• Despite having three starters out for the season with injuries and still searching for its first MW win, New Mexico's women's basketball team continues to draw impressive crowds to The Pit. The Lobos ranked No. 10 in the nation in women's basketball home attendance with an average of 6,756.

• Air Force has used 12 different starting lineups this season with 11 different players earning at least one start. Sophomore forward Megan O'Neil registered a career-high four blocks against UNLV on Jan. 28 and ranks fifth on the Academy's Division I single-season blocks list with 45.

• Colorado State senior guard/forward Kim Mestdagh, the MW preseason Player of the Year, has scored 20 or more points in three of the team's last four games. Mestdagh, who currently has 1,545 career points, is 52 points removed from moving into fourth place on the school's career scoring list. She recently became the seventh player in CSU history with 500 or more field goals.

• One of the big keys to UNLV's success thus far has been rebounding. The Lady Rebels, who rank second in the league in rebounding margin (+6.4), boast four of the top 11 rebounders in the MW. Senior forward Jamie Smith's average of 8.4 rebounds per game ranks third in the Mountain West, while senior forward/centers Lenita Sanford (7.5) and Sandrine Nzeukou (6.6) rank fourth and seventh, respectively. Senior center Markiell Styles ranks 11th with an average of 6.2 rebounds per contest.

• Newcomer Boise State leads the Mountain West in free-throw shooting at 74.1 percent on the season, but is shooting 78.8 percent from the line in league games. The Broncos never led that statistical category in 10 seasons as Wyoming, which has made at least one three-point shot in every game this season, has now done so in 86 consecutive contests. The streak dates back to the 2008-09 season against Colorado State (3/10/09).

• In three of its first six league games, TCU has limited opponents to a field-goal percentage of 40 percent or less. The Frogs have forced a combined 61 turnovers in their last three games while holding Boise State, Air Force and New Mexico to a combined shooting percentage of 28.9 percent (11-of-38) from three-point range.

MW Men's Basketball

1. Colorado State at No. 11/13 (AP/Coaches) UNLV, Wednesday (7:30 p.m. PT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): Can Colorado State back up Saturday's big win against No. 13 San Diego State? A year ago, the Rams picked up their first win (78-63) at UNLV since 2003. CSU is 2-5 on the road, where it has dropped its two league road games by an average of 26 points, and will be heading into a Thomas & Mack Center where the Rebels have won 11 straight. While many thought last year's win over the Runnin' Rebels might earn CSU a bid in the NCAA Tournament, such hopes never came to fruition after the Rams lost four of their last five regular-season MW games. Win this one, and an invitation to The Dance should be in the mail, if CSU doesn't falter down the stretch.

2. No. 11/13 UNLV at Wyoming, Saturday (2 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): Will a stingy defense beat a high-paced offense? Tune in Saturday to find out. The Cowboys continue to be the best defensive team in the Mountain West (and fourth-best in the NCAA), limiting opponents to an average of 53.6 points per game. However, slowing the Runnin' Rebels, the nation's ninth-highest scoring team (MW-best 80.6 ppg), will be no small feat. Yet UNLV has had its share of struggles on the road, with each of its last two games away from the Thomas & Mack Center (Boise State and Air Force) being decided in overtime.

3. New Mexico at Air Force, Tuesday (8 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The Falcons were on the verge of posting what might arguably have been one of the biggest wins in program history before falling 65-63 to then-No. 12/15 UNLV in overtime on Saturday. Air Force has been hamstrung by a rash of injuries, but standout junior guard Michael Lyons served notice against UNLV (25 points) that he's on the mend after being hampered for more than a month by a high ankle sprain. New Mexico also has a healthy Hugh Greenwood back running the point. The Falcons reeled off seven straight wins vs. the Lobos on their home court from 2001-07, but New Mexico has won each of the last four meetings at Clune Arena.

4. Wyoming at TCU, Wednesday (7 p.m. CT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The Cowboys are unbeaten on the road in Mountain West play thus far in 2011-12, with wins at Air Force and Boise State. TCU has yet to lose a league game at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, with wins over the same two teams. Look for a defensive battle in a game where the Pokes and Horned Frogs rank first and second, respectively, in the league in turnover margin.

5. Air Force at Colorado State, Saturday (3 p.m. MT, CBS Sports Network, DirecTV 613): Three of the last five games in the series have been decided by four or fewer points. Colorado State's NCAA Tournament hopes largely slipped away last season due in part to its 17-point loss at the Academy in late February. As with any opponent facing the Falcons, good shots figure to be at a premium for CSU, the top-shooting team in the league. Air Force guard Michael Lyons averaged 17.5 points in the teams' two meetings a year ago.

6. TCU at No. 17/17 San Diego State, Saturday (7 p.m. PT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616/Ch. 4 San Diego): The Horned Frogs have historically given the Aztecs fits in San Diego, with four of the last five games being decided by an average of six points. Two of the top guards in the league will square off in SDSU's Chase Tapley (16.1 ppg) and TCU's Hank Thorns (13.2 ppg), who currently rank first and eighth, respectively, in scoring.

7. New Mexico at Boise State, Saturday (2 p.m. MT, NBC Sports Network, DirecTV 603): The Broncos, who nearly played the role of giant killer at Taco Bell Arena last week before falling to then-No. 12/15 UNL`V 77-72 in overtime, get another shot at one of the top-tier teams in the MW. The next six days figure to severely test the Broncos, who must travel to San Diego State on Wednesday.

8. Boise State at No. 17/17 San Diego State, Wednesday (7:15 p.m. PT, CBS Sports Network, DirecTV 613): The Aztecs, who will undoubtedly be anxious to rid themselves of the hangover of Saturday's loss at Colorado State, have won 42 straight home games against unranked teams. The Broncos have yet to win a road game this season, but fell by just two (54-52) at TCU in their last outing away from Taco Bell Arena.

MW Women's Basketball

1. San Diego State at TCU, Saturday (2 p.m. CT, CBS Sports Network, DirecTV 613): The Aztecs, who remain the only unbeaten team in league play, enter the week having won 12 straight, the program's longest streak in 17 years. The Horned Frogs have won four out of the last six meetings against SDSU, including sweeping their two-game set against the Aztecs last season. TCU enters the week having won three straight and four of its last five. This game kicks off the second half of Mountain West action on the women's side. The Aztecs won the first meeting of the season in San Diego, 61-46.

2. Wyoming at UNLV, Saturday (4 p.m. PT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The Lady Rebels, whose only league loss came in overtime against front-running San Diego State, have won four in a row and seven of the last eight coming into the week. Wyoming, which is coming off one of its most impressive performances of the season with a 20-point win over Boise State, has won three of its last five games. In the first meeting of the season, UNLV squeaked by Wyoming in Laramie, 54-51.

3. Air Force at New Mexico, Tuesday (6 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): One thing's for certain: Somebody is going to breathe a contented sigh of relief to end the first half of Conference action. Both teams come into the week at 0-6 in league play. New Mexico has won 30 straight games in the series.

MW MEN'S BASKETBALL

• Young Guns: The Broncos have gotten five 20-point games by freshmen this season, including three from Anthony Drmic and two from Derrick Marks. The five performances are more than the combined total of 20-point games by Bronco freshmen the last 17 seasons. The single-season total is also the highest in at least the last 24 years.

• Taking Their Best Shot: No. 12-ranked UNLV is outscoring its opponents by an average of 15.4 points per game and is shooting 47.4 percent from the field. The Runnin' Rebels are shooting 37.5 percent from 3-point range. Last year, UNLV shot 45.9 percent from the field and 33.0 percent from 3-point range.

• Climbing the Charts: TCU senior guard Hank Thorns needs only four more assists to reach the 500 mark for his career. Despite having played only 51 games as a Horned Frog, Thorns is just 10 assists away from entering the program's career top-10 list (321). Thorns is No. 4 this season in the MW in assists (4.53); No. 5 in minutes (32.37); No. 6 in 3-pointers made (1.95) and assist/turnover ratio (1.54); No. 7 in scoring (13.4); and tied for No. 10 in steals (1.42).

