Coaches have mixed views of Bracket Buster games

It's ESPN Bracket Buster time, and that's always an interesting topic among the Western Athletic Conference basketball coaches.

Some, like San Jose State's Phil Johnson and UTEP's Doc Sadler admit they don't like it.

In Johnson's case, the Spartans are playing a nonconference game at Drake on Saturday, and then return home for a Monday game against Boise State. In this instance, Boise State will get to the Bay Area before San Jose State.

Sadler doesn't like it because at this stage of the season, he wants to concentrate on winning WAC games, not worrying about nonconference games.

The other coaches have some issues with it, mostly over where it falls during the schedule, yet nearly all say it's a good thing for the conference.

"Last year, the coaches had a pretty good debate (about it)," Rice coach Willis Wilson said. "When all was said and done, the conference coaches voted unanimously (for it). I general, it's good for the league. I think it's good for the league, but it can be difficult for teams."

For Nevada, it's been a godsend, according to coach Mark Fox.

After going 15-0 at home last season, Nevada found it virtually impossible to fill its home schedule this season. The ESPN Bracket Buster has enabled him to get a quality opponent at Lawlor. Last year it was Toledo and this year it's Vermont.

"I do like it," Nevada coach Mark Fox said. "It's allowed us to complete our schedule the last two years. For that reason, I do like it."

Fox admits he's not wild about going to Vermont next season, which is what host teams have to do the following season, but he's also quick to point out that it's not a perfect world.

"It's a necessary evil," Louisiana Tech's Keith Richard said. "You hope you are one of the teams in that TV situation. If not, it's still something that is very good for the league.

"It's still a work in progress. Not all the kinks are worked out. It's still in the developmental stage. The benefits of the day are something we can't pass up right now."

And, the WAC is one of the mainstays of the ESPN event. All 10 WAC schools are playing Saturday, but only five (UTEP, Nevada, Rice, Hawai'i and Fresno State) are in the official 22-team Bracket Buster field. The other five WAC teams are playing what are considered nonconference games.

The premier games are UTEP at UOP, which is being shown at 9 p.m. on ESPN, and the Vermont-Nevada game, which is being shown at 11 a.m. on ESPN2. Hawai'i's game against University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will be aired at 6 p.m. on ESPN2. Fresno State and Rice are on ESPN Full-Court.

Some pundits say the ESPN is an "elimination event" where teams that lose are in big trouble.

In the case of the Nevada-Vermont game, Fox disagrees.

"I think us and Vermont are in the top 35 in RPI," Fox said. "I think the committee looks at the body of work. Win or lose, we're doing what we can do to impress the committee."

Fox also pointed out that when North Carolina lost to Duke that it didn't hurt the Tar Heels. Nice analogy, but unfortunately the WAC isn't the ACC.

Karl Benson, the WAC commissioner, said he hopes the WAC will be a "major player" for years to come in the annual event. He said the air time WAC teams receive helps the conference immensely.

Another major problem is the lack of West Coast schools (conferences) that are competing. There are no West Coast Athletic Conference schools in the field and no Mountain West schools, and only limited participation from the Big West and Big Sky.

Gonzaga of the West Coast Athletic Conference played in the first two years of the event, and won easily both times against Tulsa. The Zags opted not to return this year.

Hawai'i's Riley Wallace said that Gonzaga has done well enough that it can schedule attractive nonconference matchups. He thinks it's a mistake for the rest of the conference not to participate.

So does Benson.

"I've had some discussions with Mountain West coaches and athletic directors," Benson said. "I hope at some point in time they will warm up to the concept. Wyoming wanted to participate, but didn't get clearance from the league.

"Gonzaga elected not to participate (this year). If I can convince Gonzaga to return, I'm convinced the rest of the WAC would participate."

GETTING TEMPO

Many of the coaches around the Western Athletic Conference have pointed out Nevada's ability to control the tempo of the game as a key to the Pack's success.

Nevada was a diverse team a year ago, possessing the ability to play a half-court game or playing wide open. This year, Nevada has run its fast break a few times during games, but most of its success has come in its half-court offense with Nick Fazekas and Kevinn Pinkney.

UTEP coach Doc Sadler said after the Miners' 62-60 loss to Nevada that he wouldn't expect his team to win a low-scoring game like that. He felt the game needed to be in the high 60s or 70s to favor UTEP.

"I think every team approaches it the same way," Sadler said. "I wanted to full-court press and force the issue. Nevada's half-court defense was so good that you don't get many open looks. They make you take your time. You don't the (amount of) possessions you want. I think it's Nevada's defense more than anything else."

Fox said the Wolf Pack wasn't trying to play as slow as the score indicated on Saturday.

"We didn't want to play that slow," Fox said. "We were short on bodies. Jermaine (Washington) was out (ejection) and Kyle Shiloh fouled out. Both teams played good defense. It was tough to get good shots."

IF YOU LIKE TO LOOK AHEAD

This is the time of the year when everybody is looking ahead to the conference and NCAA tournaments.

If the WAC tournament started today, Nevada would play the Boise State-San Jose State winner in the quarterfinals. San Jose State is tied with Tulsa at 3-9, but the Spartans won the first head-to-head battle.

The NCAA bracketology is part of ESPN's website. Who knows how accurate it will turn out to be, but I'm sure Nevada fans have been keeping a close eye on it. Nevada has moved up to a No. 9 seed, and would be paired against Georgia Tech in a rematch of last year's Sweet 16 game. The teams would square off in Indianapolis. The winner would get to play undefeated Illinois.

MILLSAP HONORED

Louisiana Tech forward Paul Millsap has been named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week.

Millsap, a sophomore, averaged 21 points and 13 rebounds in wins over Hawai'i and San Jose State. In a 71-70 win over Hawai'i, Millsap played the entire game, scoring 29 points and 13 rebounds. Two nights later, he recorded his 16th double-double of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds in an easy win over San Jose State.

Millsap beat out Nevada's Ramon Sessions, Boise State's Jermaine Blackburn, Fresno State's Ja'Vance Coleman, Rice's Michael Harris, SMU's Bryan Hopkins and UTEP's Fili Rivera for the honor.

Hawai'i's Amy Sanders has been named the women's top player. She averaged 18 .5 points and 10.5 rebounds in an upset win over Louisiana Tech and a narrow loss to SMU. She scored 27, including the game-winning basket against the Lady Techsters.

Nevada's Meghan McGuire was among the others nominated for the weekly award.

Darrell Moody can be reached at dmoody@nevadaappeal.com, or by calling (775) 881-1281