Niagara and UTEP. South Alabama forces about 17 turnovers per game.
South Alabama has two Sun Belt wins already so they have played meaningful games. They have experienced players, but the fact that South Alabama wants to play fast plays into the Aggies preferred style. It's slow teams that NMSU struggles with.
Final score, New Mexico State 70, South Alabama 62
NMSU is 0-4 on the road this year entering tonight's game at Sun Belt's South Alabama.
Defend the 3: South Alabama shoots 40 percent from 3-point range and score 32 percent of their 74 points per game from the 3. The Aggies hold opponents to 30 percent from 3 so tonight should be a good test. Junior guard Xavier Roberson shoots 50 percent from 3, Senior Freddie Goldstein shoots 28 percent and junior Antoine Allen shoots 39 percent. Guard Mychal Ammons is another big guard at 6-6 who scores 12 ppg and shoots 53 percent from 3 but on just 17 attempts.
Mirror Southern Miss game plan: Like Southern Miss, South Alabama is an undersized team that likes to play fast, 72 possessions per 40 minutes. I don't think the Aggies will face full court pressure the entire game though like they did against Southern MIss, however. Sim Bhullar played like the 7-5 monster he is, on both ends of the floor. Chili Nephawe was also good. If the Aggies are to play an extended period of time without Nephawe down the line, I think the Aggies have players in Dixon and Barry who could compliment Bhullar. NMSU scored 34 points in the paint against Southern Miss and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds and shoot nearly 70 percent at the foul line. That's a good formula for a road win.
Turnovers: Continues to be a key for this team. NMSU got away with 20 turnovers at home, but I would say 20 plus turnovers cost the Aggies road wins at Niagara and UTEP. South Alabama forces about 17 turnovers per game.
South Alabama has two Sun Belt wins already so they have played meaningful games. They have experienced players, but the fact that South Alabama wants to play fast plays into the Aggies preferred style. It's slow teams that NMSU struggles with.
Final score, New Mexico State 70, South Alabama 62
Monday, December 3, 2012
Weekly WAC rankings
Utah State has played five games but they have a big one against BYU this week. While other teams have been playing games, USU has been practicing, which is a good thing for Stew and a new team. Louisiana Tech continues to rack up wins against no name teams, but the Bulldogs are 7-1. Appleby had 34 against Georgia State.
Aggies jump up by virtue of Denver losing to Southern Miss, a team NMSU beat, although the Aggies had Southern Miss at home while Denver traveled.
Other notes, Arlington beat North Texas, but North Texas also lost to Louisiana. Perhaps Stephen Madison is a capable second scorer for Idaho 21 vs. Cal Davis. Denver with the worst record but with the toughest schedule.
Rank Team (W-L) Previous Last week This week
1. Utah State (4-1) 1 W @ Santa Clara Wed @ BYU, Sat vs W. Oregon
2. La. Tech (7-1) 2 W vs. SE La., W @ Ga. St. Tues @ NW State, Sat. vs. S. Miss.
3. NMSU (4-4) 5 L @ UTEP, Sat., W S. Miss Tues @ South Alabama
4. UT-Arlington (3-2) 6 W @ N. Texas, L @ Texas, Mon @ Texas Pan Am,
5. UTSA (3-4) 3 L @ Oregon, L @ Bakersfield Tues. @ Miss. St, Sat. @ SC Upstate
6. Idaho (2-4) 7 L @ Wash. St, W vs. Cal Davis Thurs. @ E. Wash, Sat. @ UTEP
7. Denver (1-5) 4 L. @ S. Miss, L @ Stanford Wed. vs. Mercer
8. San Jose State (3-3) 9 L @Kansas, W @ Montana St Wed. @ Cal-Davis, Sat. vs. Sac St.
9. Texas State (3-4) 10 L vs. Utah Wed. vs. Oral Roberts, Sat. vs. Texas Pan Am
10. Seattle (2-3) 8 L @ Stanford, L vs. Boise
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Sim Bhullar's brother in town to watch brother's career night
Sim Bhullar posted a career high 17 points with 7 rebounds and two blocks in New Mexico State's 68-60 victory over Southern Miss. Among those in attendance was 7-3 2014 prospect and younger brother, Tanveer Bhullar.
Saturday was an unofficial visit, coming to Las Cruces for the first time with his mother, who was in town for the second time as the family surprised Bhullar for his 20th birthday on Sunday.
