League has hits, misses at midpoint

Midseason awards often become tomorrow’s bird-cage liner in terms of relevance, but they allow us to look back at what was predicted and ahead to what might occur.

The second half of Mountain West basketball play begins tonight, and as sure as New Mexico coach Steve Alford owns a red suit jacket, the league has more than held its own nationally.

Having a No. 2 Ratings Percentage Index attached to your conference’s hip is never a bad thing.

Here’s a closer look at what the Mountain West has told us about its own.

Biggest surprise: The guys who one day will be defending our country instead of a rim.

Air Force was picked last in the preseason poll, an exercise that seems to be a bigger joke each year than New Mexico not being predicted first.

Senior leadership is important. So is talent. Air Force has both, a more athletic version of itself than recent seasons. The Falcons shoot better than any other Mountain West team, and while they probably aren’t headed to the prom of dances (NCAA Tournament), they do appear in line for an invitation to Sadie Hawkins (National Invitation Tournament).

Biggest disappointment: Typical — the teams with the most talent.

San Diego State and UNLV were 1-2 in that preseason poll, and each has shown enough flaws to make you wonder what in the world we were smoking when forecasting such erroneous things.

The Aztecs are a Chase Tapley missed 3-pointer against Boise State from being 4-4 in conference, scored nine points in a half when losing at Wyoming and have a starting point guard (Xavier Thames) with the back of a 75-year-old.

They also play second-half road games against Colorado State, New Mexico and the Rebels, meaning the odds of San Diego State realizing that preseason hype of winning the league title rank just below its student section forgetting to show up for a home game.

Speaking of a team with little chance to win the regular-season title ... UNLV is 4-4, in fifth place and again treats road games as its own Blair Witch Project. The Rebels are limited offensively, still unsure of a rotation and nowhere near as good defensively as some believe and certain numbers suggest. On a positive note, they have been known to wear some really bright shoes.

Player of the year: Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State. In a league in which the best team (New Mexico) is more win by committee, Franklin continues to fill a stat sheet as well as he does a quote sheet. In conference games, he ranks among the top 10 players in 10 categories, including first in scoring, second in rebounding, sixth in assists and third in steals. He won the award last year and should again if decided today. That, and he secured any tiebreaker vote once the Russian judge gave his dunk of the year at Fresno State a 9.9.

Coach of the Year: Alford. This always should be the easiest award to decide, and yet many who vote annually try to outthink the room, a difficult task for several in my business. You know, the thinking part.

Coaches are paid to win. They have one common goal in the conference season — finish on top.

Alford is the league’s best coach, and his team’s 7-1 record has the Lobos pointed toward a fourth Mountain West title (outright or co-champions) in five years.

Dave Pilipovich has done a terrific job at Air Force. Larry Eustachy has Colorado State in line for a run at the title and has afforded us many laughs with sideline rants and bizarre conference call ramblings, but ask every coach if he would change places with New Mexico in the standings today. Of course they would.

All-conference team:

Franklin: He shouldn’t leave a year early for the NBA, but he will.

Anthony Marshall, UNLV: If his team were better, the senior point guard would get some love for Player of the Year ... at least from those who pay attention and realize he has been by far the best “Anthony” for UNLV in conference play.

Colton Iverson, Colorado State: They grow them big in South Dakota, and this Minnesota transfer is the only league player averaging a double-double. That, and I have to think he wouldn’t mind pelting Eustachy with snowballs every now and then.

Alex Kirk, New Mexico: You have to believe someone from the best team will be represented on the all-conference squad, so I will go with the guy on my MW Fantasy League roster. Sure, I’m in last place, but Kirk has averaged 10.9 points and 7.1 rebounds despite battling a nasty flu for three games during the first half of league play.

Besides, the big guy was a steal for me as a second-round pick.

Michael Lyons, Air Force: He averages 16.1 points and is the main reason those gutty little Falcons are flying high in a third-place tie.

Newcomer of the Year: Iverson. It’s the award MW officials give to any new face that isn’t a freshman, meaning the league’s overall budget for trophies is healthier than most of its athletic departments.

Freshman of the Year: Anthony Bennett, UNLV. Everything except his NBA Draft stock has fallen off in conference play, but he still averages 15.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and is shooting a league-best 49 percent. Imagine if he actually bought into playing defense all the time.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on “Gridlock,” ESPN 1100 and 98.9 FM. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney.