USU

[TarkisGod]

Utah State pays a visit to the Thomas & Mack.on Saturday night. The Aggies arrive with a 9-7 record. They’re 2-1 in Mountain West Conference play. The Aggies have won 4 of their last 5 games, the lone blemish being a 20-point drubbing at San Diego St, 79-59.

Both USU and the Rebels are coming into this match-up off of overtime wins. But UNLV was lucky to escape their game, at the worst team in the league, San Jose St, with a victory, having blown a late 11-point lead in regulation, Utah St, on the other hand, overcame a 10-point deficit at home to Fresno State in the final 4 minutes to force the extra 5 minutes, and got away with an 81-79 victory.

Of course, the Rebels have won 6 of their last 7 as well, yet it feels like the Aggies are trending up, while UNLV seems headed in the opposite direction. But, they are 12-3 overall, having had a 5-game winning streak broken by a loss to Boise State..`

Leading the way in scoring for the Aggies this year is Sam Merrill with 15.1 PPG and 3.6 APG. Also in double-figures for Utah State are Koby McEwen (14.3 PPG) and DeAngelo Isby (11.1 PPG) while Dwayne Brown is close to double-digits with 9.2 PPG and a team-high 5.4 RPG. Utah State is fairly well-balanced statistically, but they lack a real shutdown rebounder and significant secondary scoring they can rely on late in games.

On paper, the Rebels figure to secure an easy conference victory in this one, but lately nothing has come easy for UNLV. They appear to have lost the focus that carried them through early games, like the wins over Utah and Illinois, and even in the overtime losses to Northern Iowa and Arizona.

It's incumbent on Marvin Menzies and his staff to find the key to re-capturing that single-mindedness, needed to put opponents away.

The early line opened with the Rebels as a 9.5-point favorite. It has since settled at -9.0. No total yet.

Update: Line now back to 9.5. Total is 154.

Go Rebels!

 

[Moscurry91]

I'm taking USU and the points. Easy $$$!

 

[drmontehorne_a_yahoo.com]

This is a huge game. Lose this one and I think we know what kind of team we have. We need a big win to re-establish who we are!

 

[j. spilotro]

This is a huge game. Lose this one and I think we know what kind of team we have. We need a big win to re-establish who we are!

We win. Big.

 

[drmontehorne_a_yahoo.com]

We win. Big.

 

[TarkisGod]

Interesting side-note. Boise State trailing Wyoming 64-60 with 3 minutes left. So we’re not the only one of the “upper crust” of the MW that can struggle on the road. Too bad they didn’t have any issues against us.

Let’s see if the Cowboys can hold on for the upset.

Oh shoot! OT, It's going to bleed over into the start of the Rebel game.
Damn! 78-76 Wyoming with 32 seconds left. I fear double OT...
Cowboys win 79-78.

Go Rebels!

 

[TarkisGod]

Meanwhile Rebels lead 10-9 with 13 minutes left. Concern for Juiston. Twisted a knee I think

 

[TarkisGod]

Jesus! Do these guys ever miss? Rebels trail by 10 as Aggies hit there last 8 shots.

 

[TarkisGod]

The Rebels are causing me major stress lately.

Down 10 at the half. Ugh!

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

We win. Big.

Yeah, It's looking that way. Rebels just DOMINATING these Aggies. Great job again, Marvin.

 

[RunningRebs]

Again... Zero fouls for McCoy again in the first half. Not nearly agressive enough for a big man.

 

[j. spilotro]

Yeah, It's looking that way. Rebels just DOMINATING these Aggies. Great job again, Marvin.

Rebels outscore them by 25 in second half.

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

Rebels outscore them by 25 in second half.

I'll tell my friend over at William Hill to post that line.

 

[TarkisGod]

Rebels need some energy. How about some Anthony Smith?

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

Why, oh why, can we not dominate this conference?? We smoke Utah and Illinois. We almost beat a dominate Arizona team. We take a great UNI team to OT at their dojo. Mountain West play? Yeah...we can't do sh*t. Typical.

 

[TarkisGod]

Yeah, It's looking that way. Rebels just DOMINATING these Aggies. Great job again, Marvin.

Funny, I don't recall you praising MM when the Rebels were playing well. Must have missed that.

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

Funny, I don't recall you praising MM when the Rebels were playing well. Must have missed that.

I'm not required to come on this board and lay praise and criticism equally. I've been on this board since 2008 and I have over 6,000 posts. What I post about, and when, is my prerogative .

 

[TarkisGod]

We are a good team in the paint. A terrible jump-shooting team.

 

[TarkisGod]

I'm not required to come on this board and lay praise and criticism equally. I've been on this board since 2008 and I have over 6,000 posts. What I post about, and when, is my prerogative.

Absolutely. You have every right to be a complainer. Post away...did I hurt your feelings? So sorry

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

Absolutely. You have every right to be a complainer. Post away...

