WEEK 13 RECAP
BYU took over sole possession atop the MWC standings at 7-1 (18-5 overall) with an 83-
72 win over TCU last week. UNLV slipped into second place at 7-2 (18-5 overall) after
splitting its two outings, dropping an 81-73 decision to Utah before earning a 68-51
triumph over Colorado State. San Diego State also went 1-1 to retain its hold on third
place, defeating Air Force (49-38) before falling on the road at TCU (68-62). New Mexico
(18-6 overall) and Utah (14-8 overall) each posted 2-0 marks in their respective outings
and are tied for fourth at 5-4 apiece. The Lobos defeated Colorado State (91-51) and
Wyoming (100-55), while the Utes beat UNLV (81-73) and Air Force (67-59). Rounding
out the standings are Air Force (12-10, 4-5 MWC) and TCU (12-10, 4-5 MWC) in a twoway
tie for sixth, followed by Wyoming (9-13, 2-7 MWC) and Colorado State (6-17, 0-9
MWC) in eighth and ninth place, respectively.
MWC CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK (FEB. 11)
J.R. GIDDENS, SR., G, NEW MEXICO (OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA.)
Giddens, an Oklahoma City, Okla., native, led the Lobos to a 2-0 conference record last
week with victories over Colorado State (91-51) and Wyoming (100-55). Against
Colorado State, he scored 19 points, on 9-of-11 shooting from the floor, while grabbing
seven rebounds. Giddens also had four assists, two steals and two blocks in 30 minutes
of play. Against Wyoming, Giddens scored a career-high 36 points (15-of-24 shooting)
and added 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season and 10th of his
career. He also added a career-high six steals, three assists and a blocked shot vs. the
Cowboys. On the week, he averaged 27.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.0 steals, 3.5 assists and
1.5 blocks per game, while shooting 68.6 percent (24-for-35) from the field and 42.9
percent (3-for-7) from three-point range.
JOHNNIE BRYANT, SR., G, UTAH (OAKLAND, CALIF.)
Bryant, from Oakland, Calif., helped Utah to a home win over then-MWC co-leader
UNLV (81-73) and a road victory at Air Force (67-59) last week. In the Utes' win over the
Rebels, Bryant came off the bench to score a season-high 26 points, 16 of which came in
the second half. He hit 3-of-7 three-pointers and all seven of his free throw attempts,
while adding four rebounds, two steals and one assist vs. UNLV. Against Air Force, he
scored a game-high 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting (5-of-9 from three-point land). He hit
four of his five treys after intermission as part of his 14 second-half points. Bryant also
pulled down three rebounds vs. the Falcons. For the week, he averaged 21.5 points, 3.5
rebounds and 1.0 assist per game, while knocking down 54.2 percent of his shots (13-for-
24), 50.0 percent (8-for-16) of his three-pointers and going 7-of-7 from the charity stripe.
WEEK 14 PREVIEW
Three nationally-televised contests highlight the MWC slate in Week 14, beginning with a
Tuesday, Feb. 12 outing on CSTV featuring Air Force at UNLV (7 p.m. PT). On Saturday,
Feb. 16, Utah hosts San Diego State in a 2 p.m. MT match-up on VERSUS, while UNLV
visits BYU in a 7 p.m. MT game on CSTV. Four other contests will be televised on The
Mtn.-MountainWest Sports Network. In addition to a non-televised meeting between BYU
and host Colorado State (7 p.m. MT), Wednesday's schedule will include TCU at Wyoming
(6:30 p.m. MT) and New Mexico at San Diego State (8 p.m. PT) in a Mtn. doubleheader.
Saturday's slate also includes a twinbill on The Mtn., featuring Wyoming at Air Force (4
p.m. MT) and TCU at New Mexico (7 p.m. MT).
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
The Mountain West recorded its ninth consecutive season with an overall winning
percentage of 61 percent or greater in non-conference play. Last year, MWC teams
combined to win a league-record 72.2 percent of their games outside of the conference.
