Mountain West rankings: Nevada Wolf Pack falls after sweep at Wyoming

The Nevada Wolf Pack gave their coach something to be concerned about last week.

“The altitude, maybe we thought we were playing on Pikes Peak,” said Nevada coach Steve Alford last Friday night after a 71-64 loss at Wyoming. “I didn’t like our energy, I didn’t like our toughness, we weren’t hard to play against in either half to start. We have to be a little bit tougher than that.”

The Wolf Pack then dug itself a 12-1 hole to start Sunday’s 93-88 loss at Wyoming to fall to 10-7 overall and 5-5 in the Mountain West. The two losses to the Cowboys dropped the Pack one spot to No. 6 in this week’s Nevada Appeal Mountain West men’s basketball rankings. Wyoming (10-5, 4-4), winners of three games last week, moved up three spots to No. 5.

“We’re growing and getting better,” said Wyoming coach Jeff Linder, whose Cowboys also beat Air Force 77-58 last Monday to snap a four-game losing streak.

The difference in the Nevada-Wyoming series was 3-point shooting. The Wolf Pack was 10-of-49 in the two games beyond the arc while Wyoming was 22-of-68. Wyoming now leads the Mountain West this season, averaging 10 successful 3-pointers a game.

The Wolf Pack lost on Sunday despite making a Mountain West-season high 30 free throws in a conference-high 38 attempts. The 29 fouls called against Wyoming on Sunday is also a conference high for the season.

The Wolf Pack, which has lost four of its last six games, led for just five of the 80 minutes combined in the two games at Wyoming. Nevada will not play again until Sunday at Lawlor Events Center against UNLV.

Boise State (13-1, 9-0) remained on top of the rankings with a 73-51 victory over No. 8 Fresno State (5-6, 3-6) on Wednesday. The second game of the series on Friday was canceled because of COVID-19 concerns within the Boise State program.

Fresno State, which got 17 points and nine rebounds from Orlando Robinson, led 30-28 at halftime. Boise State, which missed 13-of-14 3-pointers in the first half, finished the game on a 30-5 run over the final 10-plus minutes.

“My favorite thing about this team, and there’s a lot of favorite things,” Boise State coach Leon Rice said, “but the number one thing and the reason why we’ve won these games, is their ability to respond.”

“Once we get that ball moving, once we just get our rhythm, we’re hard to beat,” said Boise State’s Marcus Shaver, who had 17 points.

Derrick Alston led the Broncos with 21 points.

“They (Fresno State) really stunned us in the first half with their physicality,” Alston said. “We were fortunate to be down by just two. But there’s no panic is us.”

“Derrick was terrific,” Rice said. “That second half, he was just like, ‘No, I’m not going to allow this.’”

Boise State, now 7-0 at home, leads the Mountain West in scoring at 81.2 points a game. The Broncos have outscored their opponents by a Mountain West-best 20.1 points each game.

No. 2 Colorado State (11-3, 8-2) and No. 3 Utah State (12-4, 9-1) split two games last week at Utah State. Utah State won 83-64 on Tuesday behind Brock Miller’s 20 points. Seven-foot junior Neemias Queta had 18 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks.

Colorado State, though, rebounded on Thursday for an 84-76 win behind 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists by Isaiah Stevens. Miller had 14 points in four threes for Utah State but Queta battled foul trouble all game and had just 13 points and five rebounds in 27 minutes. Colorado State won the game at the free throw line, going 25-of-29 while Utah State was just 14-of-22.

“It was a tough night,” Utah State coach Craig Smith said after Thursday’s loss. “Colorado State played a great game in every way, shape and form. We just couldn’t guard them. They shredded us apart.”

“I just thought we played our tails off,” Colorado State coach Niko Medved said on Thursday. “It just felt different from the beginning (compared to two nights before). The defense, the toughness and the intensity was just awesome.”

No. 4 San Diego State (11-4, 5-3) whipped No. 9 Air Force (4-10, 2-8) twice last week, 98-61 on Friday and 91-59 on Sunday.

