BYU-UNLV elevate to the top in MWC

San Diego State coach Steve Fisher says his team has played about the same in the league and won four straight games and lost two straight games. That’s how razor thin its been between wins and losses.

After losing to BYU and UNLV, it appears the Cougar and Rebel defenses have been the difference. The two teams are tied for first place heading into the fourth week of play.

“BYU takes you away from the net,” said Fisher. “They don’t allow you fast breaks. They have very smart, tough athletes nd they are a team that expects to win.”

New Mexico’s Steve Alford, who made his first trip to BYU for coaching duty, said he will use the experience to compare how his program is doing. “They have a very good crowd, a very supportive student section.”

Alford said in the first 21 games his team has played, the BYU game was the first time his team did not match the intensity of an opponent. “We did not match the same intensity level BYU had on both ends of the course and that is the first time we had seen that as a staff.”

Alford said BYU and Utah have the only two go-to guys in the post in the league that coaches would try and get 15 touches a game. The rest of the league have a lot of slashers and jump shooters, he said.

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Rose today praised freshman Michael Loyd to a Las Vegas writer. “He’s very long, he has the ability to play defense and can really push it up the court.” Loyd’s biggest progression is in understanding and playing within BYU’s system and incorporating his talents into what the Cougars need out of him. Rose said Loyd has solidified himself as the backup point guard.