MWC Tourney Outlook - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

BigFatMeanie · 03-05-2007, 10:15 PM

Things are looking pretty good for BYU in the MWC Tourney. The cougars didn't lose a single game this year to any of the teams in their bracket: TCU/NM, Wyo, AirForce

AirForce/Wyo
AirForce has never won a conference tourney game. Although they blew Wyo out in Colorado Springs, Wyo was missing several players due to suspension from the fight with NM. Air Force barely beat Wyo by two points in Laramie. Given the way Air Force is playing lately, the fact that they have never won a conference tourney game, and that Wyo will have all of their players, there is the very real possibility of an upset for this game. I feel good about BYU's chances vs. either of these teams in the second round assuming BYU takes care of it's first round opponent.

TCU/NM
It's tough to say who will win between these two teams. They split their games with both teams winning at home by 12 points. New Mexico is playing for a lame duck coach and TCU seemed to be playing better at the end of the season. That being said, NM usually draws a pretty good crowd to the tourney so I'm going to pick NM. I don't anticipate BYU having a problem with either of these teams.

So, I would pick the bracket:

BYU over NM
Wyo over AF

BYU over Wyo

My thoughts for the other bracket:

Utah/Vegas
Hard to pick against Vegas playing on their own floor. Vegas beat the Utes both times this year although Utah did take them to 2OT in Vegas. This will be one of the rare cases where I cheer for the Utes but I don't really think they have a chance - I'm definitely picking Vegas in this game.

SDSU/CSU
Aztecs won both games against the Rams this year. I have no reason to pick against the Aztecs.

SDSU/Vegas
Again, hard to pick against Vegas on their own floor. The teams split the series with each team winning at home. Although the game was closer in Vegas than it was in San Diego. Most people think Vegas is a lock because of their RPI and their road wins over Nevada and Texas Tech. I would like nothing more than to see SDSU upset Vegas and I think they have a reasonable chance; however, in the end I have to pick Vegas (I'm already getting a headache just thinking about the neverending "Rebel, Rebel" chants)

So my picks for this bracket:

Vegas over Utah
SDSU over CSU

Vegas over SDSU

BYU/Vegas
I really, really hope someone upsets Vegas before the championship game. BYU has the capability of beating Vegas in Vegas but will need an excellent game with stellar guard play. If the final ends up this way then logic says that Vegas will win but I'll go ahead and throw logic out the window and pick the Cougars through my blue colored glasses.

jay santos · 03-05-2007, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigFatMeanie

Things are looking pretty good for BYU in the MWC Tourney. The cougars didn't lose a single game this year to any of the teams in their bracket: TCU/NM, Wyo, AirForce

AirForce/Wyo
AirForce has never won a conference tourney game. Although they blew Wyo out in Colorado Springs, Wyo was missing several players due to suspension from the fight with NM. Air Force barely beat Wyo by two points in Laramie. Given the way Air Force is playing lately, the fact that they have never won a conference tourney game, and that Wyo will have all of their players, there is the very real possibility of an upset for this game. I feel good about BYU's chances vs. either of these teams in the second round assuming BYU takes care of it's first round opponent.

TCU/NM
It's tough to say who will win between these two teams. They split their games with both teams winning at home by 12 points. New Mexico is playing for a lame duck coach and TCU seemed to be playing better at the end of the season. That being said, NM usually draws a pretty good crowd to the tourney so I'm going to pick NM. I don't anticipate BYU having a problem with either of these teams.

So, I would pick the bracket:

BYU over NM
Wyo over AF

BYU over Wyo

My thoughts for the other bracket:

Utah/Vegas
Hard to pick against Vegas playing on their own floor. Vegas beat the Utes both times this year although Utah did take them to 2OT in Vegas. This will be one of the rare cases where I cheer for the Utes but I don't really think they have a chance - I'm definitely picking Vegas in this game.

SDSU/CSU
Aztecs won both games against the Rams this year. I have no reason to pick against the Aztecs.

SDSU/Vegas
Again, hard to pick against Vegas on their own floor. The teams split the series with each team winning at home. Although the game was closer in Vegas than it was in San Diego. Most people think Vegas is a lock because of their RPI and their road wins over Nevada and Texas Tech. I would like nothing more than to see SDSU upset Vegas and I think they have a reasonable chance; however, in the end I have to pick Vegas (I'm already getting a headache just thinking about the neverending "Rebel, Rebel" chants)

So my picks for this bracket:

Vegas over Utah
SDSU over CSU

Vegas over SDSU

BYU/Vegas
I really, really hope someone upsets Vegas before the championship game. BYU has the capability of beating Vegas in Vegas but will need an excellent game with stellar guard play. If the final ends up this way then logic says that Vegas will win but I'll go ahead and throw logic out the window and pick the Cougars through my blue colored glasses.

