Mountain West Conference 2005 Final

So this was going to be the first year in 6 that I didn't go to the Utes play in the conference tournament. The streak actually goes back a couple season into the WAC. 12:30 Saturday afternoon I'm jumping in the car and charging to Denver to see the game. I make it there in 7 hours and could have gone faster if the dang snow storm didn't start as soon as we crossed into Colorado. White out conditions. We are in the ticket office (just to the right in this picture) at 7:30 and wait in line until 8:00. The scalpers outside were weak this year. w00t w00t - Lobo's going down.

The Mountain West Conference final March 12, 2005 in Denver Colorado. The Pepsi Center home of the Denver Nuggets.

We arrived inside the arena for the introduction of the starting line up.

Number 20 - Bryant Markson introduced. He shakes hands with some New Mexico player.

Danny Granger introduced.

Andrew Bogut introduced and that dang cheerleader gets in the way. He goes over and shakes hands with Danny Granger.

oh, there he is... we just had to wait for the cheerleader to fly in the air to see him.

Teams prepare for tip-off

Looks like two future NBA players in Bogut and Granger doing the tip.

score board with the numbers of the starters.

Bogut wins the tip - duh but New Mexico ends up with the ball.

Drisdom works the ball while Troy Devries looks on.

(#2) Marc Jackson guards Mark Walters of UNM (#5) Bryant Markson takes the roll of guarding Danny Granger (#33).

Granger shoves #20 Brayant Markson out of the way on to get the rebound. No foul called. Happens all night and you thought Bogut got away with a lot of traveling? Try Granger for the true king of travel.

Some random blurry shot. hahaha I haven't changed, I get excited and remember I should take a picture.

Drisdom guards DeVries while Markson handles Granger.

#2 Marc Jackson goes to the rim and #5 Mark Walters cuts under him.

Jackson misses the shot but he gets his own rebound.

#13 David Chiotti yells at out plays while Bogut and Jackson focus on the ball.

Shot is taking by (#5) Mark Walters. Notice where Chiotti's eyes are and where Bogut's eyes are..... Fundamentals of basketball and boxing out. When a shot is taken, you look for your man, box out, and then look for the ball. Wonder why Bogut leads the nation in rebounding? Learn from him Chiotti. Do you see Jackson or Drisdom watching the shot?

Walters brings the ball up. Justin Hawkins in the picture for Utah (#5).

Not sure where the ball is here. anyone?

New Mexico takes a nice lead within the first 4 minutes. Notice New Mexico coach Richie McKay on the screen. Non stop complaining to the refs. I guess he coaches his team at practice and works the ref's during the game. I think he spent more time yelling and complaining at the refs than coaching his players.

Notice the 3 players around Bogut here. The Ute guards had trouble getting the ball inside to Bogut. He has had a very quiet night.

The Utes eventually would skip pass the ball to the other side because there were always one or two players open outside. The Utes were just not taking the shots though. Notice the two players on bogut and DeVries dropping down. Jackson could take that shot.

The next time the Utes bring the ball up the court, the same thing. Notice this picture and the last one. This time even #5 Mark Walter is cheating down on Bogut.

There's the dangerous skip pass I was talking about.

after the skip pass, notice how slow the defense is to respond.. open shot that wasn't taken. What would the Utes be like with Nick Jacobsen on this team?

Lobo's bring the ball up. The Utes pack the middle.

That far side is pretty much the Utah section. The Lobo's had 4 times the crowd as Utah. I was on the other side with maybe a dozen other Utah fans. They announced the attendance as 10,628. That must have included the people that paid and didn't show up because their team was gone.

Note to self - delete this picture. oh, look Brant Markson is in there and so is Alfred Neale. They both made the MWC all tournament team.

the ball missed.

Bogut boxes out two Lobo's Neale pushes his guy out of the way.

I was getting tired of not watching the game so I just took pictures of the score board for a little while to show the score and remember what happened. With under 10 to go in the first half, the Lobo's were leading by 6 and Bogut only has 6 points.

34.4 second to play and the Utes are down by 5.

Bogut takes the pass and is immediately double teamed.

under 20 seconds to go and the Lobo's lead by 4 now.

Bogut has 19 points and Granger has 26 with 20 seconds to go. Granger just hit two key free throws for New Mexico.

Tony Dandrige guards Hawkins way over on the left side. Bogut and Jackson await the rebound.

The Utes gather to try and hold New Mexico and win this game.

Marc Jackson is fouled with 9.1 seconds left in the game and he sinks both.

Granger sinks the last 4 free throws of the game to seal it for New Mexico. This shot occurs with 8.4 seconds to go in the game.

The final score Utah 56 New Mexico 60. Andrew Bogut scored 19 points and has 16 rebounds but the MVP for the tournament is Danny Granger with 28 points and 11 rebounds.

The Lobo's run to slap hands with their fans. A lot of UNM fans came up for the game. Very impressive - unfortunetly, their fans are idiots. haha

The New Mexico Women Lobo's cheer on the Men's team as they are given the tournament trophy. The New Mexico Women beat Utah 47-37 for the conference tournament championship.

Lobo's recieve award and first team all conference team is annouced. 2005 MWC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM MVP-Danny Granger, Sr., New Mexico Alfred Neale, Sr., New Mexico Andrew Bogut, So., Utah Bryant Markson, Jr., Utah Marcus Slaughter, So., San Diego State

I would have stayed and taken more pictures but the New Mexico fans were bad. I couldn't take a picture of them because they out numbered me and my wife didn't want me to get in a fight. They didn't like me saying who? who is that? when they announced Alfred E. Newman Neale as a member of the 2005 MWC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM yet they said the same thing when Bryant Markson was announced and booed Bogut. The UNM fans by me had no class. They reminded me of the San Diego State game I went to and took this picture of their fans. These guys were actually funny. I didn't mind these guys from SDSU although they did want to fight. The the only taste the UNM fans had was in their mouth. I should have taken their picture but I really did have to get out of there before there was an "issue". Do you think its me or the other guys? Let me say this... New Mexico - You had better win at least one game in the NCAA Tournament or you are the worst trash talkers I have ever seen. over rated Utah???? With out you playing the Utes twice your SOS would be the lowest in the nation. You should be thankful you play the Utes and if they are overrated, you should be thankful for that since it helps your crappy stregth of schedule. Try playing somebody next year besides the Utes. NIT if you didn't win. New Mexico fans.. you have something to say? I'm here! email me at utes@grayskytech.com. Bring it strong! Not some of that weak crap you say when there are 40 of you to 1 of me and my wife pulling me out of there. gheeez. ok ok - so now you know why I'm a little bitter about that game last night.

The drive home was terrible. The 7 hour trip there took 10 to get home. I saw 4 cars upside down and over a dozen off the road. I think I'll check the weather before I go next year.