2024 NCAA Tournament: #10 Virginia vs. #10 Colorado State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Virginia Cavaliers face off with the Colorado State Rams in a First Four matchup. Here’s what to look out for.

2024 NCAA Tournament: #10 Virginia vs. #10 Colorado State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction


The Rams and Cavaliers face off in the First Four


Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire

Can the Rams move on?

WHO: #10 Virginia Cavaliers (23-10) vs. #10 Colorado State Rams (24-10)

WHEN: Wednesday, March 19th โ€” 7:10 p.m. MST / 6:10 p.m. PST

WHERE: UD Arena; Dayton, OH (13,409)

TV:ย TruTV

STREAM:ย Max will be carrying the entire NCAA Tournament

SERIES RECORD: This will be the first ever matchup between the two schools.

ODDS: Colorado State -2.5

It’s not the expected First Four matchup, but we’re here now. Colorado State was not predicted to be the final team in the tournament and Virginia was not predicted to be in the tournament at all. Now both squads face off to send themselves to the first round.

Colorado State finished 7th in the Mountain West and lost to New Mexico in the Mountain West semi-finals. Virginia finished 3rd in the ACC and lost to NC State in the ACC semi-finals. Both squads lost to the eventually tournament champions.

Players to Watch

F Jacob Groves – Virginia

The senior forward form Spokane, WA will be a player for the Rams to key on on defense. Groves is a 6’9″ forward who isn’t afraid to let it fly from deep (He has three or more attempted threes in 20 out 33 games for Virginia). Limiting Groves from deep will be a big factor for CSU.

F Joel Scott – Colorado State

The former D2 Player of the Year has stepped up in a big way for the Rams at the end of the season. Since a defeat to San Diego State in February, Scott has been averaging 16.4 points on 58.7% shooting from the floor. His inside game has been key for the Rams since they’ve struggled from the outside in conference play.

Keys to the Game

Virginia

Limiting the Rams open looks and keeping them on the outside will be the keys on defense for Virginia. The Cavaliers defense is one of the best in the nation, but the CSU offense is one of the best at ball movement. If Virginia wants to play on Thursday, they’ll have to stay consistent the entire game.

On offense, the Cavaliers need to keep the Rams moving. CSU’s defense doubles the post a decent amount which leaves 4 on 3 for the offense. This causes the Rams to rotate to cover the open man and they have a tendency to overrun their rotation leaving a wide open shot or cut to the basket.

Colorado State

Wait for your shot. The Virginia defense allows for ball rotation and the CSU Princeton-style offense wants to keep the ball moving back and forth. The Cavaliers defense is suffocating, so the Rams can’t force a shot like they have been. They need to be patient and get inside looks.

When CSU is on defense, it’s a similar story. Virginia plays at the slowest tempo in the NCAA. This can lull teams to sleep at times. So the Rams will need to maintain their patience and cover their man until they get the ball back on offense.

Predictions

This one will be a dog fight. CSU has the better offense and Virginia has the better defense. The Rams have been doing damage inside and win when they do so. The Cavaliers smothering defense will keep this close. This could come down to the last couple minutes, but the Rams will use that chip on their shoulder to come out on top.

Final Score: Colorado State 62, Virginia 57

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2024 NCAA Tournament: Utah State Basketball-A First Look at the TCU Horned Frogs

2024 NCAA Tournament: Utah State Basketball-A First Look at the TCU Horned Frogs Who are the Horned Toads? Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire MWC Regular Season Champion Utah State draw battle hardened TCU in First Round matchup in Indy. First …

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2024 NCAA Tournament: Utah State Basketball-A First Look at the TCU Horned Frogs


Who are the Horned Toads?


Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

MWC Regular Season Champion Utah State draw battle hardened TCU in First Round matchup in Indy.

First year Head Coach Danny Sprinkle has led Utah State to the NCAA Tournament. With an at-large ticket punched, thanks to one of the more memorable inaugural seasons in Mountain West history in Logan. As the Aggies finished the year with a 28-7 (15-5) record, sole possession of the Regular Season Title & ranked 22nd in the final AP Poll.

Despite losing to San Diego State in the semifinals of the conference tournament on Friday in Las Vegas. The Aggies regular season performance gave them the second highest seed of any Mountain West team, go figure.

With that, fans in Logan heard their team’s name called & paired with former Mountain West member TCU. These two haven’t met on the hardwood since 1982, when Utah State secured the 84-59 win over the visiting Horned Frogs. It definitely was some time ago, as TCU was still a part of the disbanded Southwest Conference & Utah State was a part of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association, now the Big West.