Agree 100%

I think most likely we lose to Vegas in the final, but I think Vegas has a real shot at losing either of their first two. And if that happens, we'll take it.

RockyBalboa · 03-05-2007, 10:35 PM

I'm picking CSU to upset San Diego. SDSU is softer than Charmin.

Having said that,,,,they're also the most talented so it wouldn't surprise me if they ran the gauntlet and won the tourney and if they do that....goodbye to Air Force's at large chances, cause they won't take 4 MWC teams in the tourney.

il Padrino Ute · 03-06-2007, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigFatMeanie

Things are looking pretty good for BYU in the MWC Tourney. The cougars didn't lose a single game this year to any of the teams in their bracket: TCU/NM, Wyo, AirForce

AirForce/Wyo
AirForce has never won a conference tourney game. Although they blew Wyo out in Colorado Springs, Wyo was missing several players due to suspension from the fight with NM. Air Force barely beat Wyo by two points in Laramie. Given the way Air Force is playing lately, the fact that they have never won a conference tourney game, and that Wyo will have all of their players, there is the very real possibility of an upset for this game. I feel good about BYU's chances vs. either of these teams in the second round assuming BYU takes care of it's first round opponent.

TCU/NM
It's tough to say who will win between these two teams. They split their games with both teams winning at home by 12 points. New Mexico is playing for a lame duck coach and TCU seemed to be playing better at the end of the season. That being said, NM usually draws a pretty good crowd to the tourney so I'm going to pick NM. I don't anticipate BYU having a problem with either of these teams.

So, I would pick the bracket:

BYU over NM
Wyo over AF

BYU over Wyo

My thoughts for the other bracket:

Utah/Vegas
Hard to pick against Vegas playing on their own floor. Vegas beat the Utes both times this year although Utah did take them to 2OT in Vegas. This will be one of the rare cases where I cheer for the Utes but I don't really think they have a chance - I'm definitely picking Vegas in this game.

SDSU/CSU
Aztecs won both games against the Rams this year. I have no reason to pick against the Aztecs.

SDSU/Vegas
Again, hard to pick against Vegas on their own floor. The teams split the series with each team winning at home. Although the game was closer in Vegas than it was in San Diego. Most people think Vegas is a lock because of their RPI and their road wins over Nevada and Texas Tech. I would like nothing more than to see SDSU upset Vegas and I think they have a reasonable chance; however, in the end I have to pick Vegas (I'm already getting a headache just thinking about the neverending "Rebel, Rebel" chants)

So my picks for this bracket:

Vegas over Utah
SDSU over CSU

Vegas over SDSU

BYU/Vegas
I really, really hope someone upsets Vegas before the championship game. BYU has the capability of beating Vegas in Vegas but will need an excellent game with stellar guard play. If the final ends up this way then logic says that Vegas will win but I'll go ahead and throw logic out the window and pick the Cougars through my blue colored glasses.

Conference tournaments suck. Conference tournaments in Vegas suck even more.

If there has to be a conference tournament, it should be in Provo because BYU won the regular season.

BigFatMeanie · 03-07-2007, 05:10 PM

TCU beat New Mexico so I'm already 0-1 in my predictions.

TCU has definitely been playing better towards the end of the season. I'm still not worried about BYU beating them; however, the Cougars will need to play with effort and not just sleepwalk against TCU.

BigFatMeanie · 03-09-2007, 07:11 PM

CSU over SDSU was a bit of a surprise - nice pick Rocky.

The Utes looked horrible. I think it is both lack of talent and lack of coaching. Neville was the only one that played with any fire but that offsense just sucks. The Utes have one of the biggest/strongest centers in the league - why does he start out every possesion at the three point line at the top of the key? It reminds me of the old Mark Eaton plays where he would just stand at the top of the key to draw up the center and then maybe crash late in the possesion for the rebound. That kind of technique is generally used when your center is a liability on offense. When Neville gets the ball down low he is hard to stop. I can't understand for the life of me why they don't have Neville head down court as fast as he can and immediately try to establish position on the low block. I'm no expert, but that seems like piss-poor coaching in my book.

The rest of the Ute players were disinterested at best. Sloppy passes, no rebounding, no motion - a total lack of effort. I can't count how many times on offense I would see one Ute dribble while the other four just basically stood around and watched. There were very few Ute fans there - even if you count the many BYU fans cheering for the Utes. I don't know if Utah basketball has hit rock bottom yet (you're not truly rock bottom until you go 1-24) but their program has definitely been reduced to rubble in my opinion.

