The Nevada Sagebrush

While the Nevada men’s basketball team’s season ended with 21 wins, it’s inability to make the NCAA Tournament makes 2008-09 a disappointment.

Anything short of a trip to the Big Dance, especially when Nevada was picked to win the Western Athletic Conference at the beginning of the season, is upsetting.

Early-season turmoil transitioned into excruciating growing pains: not just Luke Babbitt’s aching back.

But it’s OK because 2010’s Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Reno will include three new players and a more seasoned frontcourt — good enough to send obnoxious Utah State fans home crying to their pet cows.

The Backcourt

Nevada will miss Lyndale Burleson. His streak of 420 consecutive game-time minutes without a free throw attempt wasn’t nearly as influential on the court as his staunch defense and undeniable leadership in the locker room.

But after years of losing players to the National Basketball Association, Nevada will only lose one player this off-season — no early exits.

Whew.

Coming attractions?

Mark McLaughlin, who was rated a top-100 recruit by Rivals.com last year, will be eligible to start taking classes this fall.

The 6-foot-5, 175-pound guard is a lean Brandon Fields with a more accurate shot.

Look for him to start immediately at the two spot with Armon Johnson as a scoring threat from the point guard position.

While it would be nice to see London Giles take over as a true point guard, he is not ready.

Fields will come off the bench again, and he will do better than he did this year. His selfish play — which turned apathetic at times after being cited for petty theft misdemeanor charges that were dropped — was replaced down the regular season stretch with selfless devotion to the team.

He bought into Nevada men’s basketball head coach Mark Fox’s system and flourished. While some message board posters might hate Fields, I like him next year as an athletic guard coming off the bench and hopefully turning into someone who can provide senior leadership.

As for Johnson, his game will reach a new level next year that will be more on par with Ramon Sessions thanJohnson circa 2007-08.

It was premature to say he was going to be WAC Player of the Year this season. After all, his biggest competition was a man older than LeBron James: 26-year-old Gary Wilkinson.

The Frontcourt

In the recruiting season last year, Fox told his coaches to stop pursuing anyone shorter than 6-foot-8.

In return, Fox got 6-foot-10 Steven Bjornstad, whom Rivals.com called a very talented “nuts-and-bolts”big man.

In his high school highlights at Columbia River in Vancouver, Wash., Bjornstad has solid underneath moves to compliment a nose for grabbing rebounds.

Not bad for a guy who pursued golfing more than basketball just two years ago.

Forwards Dario Hunt and Ayharo Phillips will also fight for playing time. It’s hard to say whether Phillips or Bjornstad will start, but Hunt’s presence as a late-game blocker is better suited off the bench.

This season, Phillips showed he had workable talent, but for now, I have Bjornstad filling the center spot. If Bjornstad can pack on some pounds (205 according to Scout.com), he will be the big man Nevada needs.

This will also make it possible for Luke Babbitt to focus less on guarding big guys and more on spreading the court on offense with his deep shot from 15-feet out and beyond.

Remember the WAC quarterfinal game against San Jose State?

Babbitt was draining shots from half court, according to Spartan center C.J. Webster.

Whether you disagree with me or not, the frontcourt will be the most improved aspect of the Wolf Pack’s game in 2009-10.

Rarely will tandems like Tai Wesley and Wilkinson of Utah State be able to bruise the Wolf Pack with such ease underneath the basket.

Babbitt’s protection might help his back and keep him from having several scratches on his body, as he did against Utah State, with only one foul shot to show for it.

If that wasn’t a sign that Babbitt needs help, I don’t know what is.

Help will come next season.

Nevada will improve its frontcourt and won’t get beat — as easily — by physical maturity in 2009-10.

Emerson’s Top 5

• G, Armon Johnson

6’3’’, 195 pounds, junior

• G, Mark McLaughlin

6’5’’, 175 pounds, freshman

• F, Malik Cooke

6’6’’, 205 pounds, junior

• F, Luke Babbitt

6’9’’, 225 pounds, sophomore

• F, Steven Bjornstad

6’10’’, 205 pounds, freshman
*Classes noted for 2009-10 school year

Emerson Marcus can be reached at emarcus@nevadasagebrush.com.

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