• Time Well Spent: In Wednesday's win over Colorado State, New Mexico senior guard Phillip McDonald came off the bench to score 12 points in 12 minutes. McDonald is shooting 52 percent (21-of-40) from three-point range in the past nine games. He has connected on 30-of-61 attempts (49.0 percent) beyond the arc this season.

• Clamping Down: No. 13-ranked San Diego State, winner of 11 straight, has gone 37 consecutive games without allowing an opponent to shoot 50 percent or better from the field, a streak that dates back to last season. In four MW games this season, SDSU opponents are shooting 35.3 percent from the field.

• In Good Hands: After leading the nation for three-straight weeks earlier this season, Wyoming senior guard JayDee Luster entered Saturday's action ranked sixth in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio. Luster currently has 73 assists and 23 turnovers on the season for a 3.17 ratio.

MW WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

• Off and Running: San Diego State's 11-game win streak is the program's longest in 15 years when the 1996-97 team also claimed 11 in a row before falling in the NCAA Tournament. A victory on Saturday against Colorado State would give the Aztecs their longest win streak since the 1994-95 team set a school record with 18 consecutive wins. The Aztecs are in the midst of their best league start (5-0) in the Mountain West's 13-year history. The team's previous best start was 3-0 during the 2009-10 campaign. SDSU is also one win away from matching its MW win total from last season.

• Breaking From the Gate: Colorado State's 4-1 start in league play is its best since opening 5-0 in 2001-02, a season in which the Rams went wire-to-wire in first place to win the MW regular season championship and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

• Reserves to the Rescue: In nine of TCU's 10 victories this season, the Horned Frogs have outscored their opponent off the bench by a combined 267-114. Overall, TCU has outscored its opponent off the bench in all but six games.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• A year after the most successful season in program history, San Diego State continues to roll, even with a change of the ingredients in its recipe for success.

• The college basketball world is no longer overlooking Mountain West.

• New Mexico players rise to the challenge when coaching staff throws down the gauntlet.

• It's the little things that can mean a lot, and Wyoming is paying attention to smallest detail.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• As UNLV men climb ever higher, there's another team on campus making noise of its own.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• Kellen Moore's future as an NFL quarterback will largely depend on how he measures up.

Have you seen a news article on the Mountain West, its teams and its players to share with fellow fans? E-mail them to Webmaster@TheMWC.com!

If the competition in Mountain West men's basketball hasn't been stiff enough in recent seasons, suddenly the student sections have become the show within the show.

Which is not to be confused, of course, with "The Show," the so-dubbed maniacal, madcap mob of students at San Diego State that leaves few stones unturned when attempting to unsettle the opposition.

Having covered San Diego State men's basketball from the outset of coach Steve Fisher's arrival in 1999, I can attest to witnessing nights at Viejas Arena (formerly Cox Arena) where you could actually hear players exhale at the line before taking a foul shot. The building was frequently as empty as a con artist's promise, the result of 13 losing seasons in the 14 years prior to Fisher's debut.

Today, obtaining a ticket to a San Diego State men's basketball game is a challenge of major proportion.

ESPN's Andy Katz nailed it in his Jan. 16 "3-Point Shot" blog when he described the vast difference at Viejas Arena between then and now.

"The Show" is just one of many distractions endured by opposing teams when traversing through Mountain West venues. There are the "Howl Raisers" at The Pit at New Mexico, already one of the most daunting venues in the nation. There's the "The Stampede" at Wyoming's "Dome of Doom (elevation 7,220 feet)," the deafening, incessant chant of "Reh-bels," Reh-bels" at the Thomas & Mack Center, home to UNLV, and the raucous "white-outs" staged by students at Colorado State. Even at Air Force's Clune Arena, the smallest venue in the league, the decibels generated by a full house rattle the most poised of teams.

Yet for those who missed it, the Mountain West newcomers from Boise State put their own spin on things in Wednesday night's contest against No. 12/15 UNLV, executing a pair of flash mobs that nearly helped lift the Broncos over the hurdle before Boise State fell, 77-72, in overtime.

Welcome to the madness BSU. Only wish you were staying. With football ruling the day, the Broncos are off to the Big East in 2013, while basketball gets shipped back to the WAC. Equaling the mayhem generated by what is fast becoming one of the top leagues in the nation will be no small feat.

Katz, in another blog post on Jan. 26, suggested that the aura experienced on Wednesday night could be hard to find down the road.

In the interim, Bronco fans, you'll be able to match wits this March with some of the best at the Conoco Mountain West Basketball Championships at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, though I wouldn't be tardy in purchasing tickets.

Already, ticket sales for the Championships are directly on pace with last year's record-breaking all-session sales, despite the fact that the MW only has eight institutions this year instead of last year's nine. The lower bowl is likely to sell out within the next week to 10 days, so I'd buy an all-session ticket now to guarantee a seat close to the action. The men's semifinals have sold out each of the last two years, as did last year's championship game.

To purchase tickets, contact your favorite Mountain West institution's ticket office. For more information on the 2012 Conoco MW Basketball Championships, visit TheMWC.com/2012.

While I've grown increasingly numb to overzealous parents who envision their sons or daughters as superstars, I've hit the end of my tether with agents who convince unwitting and ill-informed college athletes to abandon their books in favor of blind faith.

Is former San Diego State running back Ronnie Hillman making the right decision to enter the NFL Draft? Who am I to say? This much I do know: Hillman's limitations are, well, not exactly limited.

A player who struggled to stay healthy at the college level, the 5-foot-10, 195-pound Hillman is not cut out to run between the tackles in the NFL just yet. His ability to get to the corner will be checked by NFL linebackers and cornerbacks who are equally fast. He was a minimal factor in the passing game and did not return kicks his first two years, an assignment he should have asked to take on next season with the Aztecs had he wanted to find a legitimate spot in the NFL.

Instead, a player that was garnering attention as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate next season has likely become another victim of questionable advice from someone who has placed Hillman's net worth ahead of his best interest.

And then there's the case of Wyoming running back Alvester Alexander, who has convinced himself that he, too, is ready for the next level...

The four new football coaches in the Mountain West --- Norm Chow (Hawai'i), Bob Davie (New Mexico), Tim DeRuyter (Fresno State) and Jim McElwain (Colorado State) ---- have a combined 108 years in the business. All four coaches have great pedigrees and are certain to bring the excitement back to their respective campuses. I have a hunch that McElwain has the makings of a monster in Fort Collins, where the Rams have more --- and better --- young talent than any team in the league.

More than once in the past week, UNLV men's basketball coach Dave Rice has said that he'd have a hard time believing that any guard in the country is playing better than Rebels junior Anthony Marshall. Having witnessed Marshall's performance at San Diego State, where he finished with a game-high 26 points before scoring a career-high 27 four nights later against TCU, who's to argue? Marshall, who averaged 7.5 points his first two seasons, is currently averaging 12.0 points. Topping it off, he's averaging 4.7 rebounds. From a guard?

Nineteen Division I players are currently averaging double-doubles. The Mountain West is one of only two leagues (Colonial League) in the nation to feature more than one --- UNLV's Mike Moser and New Mexico's Drew Gordon.

So, the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee can't find an agreeable time for its members to meet and provide the MW with an answer to its request for a two-year exemption from the BCS? I can never reach my wife on her cell phone, either.

And speaking of the advancement of civilization (no, not the BCS), how does one charter a jet in San Diego for purposes of flying to Laramie, Wyoming, and find it necessary to refuel in Cedar City, Utah and Grand Junction, Colo.? The next time San Diego State's men's basketball team opts to charter, which it will later this season when it visits Boise State, it may first want to taxi over to the Shell station at the corner of Laurel Street and Pacific Highway.

Does the MW deserve to be rated above the hallowed ACC in the latest RPI rankings? Other than holding a 3-1 advantage in head-to-head meetings, a better winning percentage against non-conference opponents and having two teams ranked in the top 15, no. ☺

Former Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore will take part in the 14th annual All-Star Football Challenge, an event staged in Indianapolis on Feb. 5 as part of Super Bowl week. No word on whether competition in something called the FRS Healthy Performance QB Scramble dictates that invitees be at least 6-foot-4 and weigh a minimum of 235. The word prototypical should be stricken from the English language, particularly when it comes to defining athletes.

