If you are somewhat new to college basketball, it can be a lot to handle. With so many teams and conferences, it can be difficult to differentiate the top teams and conferences from one another.
The Mountain West Conference has quietly been a very good conference this year. Heading into the NCAA Tournament, there could be as many as seven teams from the conference when Selection Sunday concludes. These are the top teams heading into “The Dance.”
Utah State Aggies
When it comes to March Madness betting, everyone is looking for an edge. Though the favorites garner a lot of action, there are more than a few dollars thrown down on the dark horses. In each conference, there are teams at the head of the pack that have the highest hopes of pulling off the dream.
In the Mountain West Conference, the team of the moment is the Aggies. They were initially predicted to finish ninth in the preseason poll yet have emerged to become one of the nation’s biggest surprises. They still have the conference tournament to go through, but the Aggies will no doubt be a favorite there and come out of that tournament ready for The Big Dance.
Nevada Wolf Pack
In near lockstep with the Aggies is Nevada, just a hair behind the conference leader in terms of winning percentage. They have also been one of the hottest teams in the nation of late, ripping off an impressive win streak heading into one of the most important times of the year. They say that it is about timing in terms of playing your best basketball and it is hard to argue that the Pack are playing their best.
It has been a huge year for Nevada across the board. They have made it to the AP poll top 25 for the first time since 2019, for starters. But more importantly, they have put themselves in a position to be among the favorites in the conference tournament as well as one of the best shots to win the whole thing when the NCAA Tournament begins.
UNLV Runnin’ Rebels
Don’t look now, but the Rebels are getting hot. They had a stretch where they won 10 of 11 games before losing to the Wolf Pack. What’s even better is that they will play the Mountain West tournament on their home floor, and there is no telling what kind of momentum that can have.
There is more at stake this year for the Rebels. They haven’t won an NCAA Tournament game since 2008, and a win would really send this season over the top. A strong showing and a solid seed in the tournament would certainly set the stage for a good showing.
San Diego State Aztecs
The Aztecs were the star of the conference a year ago. They made an epic run as a No.5 seed, making it all the way to the national championship game. Unfortunately, they ran into an absolute buzzsaw in the UConn Huskies, who won handily to the tune of 76-59.
This isn’t quite the same Aztec team as a year ago, but they are still formidable. Currently fifth in the Mountain West standings, San Diego State has been gaining momentum. Could they possibly make another late season run and progress deep into the NCAA Tournament?
With so many potential teams in the pool, the Mountain West will have plenty of chances to win it all. Who knows? There may be another Cinderella story out there similar to San Diego State’s 2023 run to the championship game.