I absolutely will. No need to get your permission. And, for the record, I was ecstatic in the early-season games and was telling everyone who I was close with that we looked like a tournament caliber team--and we absolutely did.

However, we have the same talent that we did then and that talent is wildly under performing now. If you have the same talent that played well early and no longer are doing so, all things being equal, that is the coach's fault...and I'm faulting said coach. This is basic logic.

I'm glad you are a die-hard fan. I am, too. I just hold the coach more accountable than you do.

 

[TarkisGod]

I absolutely will. No need to get your permission. And, for the record, I was ecstatic in the early-season games and was telling everyone who I was close with that we looked like a tournament caliber team--and we absolutely did.

However, we have the same talent that we did then and that talent is wildly under performing now. If you have the same talent that played well early and no longer are doing so, all things being equal, that is the coach's fault...and I'm faulting said coach. This is basic logic.

I'm glad you are a die-hard fan. I am, too. I just hold the coach more accountable than you do.

Yeah, I don't like pissing matches. I actually do apologize if I insulted you. I just don't believe the Coach is fully responsible for poor play. I'm done.

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

Yeah, I don't like pissing matches. I actually do apologize if I insulted you. I just don't believe the Coach is fully responsible for poor play. I'm done.

Apology accepted.

 

[TarkisGod]

JoJo is killing me!

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

What I'm frustrated about is that I'm relegated to having to listen to this game. I usually can stream any game on the planet with various web sites that specialize in streaming sports. However, nobody seems interested in this game.

I now know what it was like to live in the 1920's.

Also, as much as I love Robert Smith and all he did with the "Hard Way Eight", I can't stand his radio presence. It seems like he just giggles all the time at what John Sandler says.

 

[TarkisGod]

C'mon Rebels.One more run and put this game to bed...please!

 

[TarkisGod]

Also, as much as I love Robert Smith and all he did with the "Hard Way Eight", I can't stand his radio presence. It seems like he just giggles all the time at what John Sandler says.

Yeah, smooth he's not, but compared to Marcus Banks, he's Bob Costas. But we've gotta love our Rebels...

 

[TarkisGod]

No defense!

Oh christ! We're gonna lose...I'm sick

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

Rebels outscore them by 25 in second half.

You were slightly off there, Joe. UNLV outscored them by exactly 3. Stellar effort.

 

[j. spilotro]

You were slightly off there, Joe. UNLV outscored them by exactly 3. Stellar effort.

They’re playing very, very hard. Poise. Focus. Just unlucky. We have won 12 games which is better than last year. And look at our scoring totals! We score a lot. This team is the real deal, no smoke and mirrors here.

 

[drmontehorne_a_yahoo.com]

UNLV BB stock just went through the floor. Unbelievable!!!! Going to be another long season.

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

This team is the real deal, no smoke and mirrors here.

Yes, they are the 'real deal'. Losing their first two conference home games proves that. No smoke and mirrors there at all. I love this "winning time" thing.

Look, I'm frustrated and disappointed. I'm not showing up here to expend energy beating up on our team. I'm showing up to vent. How did we smoke out of conference opponents with the same talent we have on a team that is 1-2 in MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE PLAY?! What, because the MWC is a juggernaut?!

Same thing every year in this godforsaken conference. I'm so sick of it. Couple that with the wild success that the Knights are having (and I LOVE me some Knights) and the fact that the Raiders are coming to town...I worry that UNLV won't have any fans left.

We have a top 20 recruiting class and lost to Utah State...at HOME! But you are justifying this effort by saying that we have won more games so far than last year?! We won TWELVE games last year. Winning more than that at this point in the season isn't some ray of sunshine that we should be basking under...it should be a MINIMUM expectation.

Also, you and I clearly have a differing opinion on what it means to play with "poise and focus".

 

[j. spilotro]

Yes, they are the 'real deal'. Losing their first two conference home games proves that. No smoke and mirrors there at all. I love this "winning time" thing.

Look, I'm frustrated and disappointed. I'm not showing up here to expend energy beating up on our team. I'm showing up to vent. How did we smoke out of conference opponents with the same talent we have on a team that is 1-2 in MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE PLAY?! What, because the MWC is a juggernaut?!

Same thing every year in this godforsaken conference. I'm so sick of it. Couple that with the wild success that the Knights are having (and I LOVE me some Knights) and the fact that the Raiders are coming to town...I worry that UNLV won't have any fans left.

We have a top 20 recruiting class and lost to Utah State...at HOME! But you are justifying this effort by saying that we have won more games so far than last year?! We won TWELVE games last year. Winning more than that at this point in the season isn't some ray of sunshine that we should be basking under...it should be a MINIMUM expectation.

Have you seen the crowds? Lots of people are sick of it. We have 10K tickets paid for, 2K showing up, 8K who paid cash for tickets that aren't bothering.

My post was entirely facetious. Completely. I'm more baffled than you. There's no team in UNLV history that wouldn't have improved on last year's record given this year's schedule. It was set up for nothing but wins but now they are starting to lose the ones they are starting to win. But it'll look good in the season ending press clippings, don't you think? "Rebels end up the most improved team in the nation", "UNLV doubles their win total".... don't you get it man? You're a smart guy.

