Mountain West Basketball: 2018 Conference Tournament Preview

The Mountain West Tournament should be a more exciting affair than it has been the past two years. Could this be the year that a bid thief wins in Vegas and sends two teams from the conference to the Big Dance?

For the last two years, the Mountain West has been a one-bid league, a far fall from the multi-bid league of the previous years. With Nevada a virtual lock to earn a bid this year, the Mountain West Tournament will determine if the league will once again return to its elite status among mid-major conferences.

This season, the top and middle of the Mountain West has been surprisingly competitive, with Boise State providing a true challenge for the Wolf Pack, and New Mexico, Fresno State, San Diego State and Wyoming all showing they have what it takes to make a run in the conference tournament.

Star players have shined through the season, topped by Mountain West Player of the Year Chandler Hutchison. On Nevada alone, there are at least four players that deserve mention as top players in the country, with both Jordan Caroline and Caleb Martin having strong arguments for Hutchison’s award.

This tournament may be one of the more impactful second weekend tournaments, with the potential for a bid thief if Nevada falls.

Unfortunately, some of the top teams will be without key contributors, such as Fresno States Jaron Hopkins and Nevada’s Lindsey Drew are both done for the year. This could have an impact on those team’s chances, but both the Bulldogs and Wolf Pack have plenty of talent left.

Two surprising teams in the top half of the standings are San Diego State and New Mexico, who both looked like bottom feeders at earlier points in the season. With these two former powerhouses ending their season strong, could we see one of them return to the NCAA Tournament?

Let’s take a look at the top players, key teams, and predictions for the 2018 Mountain West Tournament.