Expect the unexpected

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, March 12, 2003 | 10:11 a.m.

Tournament schedule

Today's women's games

No. 1 Utah vs. No. 8 Air Force, noon

No. 4 UNLV vs. No. 5 BYU, 2:30 p.m.

No. 2 New Mexico vs. No. 7 San Diego State, 6 p.m.

No. 3 Colorado State vs. No. 6 Wyoming, 8:30 p.m.

Note: No TV coverage, but all games broadcast on KSHP 1400-AM.

Thursday's men's games

No. 2 BYU vs.No. 7 New Mexico, noon. KFBT-TV, Ch. 6

No. 3 Wyoming vs. No. 6 Colorado State, 2:30 p.m. KFBT-TV, Ch. 6

No. 1 Utah vs. No. 8 Air Force, 6p.m. KFBT-TV, Ch. 6

No. 4 UNLV vs. No. 5 San Diego State, 9 p.m. ESPN, Ch. 30

Judging by the final conference standings, all signs point to a Beehive State final between Utah and Brigham Young in the men's Mountain West Conference Tournament which begins Thursday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

After all, the Utes (23-6) and Cougars (22-7), who tied for the conference championship with 11-3 records, finished a healthy three games ahead of runners-up Wyoming (20-9, 8-6) and UNLV(19-9, 8-6).

But several coaches wouldn't be surprised if the MWC bracket doesn't get turned upside down before Saturday night's championship final.

"Would I be surprised if it ended up being No. 1 (Utah) vs. No. 2 (BYU)?" UNLV coach Charlie Spoonhour said. "No. But I wouldn't be surprised if it was No. 7 (New Mexico) vs. No. 8 (Air Force), either. Neither scenario would surprise me.

"I think this is the most evenly matched tournament that I can ever remember."

Spoonhour has company.

"This league is very evenly balanced," said San Diego State's Steve Fisher, whose fifth-seeded Aztecs are the defending champions. "It very well could be a one vs. two final. But it could very well be that one and two are done before the final, too."

"There's not much difference between teams in our league," BYU coach Steve Cleveland agreed. "On any given night, anybody can beat anybody."

So does such intrigue make this year's Mountain West Tournament more fun for the coaches?

"No," Spoonhour said with a chuckle. "It would be more fun if we were significantly better than everyone else. Now that's what I call fun."

The tournament may have gotten even more balanced with news on Tuesday night that Utah will be without arguably its best player.

Senior forward Britton Johnsen, a second team all-MWC selection who was the conference's player of the year as a junior, has been diagnosed with infectious mononucleosis and will not accompany the team to Las Vegas.

The 6-foot-10 Johnsen has been ordered to stay in bed for six days after an ultrasound revealed an enlarged spleen. His status for next week's NCAA tournament could be in jeopardy.

"Britton is not acutely ill at this time," Utah team physician Dr. Dave Petron said. "But we can't take the chance of him participating this week since the ultrasound showed he has an enlarged spleen. I am optimistic that he will be able to play in the NCAA tournament."

Johnsen, who had struggled during the final two weeks of the season, has been feeling ill since waking up with a sore throat, headache and chills before Utah's Feb. 27 loss at New Mexico.

"Britton showed great heart and tremendous spirit in trying to play through a case of mono," Utah coach Rick Majerus said. "He was ill-advised in trying to conceal his condition from the trainers and coaches, but he wanted to be a team player. He has been the heart and soul of our team for two years."

True freshman Richard Chaney will take Johnsen's spot in the lineup in Thursday night's quarterfinal against Air Force. The Utes won games at Pepperdine and NCAA tournament-bound San Diego without Johnsen in December when he had surgery to repair a torn thumb ligament.

If UNLV and Utah win their quarterfinal games Thursday night, they would meet in the semifinals on Friday night.