The San Diego State men's and women's basketball teams, both undefeated in MW play, have won a combined 22 straight, with each having won 11 in a row. I realize that current men's assistant Brian Dutcher has been designated the "head-coach-in-waiting" by current head coach Steve Fisher, but Dutcher may want to consider filling his own spot with women's coach Beth Burns. Trust me, Burns is not someone with whom you'd care to go one-on-one, be it in a basketball game or an interview session. When a former colleague of mine asked for a sit-down with Burns some years ago, she replied, "Bring a change of clothes."

I don't know if hoops guru Jerry Palm uses bats' wings and eye of newt in his bracketology formula, but his latest NCAA Tournament pairings have UNLV as a No. 3 seed in Albuquerque and San Diego State as a No. 4 seed in Portland, Ore. Palm also has New Mexico as being one of the first four teams out. Don't count on it, Jerry. I've seen the Lobos in this position before.

MW Men

1. Mike Moser, F, So., UNLV - Moser continued to hold the inside track to Player of the Year honors this week, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds in an 80-63 win over New Mexico on Saturday before scoring 18 points and collecting 21 rebounds (most in the MW this season) in Wednesday's 77-72 overtime win at Boise State. Moser has posted a double-double in five of his last six games and three straight.

2. Jamaal Franklin, G, So., San Diego State - After posting his fourth double-double of the season (14 points, 10 rebounds) in the Aztecs' win over Air Force on Saturday, Franklin picked up his fifth double-double in his last seven games with a 12-point, 11-rebound performance in a 52-42 victory Tuesday at Wyoming.

3. Drew Gordon, F, Sr., New Mexico - Helped the Lobos snap a two-game skid by finishing with 13 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals in Wednesday's 85-52 win over Colorado State. Gordon, who also drew three charges in the game, posted his 11th double-double of the season. He had 11 rebounds in 16 minutes in the second half.

4. Hank Thorns, G, Sr., TCU - After scoring 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting in a 15-point comeback win over Boise State, Thorns scored a career-high 22 points in Wednesday's victory over Air Force. Thorns, who led TCU in scoring for a team-leading ninth time this season, shot 75.0 percent from the field (9-of-12) against the Falcons, the second-best performance by a Mountain West player this season with at least 10 field-goal attempts in a game. He also matched a career-high with four 3-pointers on only five attempts.

5. Chase Tapley, G, Jr., San Diego State - Tapley, who had a game-high tying 12 points in SDSU's win at Wyoming on Tuesday, has scored in double figures a career-high 14 straight games. He has connected on at least one 3-point field goal in a career-long 19 consecutive games and has multiple 3s in 12 of his last 14 contests.

6. Leonard Washington, F, Jr., Wyoming - After almost single-handedly leading the Cowboys to a win over Colorado State with 32 points and 14 rebounds, Washington had a team-high 12 points, eight rebounds and three blocks against San Diego State. He has scored in double figures in six straight games.

7. Taylor Broekhuis, C, Jr., Air Force - A mainstay for the Falcons this season, Broekhuis, who had a team-high 15 points and seven rebounds on Wednesday against TCU, is averaging 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 62.2 percent over his last six games. During that stretch, the 6-foot-10 Broekhuis has hit 6-of-13 attempts from three-point range.

8. Derrick Marks, G, Fr., Boise State - Marks, who earlier this season scored the most points (20) by a Boise State freshman in 22 years, tallied a career- and game-high 21 points to go with six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot in Wednesday's overtime loss to UNLV. Marks made his second straight start in a Bronco lineup that has seen 10 variations this season.

9. Chace Stanback, Sr., G/F, UNLV - Stanback, who continues to lead the Runnin' Rebels in both field-goal percentage (.498) and three-point field-goal percentage (.479), scored in double figures for the seventh time in nine games by finishing with 15 points in Wednesday's overtime win against Boise State. Stanback had 13 points in the Rebels' win over New Mexico on Saturday.

10. Thomas Bropleh, So., F, Boise State - Bropleh, who had not played more than 16 minutes in a league game this season, logged 38 minutes off the bench against UNLV, posting his first career double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Broleph entered the contest averaging 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 19.4 minutes per game.

MW Women

1. Courtney Clements, Jr., G, San Diego State - Clements, who recorded her first career double-double with a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds against Air Force, notched her seventh 20-point game of the season and her third in the last four games with 21 points on Tuesday against Wyoming. Clements, who has played a key role in the Aztecs' 11-game win streak, had 16 of the team's 30 first-half points on Tuesday.

2. Kelli Thompson, G, Jr., UNLV - Thompson, the team's leading scorer, finished with 24 points in Wednesday's win over Boise State as the Lady Rebels (16-5, 4-1) clinched their first winning season in six years. It was the third time this season that Thompson has exceeded the 20-point mark.

3. Kim Mestdagh, G/F, Sr., Colorado State - Mestdagh scored 19 points to go along with three steals and three assists in Wednesday's win over New Mexico as the Rams moved to 4-1 in league play for the first time since the 2001-02 season. Mestdagh, who has cracked the 20-point mark in two of her last three games, scored 21 points in Saturday's win over Wyoming when she finished 8-for-14 from the field and 3-for-6 beyond the arc. She also collected five rebounds.

4. Natalie Ventress, G, Fr., TCU - Ventress, who tied for team honors with 18 points in Saturday's win over Boise State, finished with a game-high 21 in Wednesday's victory over Air Force. It marked the third time in four games that Ventress has scored 20-plus points. She has led TCU in scoring nine out of the last 11 games.

5. Chelsea Hopkins, G, Jr., San Diego State - Hopkins, who had 19 points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals in a win over Air Force, helped the Aztecs remain unbeaten in league play when she produced another all-around effort with nine assists, nine rebounds and seven points in Tuesday's victory over Wyoming.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• It's been nearly six weeks since the Mountain West requested a two-year exemption from the BCS, and Brian Murphy of the Idaho Statesman says it's time for the BCS to respond. Now. An exemption would give the league an automatic spot in one of the five BCS bowls.

• Former Boise State standout Kellen Moore, the NCAA's winningest quarterback, figures to be under the microscope at Saturday's Senior Bowl. Former San Diego State quarterback Ryan Lindley will also put his talents on display.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Taylor Stewart's older sister may be competing in a riding ring these days instead of on a basketball court, but she keeps his competitive fires burning at Air Force.

• ESPN's basketball rankings were altered a bit this week when a new league moved into the top five. Which league was it? Here's a hint: It wasn't the ACC.

• Patience may be a virtue, but for UNLV sophomore point guard Reggie Smith, it's not a virtue that's easy to practice.

• With ex-UNLV players Dave Rice and Stacey Augmon now leading from the sideline, the Rebels are runnin' once again.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Colorado State's 'X factors' playing significant role in formula for the team's fast start in league play.

• San Diego State's Chelsea Hopkins healthy and happy after transferring from Duke.

• Colorado State eliminating giveaways in MW play and thriving.

Have you seen a news article on the Mountain West, its teams and its players to share with fellow fans? E-mail them to Webmaster@TheMWC.com!

• Something's gotta give when Boise State visits UNLV on Wednesday. The Broncos enter the contest tied with Colorado State for No. 2 in the league in scoring offense at 66.5 points per game. UNLV, meanwhile, is allowing an average of 56.0, ranking third in the MW. While Boise State is trying to snap a two-game skid, it has won its last two road games. The Lady Rebels, who are receiving votes in this week's coaches' poll, are 3-0 on the road but have yet to win a home league game.

• Three Colorado State players are currently ranked in the top 50 of the Mountain West record book. Sophomore forward Sam Martin currently has the fifth-best field-goal percentage (.550) in MW history and ranks first among active players. Junior forward Meghan Heimstra ranks 24th with 73 career blocks, while standout senior guard Kim Mestdagh appears in the record book no fewer than five times. Mestdagh leads all active players in points per game (20th), field goals made (20th), three-point field goals made (second) and free throws made (46th).

