WALNUT CREEK, Ca--Tomorrow in Stockton the Aggies of New Mexico State University come to town to take on the University of Pacific Tigers. It's a nationally televised Bracketbuster game. Realistically, though, neither team is on the "bubble."
Boy, is there a lot of history between these two schools!
They have met 37 times before with the Aggies holding a commanding 29-8 advantage. At first blush, you might think the Tigers have been horribly over-matched. But, a look at the record book shows that about twenty of those games were decided by 4 points or less, and ten by 2 points or less. The difference could have been a single turnover, or block, or steal, or couple fo missed free throws.
Most of the matches between them occurred when both were members of the Big West. But like many of the Great Basin are teams like Nevada, Utah State, Boise State, and Idaho, the Aggies fled the Big West for a conference that played football, too.
Hall of Fame Coach Lou Henson walked the sideline in those years. And, what a coach he was.
This year's Aggies started slowly but have come lately to take over second place in the WAC, with a 9 and 3 mark (16-9 overall). They are lead by junior Jahmar Young with a 20.9 scoring average. He is not a one man show as the Aggies have FIVE players averaging double figures: Jonathan Gibson, Troy Gillenwater, Wendell McKines, and Hamidu Rahman, plus Young. They are a potent scoring machine. Their weakness is defense as they give up as many as they score.
Gillenwater was reinstated two weeks ago and he has scored near twenty points in three of his four games. Not surprising, the Aggies have won those three games. Don;t know if the the Aggies can make up the ground between themselves and the other WAC Aggies (Utah State); but, with Gillenwater playing as well as he has been, they have a shot. Even if they don't, they will be extremely dangerous in the WAC Tourney.
Under Bob Thomason, the Tigers are always a threat. They are 17-8 overall and 9-3 in conference. The Tigers find themselves in second place in the BW, a place nobody thought they would be in back in November. Yet, this no name team is just a half game behind UCSB the the BWC. They are coming off a very impressive thrashing of Long Beach State holding the 49ers to just 52 points while pouring in 74 of their own. Their weakness is their inconsistent offense.
Tomorrow night's contest will be a test of wills. Will the Aggies dominate the Tigers with their talented offensive array, or will the Tigers defend like they have done all season and, in particular, they way they shutdown Long Beach Wednesday night?
Hard to predict. But, I think the home court may be enough to give the Tigers a narrow win.
Tigers by 1?
Friday, February 19, 2010
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