Scene Looks Familiar

Stop if you’ve read this before.

Downtrodden Nevada slinks into the Kibbie Dome with a losing streak unfamiliar to a traditionally proud program.

Idaho, riding a winning streak, takes the Wolf Pack lightly. Nevada crushes the Vandals.

That’s what happened in football a couple months ago. The setup is eerily similar for Thursday’s basketball game in the Dome. The Wolf Pack have lost six straight - longest streak in coach Pat Foster’s tenure - and are in danger of missing the Big West Conference tournament in early March.

Nevada (4-10, 0-4 BWC) has missed only one Big West tourney - in 1992-93, Len Stevens’ last season as coach. The Wolf Pack qualified for every Big Sky Tournament except the first two.

Idaho (7-7, 3-2) has a three-game winning streak and survived a scare from UC Irvine Saturday. Coach Dave Farrar was disappointed by the Vandals’ approach.

“I wasn’t very happy with our preparation, warmups and locker room (demeanor),” Farrar said. “Nevada has a coach who has been through the wars and is not going to give in to losing.”

Idaho might be shorthanded. Backup center Mao Tosi’s knee was swollen following Saturday’s game and his availability is in question. Starting center Kevin Byrne dislocated a finger on his shooting hand, but he’s expected to play.

Bergersen draws attention

Boise State’s Roberto Bergersen, the third leading scorer in the nation at 24.6 points per game, will be featured in an upcoming Sports Illustrated article.

SI interviewed Bergersen and his high school coach, Ed Boyce, now a Broncos assistant.

Despite constant double-teaming, Bergersen is putting up big numbers. Recently, NBA scouts have been watching the 6-foot-6 senior.

Bunton goes deep

For good reason, UC Santa Barbara’s B.J. Bunton was the Big West Conference player of the week. Bunton scored 23 points and hit a game-winning field goal to beat Nevada on Thursday.

Two nights later, he had 22 points and made a fadeaway 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds remaining in a 66-65 overtime win against Utah State.

Finally, a `W’

North Texas freshman guard Dexter Tennell had been on the losing end of 42 straight games before the Mean Green upended Pacific last week.

Tennell’s streak included North Texas’ first 12 games this season, 29 as a high school senior in Irving, Texas, and the last game of his junior season.

Splintered Woods

BSU forward Kejuan Woods, who missed some games last year after suffering a spider bite, played sparingly Thursday and missed Saturday’s game because of, well, his clumsiness.

Woods was loosening his tendinitis-ridden knee by riding a stationary bike before Thursday’s game. As he exited the bike, though, he banged his knee on a control knob.

“It hurt,” Woods said. “I mean, it hurt bad.”

So badly he barely played against UC Irvine Thursday and missed Saturday’s date with Cal State Fullerton. He was expected to play this week.

Lip service

“They were holding, that’s all.” - Idaho guard Gordon Scott, on UC Irvine’s tight defense.

“That (comment) would give you some idea that it’s been easy to distract him.” - UI coach Dave Farrar on Scott.

“Those things (wins) have been hard to come by.” - Coach Vic Trilli, after North Texas’ first win.

“We have a team that thinks rebounding is for someone else.” - New Mexico State coach Lou Henson.

“It was a desperation shot. It wasn’t what they were looking for.” - Utah State coach Stew Morrill, lamenting Bunton’s game-winning 3-pointer for U.C. Santa Barbara.