"He thought that KC's family was going to come. So KC told him to drive him to the airport to pick up his family and we were there. He said this is the most surprised he has ever been in his entire life," Tanveer Bhullar said.
Tanveer Bhullar reclassified as a 2014 prospect. He attends Father Henry Carr in Toronto.
"I think we are 9-0 right now and we are the No. 1 team in Canada," Tanveer Bhullar said. "After high school basketball, I will just be working out and get ready for AAU."
Bhullar said the Aggies have offered him. Having his older brother on the roster is an obvious selling point, underscored by a very good performance by the Aggies in a win over a good Southern Miss team.
"It gives me a chance to look at the school. If I have questions about the school, I can just ask my brother. I know some of the Canadian guys on the staff and I know coach Weir well."
Bhullar said Eastern Michigan, Rice, Jacksonville State are among the schools who have offered. The only high majors so far are Seton Hall and Providence.
I asked Bhullar to evaluate what he has seen so far from Sim Bhullar as a college player.
"I can just see that he hasn't been playing like he used to play. Tonight is how he used to play. He lost a lot of weight (70 pounds). I'm surprised. I can see when they push him, he can't push back. I've been watching the games online."
The fact that the Aggies have been to two NCAA Tournaments in three years helps.
"It's always a positive because every year the school is going to develop more and more."
Tanveer looks like, and sounds like his brother. I asked about their playing style.
"People have told me I'm more finesse. I don't dunk the ball like he does. That's something I have to work on."
Saturday was an unofficial visit, coming to Las Cruces for the first time with his mother, who was in town for the second time as the family surprised Bhullar for his 20th birthday on Sunday.
"He thought that KC's family was going to come. So KC told him to drive him to the airport to pick up his family and we were there. He said this is the most surprised he has ever been in his entire life," Tanveer Bhullar said.
Tanveer Bhullar reclassified as a 2014 prospect. He attends Father Henry Carr in Toronto.
"I think we are 9-0 right now and we are the No. 1 team in Canada," Tanveer Bhullar said. "After high school basketball, I will just be working out and get ready for AAU."
Bhullar said the Aggies have offered him. Having his older brother on the roster is an obvious selling point, underscored by a very good performance by the Aggies in a win over a good Southern Miss team.
"It gives me a chance to look at the school. If I have questions about the school, I can just ask my brother. I know some of the Canadian guys on the staff and I know coach Weir well."
Bhullar said Eastern Michigan, Rice, Jacksonville State are among the schools who have offered. The only high majors so far are Seton Hall and Providence.
I asked Bhullar to evaluate what he has seen so far from Sim Bhullar as a college player.
"I can just see that he hasn't been playing like he used to play. Tonight is how he used to play. He lost a lot of weight (70 pounds). I'm surprised. I can see when they push him, he can't push back. I've been watching the games online."
The fact that the Aggies have been to two NCAA Tournaments in three years helps.
"It's always a positive because every year the school is going to develop more and more."
Tanveer looks like, and sounds like his brother. I asked about their playing style.
"People have told me I'm more finesse. I don't dunk the ball like he does. That's something I have to work on."
Friday, November 30, 2012
Southern Miss: Three keys and a prediction
Southern Miss is a different team than the team that beat the Aggies on two occassions last year. The problem is they are just as good, if not better.
Southern Miss is 6-0 on the season under first year coach Donnie Tyndall, who replaced Larry Eustachy. The two biggest differences between last year and this year, Southern Miss presses for most of the game and they play zone defense for most of the game. Under Eustachy, Southern Miss was a man--to-man team. The results have been similar. Southern Miss is still hard to score on and the Golden Eagles haven't been out rebounded yet despite an undersized rotation.
Handle the press: I wrote about the Aggies' turnovers problems yesterday. NMSU has averaged 23 turnovers in their past three games against DI opponents. Southern MIss's press is a 2-2-1 zone press and all of the players are basically the same size and athletic. Southern Miss won't necessarily press full court the whole game, but it is capable of turning teams over. Like the Aggies, Southern MIss wants to score in transition and creating 16 turnovers per game helps them do that. This game should be more open than the UTEP game.
Handle the zone: Southern Miss plays a 2-3 zone after picking up full court. Two ways the Aggies can beat the zone. Offensive rebounds, which I will talk about, and hitting some 3s. Daniel Mullings is shotting 50 percent at the Pan Am from 3-point range, Kevin Aronis is shooting 46.7 percent and Bandja Sy is averaging 10 ppg at home.