• Beset by a raft of injuries this season, New Mexico coach Yvonne Sanchez had only two scholarship players available in Saturday's 64-50 loss to UNLV. "All year long we've tried not to make excuses out of it," said Sanchez, whose team is 0-4 in MW play. "We have to use what we have on the bench and we have to get them better. You can get frustrated with it, but it's not going to change. The people that we have now are it. Maybe aside from Jourdan Erskine (knee), the other players aren't coming back. It sounds like a horror movie, 'She's never coming back,' but that's the reality of it. We have to do whatever we can as a staff to work as hard as we can to continue to teach these players. If we can do that, then I think we're successful. "

• MW leader San Diego State, which is receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25, puts its 10-game win streak on the line in Tuesday's home game against Wyoming. The Aztecs' run ties them for the sixth-longest active streak in the nation and accounts for more victories than five of the other seven Mountain West teams have for the entire season. The streak is also the longest by an MW squad this year by four victories. SDSU has already exceeded its win total from all of last season when it finished 12-17 overall.

• TCU's Delisa Gross had a breakout game on Saturday against Boise State, scoring a season-high 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting. With her 18-point showing, Gross has now scored in double-figures three times this season. During her three years on campus, the Horned Frogs are an impressive 13-5 when Gross scores in double-figures. Meanwhile, Natalie Ventress has led TCU in scoring eight out of the last 10 games, including an 18-point showing against Boise State. The freshman has led the Frogs in scoring 10 times this season, the first TCU freshman to lead the team in scoring in 10 games since former Horned Frog and current professional Helena Sverrisdottir carried TCU in eight games during the 2007-08 season.

• If Wyoming freshman forward Kayla Woodward hasn't exactly been awed by her transition to the collegiate level, there's ample reason why. Woodward, a three-time Wyoming All-State selection at Sheridan High, earned the Milward L. Simpson award, given to the top female athlete in the state of Wyoming, as a senior. Woodward, the current MW Player of the Week, averaged 25.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 3.0 assists in games against Air Force and Colorado State. For the week, she shot 76.9 percent (20-26) from the field, including 87.5 percent (7-8) from three-point range, and was a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line.

Here's how I rank the games to watch this week:

MW Men

1. Colorado State at New Mexico, Wednesday (8 p.m. MT, CBS Sports Network, DirecTV 613): This game pits the league's top field goal shooting percentage offense (CSU-49.3%) vs. the MW's best shooting defense (UNM-38.3%). After opening Conference play with a win at Wyoming, preseason favorite New Mexico will be looking to get back on the winning track following a week in which the Lobos suffered back-to-back losses to nationally-ranked San Diego State and UNLV. Colorado State, meanwhile, is coming off an emotional road loss at Border War rival Wyoming, and will be looking to steal a win in one of the nation's toughest environments.

2. No. 13/12 San Diego State at Wyoming, Tuesday (6:30 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): With sole possession of first place in hand, the Aztecs head to Laramie having dropped five of their last eight at Arena-Auditorium. SDSU has not beaten Wyoming in Laramie in consecutive seasons since 2002-03. Cowboys' junior forward Leonard Washington (6-7, 235) was unstoppable against Colorado State on Saturday, finishing with 32 points and 14 rebounds.

3. No. 13/12 San Diego State at Colorado State, Saturday (2 p.m. MT, NBC Sports Network, DirecTV 603): A grueling week for the Aztecs, who after playing at Wyoming on Tuesday must return to the Front Range to face the Rams on Saturday. SDSU has won five straight at Moby Arena by an average of 14.6 points.

4. No. 12/15 UNLV at Air Force, Saturday (7 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The Falcons give plenty of teams fits at Clune Arena, but last year's 49-42 win by UNLV was typical of a series in which the Runnin' Rebels have won just nine times in 16 games at the Academy.

5. Air Force at TCU, Wednesday (6:30 p.m. CT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The Horned Frogs sidestepped a 0-3 start in league play by rallying from a 15-point second-half deficit against Boise State. That won't work against Air Force, as the Falcons will limit your possessions and make you earn every basket. Since its inaugural season in the MW in 2005-06, TCU has been swept in its regular-season series against the Falcons three times.

6. Wyoming at Boise State, Saturday (1:30 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): After two straight years of going winless on the road, the Cowboys have turned things around, winning three straight road games for a 4-2 mark away from Arena-Auditorium this season. However, Boise State has been nearly unbeatable in Taco Bell Arena, stretching its home win streak to 15 games before having it snapped against Air Force in the Jan. 14 Conference opener.

7. TCU at New Mexico, Saturday (4 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): Not many teams survive facing New Mexico at The Pit, including TCU. The Horned Frogs are 0-9 against the Lobos in Albuquerque.

8. No. 12/15 UNLV at Boise State, Wednesday (8 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The Runnin' Rebels appear to have regained their stride since dropping their league opener to San Diego State, posting a 13-point win against New Mexico on Saturday after drubbing TCU by 23. Boise State, which has used nine different starting lineups in 18 games this season, has failed to score more than 60 points in four straight games.

MW Women

1. Wyoming at San Diego State, Tuesday (7:30 p.m. PT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): San Diego State has won 10 straight and is off to a 4-0 start in MW play, the team's best in the league's 13-year history. Senior Courtney Clements is leading the Aztecs' charge, and the league, with a 16.7 scoring average. The Cowgirls have won two of their last three but are 2-6 on the road. Wyoming is a young team and has a freshman in Kayla Woodward who averaged 25.5 points per game last week

2. Colorado State at San Diego State, Saturday (Noon PT, CBS Sports Network, DirecTV 613): Should the Aztecs beat Wyoming on Tuesday, they have a chance to distance themselves from the pack, particularly having already won this season at UNLV. Colorado State and UNLV are currently tied for second place. The Rams are coming around in Conference play after a tough non-conference schedule, and feature Preseason Player of the Year Kim Mestdagh.

3. New Mexico at TCU, Saturday (Noon CT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): Both teams have played short-handed due to key injuries this season, but in a game pairing two teams that haven't exactly covered themselves with glory in terms of shooting percentages from the field or the foul line this season, TCU is the better rebounding team. Last year each team won on the other's home court.

• San Diego State: If Aztec fans thought last season was magical, the current campaign is threatening to stretch the limits of the imagination. Four days after knocking off then-No. 12-ranked UNLV, San Diego State (16-2, 2-0) won its ninth straight with a 75-70 victory at preseason league favorite New Mexico, a team that had won 13 in a row. This from a team that lost four starters, including a first-round NBA draft pick, from a year ago. That question about whether the Aztecs for real? Uh-huh.

• Anthony Marshall: Following UNLV's 101-78 rout of TCU on Wednesday, coach Dave Rice said he believed the Runnin' Rebels' junior is playing as well as any guard in the country. Tough to argue. After finishing with a game-high 26 against San Diego State, Marshall took it a step further by scoring a career-high 27 against the Horned Frogs. Marshall has averaged 19.3 points over the last six games.

• Colorado State: The Rams (13-4, 2-0), who began the week at No. 22 in the latest RPI rankings, have won eight straight for the first time since Nov. 18-Dec. 30, 2006. CSU has three players averaging double figures, paced by junior guard Wes Eikmeier (16.7). Junior guard Dorian Green and junior forward Greg Smith are averaging 14.2 and 10.5 points, respectively.

• Wyoming: The Cowboys' overall mark of 15-3 is their best start to a season since the 2002-03 squad opened with a 16-3 record. In addition, in a league where home court advantage is enormous, Wyoming opened the road portion of its MW schedule with a 64-53 win at Air Force on Wednesday, and will take an overall three-game road win streak into a Jan. 28 outing at Boise State. The Cowboys ended a 23-game road losing streak earlier this season with a 65-54 win at Colorado.

• The Mountain West: UNLV (17-3) and San Diego State (16-2) are two of 18 teams in the nation with at least 16 victories. The others: Syracuse 20-0; Murray State 19-0; Kentucky 18-1; Saint Mary's 18-2; Middle Tennessee 18-2; Baylor 17-1; Missouri 17-1; Creighton 17-2; Oral Roberts 17-4; Duke 16-2; North Carolina 16-3; Ohio State 16-3; Southern Miss 16-3; Wichita State 16-3; Cal 16-4 and BYU 16-5. The MW enters the weekend as the only league in the nation where every team boasts a winning record.

