Conference play is going to be tough to figure out, as always. Right now, UNLV looks like the best team in the league. I haven't seen every team, a few I've seen a couple of times.
Right now, there's no other way to slice it, SDSU is awful offensively and though their defense is still good, it's down from where they are usually at and we are seeing the results of it. Even if their offense sucks all year long, they're still going to be tough because they defend - even though it hasn't been as good as it usually is - well enough. I'd love to hate on them and write them off as a non-factor in league play, but I know better and history has shown otherwise. I saw a retweet last night, can't remember from who, which embedded a picture of some quotes from a writer which basically called out one of SDSU's issues as entitled four and five star recruits.
Well, we can relate to that because I know it's had a direct impact to some of UNLV's own woes over the last few seasons. I suspect that writing was orchestrated as a hit job from staff to beat writer as a ploy to open up some players' eyes and have an established reason for underachievement if the Aztecs don't turn it around. It might work and help them refocus, it might not. But it doesn't make it any less true. It's a main reason why I hope UNLV's recruiting philosophy aims a few degrees off of due north. I don't want to stop going for the elite players, but I'd rather not try and build with them. You absolutely need three and four year guys as a firm base.
I've seen UNM a few times now and they're better than I thought, but only marginally. If Neal is on, he can kill you. But he can also kill the Lobos. He's very erratic and doesn't discern very well between good shots and bad shots. Elijah has been ALOT better than I anticipated. Didn't see him before his transfer, but didn't like him in HS at all. But he's played pretty well. Their zone has been pretty good, too. Saturday, the zone kept them in the game with Purdue - Purdue didn't do them any favors, they just launched three after three after three and they were off. And they had an incredible advantage inside.
I don't trust that Adams can carry Wyoming. Good player, but they don't have enough elsewhere for me to have huge concern other than travel/venue. I do think BSU is going to be tough, certainly better than where they are right now. I don't know that Utah State will get it altogether without Collette and some general disarray and Fresno has been worse than they've been. CSU - just tough to figure out. Again, venue/travel is always going to be a concern regardless.
Even with all that, nobody is going to run away with the conference, especially unscathed. Right now, UNLV is the best team and if you were going to predict somebody to win it, I'd go with the Rebels by a couple of games. But every team is a key injury away from finishing way less than they hoped and some teams are a player stepping up from being much better than hoped.
If you think you have a good feel for how conference play is going to unfold, I'd say you're foolish for thinking so. And as much as most of us are enjoying SDSU's current implosion, if you are sold that they are going to suck, I'd say that's foolish, too.
Right now, there's no other way to slice it, SDSU is awful offensively and though their defense is still good, it's down from where they are usually at and we are seeing the results of it. Even if their offense sucks all year long, they're still going to be tough because they defend - even though it hasn't been as good as it usually is - well enough. I'd love to hate on them and write them off as a non-factor in league play, but I know better and history has shown otherwise. I saw a retweet last night, can't remember from who, which embedded a picture of some quotes from a writer which basically called out one of SDSU's issues as entitled four and five star recruits.
Well, we can relate to that because I know it's had a direct impact to some of UNLV's own woes over the last few seasons. I suspect that writing was orchestrated as a hit job from staff to beat writer as a ploy to open up some players' eyes and have an established reason for underachievement if the Aztecs don't turn it around. It might work and help them refocus, it might not. But it doesn't make it any less true. It's a main reason why I hope UNLV's recruiting philosophy aims a few degrees off of due north. I don't want to stop going for the elite players, but I'd rather not try and build with them. You absolutely need three and four year guys as a firm base.
I've seen UNM a few times now and they're better than I thought, but only marginally. If Neal is on, he can kill you. But he can also kill the Lobos. He's very erratic and doesn't discern very well between good shots and bad shots. Elijah has been ALOT better than I anticipated. Didn't see him before his transfer, but didn't like him in HS at all. But he's played pretty well. Their zone has been pretty good, too. Saturday, the zone kept them in the game with Purdue - Purdue didn't do them any favors, they just launched three after three after three and they were off. And they had an incredible advantage inside.
I don't trust that Adams can carry Wyoming. Good player, but they don't have enough elsewhere for me to have huge concern other than travel/venue. I do think BSU is going to be tough, certainly better than where they are right now. I don't know that Utah State will get it altogether without Collette and some general disarray and Fresno has been worse than they've been. CSU - just tough to figure out. Again, venue/travel is always going to be a concern regardless.
Even with all that, nobody is going to run away with the conference, especially unscathed. Right now, UNLV is the best team and if you were going to predict somebody to win it, I'd go with the Rebels by a couple of games. But every team is a key injury away from finishing way less than they hoped and some teams are a player stepping up from being much better than hoped.
If you think you have a good feel for how conference play is going to unfold, I'd say you're foolish for thinking so. And as much as most of us are enjoying SDSU's current implosion, if you are sold that they are going to suck, I'd say that's foolish, too.