Dominate the glass: Southern Miss is undersized, but they were last year as well and outrebounded NMSU in both meetings. Somewhat surprising is the Golden Eagles getting to the offensive glass against the Aggies in both games. Southern Miss hasn't been out rebounded yet this year. NMSU couldn't get enough of an edge on the boards against UTEP, which bogged their transition down and allowed UTEP to get back. NMSU needs to score on offensive rebounds, which from watching past Aggie teams play the zone, the zone leaves the defensive team vulnrable to offensive rebounds.
Marvin Menzies and Bandja Sy each said the Aggies should, key word, should, be ready to play against the 2-2-1 full court zone press and the 2-3 zone. NMSU plays both defenses, going up against it in practice. But the Aggies haven't shown much of either defense thus far.
"I'm a little more concerned about it than I would be had we been going up against it in practice," Menzies said. "It's a similar zone to the one that we play and are going to play but we just haven't put it all in yet. They use different levels of pressure with it so there is a concern with the way we handled the pressure at UTEP, which was not very well."
If the Aggies continue to rebound well, and take advantage of an undersized team on the offensive boards particularily, it can neutralize Southern Miss in transition, where they are deadly. Not a great 3-point shooting team either so it sounds like they depend on their defense for their offense.
This should be a faster game and turnovers may cancel each other out as Southern Miss also turns the ball over.
Final score, New Mexico State 72, Southern Miss 67
Southern Miss is 6-0 on the season under first year coach Donnie Tyndall, who replaced Larry Eustachy. The two biggest differences between last year and this year, Southern Miss presses for most of the game and they play zone defense for most of the game. Under Eustachy, Southern Miss was a man--to-man team. The results have been similar. Southern Miss is still hard to score on and the Golden Eagles haven't been out rebounded yet despite an undersized rotation.
Handle the press: I wrote about the Aggies' turnovers problems yesterday. NMSU has averaged 23 turnovers in their past three games against DI opponents. Southern MIss's press is a 2-2-1 zone press and all of the players are basically the same size and athletic. Southern Miss won't necessarily press full court the whole game, but it is capable of turning teams over. Like the Aggies, Southern MIss wants to score in transition and creating 16 turnovers per game helps them do that. This game should be more open than the UTEP game.
Handle the zone: Southern Miss plays a 2-3 zone after picking up full court. Two ways the Aggies can beat the zone. Offensive rebounds, which I will talk about, and hitting some 3s. Daniel Mullings is shotting 50 percent at the Pan Am from 3-point range, Kevin Aronis is shooting 46.7 percent and Bandja Sy is averaging 10 ppg at home.
Dominate the glass: Southern Miss is undersized, but they were last year as well and outrebounded NMSU in both meetings. Somewhat surprising is the Golden Eagles getting to the offensive glass against the Aggies in both games. Southern Miss hasn't been out rebounded yet this year. NMSU couldn't get enough of an edge on the boards against UTEP, which bogged their transition down and allowed UTEP to get back. NMSU needs to score on offensive rebounds, which from watching past Aggie teams play the zone, the zone leaves the defensive team vulnrable to offensive rebounds.
Marvin Menzies and Bandja Sy each said the Aggies should, key word, should, be ready to play against the 2-2-1 full court zone press and the 2-3 zone. NMSU plays both defenses, going up against it in practice. But the Aggies haven't shown much of either defense thus far.
"I'm a little more concerned about it than I would be had we been going up against it in practice," Menzies said. "It's a similar zone to the one that we play and are going to play but we just haven't put it all in yet. They use different levels of pressure with it so there is a concern with the way we handled the pressure at UTEP, which was not very well."
If the Aggies continue to rebound well, and take advantage of an undersized team on the offensive boards particularily, it can neutralize Southern Miss in transition, where they are deadly. Not a great 3-point shooting team either so it sounds like they depend on their defense for their offense.
This should be a faster game and turnovers may cancel each other out as Southern Miss also turns the ball over.
Final score, New Mexico State 72, Southern Miss 67
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Was it a foul?
Was Chris Washburn over the back? Did Chili Nephawe have position? Was it a no-call?
Here is some video that includes the foul that put Washburn on the line to beat the Aggies. Thanks to Duke Keith.
Here is some video that includes the foul that put Washburn on the line to beat the Aggies. Thanks to Duke Keith.
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