• Drew Gordon and Mike Moser: New Mexico senior forward Gordon, and Moser, UNLV's sensational sophomore, are both averaging double-doubles this season. In 18 games, Gordon, who has recorded double-doubles in six of his last 10 games, is averaging 12.6 points and 10.4 rebounds. Moser, meanwhile, named to the midseason Wooden Award watch list, has averaged 14 points and 11.4 rebounds through 20 games. Both players rank among national leaders with nine double-doubles apiece this season.

Who's Not

• TCU: The Horned Frogs, who reached the 10-win mark in non-conference play for the first time since 2004-05, have dropped their first two league games, the most recent coming in a 101-78 loss at UNLV in which the Rebels scored 100 points for the first time in a regular-season MW game since March 3, 2001 (106 vs. Wyoming). It marks the third time since joining the MW in 2005 that TCU has opened league play with consecutive losses.

• Boise State: The Broncos, who went 10-6 in non-conference play, have found the going a bit tougher in their inaugural season in the MW, dropping their first two league games. With coach Leon Rice facing the task of replacing seven lettermen from last year's squad, Boise State has struggled mightily on the road, where it is 0-6. The Broncos have scored fewer than 60 points in each of their past three games.

• USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll: So, let's see. North Carolina loses by 33 to unranked Florida State and drops from No. 3 to No. 8. UNLV loses to San Diego State by two at the buzzer in a meeting between Top-25 teams in one of the toughest environments in the nation and falls from No. 12 to No. 20? For those voting, eyes toward the front of the class: UNLV beat North Carolina, 90-80, on Nov. 26. Accomplishment may start with "acc," but last I checked, exclusive rights to the word did not belong to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

• UCLA: And to think Bruins coach Ben Howland once had the triumvirate of Gordon, Moser, and Moser's UNLV running mate, Chace Stanback, before all transferred to MW schools. No wonder UCLA wants nothing to do with the cream of the crop in the Mountain West.

MW Men

1. Mike Moser, F, So., UNLV - I'm assuming there won't be an overabundance of backlash here. A midseason Wooden Award nominee, Moser has it all, having posted a double-double in three of his last four games to put his season total at nine overall. He has flirted with triple-doubles on three occasions this season, including a 16-point, 18-rebound, six-assist performance in the Runnin' Rebels' upset of No. 1 North Carolina in November. Moser is averaging a double-double with 14.0 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, ranking sixth nationally in the latter category, and has also dished out 50 assists from the post.

2. Chase Tapley, G, Jr., San Diego State - Tapley has been one of the league's most consistent performers to date, scoring in double figures in 16 of 18 games, while shooting a shade over 50 percent (110-of-217) from the field and ranking ninth nationally with a .474 (45-of-95) conversion rate from behind the arc. He was all over the floor in Wednesday's win at New Mexico, tallying 12 points to go along with seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocked shots. Tapley has topped the 20-point mark six times this season and is tied with Colorado State's Wes Eikmeier for the league lead in scoring (16.7 ppg).

3. Chace Stanback, Sr., G/F, UNLV - Along with Tapley, Stanback is one of the league's top perimeter threats, converting .476 (50-of-105) of his 3-point attempts to rank seventh nationally. He is shooting just over 50 percent (97-of-193) from the field, leading UNLV's high-powered offense with 14.7 points per game. One of his top performances of the season came in the aforementioned take-down of the Tar Heels, when he poured in 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds.

4. Anthony Marshall, G, Jr., UNLV - After a slow start, Marshall (12.3 ppg) has caught fire of late, scoring in double digits in six straight games while shooting 55.4 percent from the field during that span. Without his 26 points at San Diego State, the Rebels would have been run out of the building in Saturday's loss to the Aztecs. In Wednesday's win against TCU, Marshall topped that effort with a career-high 27 points.

5. Drew Gordon, F, Sr., New Mexico - The Naismith Trophy candidate recorded his ninth double-figure scoring effort in 10 games with 15 points, eight rebounds and a career-high five assists in Wednesday's loss to San Diego State. He is averaging a double-double for the second straight year (12.6 ppg, 10.4 rpg), while converting 50 percent (84-of-166) of his field goal attempts.

6. Wes Eikmeier, G, Jr., Colorado State - Three of his six 20-point scoring performances this season have come in the last five games, as he has helped lead the Rams to eight straight wins. As mentioned earlier, his 16.7 scoring average is tied for the MW lead, while his 88.3 (68-of-77) shooting percentage at the free throw line is tops in the Conference.

7. Jamaal Franklin, G, So, San Diego State - When Aztecs coach Steve Fisher speaks of Franklin, he uses the analogy of the little girl with the curl. When he's good, he's very, very good. When he's not, he'll drive you crazy. Franklin has been good more often than not this season, averaging 15.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He has scored in double figures in six straight games, including knocking down the winning shot against UNLV on Saturday with three-tenths of a second left.

8. Luke Martinez, G, Jr., Wyoming - The junior college transfer has quickly established himself as the Cowboys' top offensive threat, averaging 13.4 points per game. He has scored at least 15 points in 14 of 17 games as the Pokes are enjoying their best start (15-3) since the 2002-03 season. Martinez is riding a five-game double-figure scoring streak heading into Saturday's Border War with Colorado State.

9. Xavier Thames, So., G, San Diego State - The graduation of four-year starter D.J. Gay left the Aztecs looking for a new floor general. In stepped Thames, a sophomore transfer from Washington State, who leads the league with a 5.3 assist average despite missing three games with a knee injury. Thames, the first Aztec point guard of Steve Fisher's 13-year tenure to record a 20-point, 10-rebound game, also boasts an 11.7 scoring average.

10. Anthony Drmic, F, Fr., Boise State - One of four Australian imports playing in the Mountain West this season, Drmic entered the week ranked 17th nationally in scoring among freshmen (14.1), third in 3-point field goal percentage (.404) and fourth in 3-point field goals made per game (2.80). He leads all MW freshmen in each of the aforementioned categories, as well as rebounding (4.3).

MW Women

1. Jamie Smith, F, Sr., UNLV - Smith became only the second player in Mountain West basketball history, men's or women's, to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career in Wednesday's win at TCU. Smith currently has 1,035 career rebounds and 1,011 career points.

2. Courtney Clements, G, Jr., San Diego State - Clements, the league's leading scorer, notched her fifth 20-point game of the season in Saturday's overtime win at UNLV. She returned with 19 points in Wednesday's victory over New Mexico as SDSU remained the only unbeaten team in the MW.

3. Chelsea Hopkins, G, Jr., San Diego State - Hopkins, a transfer from Duke who had seven assists and three steals in 21 minutes in Wednesday's win over New Mexico, was coming off a pair of games in which she averaged 14.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 3.0 steals.

4. Kati Isham, G, Sr., Boise State - Isham is the MW's second-leading scorer at 15.7 points per game and leads the league in 3-pointers made per game at 2.6 (36th nationally). She is also 34th nationally in 3-point field-goal percentage (38.8 percent), third-best in the league.

5. Sam Martin, F, So., Colorado State - Martin ranks second in league play with an average of 21.3 points per game and is first in field-goal percentage at 72.2 percent as the Rams have opened Conference action with a 2-1 mark. She is tied for fourth in the MW with an average of 2.0 blocks per game.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Former grade school chess champion Chase Tapley is making all the right moves on the court for San Diego State. Formerly dubbed by his father as a "studious couch potato," Tapley has emerged to become one of the deadliest three-point shooters in the nation.

• Steve Fisher sidestepped an invitation from senior forward Tim Shelton to make a cameo appearance in an SDSU hoops video that's getting a fair share of hits on YouTube.

• Jeff Reynolds is happy with the ownership his players have taken in Falcon hoops. Added responsibility has come as a result of advice Reynolds received from a fellow Air Force coach.

• Transfers proving their mettle as members of the Colorado State scout team in practice. While Colton Iverson and Daniel Bejarano may not be able to suit up for games, they are making contributions in other ways.

