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The Mountain West Conference's big news of the week — other than Wyoming's emergence as a contender and a better-than-average basketball fight during an Air Force-Colorado State game — was Stew Morrill's retirement announcement.

Wyoming enters Wednesday night's showdown against preseason favorite San Diego State with a 15-2 record and its first national ranking since 1988, when the Cowboys' star was the magnificently named Fennis Dembo.

Meanwhile, the Falcons and Rams turned a few moments of their game Saturday into WrestleMania. Air Force's Matt Mooney and CSU's J.J. Avila received one-game suspensions for their part in the fracas, which included a Hulk Hogan-like headlock by Avila.

Morrill, however, stole the spotlight by telling a news conference that his 17th season at Utah State would be his last.

Yes, this qualifies as "big news."

Morrill has been on the job almost as long as Sen. Orrin Hatch.

The guy has won more games than the Harlem Globetrotters.

His graduation rate should make some P5 coaches run to the nearest confessional.

Morrill did it all as Utah State took two big steps up the competitive ladder, too. The Aggies moved from the Big West to the WAC to the Mountain West and never suffered a losing season. In fact, they won as many as 25 games si times under Morrill.

It's little wonder athletic director Scott Barnes said he will "go down in the history as the greatest coach to ever walk the sidelines of the Smith Spectrum."

Morrill's success at Utah State didn't change him.

In an era when college basketball coaches often becomes bigger than the program — when they are on TV during games more than their players — he lumbered along and did things in his own unique way.

"I have really appreciated the 'aw shucks' understatement that so often reflected this man," Utah State president Stan Albrecht said. "… I can't tell you how many seasons, at the beginning, when I've had conversations with him. I expected we wouldn't win a single game all year. Then, at the end, we are in the championship game again. The master of the understatement."

Moving forward, the major story involving Utah State basketball will be two-fold: how the Aggies finish this season and who replaces Morrill.

Long-term, the hiring of a new coach will have a greater impact than the next 15 or 16 games.

I expect Barnes to look outside the Morrill umbrella for a replacement because this is a chance to put his stamp on the basketball program.

Barnes did it in football when he hired Gary Andersen and, in turn, Matt Wells. He inherited Morrill and enjoyed a successful ride with him, but it seems likely he will follow his football blueprint in the coming weeks.

The names of two possibilities have already been floated because they are so obvious — Weber State's Randy Rahe and Utah assistant Tommy Connor. But Barnes will talk to many, many others because the Utah State basketball job is a good one.

Morrill helped make it so.

Tribune Power Rankings

The West

1. Gonzaga (16-1, 5-0)

Led by transfer Kyle Wiltjer, five Bulldogs are averaging 9.5 points or more.

2. Utah (13-2, 3-0)

Arizona road trip will test if Utes' struggles away from home are behind them.

3. Arizona (14-2, 2-1)

No obvious "go-to" shooter hurt them in the closing seconds of loss to Oregon State.

4. San Diego State (12-4, 2-1)

Four of last five Aztec opponents have scored 50 points or fewer.

5. Stanford (11-4, 3-1)

Struggling against good front-line players after losing Reid Travis to injury.

6. UCLA (11-4, 1-1)

Kevon Looney and Tony Parker woke up, and UCLA will win more if they continue to roll.

7. Wyoming (14-1, 1-1)

Cowboys have won seven straight, and are unbeaten on their home court.

8. BYU (14-5, 4-2)

Loss to Pepperdine at home stings, especially with three straight road games ahead.

9. Oregon (12-4, 2-1)

In Jordan Bell, Ducks may have the best young shot blocker in the nation.

10. Saint Mary's (13-3, 5-0)

Brad Waldow may be one of the best post players (20.1 ppg, 10.1 rpg) no one talks about.

— Compiled by Kyle Goon