Mid-major report: The home stretch

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New Mexico takes control

With all of the talk surrounding UNLV and San Diego State this year, people tend to forget a third team: New Mexico.

In a make-or-break week for New Mexico, the Lobos were able to show up in a huge way and take first place in the Mountain West. Early in the week, New Mexico was forced  to face San Diego State on the road. The Aztecs, ranked 13 in the AP polls at the time, were simply unable to handle New Mexico. The Lobos pounced on a San Diego State team coming off a big loss to UNLV and never looked back, winning 77-67.

Coming off a big win against the Aztecs, New Mexico had another big task ahead of them in a very good UNLV squad. Backed by one of the best home court advantages in the country, the Lobos were able to take off in the second half, allowing only 19 second-half points a Runnin’ Rebels team that averages 78.9 ppg.

So who should New Mexico fans be thanking? Forward Drew Gordon. The 6’9 senior was – pun absolutely intended – huge for the Lobos in both games. In the matchup against the Aztecs, Gordon was able to come away with 17 points and 17 rebounds, well above his season average of 12.7 and 11.1. Gordon followed that up with a huge performance in the victory over UNLV, getting a career-high 27 points to go along with 20 rebounds.

Murray State gets their first big win, St. Mary’s starts to slide

In what is going to be their biggest matchup until March, the Murray State Racers were able to prove to the rest of the country that they’re as good as advertised.

Thanks to ESPN’s Bracketology, the Racers found themselves pitted against fellow mid-major St. Mary’s, easily the best opponent thus far for Murray State.  This game was pivotal for Murray State and the Racers were able to respond admirably, beating the Gaels in convincing fashion, 65-51. Isaiah Canaan had another great game for Murray State, scoring 23 points with most of them coming in the second half.

Perhaps the most encouraging element of the win for Murray State was their ability to play defense. Everyone in the country ought to know by now that Canaan is going to score for Murray State, but the Racers also held a St. Mary’s team that averages 75 ppg to a mere 51 points. If Murray State is able to play a little defense behind the play of Canaan, Murray State is going to be a tough out in March Madness.

Wichita State is good. Maybe, like, unstoppable good.

Last week, I mentioned that Wichita State was on the upswing.

Upswing might just be an understatement.

After slowly creeping into the national spotlight, the Shockers were able to prove just how dangerous they can be in March. Wichita State hasn’t lost since a January 20^th meeting with Drake, and has looked every bit the part of a top 25 team since the loss. This past week, the Shockers matched up against Missouri State and underrated Davidson. After finding themselves toe-to-toe with Davidson after the first half, the Shockers absolutely exploded. Wichita State shot a near-impossible 80% from the field in the second half, putting up 52 second-half points to go on to win 91-74. The Shockers were able to get 30 points from senior guard Joe Ragland, which was well above his season average of 13.7 ppg.

If the Shockers are able to keep up that kind of pace, they will be extremely hard to beat in March. On the flip side, shooting 80% from the field is going to be a tough feat to repeat. The Shockers aren’t likely to continue that pace, but are still likely to field one of the best offensive teams in the nation. Going forward, the key for Wichita State is going to be their defense. They aren’t likely to beat anyone with their defense, but must be able to get at least a few key defensive stops in order to support their explosive offense.

The Undecided A-10

While some conferences have had teams separate themselves from the pack this past week, the A-10 continues to look for a distinguished leader. The Temple Owls have held steady in first place lately, but are followed closely by the Saint Louis Billikens.

Since their loss to Richmond on January 14^th, the Owls have been rock solid. Senior guard Ramone Moore has really stepped up for Temple, averaging 20 ppg in the same span. The Owls have also been helped out by the return of starting center, Micheal Eric. Historically known for their defense, the Owls have been forced to rely mostly on their guard play this season, but Eric has helped to give the Owls more of a defensive presence, especially inside.

Saint Louis is only a half-game back of Temple in the A-10 standings. They find themselves in a good position, with favorable matchups remaining against Rhode Island, Xavier, and Duquesne rounding out their regular season schedule. The Billikens are a fairly balanced team led by senior forward, Brian Conklin. The key for Saint Louis, however, could come from the bench: junior Cody Ellis. Despite only starting one game this season, Ellis is the Billikens’ third-leading scorer at 11 ppg. Ellis is a dangerous threat from behind the arc, shooting  40% from three-point range. Ellis could be the key for the Billikens if they want to overtake the Owls atop the A-10 standings.

Who will win the Colonial?

The CAA’s premier matchup held up to the hype.

In a battle between two recent Final Four visitors, George Mason and VCU came down to the end. Sophomore Sherrod Wright was able to drain a three at the buzzer for George Mason to give them the victory, 62-61. Ryan Pearson also had another big game for George Mason, adding 24 points to go along with 11 rebounds.

This was an important game for both teams, but the c0nference remains up for grabs. Drexel continues to stay in the mix atop the standings, currently tied with George Mason with a 14-2 conference record. Although GMU has been hot lately, Drexel has been even hotter. Drexel hasn’t lost since January 2^nd, and with two games remaining, looks poised to continue their streak against James Madison and Old Dominion. George Mason faces a much tougher remaining schedule, drawing road games against Northeastern and rematch with VCU. If George Mason is going to stay in the hunt, they’ll need to get continued production from Pearson, and some timely shots from the supporting cast around him.

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