This season, MWC teams own a collective 83-41 (66.9%) mark against non-league foes.
MWC ON TELEVISION
The 2007-08 MWC men's basketball package features a minimum of 100 games on
national and regional television, including 27 to be broadcast nationally with 19 on CSTV
and seven on VERSUS. Sixty-three of the 72 conference match-ups, and seven of eight
MWC Championship contests are included in the television package. Seventy-five
games will be shown on The Mtn. - MountainWest Sports Network, and two of the 100
televised contests will feature simulcasts on The Mtn. and CSTV.
HOME VS. ROAD IN THE MWC
Over the previous eight years in the Mountain West, home teams have won 63
percent or more of the games in league competition. Thus far in 2007-08, home
teams hold a 25-15 (.625) edge in MWC play midway through the league schedule.
BYU (4-0) and UNLV (4-0) are the only teams who remain undefeated vs. league
opponents in their home venues this season. Each of the previous eight years, the MWC
regular-season champion has won no fewer than six of its league outings at home.
For each of the last six years, the MWC regular-season champion has finished with
no fewer than five road victories against conference competition. Currently, BYU
(3-1), UNLV (3-2), San Diego State (2-2) and Utah (2-2) have .500 or better records
in road MWC contests.
Only twice in the history of the Mountain West has a team claimed a share of the
regular-season crown with a losing record in road games (Utah, 1999-00, 3-4; BYU
and Utah, 2000-01, 3-4 each). UNLV shared the 1999-00 crown with the Utes but
had a 4-3 record in MWC road games.
UNLV'S KRUGER CAPTURES 400TH VICTORY
UNLV Head Coach Lon Kruger reached a notable milestone with the Runnin' Rebels
victory over Colorado State last Saturday, collecting his 400th career win as a collegiate
head coach. Among active NCAA Division I coaches, Kruger is the 32nd individual to
register 400 victories, currently boasting a 400-272 (.595) record over a 22-year collegiate
career that has included stops at Texas-Pan American (1982-86), Kansas State (1986-90),
Florida (1990-96), Illinois (1996-00) and UNLV. At each of those institutions, Kruger has
produced at least one 20-win season within four years of his arrival, racking up 10 NCAA
Tournament appearances in the process. Kruger is one of just five coaches to take four
different schools to the NCAA Tournament (Jim Harrick, Eddie Sutton, Lefty Driesell
and Rick Pitino) and one of only three to lead four different schools to NCAA Tournament
wins (Harrick, Sutton).
NEWCOMERS HAVING AN IMPACT
Several MWC newcomers are making their mark this season as five junior college transfers
(Colorado State's Marcus Walker and Willis Gardner, San Diego State's Ryan Amoroso
and TCU's Henry Salter and John Ortiz) and two freshmen (SDSU's Billy White and
BYU's Chris Collinsworth) find themselves ranked among the Conference's scoring
and/or rebounding leaders. Walker leads the MWC in scoring (18.5 ppg), while Gardner
is 20th (10.5 ppg). Salter ranks 12th and 16th in scoring (14.1 ppg) and rebounding (5.1 rpg),
respectively, while Ortiz is 11th with a 5.5 average on the glass. Amoroso, the 2007-08
MWC Preseason Newcomer of the Year, is tied for fifth in rebounding (6.5 rpg), followed
by White in ninth (5.7 rpg) and Collinsworth in 17th (4.9 rpg).
MWC SCORING LEADERS
Eight of the 10 leading scorers in the MWC are juniors, led by Colorado State's Marcus
Walker (18.5 ppg). Overall, the junior class accounts for 13 of the league's top 20 scoring
averages. Air Force's Tim Anderson (6th/15.5 ppg) is the top-ranked senior, while BYU's
Jonathan Tavernari (13th/13.6 ppg) is the only sophomore of the group. In addition, San
Diego State's Billy White is contributing 8.4 points as the top freshman scorer.