Have you seen a news article on the Mountain West, its teams and its players to share with fellow fans? E-mail them to Webmaster@TheMWC.com!

Boise State paces the MW with seven student-athletes on the initial list of 231 college prospects set to attend the event. BSU defensive end Tyrone Crawford, safety George Iloka, running back Doug Martin, defensive end Shea McClellin, quarterback Kellen Moore, offensive lineman Nate Potter and defensive tackle Billy Winn all received invitations to the combine. San Diego State linebacker Miles Burris, quarterback Ryan Lindley and punter Brian Stahovich and TCU linebacker Tank Carder join those six Broncos on the combine's initial list, which includes only senior prospects.

Underclassmen have until Sunday, Jan. 22 to petition the NFL for early entry into the draft. Once the league has compiled this list of underclassmen, a new expanded list will be sent out including the aforementioned players, as well as a handful of senior prospects who impressed scouts during senior all-star games. 

Mountain West Student-Athletes Invited to 2012 NFL Combine
Tyrone Crawford, DE, Boise State
George Iloka, S, Boise State
Doug Martin, RB, Boise State
Shea McClellin, DE, Boise State
Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State
Nate Potter, OL, Boise State
Billy Winn, DT, Boise State
Miles Burris, LB, San Diego State
Ryan Lindley, QB, San Diego State
Brian Stahovich, P, San Diego State
Tank Carder, LB, TCU

Homecoming for Fairchild
Best of luck to former Colorado State football coach Steve Fairchild, who is returning to San Diego to take the position of senior offensive assistant/special assignments with the NFL's Chargers.  Fairchild, who went to high school and junior college in San Diego, previously worked in the NFL as the running backs coach for the Buffalo Bills in 2001-020), served as assistant offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams in 2003-05 and was the offensive coordinator for the Bills in 2006-07.

Extra Points
Colorado State quarterback Pete Thomas has been released from his scholarship. Thomas is eligible for a redshirt season and has two years of eligibility remaining ... The Denver Post is reporting that Don "Wink" Martindale, who served as the Denver Broncos' defensive coordinator in 2010, could be in line to join Jim McElwain's staff as the new defensive coordinator at Colorado State. McElwain and Martindale were assistants with the Oakland Raiders under coach Art Shell in 2006 ... Wyoming junior running back Alvester Alexander has joined San Diego State's Ronnie Hillman in announcing that he will forego his senior season and declare for the 2012 NFL Draft. Meanwhile, four other Wyoming scholarship players, including freshman wide receiver Josh Doctson, redshirt freshman wide receiver C.J. Morgan, freshman quarterback Adam Pittser and freshman wide receiver Kevin Robertson will not return to the team next season ... Freshman wide receiver Deon Long is leaving New Mexico and will enroll at Iowa Western Community College.

SDSU has traveled to Arizona, made the trek to Cal, visited Washington and Washington State. They've made a bus trip up Interstate 5 to face USC and taken the court at Arizona State.

Conspicuously absent from the list, however, is a school that once epitomized West Coast college basketball, that once made Final Fours its private party, that won an NCAA-record 88 consecutive games from 1971-74.

One that is located less than 2½ hours from San Diego State's campus.

"I'd love to play UCLA," Fisher said recently when asked why the schools have not met in 21 years. "They won't play us."

And not without good reason.

In 2011-12, the Mountain West is 11-3 against the Pac-12, with the MW's top three teams (New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV) combining for an 8-0 mark, including Aztec and Runnin' Rebel wins over current Pac-12 co-leader California. Indeed, in the last three seasons, the MW owns a mark of 20-12 against the Pac-12.

Over that three-year span, the MW has not only left the Pac-12 in its wake, it has also gone 28-8 against the Western Athletic Conference; 19-7 vs. the West Coast Conference; 20-4 against the Big West Conference; and 25-7 vs. teams from the Big Sky Conference.

In that there are no other Division I basketball conferences in what is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as the western United States, the Mountain West, simply put, has become the Best in the West.

"I've said many times that people across the country are beginning to realize just how good the basketball is in the Mountain West," said UNLV first-year coach Dave Rice, who was part of a national championship team at the school in 1990. "You take a look at two years ago when we had four teams in the NCAA Tournament, last year when we had three teams in the NCAA Tournament and multiple teams in the postseason."

Over the last three seasons, including the current campaign, the MW is 112-38 against conferences in the western half of the country. It is the only league in the West to boast multiple teams in the top 22 (UNLV, 10th; Colorado State, 22nd) in the latest NCAA RPI rankings. It is the only league in the country where all of its teams currently have winning records.

This, despite the rigors of travel in a conference where altitude (Wyoming, 7,220 feet), weather and flat-out fanaticism (New Mexico, The Pit; San Diego State, "The Show;" UNLV, "Rehhbels, Rehhbels") can unnerve even the best of teams.

Nationally, the MW is one of six conferences with multiple teams (UNLV and San Diego State) ranked in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches' polls. A third, New Mexico, is receiving votes in both polls and has an opportunity to vault into the Top-25 this week with games against the aforementioned Aztecs and Runnin' Rebels.

Comparatively, only one other conference in the western U.S. --- the WCC --- currently has a team ranked in the Top 25, with Saint Mary's at No. 24 and 23 in the AP and Coaches' polls, respectively.

The Pac-12 and the WAC? Nary a soul.

The MW, which is on pace to be the top-ranked conference in the West for the third straight year, has garnered multiple NCAA Tournament bids in 11 of the last 12 seasons. Over the past three seasons among conferences in the West, only the Pac-12 (12) has received more bids than the MW (9), though the latter has earned seven bids to the Pac-12's six in the last two years.

And with success comes notoriety. All 56 MW regular-season games will be nationally televised this year, as will all seven games of the 2012 Conoco MW Men's Basketball Championship.

Ticket sales for the tournament are already on pace to match last year's record-setting pre-championship sales, despite the fact that there is one fewer team due to changes in the MW membership.

Staged at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (capacity 18,500), where the arena's lower bowl seats approximately 8,500 fans (more than the entire Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, home to the WCC and WAC tournaments), the semifinal rounds of each of the last two MW tournaments have been sell-outs, as was last year's title game.

Said UNLV's Rice: "I think it's just become a situation in our league where teams have become accustomed to winning."

And accustomed to being the Best in the West.

Let the number crunching commence.

The Scorer's Table: Jan. 17 Edition

A good while.

The same team that lost four starters from last NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 squad, the same one that goes nine-deep at best, the same one with a starting forward whose knees are so gimpy he seldom practices, was the same one that on Saturday beat an opponent that earlier this season topped the No. 1 team in the nation.

If there was ever an opportunity for UNLV to exorcise a demon that has played hardball with its psyche, infecting the inner regions of its id, this was it. The Runnin' Rebels returned nine letterwinners from a year ago, four of whom were on the floor for yesterday's opening tip. The fifth starter, Mike Moser, was forced to sit out last season after transferring, but through 18 games had clearly gained the inside track for Mountain West Player of the Year honors.

The Aztecs countered with fifth-year player Tim Shelton, he of the balky knees, a first-year transfer guard (Xavier Thames) who had recently been sidelined by a knee injury, and started a guard (Jamaal Franklin) at forward who also drew the assignment of jumping center.

San Diego State played seven players; UNLV 10.

No. 22 SDSU 69, No. 12 UNLV 67.

The victory marked the Aztecs' sixth straight over the Rebels.

"Well, it is a game that only takes five (players)," said Aztecs coach Steve Fisher, who after earning National Coach of the Year honors last season will next make Viejas Arena disappear into thin air. "The thing that we tried to say is that if you are tired and still in and you are not asking to go out, it is mandatory that you don't. Slow your pace down on offense but you have to get back and guard. You have to maintain the same thought process that you started the game with. We lost it a little bit, but over a whole 40 minutes we did well."

What they did best was defend. While Franklin (24 points), who won it on a lay-in that came with 0.3 seconds left, was making shots with a degree of difficulty bordering on the absurd, his teammates limited UNLV to its lowest shooting percentage of the season. The Rebels, who shot 28.6 percent in the first half, finished the game at 35.3.

