PonyFans.com

I'm a little concerned about the WACs NCAA tourney prospects right now. With the exception of Fresno, the rest of us are all beating one another. If we keep going at this rate, and Fresno wins the conference tourney, the WAC will only send one team.

Meanwhile, the MWC (or traitor conference) actually has several legit tourney teams. As much as I root for WAC teams to win, I root for the traitors to lose. I hate all those bastards with the white hot passion of 10,000 suns. I was pleased that the MWC didn't have a single ranked football team. Their success in hoops (so far) is a little disturbing. Damn, I wish we would have pulled out the UNLV game!

On a more local note, Patrick Simpson really seems to be playing a lot better recently. He is talented enough that he should be a difference maker in most games. I am happy to see his scoring and blocked shots picking up big time. Go Pat!

Castro too has played well the last couple of games. If Isham can get over his hand thing and become a good scorer for us from the 2 guard spot, I will feel a lot better about seeing Q graduate. I'm still waiting to see BHop dunk. I can feel it coming. Any game now...

I dont expect to see the real BHop until next year. Its almost absurd to talk about his first dunk at this point in the season. When I saw the guy last March, I thought he would be one of the most explosive dunkers in college ball this year. Thats how injured and out of shape he has been playing.

BHop is slamming down some nice tomahawk dunks in pregame warmups so I don't think you will have to wait much longer.

My favorite play from last night was fairly late in the second half when Simpson was moving without the ball, through the top of the zone, caught the pass, turned, and swished a jumper from about the free throw line, all in one fluid motion.

THAT was what I was expecting when I read about Simpson after we signed him. If he gains the confidence to consistently take, and MAKE that shot, then a whole new dimension has been added to this team that we haven't seen in years.

Is it just me or does Pat Simpson remind you of a young Robert Horry? Same body, good outside touch, long arms, and a decent defender. If Simpson continues to improve his game and adds a little bulk he is a legit NBA propect.

As for Bryan, HoopFan is right. He will not be the same player until he is able to get himself into shape during the off-season. When he does that the sky is the limit for him. For now, a healthy but out of shape Hop is still one of the best players in the WAC. That should scare a lot of people.

Regarding the tourney issues for the WAC. If Tulsa, and Hawaii take care of business the rest of the way they should make the tourney with Fresno but...

RPI

Fresno 40
Tulsa 47
Hawaii 64

the WAC is a tough road conference.

64 puts Hawaii on the bad side of the bubble. The losses to San Jose and Boise are going to look really, really bad to a selection committee.

Tulsa's RPI of 47 won't be attractive to the selection committee as an at-large team. With all the automatic bids, you can't be comfortable as an at-large unless you win the regular season conference title or have a RPI under 40. If Tulsa was to win the conference, but lose the WAC Tourney (finals), they might get in with a 47 RPI, but it would be a stretch.

The thing that Tulsa has going for us is that our OOC RPI was something like 29, and our 7-2 nonconference record is ok. If we win games we should and avoid upsets, we should still be ok. Also important to have a good last 10 games record going into Selection Sunday. Most of those last 10 games are at home, so that should help.

My point was that if those teams did well the rest of the way... and improved thier RPI they had a shot to get in.

As it stands today Hawaii would not get in and I agree Tulsa would by no means be a sure thing.