03-05-2007, 10:15 PM	#1
BigFatMeanie Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: South Jordan Posts: 1,725	MWC Tourney Outlook Things are looking pretty good for BYU in the MWC Tourney. The cougars didn't lose a single game this year to any of the teams in their bracket: TCU/NM, Wyo, AirForce AirForce/Wyo AirForce has never won a conference tourney game. Although they blew Wyo out in Colorado Springs, Wyo was missing several players due to suspension from the fight with NM. Air Force barely beat Wyo by two points in Laramie. Given the way Air Force is playing lately, the fact that they have never won a conference tourney game, and that Wyo will have all of their players, there is the very real possibility of an upset for this game. I feel good about BYU's chances vs. either of these teams in the second round assuming BYU takes care of it's first round opponent. TCU/NM It's tough to say who will win between these two teams. They split their games with both teams winning at home by 12 points. New Mexico is playing for a lame duck coach and TCU seemed to be playing better at the end of the season. That being said, NM usually draws a pretty good crowd to the tourney so I'm going to pick NM. I don't anticipate BYU having a problem with either of these teams. So, I would pick the bracket: BYU over NM Wyo over AF BYU over Wyo My thoughts for the other bracket: Utah/Vegas Hard to pick against Vegas playing on their own floor. Vegas beat the Utes both times this year although Utah did take them to 2OT in Vegas. This will be one of the rare cases where I cheer for the Utes but I don't really think they have a chance - I'm definitely picking Vegas in this game. SDSU/CSU Aztecs won both games against the Rams this year. I have no reason to pick against the Aztecs. SDSU/Vegas Again, hard to pick against Vegas on their own floor. The teams split the series with each team winning at home. Although the game was closer in Vegas than it was in San Diego. Most people think Vegas is a lock because of their RPI and their road wins over Nevada and Texas Tech. I would like nothing more than to see SDSU upset Vegas and I think they have a reasonable chance; however, in the end I have to pick Vegas (I'm already getting a headache just thinking about the neverending "Rebel, Rebel" chants) So my picks for this bracket: Vegas over Utah SDSU over CSU Vegas over SDSU BYU/Vegas I really, really hope someone upsets Vegas before the championship game. BYU has the capability of beating Vegas in Vegas but will need an excellent game with stellar guard play. If the final ends up this way then logic says that Vegas will win but I'll go ahead and throw logic out the window and pick the Cougars through my blue colored glasses.

03-05-2007, 10:35 PM	#3
RockyBalboa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Salt Lake City Posts: 7,297	I'm picking CSU to upset San Diego. SDSU is softer than Charmin. Having said that,,,,they're also the most talented so it wouldn't surprise me if they ran the gauntlet and won the tourney and if they do that....goodbye to Air Force's at large chances, cause they won't take 4 MWC teams in the tourney. __________________ Masquerading as Cougarguards very own genius dumbass since 05'.

03-07-2007, 05:10 PM	#5
BigFatMeanie Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: South Jordan Posts: 1,725	TCU beat New Mexico so I'm already 0-1 in my predictions. TCU has definitely been playing better towards the end of the season. I'm still not worried about BYU beating them; however, the Cougars will need to play with effort and not just sleepwalk against TCU.

03-09-2007, 07:11 PM	#6
BigFatMeanie Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: South Jordan Posts: 1,725	CSU over SDSU was a bit of a surprise - nice pick Rocky. The Utes looked horrible. I think it is both lack of talent and lack of coaching. Neville was the only one that played with any fire but that offsense just sucks. The Utes have one of the biggest/strongest centers in the league - why does he start out every possesion at the three point line at the top of the key? It reminds me of the old Mark Eaton plays where he would just stand at the top of the key to draw up the center and then maybe crash late in the possesion for the rebound. That kind of technique is generally used when your center is a liability on offense. When Neville gets the ball down low he is hard to stop. I can't understand for the life of me why they don't have Neville head down court as fast as he can and immediately try to establish position on the low block. I'm no expert, but that seems like piss-poor coaching in my book. The rest of the Ute players were disinterested at best. Sloppy passes, no rebounding, no motion - a total lack of effort. I can't count how many times on offense I would see one Ute dribble while the other four just basically stood around and watched. There were very few Ute fans there - even if you count the many BYU fans cheering for the Utes. I don't know if Utah basketball has hit rock bottom yet (you're not truly rock bottom until you go 1-24) but their program has definitely been reduced to rubble in my opinion.