Moser and running mate Chase Stanback, who both entered the contest averaging better than 14 points per game, combined for 16. Junior guard Anthony Marshall was the only UNLV player to score in double figures, finishing with a season- and game-high 26 points.

Junior guard James Rahon had a season-high 22 points for SDSU.

"First of all, a lot of credit goes to Steve Fisher and his staff," said Runnin' Rebels coach Dave Rice, whose team owns the league's signature win to date after upending then No. 1-ranked North Carolina in November. "They had their team very well prepared. San Diego State is a very good basketball team. It was a great college basketball game. Certainly mistakes on both sides, but our guys battled. There were numerous times during the course of the game that the game could have gotten away, but we showed a lot of character. In the end, San Diego State made one more play than we did and, to their credit, they found a way to win a very hard-fought game."

An assessment that figures to become commonplace this season in the Mountain West.

If Shyatt wasn't given to surprise, what he saw clearly gave him ample cause for pause.

"As I watched five, six, seven of (BYU's) games, I had a chance to find out not just about the talent of the players (in the Mountain West), but the talent of the coaches," said Shyatt, who is in the midst of his second stint as head coach at Wyoming after guiding the Cowboys in 1997-98. "When you have the national Coach of the Year (San Diego State's Steve Fisher) returning, and he has his team in the Top-25, I think that speaks volumes.

"I'm delighted to see that a lot of the opponents who have criticized this league are now waking up and finding out that this is great basketball."

And in 2011-12, perhaps greater than ever.

As the Mountain West gets set to tip-off league play on Saturday, it does so with a chance of posting its best composite non-conference record in the league's 13-year history. MW teams are currently a combined 99-26 (.792) against non-conference opponents, which ranks ahead of the previous high of .722 (96-37) the league finished with during the 2006-07 campaign (including postseason opponents). The 2008-09 season is the only other year in which MW teams surpassed the 70 percent win mark in non-conference play, going 101-40 (.716).

As of Friday, the MW is the only league in the country where every team has a winning record. Not only that, but all eight have also won 10 or more games, with four --- New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV and Wyoming --- having 14 or more wins. Two of those squads, No. 12-ranked UNLV and No. 22 San Diego State, will square off on Saturday in a nationally-televised meeting on the NBC Sports Network (1 p.m. PT), marking the second straight year in which the MW will tip off Conference play with a Top-25 match-up.

The Mountain West also has the sixth-best conference RPI, ranking ahead of the Pac-12, against whom MW teams have an 11-4 record this season.

But if the usual suspects have assumed their places at the head of the pack, they would do well to avoid looking over their shoulder.

Wyoming (14-2), which finished 3-13 in league play and 10-21 overall last season, is off to its best start since 1950-51 and has put together an 11-game home win streak. In addition, the Cowboys ended a 23-game road losing streak with a Dec. 9 victory at Colorado and are already halfway to matching their high for most road wins (6) since joining the Mountain West.

TCU, which won only one MW game a year ago and finished with an overall mark of 11-22, is one victory removed from equaling last year's win total. The Horned Frogs' 10 non-conference wins are their most since 2004-05. A triumph over SMU on Feb. 8 would allow TCU to match the school's 2000-01 team for most regular-season non-conference wins since prior to the 1999-2000 campaign (11).

At 10-4, Air Force, which posted a 6-10 mark in league action last season, has continued to win despite the temporary absence of standout junior guard Michael Lyons (ankle). The Falcons have been stellar defensively thus far in 2011-12, joining New Mexico and Wyoming as the only three MW teams to allow two or fewer opponents to shoot better than 45 percent.

Colorado State (11-4) tips off the conference slate having won six straight and matching its best start from a year ago. CSU's 11 non-conference wins are tied for the most during head coach Tim Miles' tenure.

"I've said many times that people across the country are beginning to realize just how good the basketball is in the Mountain West," said UNLV first-year coach Dave Rice, whose team owns the league's signature win to date with a 90-80 victory over then No. 1-ranked North Carolina on Nov. 26. "You take a look at two years ago when we had four teams in the NCAA Tournament, last year when we had three teams in the NCAA Tournament and multiple teams in the postseason.

"I think it's become a situation in our league where teams have become accustomed to winning. The coaching is so good, and even when seniors leave or players leave early for the NBA like (San Diego State's) Kawhi Leonard did last year, other guys step up because there is a culture of winning in our league."

To wit: MW preseason favorite New Mexico, which is receiving votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches' polls, enters league play at Wyoming on Saturday having won 12 straight, its longest win streak since the Lobos ran off 15 in a row from Jan. 13 - March 11, 2010. It is the seventh time in program history and the third time under coach Steve Alford that New Mexico has won at least 12 consecutive games.

At San Diego State, where the forecast called for a significant turn of events after the team lost four starters from its NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 run, the Aztecs have managed to again muscle their way into the Top-25. At 14-2, San Diego State is off to the second-best start in its Division I history. The Aztecs have won a season-high seven straight and 11 of their last 12.

But ahead looms UNLV, who is tied for the third-most wins in the country heading into Saturday's tilt against the Aztecs. After finishing the non-conference portion of the schedule with a mark of 16-2, its best start to a season since 1992-93, the Rebels have ascended to a ranking of No. 12 in the nation for the first time in 19 years (Feb. 8, 1993). UNLV has won seven straight and eight of its last nine.

"If you have any flaws, now is when you're going to be exposed," said Aztecs associate head coach Brian Dutcher. "This is a great conference, maybe the best it's ever been, with a lot of great coaches. It's going to be a long Conference race."

In a conference already recognized as one of the most challenging in the nation due to travel, altitude and home-court advantages, 2011-12 promises to be quite a ride!

Below is a brief snapshot of each MW team heading into Saturday's Conference-opening action:

Air Force Falcons
2011-12 Record (heading into MW play): 10-4
Current leading scorer: Mike Fitzgerald (14.2 ppg)
Current leading rebounder: Taylor Broekhuis (4.9 rpg)
Non-conference synopsis: The Falcons have held on despite the absence of standout junior guard Michael Lyons, who has recently been sidelined by a high ankle sprain. Though Air Force has struggled to hold its own on the boards and ranks last in the league in scoring offense, few teams in the country are playing better defense. Only two opponents --- Colorado and Gonzaga --- have shot better than 45 percent against the Falcons.

Boise State Broncos
2011-12 Record (heading into MW play): 10-5
Current leading scorer: Anthony Drmic (14.4 ppg)
Current leading rebounder: Ryan Watkins (4.8 rpg)
Non-conference synopsis: Faced with the unenviable task of replacing seven seniors from last year's 22-win team, coach Leon Rice has gotten a sensational effort thus far from Drmic, a native of Australia who already has three 20-point games. Drmic ranks 17th nationally in scoring among freshmen (14.4), third in 3-point field goal percentage (.406) and fourth in 3-point field goals made per game (2.79).

Colorado State Rams
2011-12 Record (heading into MW play): 11-4
Current leading scorer: Wes Eikmeier (17.2 ppg)
Current leading rebounder: Greg Smith (4.7 rpg)
Non-conference synopsis: The Rams enter league play having won six straight, and their 11 non-conference wins tie for the most during head coach Tim Miles' tenure. Eikmeier, currently the league's second-leading scorer, has been the spark, but the Rams also found out just how important Pierce Hornung is to their success after the junior forward and MW Sixth Man of the Year last season was sidelined with a concussion in the early going. With Hornung in the lineup, CSU is 7-1. During his six-game absence, the Rams went 3-3.

New Mexico Lobos
2011-12 Record (heading into MW play): 14-2
Current leading scorer: Tony Snell (13.8 ppg)
Current leading rebounder: Drew Gordon (10.9 rpg)
Non-conference synopsis: The Lobos are off to their best start since opening 14-2 in 2009-10 when they finished 30-5. New Mexico is 8-1 at The Pit this season, posting an average winning margin of 24.7 points. The Lobos, who are 56-0 under coach Steve Alford when allowing fewer than 60 points, have not allowed more than 62 at home this season. UNM has a wealth of talent, currently boasting three of the top 15 scorers in the league in Snell, Gordon (12.7) and sophomore guard Kendall Williams (11.5).

