I don't question the logic of UVU being listed as second right now. They are the defending regular season champs, I think Connor Harding is as good as Overton and probably has better experience, and they have come out winning. Not all of the pieces are fitting snuggly yet, but Blaze Nield and Darthard are solid in th backcourt, and Juco transfer Justin Harmon is working out nicely for them.

But the long awaited game this week is BYU travelling down the street. That should be a great, if split crowd, and a big opportunity for the WAC to get a nice non con win.

We just don't know enough to differentiate between a 2-4 team or a 5-8 team yet. And even after a season is over and the standings are set, people say, oh if we would have just won that one OT game that would have put us up tied with so and so.

I haven't seen GCU enough yet to say much about them. Lots of new faces.

Tarleton and ACU are travel partners lol luckily NMSU gets them at home. I've been watching Tarleton and that defense is going to cause a lot of issues for everyone in the WAC.

(11-28-2021 02:41 PM)Todor Wrote:  I don't question the logic of UVU being listed as second right now. They are the defending regular season champs, I think Connor Harding is as good as Overton and probably has better experience, and they have come out winning. Not all of the pieces are fitting snuggly yet, but Blaze Nield and Darthard are solid in th backcourt, and Juco transfer Justin Harmon is working out nicely for them.

But the long awaited game this week is BYU travelling down the street. That should be a great, if split crowd, and a big opportunity for the WAC to get a nice non con win.

We just don't know enough to differentiate between a 2-4 team or a 5-8 team yet. And even after a season is over and the standings are set, people say, oh if we would have just won that one OT game that would have put us up tied with so and so.

I haven't seen GCU enough yet to say much about them. Lots of new faces.

While your first part of this statement is fairly accurate. your second part is based off a false presumption and over simplification of an argument. The argument against the original list was never that one dimensional and it was never put forward as such. We can indeed make some decisions based on the games played, and whether it was more or less than another team; including both wins & losses. The author of the original list indeed did just that. You and I disagree about this list, just like others disagree with this author who put it together. You jumping on board and deciding who does and doesn't have the ethos to make a statement changes nothing. Anyway, we'll all know in a few weeks how any of the WAC teams end up.

(11-28-2021 02:41 PM)Todor Wrote:  I don't question the logic of UVU being listed as second right now. They are the defending regular season champs, I think Connor Harding is as good as Overton and probably has better experience, and they have come out winning. Not all of the pieces are fitting snuggly yet, but Blaze Nield and Darthard are solid in th backcourt, and Juco transfer Justin Harmon is working out nicely for them.

But the long awaited game this week is BYU travelling down the street. That should be a great, if split crowd, and a big opportunity for the WAC to get a nice non con win.

We just don't know enough to differentiate between a 2-4 team or a 5-8 team yet. And even after a season is over and the standings are set, people say, oh if we would have just won that one OT game that would have put us up tied with so and so.

I haven't seen GCU enough yet to say much about them. Lots of new faces.

Maybe Connor Harding is a probably a better fit for the style UVU plays than JJ Overton would have been. However, I question whether Harding is a better player than Overton. Overton is averaging 16.0 ppg as the second leading scorer for a 6-0 Weber State team that has only played ONE home game; And has beaten UMass, Ball State, UW Green Bay, Duquesne, and Dixie State; and 4 of those 5 games were by double figures. Harding averages 11.9 ppg as UVU's second leading scorer. JJ Overton is a ball dominant wing which probably takes touches away from Aimaq; and for that reason, I feel Harding is a better fit for UVU. However, Overton is legit.

(11-28-2021 11:48 AM)edinburger Wrote:  

(11-26-2021 03:17 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  https://www.wachoopsdigest.com/aggies-wo...-rankings/

1. New Mexico State (5-1)
2. Utah Valley (5-1)
3. California Baptist (5-1)
4. Seattle U (5-1)
5. Grand Canyon (4-1)
6. Stephen F. Austin (4-2)
7. UT Rio Grande Valley (4-2)
8. Tarleton State (1-5)
9. Sam Houston State (2-4)
10. Abilene Christian (1-2)
11. Dixie State (1-4)
12. Lamar (1-5)
13. Chicago State (2-3)

I think GCU, SFA, and ACU are too low. And, UVU, Seattle U., and UTRGV are too high.

Until the last few days, would have agreed with you. For example, I'd watched early NMSU games and had concluded each of your five starters completely outclassed all five of ours. But then you struggled a bit against NM Highlands, and we had a good night against Illinois. And CSU is ranked too low (in this list and on the other rating sites) for a team with two D1 wins. I'm guessing the following for this year:

1. No team will run the table in conference.
2. No team will be winless in conference.
3. At least 4 or 5 teams will go into the tournament with a legitimate shot at the championship.

I agree with your 3 item list. Well done. Now what’s with all the NMSU game watching?

(11-28-2021 03:34 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(11-28-2021 02:41 PM)Todor Wrote:  I don't question the logic of UVU being listed as second right now. They are the defending regular season champs, I think Connor Harding is as good as Overton and probably has better experience, and they have come out winning. Not all of the pieces are fitting snuggly yet, but Blaze Nield and Darthard are solid in th backcourt, and Juco transfer Justin Harmon is working out nicely for them.

But the long awaited game this week is BYU travelling down the street. That should be a great, if split crowd, and a big opportunity for the WAC to get a nice non con win.

We just don't know enough to differentiate between a 2-4 team or a 5-8 team yet. And even after a season is over and the standings are set, people say, oh if we would have just won that one OT game that would have put us up tied with so and so.

I haven't seen GCU enough yet to say much about them. Lots of new faces.

Maybe Connor Harding is a probably a better fit for the style UVU plays than JJ Overton would have been. However, I question whether Harding is a better player than Overton. Overton is averaging 16.0 ppg as the second leading scorer for a 6-0 Weber State team that has only played ONE home game; And has beaten UMass, Ball State, UW Green Bay, Duquesne, and Dixie State; and 4 of those 5 games were by double figures. Harding averages 11.9 ppg as UVU's second leading scorer. JJ Overton is a ball dominant wing which probably takes touches away from Aimaq; and for that reason, I feel Harding is a better fit for UVU. However, Overton is legit.

Both teams might be better with the players they have now. Weber is really good right now, for sure.

I like Connor more from deep and think his 3 point threat that will stretch things out a little more for the UVU offense. I probably just like Connor Harding more because I've seen him play more over a longer period of time to be honest.

Four WAC teams in Major Madness Top 25...

KenPom has UVU (6-1) at 181 and Tarleton State (1-6) at 182

So yeah I think there is bias in the WACHoopDigest rankings.

Good listen on the latest WAC Hoops Digest podcast. This was put out before the Tarleton/Gonzaga game but still Tarleton fans will like this podcast. GCU fans probably won’t. They kinda call out the soft schedules of some WAC teams and talk about the need to stop scheduling so many cupcake and non-D1 games. Not sure how to link it here. I listened on the Apple podcast app.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wa...0543396961

(11-30-2021 09:14 AM)Lopes87 Wrote:  KenPom has UVU (6-1) at 181 and Tarleton State (1-6) at 182

So yeah I think there is bias in the WACHoopDigest rankings.

KenPom has UVU as the SOS rating of 318

SOS and the rating means nothing if you can't win games.

Tarleton St have the best rating in the nation and is 1-6.
Gonzaga has a SOS ranting of 202 in the nation

SOS is only 1 part of the total equation.