BYU Cougars
Leading the way offensively is junior guard Erin Thorn, with 18.8 points per game. The Cougars are second in the conference in field goal percentage (.469) and tops in 3-pointers (.452).
On the other side of the ball, BYU is hurt by its league-worst field goal defense (.423) and rebounding totals (35.2 rpg).
As if the poor defense isn’t bad enough, the Cougs are even more vulnerable when Thorn is either off or neutralized. On Jan. 2 vs. Arkansas, she was limited to a season-low 8 points (snapping a 45-game streak of double digit scoring) and her team was dealt its first home loss of the year, 85-57.
The Cougars’ attempt to recover will be difficult, as they open their league schedule against Colorado State, in a rematch of last year’s MWC Championship game.
Air Force Falcons
It also hurts that the only two players shooting above 40 percent from the field are bench warmers with a combined 35 shots for the entire season. Not surprisingly, AFA’s .334 field goal percentage is last in the league by a wide margin.
But then, the Academy’s problems are hardly limited to the offensive end. Defensively, they are seventh in the MWC in points allowed (67.5 ppg) and opponents’ shooting (.409 fgp).
The Falcons are also dead last in the MWC in rebound margin, blocked shots, assist to-turnover ratio and chances of winning any game of significance.
Fortunately for them, they did have the other service academies (Army, Navy) on their schedule, which produced their second two-game winning streak of the year.
Those two contests marked a few more positives: The 25 point victory over Army was AFA’s largest in three years, while senior Rozalyn Ross, who led the team in scoring and rebounding last year, but has struggled to recover from a broken left hand, had season highs of 15 points and 6 boards in just her second start of the year, against Navy.
Colorado State Rams
The Rams suffered a setback six games ago when they lost deep bomber Elizabeth English (.579 3-point percentage) to injury, and struggled further when center Shannon Strecker totaled just 3 combined rebounds in the three games preceding Loyola. Not surprisingly, in the rebound against LMU, Strecker bounced back with a season-high 13 boards.
However, Colorado State’s fast starts continue to propel the team along. When they lead at halftime, the Rams are a perfect 11-0. They’re also 7-0 this year in games in which they’ve scored 80 or more points (and have won 52 straight overall when reaching that plateau).
Not surprising, then, is the fact that the team is second in the league in both scoring (76.9 ppg) and scoring margin (16.5). The Rams may be middle-of-the-pack defensively (fifth in both scoring and field goal defense), but they do well enough offensively to be successful.
In that regard, Ashley Augspurger and Angie Gorton are primarily to thank, with the duo combining for 27.9 ppg. Equally important is the success of the bangers, as CSU is 9-0 when its post players combine for a double double in scoring and rebounding.
New Mexico Lobos
Scoring in double digits all 15 games this year and leading the team in scoring on 11 occasions, Adams became the ninth player in school history to total 1,000 career points.
Meanwhile, Chelsea Grear leads the team in field goal percentage (.552) and is second in scoring (10.1 ppg) and rebounding (6.2 rpg), while freshman Mandi Moore is tops among conference freshman in scoring, with 9.9 ppg.
Beyond that, perhaps UNM’s biggest asset is its home stadium. The Lobos drew a national second-best season attendance mark with 17,215 fans filling The Pit to watch them play UNLV this past Sunday. New Mexico is 8-3 in home games.
As a team, UNM ranks in the bottom half of the league offensively, but the defense makes up for it by allowing just .359 shooting and only 58.3 points per contest.
The Lobos ought to concentrate on rebounding and long-distance shooting. Though they’re third in rebounding and second in rebound margin in the MWC, they have been outrebounded in each of their four losses. Meanwhile, after placing fourth last year in 3s made, they’re last this year in that category, and second-to last in 3-point percentage.
SDSU Aztecs
The Aztecs return four starters, including top scorer and Second Team All Conference guard Jamey Cox (10.7 ppg last year), to a mediocre 13-15 (5-9 MWC) team.
Still, there is no one star player that stands out for SDSU, but 6-foot forward Atim Otii will have to play. Otii, an MWC Third Team selection last season, leads the team in scoring (11.2 ppg), rebounds (5.9 rpg) and has a team-best 54.5 percent field goal shooting.
The play of Cox will be imperative as well. Currently, Cox leads the MWC in assists (5.6), and she contributes 10.2 points a game, draining nearly two 3s a game (1.85).
The Aztecs enter their MWC schedule carrying a three game winning streak, and they are winners in four of their last five games. Recent wins over Portland State, Detroit and Radford have the Aztecs flying high.
But before you chalk up the Azzies for the conference championship, note their weaknesses. SDSU shoots an MWC-low 68.3 percent from the charity stripe, and turns the ball over a conference worst 20.7 times a game.
UNLV Rebels
Having played softies Sacramento State, Tennessee Martin, Central Connecticut State and the like, who knows how Vegas will pan out in the MWC. The 27.1-point margin of victory the Rebels now enjoy will definitely be reduced.
In their only game against a quality opponent, No. 13 Georgia, UNLV lost 77-62.
However, the Rebs proved some doubters wrong when they upended New Mexico 62 53 in their MWC opener.
Still, with the one-two punch of 6-foot-2 forward Frhlich and 5-foot-7 Constance Jinks, the Rebs will be tough to beat.
Frhlich, an All-America candidate and last year’s co MVP of the conference, has led the conference in scoring and rebounding the last two years.
In 2001-02, her numbers have improved. The senior is averaging 21.9 points and 11.2 rebounds per contest, and her 2.71 steals a game are second in the MWC. She became the all-time leading scorer in school history, and she needs 15 more rebounds to hold the same title for rebounding.
Jinks, a junior, puts up 17.7 points (third in the MWC), 4.86 assists and 4.7 rebounds a game.
Both players have already won the MWC Player of the Week award twice.
If the two can keep successfully carrying the load (they account for exactly half of UNLV’s 79.2 points), the Rebs can double down on an MWC crown. Wyoming’s got the talent, now they have to do something the
y’ve been unable to do under coach Cindy Fisher?win games.
Wyoming Cowgirls
Wyoming, which returns four starters from a seventh place, 11-17 team in 2000-01 (3-11 MWC), lost All-MWC Third-Teamer Jessica Gibbs (11.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game) to graduation.
Offensively, the Cowfolk are led by a four-woman gang. Carrie Bacon (14.1 ppg), Darci Arsene (12.4 ppg), Ann McColl (12.3 ppg) and Carly Stucky (11.6 ppg) all average double figures for Wyoming.
Arsene heads the team in rebounding with 7.7 per, and Stucky leads Wyoming with 3.83 assist a game and 2.00 steals.
Preseason MWC Newcomer of the Year Cherrith Wiersma has not blossomed yet. The freshman has started every game for the Cowgirls, but is posting just 3.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 21 minutes of action.
However, Wyoming enters its MWC opener with the Utes today on a four-game win streak after starting 3-5.
After dropping contests to Hawaii, Minnesota and No. 12 Colorado 81-57, the Cowgirls have beaten Texas Pan American, Northern Arizona, Western New Mexico and Idaho State.
Hardly competition to write home about, but at this point, the Cowgirls will take all the wins they can get.
However, its up to the four woman gang to start kicking some butt, or else Fisher will continue her losing ways.