Mountain West Basketball: 2024 conference tournament preview and predictions
By Joey Loose
Bracketology
As we mentioned earlier, the Mountain West is going to put several teams into the NCAA Tournament, perhaps sending more than half of the league. There’s no Gonzaga-type team that’s going to get a top seed from this conference, though San Diego State is probably in the best condition with their resume and standing, looking at likely around a 5-seed.
With how they’ve played in recent weeks, Nevada and Boise State have all but assured that they are comfortable in the Tournament field. They’re both likely looking at a 7 or 8 seed, though either could certainly improve that if they make a run here in Las Vegas.
We certainly haven’t forgotten about Utah State, the regular season champions, who can actually surpass the Aztecs on the seed lines if they win this MWC Tournament. Though they struggled at times late in the season, Colorado State should also find themselves safely in the field, with the Rams likely ending up in one of the 8 vs. 9 type matchups.
The one big bubble team is New Mexico and it’s the Lobos who most need an impressive performance in this tournament. New Mexico suffered a few critical losses down the stretch and could use a big win or two as a final stamp on their resume. Getting a sixth MWC team into the NCAA Tournament field would be massive.
Anyone else in the league needs a championship to earn their way into the NCAA Tournament. One sneaky team to watch is UNLV. The Rebels have been playing inspired ball in recent weeks, beating several of those top teams, and do have the home-court advantage in this Tournament. Can they actually win three straight games and get to the Big Dance?