Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: 2018 Christmas wish list for top mid-major conferences

By Jacob Matteson

LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 21: Josh Perkins #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs drives the baseline during the second half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 21, 2018 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 21: Josh Perkins #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs drives the baseline during the second half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 21, 2018 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Eric Musselman of the Nevada Wolf Pack gestures to his team during the championship game of the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Invitational basketball tournament against the Massachusetts Minutemen at the Orleans Arena on November 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada defeated Massachusetts 110-87. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Eric Musselman of the Nevada Wolf Pack gestures to his team during the championship game of the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Invitational basketball tournament against the Massachusetts Minutemen at the Orleans Arena on November 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada defeated Massachusetts 110-87. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

Mountain West wish: A march to imperfection

Here’s a list of what we know for sure about the Mountain West this season:

In other words, it’s a tough going for the MWC contingent.  Nevada aside, the conference holds three KenPom Top-60 wins but they’re all spread out over three teams.  Utah State (def. Saint Mary’s), Fresno State (def. Northwestern) and San Diego State (def. Xavier) all have good looking wins, but the volume of impressive wins for any one team is lacking.

At the moment, KenPom projects Nevada to go undefeated.  According to our analytical overload, Mr. Pomeroy, Nevada’s toughest task remaining is a road game at Utah State on March 2nd.

The Wolf Pack only have a 73% chance of winning.

Nevada going undefeated and being a national power obviously has it’s selling point, but if the teams listed above are projected to lose, then it’ll turn into Bubble teams picking one another off, and in turn becomes a dog chasing it’s tail.

These wins wouldn’t hold much weight.

However, should the college basketball God’s bestow their magic upon the masses, Mountain West fans should hope it’s sent their way and that Nevada loses in the Conference tournament, thus guaranteeing at least two bids for the league in the NCAA tournament.

Be it Utah State, San Diego State, Fresno State or even a true dark horse such as Boise State or UNLV cutting down the nets, seeing Nevada end the season perfect is not the perfect situation for the conference as a whole.

It’s a long shot, but as we know, crazy things happen when the calendar flips to March.

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