Mountain West team capsules
Note: Predicted finish is according to the preseason poll released on media day.
UNLV
2007-08 MWC record/finish: 12-4/2nd
Players to watch: G Wink Adams (6-0, Sr.), G Rene Rougeau (6-6, Sr.), G Tre'Von Willis (6-4, So.)
Nonconference slate: Since suffering back-to-back losses to Cal and Cincinnati on Nov. 28 and 29, the Runnin' Rebels have run off seven consecutive victories, capped by a 56-55 upset win at No. 18 Louisville on New Year's Eve. UNLV (12-2) beat the Cardinals without leading scorer Adams, who was out with a lower abdominal strain.
Conference opener: vs. New Mexico, today
The skinny: Highly regarded center Beas Hamga left the team after five games, but - just like last year - the athletic Rebels are succeeding mostly with perimeter players. Adams, a preseason MWC Co-Player of the Year selection, is averaging 14.1 points, while the versatile Rougeau is averaging 11.5 and a team-high 8.0 rebounds to go along with 22 steals and 27 assists. Keep an eye on freshman guard Oscar Bellfield, who won the Louisville game in the closing moments by banking in a runner.
Predicted finish: 1st
BYU
2007-08 MWC record/finish: 14-2/1st
Players to watch: G Lee Cummard (6-7, Sr.), F Jonathan Tavernari (6-6, Jr.)
Nonconference slate: The Cougars are 11-1 (a 76-75 loss at No. 17 Arizona State is the lone blemish), with their best victories coming over Utah State (12-1) and Boise State (9-3) of the Western Athletic Conference. BYU has a tough test tonight when it puts the nation's best home winning streak (53 straight victories at the Marriott Center) on the line against No. 6 Wake Forest.
Conference opener: at Colorado State, Jan. 10
The skinny: The two-time defending regular-season conference champs should be in the hunt for another title. The Cougars boast arguably the league's best one-two punch in Cummard - the 2007-08 co-conference Player of the Year - and Tavernari, who are averaging 18.4 and 18.3 points, respectively. Sophomore guard Jimmer Fredette has stepped into the starting lineup and is averaging 14.3 points and has made 50 assists. BYU leads the conference in shooting percentage (52.1), rebounding margin (plus-5.3) and assists (17.7 per game), and is second in scoring (80.8). Since going 3-11 in MWC play in 2004-05, BYU has won 39 of 48 conference games.
Predicted finish: 2nd
San Diego State
2007-08 MWC record/finish: 9-7/4th
Players to watch: F Lorrenzo Wade (6-6, Sr.), F Kyle Spain (6-5, Sr.), F Tim Shelton (6-7, Fr.)
Nonconference slate: The Aztecs are 10-3 with their losses coming to No. 15 Arizona State (by seven), at Arizona and to St. Mary's (by three). Their victories all came over teams that are mediocre at best.
Conference opener: at Air Force, today
The skinny: As usual, San Diego State will boast one of the most talented teams in the conference - especially now that Wade has returned to the team (he missed the first eight games but returned for the last five after felony burglary charges against him were dismissed). Six players are averaging 7.2 or more points, led by Spain (16.2). Shelton, who missed almost all of last season with a knee injury, is back and averaging 8.8 points and a team-high 5.8 rebounds.
Predicted finish: 3rd
Utah
2007-08 MWC record/finish: 7-9/5th
Players to watch: C Luke Nevill (7-2, Sr.), F Lawrence Borha (6-3, Sr.), G Luka Drca (6-5, Jr.)
Nonconference slate: The Utes went 8-5 in nonconference play, but they played a tough schedule. Other than an 18-point loss to No. 5 Oklahoma, their losses came by one, four, three and two points. Utah will enter conference play coming off a 66-65 upset of No. 17 Gonzaga.
Conference opener: vs. Wyoming, today
The skinny: Second-year coach Jim Boylen has all five of his 2007-08 starters back, and two of them now come off the bench (senior forward Shaun Green and sophomore guard Tyler Kepkay, who are averaging 10.4 and 9.8 points, respectively). Nevill is averaging 16.8 points and 8.2 rebounds. Utah has a short bench but has the talent and experience to push the teams predicted to finish above it.
