The UNR Wolf Pack are definitely heading to the national basketball tournament. Although, they slipped from being one of the top 10 teams in the country to be one of the top 20.
Fans are wondering if they'll go far into the tournament.
“It’s going to depend on a lot of things," Mitch Moss, the host of "Follow the Money" on VSIN, the Vegas Stats and Information Network, said, "After Selection Sunday, see the bracket that they are in. See the possible matchups in the first round and beyond how that could break.”
People have criticized the Wolf Pack for having a slow start and playing down to their competition and now really blowing anyone away. But Moss believes with Eric Musselman as the coach and the amount of talent they have on the team, they shouldn't be dismissed.
Although, Moss believes there's a chance they won't win the Mountain West Conference Championship.
"There are two good teams in this conference and two good teams that are going to make the NCAA tournament, of course, Nevada and the other is Utah State, which has been a pleasant surprise this season,” he said.
The team that won't be going to the NCAA tournament this year is UNLV. There is a chance the Runnin' Rebels could be invited to the NIT, which is a lot less prestigious.
“Is there anything less memorable than an NIT champion?” Moss said.
However, Moss said that a team could use the momentum from a winning run in a lesser tournament to "springboard" into a better season. He pointed to UNR's win in the NIT a few years ago and where they stand now.
The big question surrounding UNLV is the future of coach Marvin Menzies.
“A lot of that will have to do with their first game in the Mountain West Conference tournament and how they play against San Diego State," Moss said, "I know, talking to some people in the know, that if they lose to San Diego State then Menzies is going to get the ax. If he wins that game, then he’s going to come back next year.”
Moss pointed out that Menzies was brought on after a fiasco of coaches a few years ago and really didn't have much of a recruiting class to work with, but since that was three years ago will he get another pass?
And if you're already thinking about your bracket for the tournament, where should you put your money?
“I think the best team, even though they lost, and we talked about it moments ago is Gonzaga. I need to see what Duke looks like with Zion Williamson when he comes back after the injury and he’s been out for a while now. I think it is pretty wide open this year,” he said.
Moss said that North Carolina is playing well and so is Virginia but it is an open field.
THE VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
If you’re watching from the sidelines, do you get the sneaky feeling that the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team might NOT get into the playoffs that begin in a few weeks?
“I would say after the trading deadline when they picked up Mark Stone, I would say they are damn good,” Moss said.
Moss said with the addition of Stone and Fleury's continued work in goal the team is going to be "dangerous in the playoffs."
He said they are definitely going to make the playoffs and don't be surprised if they make a deep run - again.
“If they made a deep run and it came down to like a game seven and they were playing to get into the Stanley Cup final, I would not fall off my couch if they won,” he said.
Mitch Moss, host, "Follow the Money" VSIN
