Conference
Championship: March 14
Television Coverage: MWN, CBSSN, CBS
Tournament Bracket: https://mwc-platform-secure.silverchalice.co/v3/files/54fbedf9e4b0194df52430b7
Television Coverage: MWN, CBSSN, CBS
Tournament Bracket: https://mwc-platform-secure.silverchalice.co/v3/files/54fbedf9e4b0194df52430b7
Overview:
The Mountain West Conference (MWC) has been one of the strongest
mid-majors since their inception in 1999. The MWC has sent multiple teams to
the NCAA tournament in every season except 2001. In the early years of the
conference (2000-2006), the majority of teams (14 of 16) were lower seeds and
struggled going 5-12 in the tournament with one Sweet Sixteen appearance. Since
2007, the teams have been getting higher seeds in the NCAA tournament, but have
continued to struggle going 14-24 with only three Sweet Sixteen appearances. 14
teams have failed to make it to the second round and 14 of the total losses
were to lower seeded teams. The MWC will likely get at least three teams into
the NCAA tournament with a chance to turn around the league’s rough history in
the NCAA tournament and build off of San Diego St’s Sweet Sixteen run last
season. Here are the three contenders to win the MWC tournament.
Favorite to Win Tournament: San Diego St. Aztecs (24-7, 14-4)
San Diego St. (SDSU) has done well at the MWC tournament making the final in five of the past six seasons and winning two titles. Over the past three seasons, New Mexico had the Aztecs number as the Lobos have eliminated SDSU each time. With New Mexico likely out of the picture this season, the Aztecs will be the favorite to win the MWC tournament. SDSU has wins over BYU, Colorado St., Long Beach St., Pittsburgh, and Utah this season. The Aztecs have the second best scoring defense in the country only allowing 53.4 points per game. When SDSU’s defense has played well, the Aztecs have won. SDSU will need the defense to continue to show up to win the MWC tournament.
Most Likely to Upset Favorite: Boise St. Broncos (24-7, 14-4)
For awhile, it was looking like Boise St. would be flirting with the bubble again this season. The Broncos failed to get a quality win in non-conference play losing to Wisconsin and coming up short against North Carolina St. The season got even worse when Boise St. lost their first three conference games, but the Broncos charged hard after that. Boise St. has won 14 of 15 games to finish the season including wins over Colorado St. and San Diego St. The Broncos should be guaranteed an at-large bid, but could improve their seeding with a conference championship.
Dark Horse to Win Tournament: Wyoming Cowboys (22-9, 11-7)
Wyoming’s record is usually bloated due to an easy non-conference schedule, which has averaged 263rd over the past five seasons. The Cowboys are 58-18 in non-conference games over that period, but only 33-46 in conference play. With that being said, Wyoming had its best season in MWC in the last five years going 11-7. The Cowboys are setup well to make a run in the tournament with good records against potential opponents Utah St. (1-1), Boise St. (1-0), and Colorado St. (2-0). The one team that could prevent Wyoming from becoming a bid stealer is San Diego St. who beat the Cowboys twice by an average of 12 points.
Expected Tournament Bid(s): Conference Tournament Winner, Boise St., Colorado St., San Diego St.
Favorite to Win Tournament: San Diego St. Aztecs (24-7, 14-4)
San Diego St. (SDSU) has done well at the MWC tournament making the final in five of the past six seasons and winning two titles. Over the past three seasons, New Mexico had the Aztecs number as the Lobos have eliminated SDSU each time. With New Mexico likely out of the picture this season, the Aztecs will be the favorite to win the MWC tournament. SDSU has wins over BYU, Colorado St., Long Beach St., Pittsburgh, and Utah this season. The Aztecs have the second best scoring defense in the country only allowing 53.4 points per game. When SDSU’s defense has played well, the Aztecs have won. SDSU will need the defense to continue to show up to win the MWC tournament.
Most Likely to Upset Favorite: Boise St. Broncos (24-7, 14-4)
For awhile, it was looking like Boise St. would be flirting with the bubble again this season. The Broncos failed to get a quality win in non-conference play losing to Wisconsin and coming up short against North Carolina St. The season got even worse when Boise St. lost their first three conference games, but the Broncos charged hard after that. Boise St. has won 14 of 15 games to finish the season including wins over Colorado St. and San Diego St. The Broncos should be guaranteed an at-large bid, but could improve their seeding with a conference championship.
Dark Horse to Win Tournament: Wyoming Cowboys (22-9, 11-7)
Wyoming’s record is usually bloated due to an easy non-conference schedule, which has averaged 263rd over the past five seasons. The Cowboys are 58-18 in non-conference games over that period, but only 33-46 in conference play. With that being said, Wyoming had its best season in MWC in the last five years going 11-7. The Cowboys are setup well to make a run in the tournament with good records against potential opponents Utah St. (1-1), Boise St. (1-0), and Colorado St. (2-0). The one team that could prevent Wyoming from becoming a bid stealer is San Diego St. who beat the Cowboys twice by an average of 12 points.
Expected Tournament Bid(s): Conference Tournament Winner, Boise St., Colorado St., San Diego St.
The MWC has averaged three NCAA tournament teams per year over the past
eight seasons and 22 of those 24 teams were 2-8 seeds. Boise St., Colorado St.,
and San Diego St. have the resumes to be at-large teams this year, but San
Diego St. will likely be the only team seeded higher than 9. If the conference
tournament winner is not one of these three teams, the MWC could get four teams
into the NCAA tournament unless a good number of bid stealers push Boise St. on
the wrong side of the bubble.
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