Predicted finish: 4th
New Mexico
2007-08 MWC record/finish: 11-5/3rd
Players to watch: G/F Tony Danridge (6-5, Sr.), C Daniel Faris (6-9, Sr.)
Nonconference slate: The Lobos went 8-5 against a quality nonconference slate. They played games at Creighton, Texas Tech and San Diego and against Drake. Five of their games were decided by three or fewer points.
Conference opener: at UNLV, today
The skinny: New Mexico suffered a huge loss with the graduation of J.R. Giddens, the 2007-08 MWC co-Player of the Year. But second-year coach Steve Alford has four starters back along with Danridge, who missed all of last season with a broken leg. Danridge leads New Mexico with 13.5 points per game, but five other players average between 8.1 and 11.4. Two starters (guard/forward Roman Martinez and guard Dairese Gary) and reserve Chad Toppert all are shooting just better than 43 percent from 3-point range.
Predicted finish: 5th
Wyoming
2007-08 MWC record/finish: 5-11/8th
Players to watch: G Brandon Ewing (6-2, Sr.), G/F Afam Muojeke (6-7, Fr.), G Sean Ogirri (6-2, Sr.)
Nonconference slate: The Cowboys already are just one victory away from matching last season's total after going 11-3 in nonconference play. Wyoming lost to - arguably - its three toughest opponents, getting blown out by No. 10 UCLA, 113-62, and losing by one and five points, respectively, to Boise State and Utah State.
Conference opener: at Utah, today
The skinny: Wyoming has 10 new players on its roster from last season, but so far the Cowboys have jelled remarkably well. Ewing, who led the MWC in scoring the last two seasons, is tops in that category again this season with 18.6 points per game. Muojeke, senior forward Tyson Johnson and Ogirri average 15.8, 15.3 and 15.1, respectively, for the league's top scoring team (82.5 points per game).
Predicted finish: 6th
Air Force
2007-08 MWC record/finish: 8-8/5th
Players to watch: G/F Andrew Henke (6-6, Sr.), G/F Anwar Johnson (6-5, Sr.), F Matt Holland (6-6, Sr.)
Nonconference slate: According to the RPI rankings, the Falcons' nonconference schedule was by far the weakest among MWC teams. Air Force was blown out at Stanford in its lone game against a marquee opponent.
Conference opener: vs. San Diego State, today
The skinny: If it wants to exceed expectations in conference play for the second straight season, Air Force will need to do a better job of rebounding the ball (the Falcons were outrebounded 130-108 in their four losses) and shoot the ball well from the perimeter. Air Force is at its best when Henke and Holland are hitting shots from the outside.
Predicted finish: 7th
Colorado State
2007-08 MWC record/finish: 0-16/9th
Players to watch: G Marcus Walker (6-0, Sr.), G Willis Gardner (6-1, Sr.)
Nonconference slate: The Rams were the only MWC team to post a losing record in nonconference play (5-9). But they did have a good showing at the Rainbow Classic in Hawaii, beating the host school and then Vermont before losing to Buffalo in the final.
Conference opener: at TCU, today
The skinny: The Rams have nowhere to go but up after finishing last season's MWC slate 0-16. Walker leads the team in scoring with 16.3 points per game and now is coming off the bench. The Rams must improve defensively. They rank second-to-last in the league in scoring defense (70.9 points allowed per game) and last in field-goal percentage defense (44.5).
Predicted finish: 8th
TCU
2007-08 MWC record/finish: 6-10/7th
Players to watch: F Kevin Langford (6-8, Jr.), C/F Zvonko Buljan (6-9, Jr.), G/F Edvinas Ruzgas (6-6, Jr.)
Nonconference slate: The Horned Frogs lost three of their first four games before winning six straight, including a 62-46 rout of Colorado in Boulder. TCU also played Nebraska, Clemson and Indiana.
Conference opener: vs. Colorado State, today
The skinny: The Horned Frogs appear much improved under first-year coach Jim Christian. Air Force coach Jeff Reynolds called TCU one of the surprise teams in the league, along with Wyoming, and said the Horned Frogs are "much better defensively." Langford is averaging a team-high 13.2 points and 4.9 rebounds, and Buljan adds 11.4 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds.
Predicted finish: 9th
