2009 Mountain West Tournament

Sam Morris

Utah center Luke Nevill holds up a piece of the net after beating San Diego State during the championship game of the Mountain West Conference Basketball Championships Saturday. Utah won 52-50 for an automatic trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Utah edges Aztecs to take MWC title: MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT: Utes' women's team also topples San Diego State for tourney win; Sat, Mar 14, 2009 (9:24 p.m.); By Ryan Greene, Rob Miech; Defense and rebounding, Utah coach Jim Boylen said, that’s what the Utes depend upon for success. Offense will come and go, but defense and rebounding are the differences in winning and losing, and they were Saturday night.

Utah coach Jim Boylen celebrates after the win over San Diego State on Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center. The win earned his team an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Boylen snags tourney title in second season with Utes: Coach says trust, tough love are hallmarks of his Utah program; Saturday, March 14, 2009; By Rob Miech; Utah basketball coach Jim Boylen coaches out of fear. “Fear of failure,” he said. “Fear of not reaching your potential.”

San Diego State forward Lorrenzo Wade guards Utah guard Lawrence Borha as he take a shot during the championship game of the Mountain West Conference Basketball Championships Saturday. Utah won 52-50 for an automatic trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Matured Wade leaves Vegas confident of Aztecs' NCAA chances: MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT: Cheyenne High grad finds stride as a player, leader as collegiate career draws to close; Saturday, March 14, 2009; By Ryan Greene; Few college basketball players will ever admit to reading what varied 'bracketologists' and analysts say about the NCAA tournament field this time of year.San Diego State senior Lorrenzo Wade certainly falls into that category.

MWC tourney blog: Utah takes MWC title, topping SDSU, 52-50: MWC DAY THREE LIVE BLOG:; Saturday, March 14, 2009; By Ryan Greene; It was a clean sweep for Utah on Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center, as Jim Boylen's club won the Mountain West Conference Tournament, and in the process sent San Diego State potentially right back onto the NCAA Tournament bubble. The Utes hit 6 of 7 free throw tries in the closing minute, and SDSU guard Richie Williams lost control of the ball on his way to try and tie the game in the final seconds as Utah won, 52-50.

Utah center Luke Nevill leaps over Wyoming forward Tyson Johnson to reach a rebound during their semifinal game at the Mountain West Conference Basketball Championships Friday. Utah won 68-55 and will face San Diego State Saturday for an automatic trip to the NCAA Tournament. Nevill finished with a game high 23 points and 15 rebounds.

Nevill assures Utah a spot in title game: MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT:; Saturday, March 14, 2009; By Rob Miech; Luke Nevill saved his savviest move for late Friday night, when he reached behind a black curtain as he walked by the media area in the Cox Pavilion. The Mountain West Conference player of the year scooped up a black plastic bowl of sesame sticks, pretzels, cheese crackers and other assorted junk food

Utah downs Wyoming, 68-55, will face SDSU for MWC crown: MWC TOURNAMENT LIVE BLOG:; Friday, March 13, 2009; By Ryan Greene; If San Diego State plays the way it has the past two days in the Mountain West Conference tournament, it's tough to picture the Aztecs being defeated by anyone in this league. If Utah center Luke Nevill plays like he did on Friday night against Wyoming, it's tough to picture anyone getting the best of him. Well, we'll see which of the two forces is more dominant on Saturday afternoon at the Thomas & Mack Center.

San Diego State forward Ryan Amoroso and BYU guard Lee Cummard watch Amoroso's shot roll in during their semifinal game at the Mountain West Conference Basketball Championships Friday. San Diego State won 64-62 and will face Utah for a shot at the championship and an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Amoroso had nine points and two rebounds for the game.

Aztecs knock off top-seeded Cougars: MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT:; Friday, March 13, 2009; By Brett Okamoto; There were no red challenge flags lying in front of either bench during the final seconds of San Diego State’s 64-62 win over top-seeded BYU in Friday’s Mountain West Conference semifinal game. Still, the scene provoked images of an NFL game.

UNLV coach Lon Kruger yells instructions during their game against San Diego State at the Mountain West Conference basketball championships Thursday.

Kruger 'disappointed' in season short of expectations: unlv basketball: Rebels expect first NIT bid since coach's debut season; Friday, March 13, 2009; By Rob Miech; UNLV fifth-year basketball coach Lon Kruger conducted business as usual, sort of, Friday inside his office at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Wyoming's Ogirri making noise in MWC tourney: tournament:; Friday, March 13, 2009; By Brett Okamoto; As important as Sean Ogirri's 17 points were in Wyoming's 75-67 upset over New Mexico in the first round of the Mountain West Conference tournament Thursday night, it probably isn't enough to get him on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Oh well. The fifth-year senior has been there, done that.

San Diego State senior center Ryan Amoroso grabs a rebound Thursday in his team's 71-57 win against UNLV in the Mountain West Conference tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Outclassed, UNLV likely NIT-bound: RON KANTOWSKI:; Friday, March 13, 2009; By Ron Kantowski; One of these days, America will go back to work, Bernie Madoff will pay back everybody he owes and Jupiter will align with Mars. And UNLV will beat San Diego State in basketball again.

UNLV-SDSU notebook: Rebels gripping postseason reality: UNLV BASKETBALL:; Friday, March 13, 2009; By Ryan Greene; UNLV's season-ending banquet in the past two seasons has had an added buzz to it, as it's generally followed by the unveiling of the Rebels' seed for the NCAA Tournament.

Utah center Luke Nevill dunks against TCU at the Mountain West Conference Basketball Championships Thursday, March 12, 2009. Utah won the game 61-58 on a last-second three point shot.

Utah escapes with win over TCU: mountain west:; Friday, March 13, 2009; By Garrett Downing; Lawrence Borha could do nothing but watch and wait. With his Utah Utes tied against TCU in the final seconds of the Mountain West Conference tournament quarterfinals, Borha camped out in the corner and waited for a chance.

Jonathan Tavernari takes it up against Air Force on Thursday as BYU plays in the Mountain West Conference tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Ex-Gorman star back in 'favorite city' with BYU: mountain west:; Thursday, March 12, 2009; By Brett Okamoto; If top-seeded BYU is to win its first Mountain West Conference tournament since 2001, junior guard Jonathan Tavernari will have to play a formidable role.

San Diego State center Ryan Amoroso gets a rebound and two points against UNLV at the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament Thursday. San Diego State won the game 71-57.

Healthy, patient Aztecs abuzz over NCAA hopes: UNLV BASKETBALL: SDSU players confident as ever in tournament berth after win over UNLV; Thursday, March 12, 2009; By Ryan Greene; The San Diego State hoops squad sat eerily silent in its locker room following a resounding 71-57 Mountain West Conference tournament quarterfinal win against UNLV on Thursday afternoon. In the back of the room, one Aztec broke the silence.

LIVE DAY ONE BLOG: Wyoming caps quarterfinals with day's first upset: MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT:; Thursday, March 12, 2009; By Ryan Greene; Well, UNLV players and fans weren't the only ones to hear 'N-I-T' chants at the Thomas & Mack Center on Thursday. New Mexico had to suffer through the same, as the tournament's No. 3 seed was upset by No. 6 Wyoming in the nightcap, 75-67.