LOOK: Amazing Underwater Photos Of Dogs
GOP Leader: Abortion Is A 'Lifestyle Convenience'
Were it not for UCLA, UNLV would be a dead lock for 2009's most befuddling team award. The Rebels are an engima, a two-faced team more befitting of a Tommy Lee Jones' character instead of a Mountain West leader.Let's recap UNLV's season. Losses at Colorado State, TCU and Wyoming. But a season sweep of BYU. The Rebels won at the Marriott Center -- arguably one of the toughest places to play in the nation. But couldn't win in Fort Collins against one of the worst teams in the Mountain West.
But when the NCAA selection committee looks at bubble teams, UNLV has a win at Louisville, at BYU and home wins over Utah, BYU and Arizona. The Rebels might have saved their tournament lives Saturday night.
Sometimes the Rebels can be so confusing. They have great senior leadership with guys like Wink Adams, Mareceo Rutledge and Joe Darger. Lon Kruger is a great coach. But the team, somehow, still has lapses. Like when they couldn't hit a free throw as BYU rallied, closing an eight-point deficit with two minutes left, to a one-point game at the end. But give the Rebels credit. They seem to pull out the big ones when they count.
But what is going on with the rest of this conference? What was the objective that I laid out for the four tournament teams from the Mountain West? No bad losses. Beat each other up, just don't loss to the bottom feeders in the league.
Since that time, UNLV has lost at Wyoming, and San Diego State was humiliated at New Mexico, losing 75-49. If you caught any of the St. Mary's-Utah State game, the broadcast team was very complimentary of the Aztecs. Maybe the broadcasters jinxed them.
And this isn't a knock against the Lobos. Playing at The Pit is tough. No doubt. But scoring 49 points is a bit of a problem. Kyle Spain was not felling well, and Billy White got knocked out of the game, but what a rather lifeless performance out of this team.
So what does next week hold for the Mountain West?
UNLV and Utah are in pretty good shape right now. The Utes will play host to the Rebels on Wednesday, which is a bigger game for Utah that needs to avenge the loss at Las Vegas.
BYU plays at San Diego State on Tuesday. The Aztecs need to avenge its earlier season loss at Provo. But then again, the Cougars need some big wins after being swept by the Rebels. Plus that non-conference win over Utah State doesn't look like much anymore.
And then, of course, there is Utah vs. BYU next Saturday. There is still a long way to go. And really, the top four probably need a decent showing in the conference tournament to get in.
CNN Cancels Debate After Romney And Paul Pull Out
Marriage Equality In New Jersey Now In Chris Christie's Hands
Congress Agrees On Payroll Tax Cut, Unemployment Extension
MLB Hall Of Famer Dies
Why Washington Won't Quit Talking Birth Control
House Dems Walk Out Of Birth Control Hearing
Underwear Bomber Sentenced To Life In Prison
Santorum Backer: 'In My Days, They Used Bayer Aspirin For Contraception'
'Colbert Report' Abruptly Suspends Production For The Week
Why New England Town Wants $286,000 Police 'Tank'
WATCH: Honduras Prison Inferno Video
WATCH: Fox News Host Makes Shocking Comment About Black Rep.
Facebook Launches New Feature For Celebs
Pelosi Rips GOP Over Birth Control: I May Be "Moved To Explain Biology To My Colleagues"
Santorum Talks Economy, Knocks Bush On Bailout, Aligns Himself With Reagan
Overwhelming Majority For UN Resolution Calling On Syria's Assad To Step Down
New Jersey School Bus Crash Kills 1, Injures 17
Iran Offers To Talk
They're Back! The Mortgages That Crashed The Economy Regain Street Cred
Rahm Vows To Push For Gay Marriage In Illinois
WATCH: CNN Contributor Compares Sarah Palin To Snooki
Deanna Fei: ASIAN MEN CAN JUMP
Jimmy Carter Casts Movement As 'Relatively Successful'
