Wyoming at Air Force
These two teams are fighting to stay out of last place in the MWC. Air Force is improved this season over the last-place finishes of the previous two seasons.. Wyoming seems to have an entire athletic program going the wrong direction, after a few years in the middle of the pack. Air Force is playing well at home, with a 7-2 record (though one loss was against a Division III team...). Wyoming hasn't won a road game yet this season. I wouldn't (and won't) waste my time watching this game: a boring team hosting a bad team. First one to 60 points wins. Air Force gets there first: Falcons 69, Cowboys 59.
New Mexico at UNLV
It is difficult to call this a must-win so early in the conference season, but the loser of this game will be in some trouble. New Mexico would be 1-4 in conference. UNLV would have lost 3 home games before the conference season was half over. This is a battle of two teams that need to re-establish themselves as relevant in the MWC. The loser is out of that discussion, and the winner remains, though still very much on the fringe. I think UNLV is on the brink of the disaster, if you ask me. The last time that happened (after BYU) they came out the next game and dominated TCU. I recognize that New Mexico is no TCU, but they are coming off of back-to-back losses and losses in three out of four games. It seems that this season the better Dairese Gary plays, the worse New Mexico plays. If he scores 20 points, the Lobos might be in trouble...
UNLV PG Tre'Von Willis will be a game-time decision. But his presence on the court hasn't exactly helped anyway. After Jimmer dropped 39 at UNLV, Willis blew up in the locker room at his teammates. He responded the next game with a good effort, but then made several crucial bad plays that ultimately cost them the game at SDSU. He hasn't played since. The team needs a leader, if Willis wants to be it, he needs to play in this game and he needs to play well. Last year he played well against New Mexico with 20 points in one game and 10 assists in the other. They might need both today.
I think having fans boo the Rebels at home against CSU will either wake them up and send them deeper into a spiral that can only end in the NIT. It will be pretty clear in the first 10 minutes of the game which one it is. This one could go either way. One of these teams may have one good run left in them. I'm going with New Mexico in the road upset, stick a fork in UNLV: Lobos 75, Rebels 65.
Utah at TCU
I went back and watched the BYU-Utah again this week. Utah did a lot of things very well, in spurts. They played a lot better than people gave them credit for. They dominated the boards the entire game and controlled the game for much of it as well, especially early on. Since that game, they have gone on the road and beaten Wyoming by 17, while taking New Mexico down at home this week by double digits as well. TCU has beaten some quality opponents at home this season, however, with wins against Houston and USC at home. They battled BYU on the road and managed to hold Jimmer to 21 points. Ronnie Moss is scoring at a very high rate the past month. He just hasn't had much consistent help. Utah fans probably feel the same way with Clyburn. The difference is: Josh Watkins has stepped it up the past few games. If he can contribute 15 to the Utes' cause today, they will do well. I think this will be another close game, like all of the games today, really could go either way. I'll take Utah to extend their winning streak to 3: Utes 71, Frogs 69.
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