San Diego State Aztecs
2011-12 Record (heading into MW play): 14-2
Current leading scorer: Chase Tapley (17.3 ppg)
Current leading rebounder: Garrett Green (6.4 rpg)
Non-conference synopsis: The No. 22-ranked Aztecs' two losses came against a pair of ranked teams in Baylor (77-67) and Creighton (85-83). San Diego State also beat two teams that were ranked at the time in Arizona (61-57) and Cal (64-63). Tapley enters MW play as the leading scorer in the league. With their 14-2 record, the Aztecs have matched the 1939-40 and 1966-67 teams for the second-best start in school history. San Diego State has won 21 consecutive games against the current configuration of the Mountain West, dating back to an 88-86 overtime loss at No. 15/23 New Mexico on Feb. 6, 2010.

TCU Horned Frogs
2011-12 Record (heading into MW play): 10-5
Current leading scorer: Hank Thorns (12.6 ppg)
Current leading rebounder: J.R. Cadot (7.1 rpg)
Non-conference synopsis: TCU has is off to its best start since the 2000-01 season, when the team won 12 of its first 15 games. The Horned Frogs, who were the only team to beat Virginia (currently ranked No. 17) before the Cavaliers began ACC play, have won 10 non-conference games for the first time since 2004-05. A victory Feb. 6 at SMU would give the Frogs 11 non-conference victories in a season for the first time since 2000-01. TCU has forced 20 or more turnovers in a game six times this season.

UNLV Runnin' Rebels
2011-12 Record (heading into MW play): 16-2
Current leading scorer: Chace Stanback (14.8 ppg)
Current leading rebounder: Mike Moser (11.1 rpg)
Non-conference synopsis: In knocking off then No. 1-ranked North Carolina, 90-80, in November, the No. 12-ranked Runnin' Rebels not only proved they are capable of winning the MW title, but also served notice that they could be a tough out at the national level. UNLV cruised in routing Illinois on the road (64-48) and drubbing Cal (85-68) at the Thomas & Mack Center. Moser has been a monster, grabbing the early inside track to MW Player of the Year honors by averaging 14.2 points and a league-best 11.1 rebounds per contest. The Rebels' two losses came at Wichita State, a team currently receiving Top-25 votes, and at Wisconsin, which was then ranked No. 14 in the nation.

Wyoming Cowboys
2011-12 Record (heading into MW play): 14-2
Current leading scorer: Luke Martinez (13.5 ppg)
Current leading rebounder: Leonard Washington (6.2 rpg)
Non-conference synopsis: The Cowboys, who host New Mexico on Saturday, are 11-0 at Arena-Auditorium this season, their most wins at home since 2008-09. Wyoming is currently on a three-game win streak after reeling off nine straight earlier in the season. In the latest NCAA rankings, Wyoming was third in scoring defense at 52.3 points per game, 10th in field goal percentage defense (36.8) and 21st in three-point field goal percentage defense (28.5). Four Cowboys --- Martinez, Washington (11.6), Francisco Cruz (12.1) and Adam Waddell (10.0) -- are averaging in double figures.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

Regardless of who wins Saturday's men's basketball showdown between No. 12 UNLV and No. 22 San Diego State, the outcome will not affect the bond forged between Rebels' assistant Justin Hutson and Aztecs' assistant Tony Bland.

Two former San Diego State men's basketball players are reunited in San Antonio as Malcolm Thomas signs with the NBA's Spurs. Former Aztec Kawhi Leonard was acquired by San Antonio after being selected by Indiana in the first round of this year's NBA draft.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

Colorado State football coach Jim McElwain continues to build his staff by adding former Alabama and Clemson assistant Billy Napier.

Boise State coach Chris Petersen promotes assistant Robert Prince to serve as the team's offensive coordinator following the departure of Brent Pease.

University of Hawai'i football coach Norm Chow has tabbed former San Diego State assistant Thom Kaumeyer to serve as the team's defensive coordinator. Kaumeyer orchestrated the biggest defensive improvement in the country as San Diego State leaped from 95th in total defense in 2002 to eighth in 2003.

Hawai'i punt returner Scott Harding, a 25-year-old true freshman, is named to the Football Writers Association of America's Freshman All-America team. Harding hails from Brisbane, Australia. Hawai'i will join the Mountain West next season as a football-only member.

UNLV's football team will play seven home games next season after adding Northern Arizona to its 2012 schedule.

BASEBALL HEADLINES

Rebel baseball team shows eagerness to get the 2012 season started.

Have you seen a news article on the Mountain West, its teams and its players to share with fellow fans? E-mail them to Webmaster@TheMWC.com!

UNLV senior forward Jamie Smith is on the verge of becoming just the second player in MW history to score 1,000 career points while collecting 1,000 rebounds.

A former Lady Rebel All-American who had spent the previous 15 years as head coach at UCLA, Olivier was inheriting a team that had limped to an 8-22 finish in 2007-08, exiting with a loss to Colorado State in the first round of the Mountain West Tournament.

It was a fitful final act, a humbling, if not humiliating, end to a season that had seen UNLV finish 4-12 in league play and lose its final six games by an average of nearly 18 points. In drawing Colorado State in the first round of the tournament, the Lady Rebels were paired against an opponent that had gone winless in the MW, lost 20 straight games and sported an overall mark of 3-26.

If there was nowhere to go but up, the first order of business was to determine the depth of down.

"My feeling is that we're going to work our butts off and do everything we can to get better and people will eventually buy in," Olivier said in October of 2008, six months after being hired as the eighth head coach in the history of the program. "We're trying to develop a championship mentality with our players."

Four years later, Olivier's vision may be on the cusp of being realized.

As UNLV prepares to open league play Wednesday night at Wyoming, it does so having already won more games than it did in the entire 2010-11 season. At 12-4, the Lady Rebels boast the best record in the MW, with the likes of Iowa and Kansas State numbered among the vanquished.

And while Olivier knows that to forecast an easy lope through league play would be folly, she also has a veteran group of players no longer content to settle for satisfactory.

"We have a group of returning players that are sick of the seasons we've had in the past," said senior forward Jamie Smith, who is on the verge of becoming just the second player in Mountain West history to score 1,000 career points while collecting 1,000 rebounds. "Coming off the season we had last year (the Lady Rebels lost eight games by seven or fewer points while finishing 11-20), it's a different mentality. We're done with losing."

Olivier, whose roster runs deeper than at any point during her tenure at UNLV, has a starting lineup that consists of three juniors and two seniors. Although the Lady Rebels have shared the wealth in receiving contributions from multiple positions, the key addition is senior center Lenita Sanford. A former McDonald's All-American who transferred from El Camino Community College in California prior to the 2010-11 season. Sanford started 11 games but was forced to sit out the spring semester due to academic issues.

Through 16 games this season, the 6-foot-3 Sanford ranks second on the team in scoring (11.4) and rebounding (7.4).

"She brings so much fire to our team," Smith said. "She's going to give you 100 percent every single time. If any of the rest of us starts to fall off a little bit, her intensity really picks us up. She knows the game and she knows how to win, but it's that fire and that intensity that she has that spreads throughout our whole team."

The task now will be to carry that fire and intensity into league play, where strengths are identified and weaknesses exposed, where veteran coaches recognize tendencies and expose chinks in the armor. A year ago, despite playing a rugged non-conference schedule that included perennial power North Carolina, UNLV finished a game under .500 at 7-8. When league play began, the Lady Rebels proceeded to drop six of their first eight.

Following Wednesday's MW opener at Wyoming (4-9), UNLV will get a visit from San Diego State (10-4), whose victory over No. 18 DePaul on November 18 may arguably be the league's signature win to date.

"Last year, we were in a lot of close games, but we just didn't finish," Olivier said. "I truly believe our players realized that and they hated the feeling. They made a big commitment over the summer to work extremely hard and I think it's giving them the confidence right now to get the job done.

"As a staff, we feel like we've changed the mentality of the program. We knew it was going to take some time, because it takes a lot of commitment and a lot of sacrifice to develop that championship mentality. The players we've recruited have bought into the formula for winning. Everyone's on the same page now and it's working for us."