San Diego State’s Jordan Schakel had 42 points in the two games combined. Adam Seiko had four 3-pointers on Friday and Terrell Gomez had five threes on Sunday.

The Aztecs forced Air Force into a Mountain-West-season high 27 turnovers on Friday. San Diego State was 67-of-126 (53 percent) from the floor in the two games combined and 29-of-59 (49 percent) on threes.

“As far as the offense we ran, it was suited just for Air Force or anybody else that would zone us,” San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher said.

The Aztecs’ Matt Mitchell also returned to the floor on Sunday, playing 14 minutes and scoring 10 points with seven rebounds and three assists. It was Mitchell’s first game in 10 days after suffering a knee injury on Jan. 14 at Utah State.

“It felt good,” said Mitchell of his injured knee. “No pain, no mental or physical restrictions.”

“We just wanted to get his timing back,” Dutcher said. “That’s very important for the success of this team.”

Utah State will travel to No. 7 UNLV (5-6, 2-2) for two games this week (Monday and Wednesday) while Boise State is at Colorado state for two important games Wednesday and Friday.

The Nevada Appeal’s Mountain West men’s basketball rankings:

1. BOISE STATE (13-1, 9-0): Last week: Boise State 73, Fresno State 51 (Jan. 20). This week: Boise State at Colorado State (Jan. 27, 29).

2. COLORADO STATE (11-3, 8-2): Last week: Utah State 83, Colorado State 64 (Jan. 19), Colorado State 84, Utah State 76 (Jan. 21). This week: Boise State at Colorado State (Jan. 27, 29).

3. UTAH STATE (12-4, 9-1): Last week: Utah State 83, Colorado State 64 (Jan. 19), Colorado State 84, Utah State 76 (Jan. 21). This week: Utah State at UNLV (Jan. 25, 27).

4. SAN DIEGO STATE (11-4, 5-3): Last week: San Diego State 98, Air Force 61 (Jan. 22), San Diego State 91, Air Force 59 (Jan. 24). This week: Wyoming at San Diego State (Jan. 28, 30).

5. WYOMING (10-5, 4-4): Last week: Wyoming 77, Air Force 58 (Jan. 18), Wyoming 71, Nevada 64 (Jan. 22), Wyoming 93, Nevada 88 (Jan. 24). This week: Wyoming at San Diego State (Jan. 28. 30).

6. NEVADA (10-7, 5-5): Last week: Wyoming 71, Nevada 64 (Jan. 22), Wyoming 93, Nevada 88 (Jan. 24). This week: UNLV at Nevada (Jan. 31, Feb. 2).

7. UNLV (5-6, 2-2): Last week: UNLV 53, New Mexico 46 (Jan. 18), UNLV 99, Benedictine Mesa 45 (Jan. 21). This week: Utah State at UNLV (Jan. 25, 27), UNLV at Nevada (Jan. 21, Feb. 2).

8. FRESNO STATE (5-6, 3-6): Last week: Boise State 73, Fresno State 51 (Jan. 20). This week: New Mexico at Fresno State (Jan. 28, 30).

9. AIR FORCE (4-10, 2-8): Last week: Wyoming 77, Air Force 58 (Jan. 18), San Diego State 98, Air Force 61 (Jan. 22), San Diego State 91, Air Force 59 (Jan. 24). This week: Air Force vs. San Jose State at Phoenix (Jan. 28, 30).

10. NEW MEXICO (5-9, 1-9): Last week: UNLV 53, New Mexico 46 (Jan. 18), New Mexico 67, San Jose State 51 (Jan. 21), San Jose State 83, New Mexico 71 (Jan. 23). This week: New Mexico at Fresno State (Jan. 28, 30).

11. SAN JOSE STATE (3-11, 1-9): Last week: New Mexico 67, San Jose State 51 (Jan. 21), San Jose State 83, New Mexico 71 (Jan. 23). This week: Air Force vs. San Jose State at Phoenix (Jan. 28, 30).