RENO - Nevada may be labeled as the team to beat as the annual WAC Basketball Tournament kicks off a five-day run at Lawlor Events Center today, but first-year coach Mark Fox said it's too early to stamp any tickets for the NCAAs.
The Wolf Pack, who play the Boise-Tulsa winner in the quarterfinals at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday night, enter the game on a 10-game winning streak. They have had a few brushes with defeat in recent weeks, but have made plays when needed. Twice on the road (Boise State and San Jose State), Nevada wiped out 15-point deficits and won the game.
Fox knows playing at home is an advantage and he knows the Pack is favored. He also knows any slip-ups could cost the team an NCAA bid.
"Every team in this league is dangerous," Fox said Sunday afternoon, a day after the Pack slipped by San Jose State 73-69. "It will be hard to win four games (for the play-in teams), but any team in the conference can win this.
"San Jose State just about beat UTEP and beat Rice. We're picked to win, but we have a long way to go. We have to, hopefully, play well this week and see what happens."
The fact that Nevada will play at home where it compiled a 13-3 record will help. A year ago, Nevada was 15-0 at home. This year, the Pack lost three home games by a total of nine points, three points each to UOP, UTEP and Fresno State.
"My goodness, yes," UTEP coach Doc Sadler said when asked if the Pack would have the advantage playing at home. "I wish it was in El Paso."
Sadler's team is the No. 2 seed and favored to meet Nevada in the finals. He said the key to the Miners' success will be shooting the ball well.
"If we don't shoot well, anybody in the league can beat us," he said.
Mo Charlo, coming off a 14-point effort against San Jose State, said he expects a lot of fans and that a big crowd will help energize the Pack.
"We have to come out and play hard, and continue to do the little things like we have done all season," Charlo said.
Here's a capsule look at the rest of the teams in order of seeding:
UTEP MINERS (24-7, 14-4)
Coach: Doc Sadler
Top players: F Omar Thomas, G Fili Rivera, F Jason Williams
Notes: The Miners split their season series with Nevada, each team winning on the road, and that's no easy feat. ... Rivera is the glue that holds the team together. Entering the last week of the season, he led the conference in assists (7.15) and free throw percentage (84.1). ... The key for UTEP is pace of game and its outside shooting.
RICE OWLS (18-10, 12-6)
Coach: Willis Wilson
Top players: F Michael Harris, G Jason McKreith, G Brock Gillespie, F Jamaal Moore
Notes: Wilson admitted that his team will have to overcome the altitude and take better care of the basketball. ... The tandem of Harris and McKreith is one of the best in the conference and makes Rice a darkhorse candidate in this tournament.
FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS (15-13, 9-9)
Coach: Ray Lopes
Top players: C Mustafa Al-Sayyad, F-G Dreike Bouldin, G Ja'Vance Coleman, G Donovan Morris, G Dwight O'Neil
Notes: When Nevada knocked off Fresno last week, it was the fifth loss in six games for the young Bulldogs, who have had trouble shooting free throws, taking care of the ball and playing defense. ... Coleman is tough to contain because of his ability to shoot the three and drive to the basket... Mustafa has turned into a deadly shooter when he gets the ball in the paint.
LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS (14-14, 9-9)
Coach: Keith Richard
Top players: F Paul Millsap, G Donnell Allick, C Wayne Powell, G Daevon Haskins, G-F Corey Dean
Notes: Millsap led the nation in rebounding as a freshman, and he was barely leading Rice's Harris going into the last weekend of conference play. ... The Bulldogs don't have a lot of depth and have been playing a six and seven-man rotation most of the second half of conference play.
SMU MUSTANGS (14-13, 9-9)
Coach: Jimmy Tubbs
Top players: G Bryan Hopkins, C Eric Castro, F Patrick Simpson, F-G Devon Pearson, F Justin Isham
Notes: The Mustangs have battled injury problems to Hopkins (wrist), Derick Roberts (knee) and Simpson (ankle) the entire season. Tubbs says staying healthy will be the key to success for the Mustangs. ... SMU is in the top portion of the league defensively, trailing only Nevada and UTEP. ... Hopkins is a dangerous player, and has outstanding range as a shooter.
HAWAI'I RAINBOW WARRIORS (15-12, 7-11)
Coach: Riley Wallace
Top players: F Julian Sensley, F Jeff Blackett, G Bobby Nash, C Chris Botez, C-F Matthew Gibson, G Matt Gibson, G Jake Sottos
Notes: Hawai'i finished the season losing five of six games. ... Wallace has lamented the fact that he doesn't have a true point guard. ... Sottos leads the conference in three-point shooting with a 46 percent mark, and he wasn't playing many minutes early in the season. ... Gibson is averaging nearly 19 points a game over the last nine games.
BOISE STATE BRONCOS (13-17, 6-12)
Coach: Greg Graham
Top players: F Jermaine Blackburn, G Coby Karl, F Jason Ellis, G Franco Harris, C Tez Banks, F Kareem Lloyd
Notes: Ellis missed several games because of a hernia, and the Broncos were never able to right the ship. Ellis is a strong rebounder and defender. ... What makes Boise dangerous is the ability of Karl and Harris to shoot the three-pointer. ... Boise likes to play up-tempo, and if you can slow the Broncos down, you can beat them.
TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE (9-19, 5-13)
Coach: Pooh Williamson (interim)
Top players: F-G Jarius Glenn, C Anthony Price, G Brett McDade, F Guilherme Teichmann, F Vernell Davis
Notes: Tulsa is one of the hottest teams in the conference, winning six of its last seven home games. ... In eight of Tulsa's nine wins, the Golden Hurricane held the opposition to under 65 points. ... Glenn is averaging around 17 points a game, and is one of the most complete players in the conference.
SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS (6-22, 3-15)
Coach: Phil Johnson
Top players: F Marquin Chandler, F-G Michael McFadden, C Matt Misko, G Alex Elam
Notes: In Chandler, the Spartans have one of the best players in the WAC, but he can't do it by himself. ... Offense has been a problem for the Spartans, who managed just 48 in a recent loss to Tulsa, but played well in a season-ending 73-69 loss to Nevada. ... The Spartans seem to be focused despite reports that Johnson won't be back next year, according to a report in the San Jose Mercury-News.
n Darrell Moody can be reached at dmoody@nevadaappeal.com, or by calling (775) 881-1281