Nevada's fast start no surprise to WAC coaches

Nevada is off to its best start in 23 years, and the fact that it sits alone on top of the Western Athletic Conference with four straight wins hasn't surprised any of the coaches around the league.

The Wolf Pack (4-0 WAC, 11-3 overall) tied a school record with 25 wins last year, including five in the post-season, and they are well on their way to putting together another 20-win season and earning another post-season assignment.

Not bad for a team that returned only two starters and four players overall, and has a first-year head coach. The modus operandi is a little different this season, however. The Wolf Pack have had to work much harder for wins because they don't have the firepower to run the score up on a lot of teams this season.

During the weekly WAC teleconference, coaches were singing the praises of the Wolf Pack.

"Not at all because of the level of confidence and experience you get from winning the league title, the conference tournament and playing in the NCAAs," Rice coach Willis Wilson said. "I think guys that have returned know something that a lot of guys around the league don't know. They know something young guys in their program don't know and they can carry the day.

"I think (Kevinn) Pinkney is an underrated player in this league. Everybody knows Pinkney and (Nick) Fazekas are probably the best front line players in the conference. He (Pinkney) is underrated in terms of his presence, toughness and maturity he brings to the floor. That goes a long way when you have a veteran guy who does things that go unnoticed."

When Boise State coach Greg Graham was asked whether he was surprised about Nevada's early success, he said "yes and no.

"They are playing awfully well. Mark Fox has done a great job. He's made some adjustments, but not a lot. I think their defense is better than it's ever been."

Indeed. Nevada's opponents are shooting just 37 percent from the floor. During its current seven-game winning streak, Nevada has held opponents to under 40 percent shooting six of those games and out-rebounded its opponents in all seven.

"I think Nevada is a very good team," said UTEP coach Doc Sadler, whose Miners (3-0 in conference) visit Nevada Wednesday night. "Remember, I said in the preseason that Nevada, without question, has the two best inside players. I think they are the best (tandem) on the West Coast.

"I'm surprised (Ramon) Sessions has played so well this early. He's not a freshman anymore."

Sadler also has been impressed with Jermaine Washington because of his abilities to rebound at the offensive end.

Sadler said he felt the coaches in the conference would have picked Nevada first or second except that Marcelus Kemp tore his anterior cruciate ligament and was ruled out for the season. That left the Wolf Pack very inexperienced and vulnerable in the backcourt. No doubt many of the conference coaches were waiting to see if guys like Kyle Shiloh and Sessions would mature.

n If you are looking for possible Coach of the Year candidates, one of the early frontrunners would have to be Ray Lopes of Fresno State, which is off to a 3-1 start in WAC play and 9-4 overall.

"Ray (Lopes) has done a great job," Graham said. "His young guys are playing well. They changed their style of play quite a bit, and they have bought into what Ray wants.

"They have four guards, and they can shoot it. They are playing more up-tempo. Last year they were more of a half-court team with Shantay (Legans at point guard). They create a lot of problems, and can come at you from a lot of different angles."

Lopes said it was a matter of doing what was best for the team.

"We are playing more up-tempo," Lopes said. "When we get up and down, that's the strength of our team. We want to be aggressive offensively and be in attack mode.

"This best fits our team. We're fairly athletic. I feel they can make plays in the open floor. They like to play that way. We're not going crazy (with the break). Something we've stressed is getting better in half-court execution."

Ja'Vance Coleman has scored in double figures in 13 straight games, matching the streak set by Courtney Alexander in 1998-99.

The Bulldogs have gotten a big lift from Dreike Bouldin, who had 10 points and 23 rebounds against Louisiana Tech in a 60-58 win Saturday.

Bouldin missed the first several games of the season ironing out some academic issues.

Lopes said Bouldin's addition has helped the team's rebounding more than anything else.

"He's long and quick off the floor," Lopes said.

The coach said that the Bulldogs now have a chance to match teams on the boards.

n That UTEP is 13-2 yet unranked in the polls is a definite oversight, according to Fox.

"They are like our team a year ago. We weren't ranked until the end of the season. They have a terrific record. If I had one (a vote) they would have a vote," he said.

Fox said maybe the lack of votes is tied in with the fact that WAC teams aren't on national television much, which means potential voters aren't seeing the Miners play.

Fox said he hopes the Wolf Pack play better than their last national TV appearance, an 85-52 thrashing at the hands of Kansas.

n Graham said that star forward Jason Ellis, who underwent hernia surgery, was scheduled to visit the doctor today.

Graham said Ellis probably won't play this weekend against Fresno State and Nevada unless something changes drastically. The Boise State coach said recovery from hernia operations take anywhere from three to eight weeks.

"Tomorrow will be three weeks," Graham said. "Hopefully, next week (he can play)."

n Tulsa's Jillian Robbins has been named the women's WAC Player of the Week, her third honor of the season. Robbins, a sophomore, had back-to-back double-doubles against Boise State and UTEP. She averaged 21.5 points and 10 rebounds per game. She also averaged five blocks and 1.5 assists per outing.

Robbins was 11 for 14 from the field en route to a 25-point outing. In the win over UTEP, she scored 18 points in 30 minutes of action.

Other nominees were Nevada's Talisha Anderson, Rice's Michelle Woods, San Jose State's Amber Jackson and Louisiana Tech's Tasha Crain.

Darrell Moody can be reached at dmoody@nevedaappeal.com, or by calling 881-1281