If this year’s WAC Tournament is a four-horse race between Fresno State, Utah, New Mexico and Texas Christian don’t hesitate ? take TCU head coach Billy Tubbs as your jockey.
Three obvious reasons: Utah’s coach Rick Majerus is too big, Fresno’s coach Jerry Tarkanian is too old and New Mexico’s coach Dave Bliss has lost three straight games by a total of 62 points.
Three not-so-obvious reasons: Lee Nailon (25.3 ppg), Mike Jones (21.8 ppg) and Malcolm Johnson (18.8 ppg), TCU’s scoring trifecta who are first, second and fourth in WAC scoring this year, respectively.
In Nailon, Jones and Johnson, Tubbs has a scoring cornucopia and the best thing is, regardless of the score, he will never pull back their reins.
The starters for Tubbs play all game, which might explain whey the Horned Frogs have topped 100 or more points this year, a remarkable 14 times.
They can it run it up better than any other team in college basketball. Which also explains why they laid a 44-point loss on the Aztecs early this year, a 42-point loss on Hawaii and a shocking 31 point trouncing on New Mexico last week.
It isn’t as if the Frogs are unbeatable ? it’s just that it probably won’t happen until the NCAA tournament.
Here’s a look at how everything should break down this week.
Round 1
Game 1: Tulsa vs. Brigham Young. This probably will not go down as one of the most classic games in college history but it has to be played. BYU is coming off a huge win against New Mexico last week, and they could pull a minor upset. Then again, at one point this year, they lost nine straight games. Result: Tulsa controls the second half and Michael Ruffin grabs 20 boards in an easy Tulsa victory.
Game 2: Colorado State vs. SMU: CSU (20-7) needs to advance deep into the tournament to have any shot at an NCAA bid. They should get past Southern Methodist, but after that, don’t bet on it. Result: Look for CSU’s Bryan Christiansen and Jameel Mahmud to launch a bunch of threes; they were impressive in last year’s tournament. CSU gets the win.
Game 3: Wyoming vs. SDSU: What Aztec team will show up is the only question? The one that beat Hawaii twice, or the one that just lost to lowly San Jose State last weekend? Wyoming has played way over its head all season and they are ripe for a first round upset. Result: Aztecs get it done. Trenkle gets a first in what should be many WAC tournament victories to come.
Game 4: Hawaii vs. UNLV: The nightcap of the opening round is also the most intriguing match-up of the day. The Rebels have the enormous advantage of playing in their home building, but Hawaii has something to prove after falling flat midway through the WAC season. Result: The Rainbows are on a five game winning streak; actually, better make that six. They win at the buzzer.
Quarterfinals
New Mexico vs. Tulsa: New Mexico has been reeling but they have way too much talent to lose four straight games. Result: Kenny Thomas can carry his team on his back, he will and New Mexico advances to the semifinals.
TCU vs. Colorado State: CSU’s dreams of making it to the NCAA Tournament rest on this game. Result: The Rams will wake up to the nightmare of a Lee Nailon-led pounding. TCU gets to 100 points and CSU gets to go home and think about next year.
Fresno State vs. SDSU: The Tark vs. The Trenk. Actually, it is more like a Fresno team that can go 10 players deep vs. an Aztecs team that uses six exhausted bodies. Result: Too many ‘Dogs spoil too little Aztecs. Fresno advances to the semifinals.
Utah vs. Hawaii: Utah relies on center Michael Doleac and a power game inside the paint, Hawaii is only good when their two guards, Anthony Carter and Alika Smith, are on fire. Result: Utah powers its way past an up and down Rainbow club.
Semifinals
New Mexico vs. TCU: This is where things get interesting. New Mexico is looking for revenge and TCU is looking for national respect. Result: National respect always beats revenge. Tubbs has his starters in the game until two seconds left, then he feels bad about being up 30 points.
Utah vs. Fresno State: With the amount of talent they have, there is no reason why Fresno State can’t win this tournament. Then again, you can never predict when a suspension or point-shaving incident will strike Tark and his boys. Result: Majerus and his mormons take out Tark and his convicts.
Finals
TCU vs. Utah: This 10 p.m. east coast start may keep a couple people awake if Utah can slow down the frantic pace that TCU will try so hard to set. Doleac vs. Nalion is a NBA Lottery match-up. Result: Majerus might have an ulcer after this one. Forget the Rolaids, this one is a serious dose of Tubb ta-Tubb-Tubb-Tubb … Tubbs.
