Nevada Wolf Pack coach Steve Alford boldly sent a message to the Utah State Aggies late Saturday night heading into this week’s Mountain West Tournament in Las Vegas.
“Hats off to Utah State for winning the league,” Alford said. “But we also know, Utah State, you didn’t come to Lawlor.”
Alford, whose Wolf Pack whipped UNLV, 75-65, on Saturday at Lawlor Events Center to close the regular season, was referring to the only meeting between the Wolf Pack and Aggies this year, a 77-63 victory in Logan, Utah, on Feb. 6.
The Wolf Pack (26-6, 13-5), by virtue of its win in Logan a month ago, would have earned the top seed in this week’s Mountain West Tournament in the case of a tie with Utah State atop the league standings. Utah State (26-5, 14-4) clinched the top seed with a narrow 87-85 win over New Mexico on Saturday.
Nevada, though, is the No. 1 team in the final Nevada Appeal Mountain West men’s basketball rankings, with Utah State at No. 2.
Alford, it seems, agrees with the ranking.
“Nobody is playing better basketball than we are right now,” said Alford, whose Wolf Pack will take on either Colorado State or San Jose State on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the league tournament. Those teams will play on the opening day of the tournament on Wednesday.
Nevada, No. 23 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 rankings, has won its last seven games and 10 of its last 11.
“There was a team playing just as well as we were and we just played them (UNLV) and Boise State was the other one and we got both of them this week,” Alford said, referring to Nevada’s wins over UNLV and Boise State (76-66 last Tuesday) last week.
“We’re going to Vegas playing very, very good basketball.”
Nevada, like Utah State, has likely already clinched a berth in next week’s NCAA Tournament no matter what happens in Las Vegas this week. Alford, though, declared his team focused and determined to bring home the Mountain West Tournament title and its best seed possible in the NCAA Tournament.
“Our guys didn’t get to cut down the nets in league (as the regular season champion on Saturday night) so they are going to be very motivated in Vegas,” Alford said.
Jarod Lucas scored 19 points against Boise State and 26 against UNLV and is quite possibly the hottest shooter going into the Mountain West Tournament. The fifth-year senior’s college career will end after this season along with a handful of his teammates (such as Kenan Blackshear, Hunter McIntosh and K.J. Hymes).
“What I like is this is a mature group,” Alford said. “They grow every time there’s a setback. We haven’t had many (just six losses). We had that little blip in January (four losses in five games). That rocked us a little bit. But setbacks are what allow you an opportunity to grow and this group has done that.”
“We’re on a mission and we’re still on that mission,” Blackshear said.
Utah State beat both San Jose State (90-70) and New Mexico last week to earn its first outright Mountain West regular-season title in school history.
The Aggies beat New Mexico, depriving Nevada of the regular-season crown, thanks to a 3-pointer by Darius Brown with five seconds left to break an 84-84 tie.
No. 3 Boise State (22-9, 13-5) got past No. 5 San Diego State, 79-77, in overtime on the road last Friday. Boise’s Max Rice hit a desperation 3-pointer from about 40 feet out as the shot clock expired for a 77-72 lead with just under two minutes left in overtime.
“We (Rice and his father, Boise State coach Leon Rice) were kind of going back and forth the last couple possessions,” Max Rice said. “He kept yelling at me and didn’t think I was doing enough.
“That (the 40-foot 3-pointer) was kind of a look-at-him moment when I just felt I had to make it or else he was going to cut me the next day.”
“When he let it go I kind of knew it was in,” Leon Rice said.
San Diego State, which went to last year’s NCAA Tournament title game (losing to Connecticut), lost twice this week (to UNLV, 62-58, and Boise State).
“There are always lessons to be learned and you have to be able to overcome the disappointment,” San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher said.
UNLV beat the Aztecs on Tuesday in Las Vegas as Dedan Thomas hit a jumper and two free throws in the final 18 seconds to break a 58-58 tie. The two teams will meet again in Las Vegas on Thursday in the Mountain West Tournament.
“They just deserved it,” UNLV coach Kevin Kruger said of his Rebels beating the Aztecs last week. “A handful of weeks ago everyone wrote everyone in this program off and there was a nastiness about it. Our guys are playing for each other.”
No. 8 Wyoming (15-16, 8-10) won twice last week, beating Air Force (74-63) and Fresno State (86-47).
“We did an unbelievable job of following the game plan,” Wyoming coach Jeff Linder said after the 39-point win over Fresno State on Saturday. “Our collective effort and discipline on the defensive end was outstanding and we were very poised on the offensive side of the ball.”
Wyoming and Fresno State will meet again to open the Mountain West Tournament on Wednesday at 11 a.m.
The Nevada Appeal Mountain West men’s basketball rankings for the week of March 11:
1. NEVADA (26-6, 13-5): Last week: Nevada 76, Boise State 66 (March 5); Nevada 75, UNLV 65 (March 9).
2. UTAH STATE (26-5, 14-4): Last week: Utah State 90, San Jose State 70 (March 6); Utah State 87, New Mexico 85 (March 9).
3. BOISE STATE (22-9, 13-5): Last week: Nevada 76, Boise State 66 (March 5); Boise State 79, San Diego State 77, OT (March 8).
4. UNLV (19-11, 12-6): Last week: UNLV 62, San Diego State 58 (March 5), Nevada 75, UNLV 65 Nevada (March 9).
5. SAN DIEGO STATE (22-9, 11-7): Last week: UNLV 62, San Diego State 58 (March 5), Boise State 79, San Diego State 77, OT (March 8).
6. NEW MEXICO (22-9, 10-8): Last week: New Mexico 79, Fresno State 58 (March 6), Utah State 87, New Mexico 85 (March 9).
7. COLORADO STATE (22-9, 10-8): Last week: Colorado State 82, Air Force 73 (March 9).
8. WYOMING (15-16, 8-10): Last week: Wyoming 74, Air Force 63 (March 5); Wyoming 86, Fresno State 47 (March 9).
9. AIR FORCE (9-21, 2-16): Last week: Wyoming 74, Air Force 63 (March 5); Colorado State 82, Air Force 73 (March 9).
10. FRESNO STATE (11-20, 4-14): Last week: New Mexico 79, Fresno State 58 (March 6); Wyoming 86, Fresno State 47 (March 9).
11. SAN JOSE STATE (9-22, 2-16): Last week: Utah State 90, San Jose State 70 (March 6).