Boise State
They might be a mid-major conference, but the Mountain West has numerous teams that can make noise during the NCAA Tournament. Boise State has emerged yet again as one of those teams. The Broncos did start the season just 3-3 but have stockpiled nice wins this season, knocking off San Francisco, VCU, and Saint Mary’s during nonconference play. The Broncos beat Colorado State, Nevada, and San Diego State but may have topped themselves this week.
The Broncos did what seemed impossible by winning at New Mexico, beating the Lobos 86-78 for their first home loss of the season. Not only did they add yet another win over the top-tier MWC teams, Boise State showed no signs of letting up on Saturday, using a massive run to get a 38-point win at home over Air Force. These two wins leave Boise State at 7-2 in league play.
Their NET has certainly taken steps in the right direction, currently sitting at 35. The Broncos are now a remarkable 5-4 in Quad 1 opportunities, with a toughie against UNLV remaining their only Quad 3 loss on the season. The Broncos may or may not have been considered in the Tournament field before this week, but winning as big underdogs in Albuquerque certainly pushed them into a more comfortable position.