And with just one game to go in the regular season, we have a pretty good idea who's going to win.

* Player of the Year - It's going to be either Brigham Young's Lee Cummard or New Mexico's J.R. Giddens, with Giddens having made a late push with a sensational stretch run.

The senior is the only player in the league who ranks in the top three in scoring, rebounding, field-goal percentage and blocked shots during conference games, and has carried the Lobos on both ends with lesser talent around him than Cummard.

Voters might pick Cummard because he's on the best team, but Giddens will get votes for redeeming himself after a troublesome junior year and because Cummard still has another chance to potentially win the award.

* Freshman of the Year - Billy White of San Diego State, no question.

Sure, the 6-foot-8 forward went through a midseason slump, but he remains the most productive freshman in the league by far, averaging 9.1 points as a starter and ranking in the top 10 in the league with 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.

* Newcomer of the Year - Marcus Walker of Colorado State has managed to lead the league in scoring despite playing on one of the worst teams in league history.

The Rams have had no inside presence almost all season long because of injuries, yet Walker still has managed to impress everybody. "He can score off the ball, on the ball, he can catch and shoot, and he can drive and score," Utah's Jim Boylen said. "In any league - the NBA - there's very few guys who can do all those things."

* Defensive Player of the Year - Probably New Mexico's J.R. Giddens, again.

The best of the other candidates - UNLV's Rene Rougeau and Utah's Lawrence Borha - are pretty anonymous compared to Giddens, who also figures to benefit from his coach's steady lobbying that he's the best all-around player in the league.

* All-Conference - Seems like there's some pretty obvious separation here, so expect BYU's Cummard and Trent Plaisted to join Giddens, San Diego State's Lorrenzo Wade and UNLV's Wink Adams on the first team.

* Coach of the Year - Balloting here might be fairly close.

Brigham Young's Dave Rose kept the Cougars on top, and UNLV's Lon Kruger has impressively survived losing a ton of talent from his Sweet 16 team as well as several players - including his only two centers - who began the season with the Rebels.

But New Mexico's Steve Alford took over a team that finished tied for last a year ago, and molded most of the same players into one of the hottest teams in college basketball while also restoring the passion and excitement at The Pit. Smart money says he wins.

mcl@sltrib.com

Tribune power rankings

1.BYU (24-6, 13-2)

Homecourt win streak at 47 games

Next: at TCU, Saturday

2. N.M. (23-7, 10-5)

Alford vows to stay, reach NCAAs

Next: at Colorado State, Saturday

3. UNLV (22-7, 11-4)

No worries, tourney's on its floor

Next: vs. Utah, Saturday

4. SDSU (19-10, 9-6)

Aiming for 3rd straight 20-win year

Next: at Air Force, Saturday

5. Utah (16-12, 7-8)

Top two scorers coming off bench

Next: at UNLV, Saturday

6. Air Force (15-13, 7-8)

Still can claim tourney 5th seed

Next: vs. SDSU, Saturday

7. TCU (14-14, 6-9)

Frogs rank 14th nationally in steals

Next: vs. BYU, Saturday

8. Wyoming (12-17, 5-11)

Can't wait for next meeting with U.

Next: Regular season complete

9. CSU (6-23, 0-15)

Could be league's first 0-16 team

Next: vs. New Mexico, Saturday