The opportunity is there for the Aggies basketball team. They have a cake schedule (althought San Jose and Fresno are interesting games) for the rest of the way until they go to Nevada on Feb. 28, but Nevada does stil have to go to Boise after losing to the Broncos at home. It seems like all of the top teams, and even San Jose and Hawaii, are playing their best ball at the end of the season, so the schedule worked out pretty well for the Aggies getting a couple road wins and playing well at home.
If the Aggies can't somehow catch Utah State, how important is the No. 2 seed? I did think it was an interesting development in the WAC to see Nevada win, and it sounded like Nevada led by 18 in the second half.
JG
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No matter what seed we get its likely we'll have to beat two out of these teams: Boise St., Utah St., and Reno. Not an easy task.
jg - how many teams are headed to the dance from the WAC? You think runner up is NIT bound? Clearly for NMSU it seems we have to win the tournament to get an invite...
All those teams are tough, but the Aggies can beat any of them on any given night. They can also lose to them too (and other teams - remember Hawaii). So the most important is that they bunch together a good win streak in the tournament. And a good showing for the rest of the regular season would give them some great momentum. I still feel they have the most talent in the league, they just have to put it together. And the understanding is that only the tournament champion will go to the Big Dance. I am not yet sure if the NIT is a possibility, so best that we just concentrate on the NCAA.
I don't think the Aggies are good enough to worry about Nevada just yet, not when there are games in between.
The Aggies have a big game this week and hopefully will continue to take care of business. I know its "only" La Tech, but its a road game and they played us tough in the PAC. If we can win that game, it will be interesting to check the standings after Saturday's games, especially now that Nevada beat Utah State. A #1 seed (now within reach) would likely ensure Utah St and Nevada would play each other in the WAC tourney. That is a good thing. But we could easily end up a #4 seed. So first things first - don't revert back to our inconsistent ways. Beat an inferior opponent in Ruston.
-Aggie Glare
Agreed Glare. One game a time....I believe the NIT takes the regular season conference champ, unless that team gets an invite or auto-bid to the NCAAs.
Now were talking!
Utah St and Nevada will lose again before the WAC tournament.
If we take care of business, were in a position to control our own destiny.
Let's see what happens. Go Aggies!
Ganja Boy
Anon at 9:12
With the addition of the 16 team College Basketball Invitational, I think as many as three WAC teams have realistic opportunities to play some form of postseason basketball. An interesting aspect of the CBI is the the Championship Series will be March 31, April 2 and April 4. The two teams that advance to the final will play a best two of three series, which would be an interesting choice should a school be invited to the NIT and the CBI, just to do something different.
Coaches around the WAC still seem to believe it is a one-bid league for the Big Dance, as do I. I think it depends on who the runner up is. If it's NMSU, is their record going to hurt them when Boise or a Utah State is around single digit losses? We shall see.
JG
The Aggies are peaking. We have a deep bench. Coach Menzies is getting a grasp on his players. I like our chances in the WAC tournament. I agree only 1 team makes the NCAA tournament. Oh by the way Kudos to Jason Groves for his article "NMSU recruits getting head start". Good insight into our new recruits getting accustomed to college life. NO more fiascos with grades through the NCAA clearing house.
Bank on this...the only way the Ags get to the NCAA Tourney is to win the WAC Tourney for the Auto Bid..they are on very thin ice for the NIT and the temp is going up...
GO AGGIES!
The WAC may get two teams in depending on W L records..My bet is Nevada or Utah St. get in as a runner up..NMSU will not get in as a runner up..they must win outright....
With only nine D1 wins among the top four WAC schools,the only sure bet for the NCAA's is the tourney winner,even though NMSU had the toughest schedule in the entire conference.IF...Boise and USU fare ok in the tournament(1-2 wins) they might get the "not invited" bid-or the tourney runnerup.Too many other conferences this year have good records(PAC10 being one of them)and higher RPI's.20 wins is not really a guarantee anymore.
With a conference RPI of 19, hell will freeze over before a second WAC team gets to the Big Dance. NMSU would have had a chance to get a bid w/o winning the WAC due to our strength of schedule, but we under performed most of the season and our RPI plummeted. So its simple - win the WAC and go "dancing". As I said before, hopefully our inconsistent ways are behind us - tonight is our next test. Go Aggies!!
-Aggie Glare
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