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

Have you seen the crowds? Lots of people are sick of it. We have 10K tickets paid for, 2K showing up, 8K who paid cash for tickets that aren't bothering.

My post was entirely facetious. Completely. I'm more baffled than you. There's no team in UNLV history that wouldn't have improved on last year's record given this year's schedule. It was set up for nothing but wins but now they are starting to lose the ones they are starting to win. But it'll look good in the season ending press clippings, don't you think? "Rebels end up the most improved team in the nation", "UNLV doubles their win total".... don't you get it man? You're a smart guy.

Oh, thank GOD. I honestly thought you were serious in your last post. My sarcasm radar was a total fail there lol.

This is so garbage. I'm befuddled. I don't know who else to blame this trash on other than MM. I mean, how do you not instill in your team--the same team that SMOKED teams before conference--that this is the MOUNTAIN WEST. That the Mountain West is Bizzaro World on steroids. That you have to be prepared to FIGHT. It's like he told these guys the exact opposite.

"Okay, guys, now we enter conference play. Feel free to sleepwalk through these games. No biggie. Oh, by the way, guys, I'm going to basically only play, like, 7 guys for the rest of the way. We'll be fine, though."

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

Just look how dead this board has become. It's the definition of apathy. I remember when this board had in-game threads for each game that went on for PAGES. We've completely lost the fan base. COMPLETELY LOST THEM.

This board is now a skeleton of what it formerly was under Kruger.

And what happened to that exciting, fast-break basketball that was being played for the majority of the year before conference play?! That was some exciting stuff. Now? Not so much. God, I'm frustrated with this team.

 

[Vegas007]

The team played a lot better against the Pac-12 than it plays against this conference. It’s weird. We are one overtime loss away from being 0-3. And that was against the worst team in the league.

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

The team played a lot better against the Pac-12 than it plays against this conference. It’s weird. We are one overtime loss away from being 0-3. And that was against the worst team in the league.

Could you IMAGINE if we were 0-3 in MWC play right now?! The fans would be going NUTS. Actually, no they wouldn't. Nobody cares. I forgot.

 

[j. spilotro]

Oh, thank GOD. I honestly thought you were serious in your last post. My sarcasm radar was a total fail there lol.

This is so garbage. I'm befuddled. I don't know who else to blame this trash on other than MM. I mean, how do you not instill in your team--the same team that SMOKED teams before conference--that this is the MOUNTAIN WEST. That the Mountain West is Bizzaro World on steroids. That you have to be prepared to FIGHT. It's like he told these guys the exact opposite.

"Okay, guys, now we enter conference play. Feel free to sleepwalk through these games. No biggie. Oh, by the way, guys, I'm going to basically only play, like, 7 guys for the rest of the way. We'll be fine, though."

Let me ask you this. Over the past 10-12 years, has UNLV EVER finished better than what you think they should have in conference? That's spanning three coaching staffs.

I think it runs deeper.

 

[UNLVFansincebirth22]

Let me ask you this. Over the past 10-12 years, has UNLV EVER finished better than what you think they should have in conference? That's spanning three coaching staffs.

I think it runs deeper.

Maybe it does. But WHY it does is totally vexing.

I mean, are you telling me that we bring Eric Musselman in here and we win the MWC? If so, does that make him a better coach than Lon Kruger?? I would argue no.

I dont understand why our coaches--ANY coaches--cant figure this conference out.

What gives??

 

[j. spilotro]

Maybe it does. But WHY it does is totally vexing.

I mean, are you telling me that we bring Eric Musselman in here and we win the MWC? If so, does that make him a better coach than Lon Kruger?? I would argue no.

I dont understand why our coaches--ANY coaches--cant figure this conference out.

What gives??

Not sure, but there has always been the underexaggeration of conference play by UNLV players. Whether they are five star or three star guys. There's an arrogance that we are better - and make no doubt about it, we usually are - than the rest of the conference. We are UNLV. We are Las Vegas. They are the... Cowboys? Where is that? Laramie? They aren't on TV. They don't have anybody in the pros. You can't party in Laramie, there aren't any hot girls there. Vegas is the sht.

Every single coach knows how difficult it is and every single one of them spend ample time trying to get the point across. Probably none better than Rice since he lived in the conference forever.

In other words, I think it's a culture thing. Again, it is DEFINITELY not every single player.... in fact, most aren't like that. But it doesn't take but a couple, right?

 

[JTthe2nd]

I knew we weren't a great team but I thought we had a solid team. I still think we do but we have a lot of players new to conference who don't realize we've got a target on our backs every night and I know they aren't used to the piss-poor, always inconsistent MWC officiating. We had 20 assists, 8 to's so we took care of the ball but we gave up too many 3's and we were soft inside(outrebounded, again). This team needs to adjust quickly or this season will be over before it's barely started.