Who Are The Horned Frogs

Some fans around the conference remember TCU from their shared time in the WAC together and later when they joined the Mountain West in 2005. Yes, there were plenty of memories made for teams in Fort Worth. But as the collapse of the Big East began what would become a decade’s worth of conference realignment, the Horned Frogs took the opportunity to rise to the Power 5 level & join the Big 12.

The football driven move made sense for TCU, who never won a Mountain West title of either sort & never finished higher than 5th in the conference. It was a program stagnant and now prepping for a move to one of the country’s most competitive conferences featuring blue blood Kansas & a plethora of other big names.

It was a move that saw the Horned Frogs finish last or second to last place the next four years in their new conference before the coaching carousel blessed them with one of their own.

Coach

Since departing the conference a little over ten years ago, TCU has only had two head coaches, very small by Mountain West standards. Trent Johnson was hired as the man to take the program to the Big 12 promise land. After taking LSU, Stanford & Nevada to the NCAA Tournament before ultimately resigning after a total of four seasons in Baton Rouge.

His time in Fort Worth was short, with only one season finished above .500, it was time to go in a new direction. In comes former starting point guard & coaching heavy hitter Jamie Dixon. Who as a player back in the late eighties, led TCU to the big dance before falling to Notre Dame in the Second Round.

After his playing days, Dixon spent time in the assistant coaching ranks, mostly under UCLA coaching legend Ben Howland. Dixon inherited the Pittsburgh program from his former boss in 2003.

Building the Panther program into a national & Big East powerhouse. Taking Pitt to the NCAA Tournament eleven of his thirteen years with the Panthers, including three Sweet 16 appearances & a run to the Elite eight in 2009.

But what many consider to be a botched move by Pittsburgh’s new AD at the time, sent him back to TCU in 2016. A move he says was timed perfectly, perfect for Horned Frog fans.

Dixon has led his alma mater to four NCAA Tournament appearances in eight seasons. Including three straight with their participation in this year’s tournament announced Saturday. A result fans of the program for the last few decades only dreamed off, but with a track record like Dixon’s, came in no time at all.

Star Players

Sr. F-Emmanuel Miller (6’7, 215)

Stats: 15.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.7 APG & 1.1 SPG in 33 Games, 33 Starts

Sr. G-Jameer Nelson Jr. (6’2, 205)

Stats: 11.3 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.6 RPG & 2.0 SPG in 33 Games, 21 Starts

Sr. G-Micah Peavy (6’8, 215)

Stats: 11.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.7 APG & 1.3 SPG in 33 Games, 33 Starts

How Did They Get Here

Like the Mountain West, the Big 12 was an absolute minefield to navigate from top to bottom. TCU utilized a hot 7-0 start in non-conference play & 11-2 finish to prepare an expected gauntlet in a new look Big 12.

The conference added BYU, Cincinnati, UCF & Houston ahead of the season. Creating the largest version of the conference ever at fourteen teams, before the expected departure of Oklahoma & Texas to the SEC this summer.

So in a conference no member has ever navigated before, for the first & only time ever, TCU went to work. Finishing the regular season with a 21-12 (9-9, 7th in Big 12) record, they joined the conference tournament as a No. 8 seed & a First Round Bye. Their first opponent was the Oklahoma Sooners, whom TCU had only faced once in conference play (A 80-71 win at home in January).

Jamie Dixon’s team survived their Second Round opponent, to advance with a 77-70 win over the Sooners, thanks to a monster 26 point performance from senior Emanuel Miller. The Quarterfinals were not as kind to the Horned Frogs. As No. 1 seeded Houston used a poor shooting night from deep by TCU & stout defense to defeat Dixon’s team 60-45, enroute to the championship game on Saturday.

It wasn’t the way any team wants to go out in March. But finishing in the top-half of what KenPom.com ($) has ranked as the top conference in the entire country by a very credible margin, has it’s perks.

One of those perks being a punched ticket to this year’s Big Dance. Facing No. 8 Utah State as a No. 9 seed in the First Round of the Midwest bracket in Indianapolis, IN on Friday afternoon 5:55 PM MT.

Biggest Wins

Saturday January13th, Home vs. No. 2 Houston 68-67

Saturday January 27th, Away @ Baylor 105-102 3OT

Tuesday January 30th, Home vs. No. 15 Texas Tech 85-78

The Metrics

NET Ranking:ย  42nd

KenPom:ย  33rd

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

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2024 NCAA Tournament: Boise State Basketball-A First Look at the Colorado Buffaloes

2024 NCAA Tournament: Boise State Basketball-A First Look at the Colorado Buffaloes Who are the Buffaloes? Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Boise State draws First Four matchup in Dayton against Pac-12 foe Colorado. The Mountain West …

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2024 NCAA Tournament: Boise State Basketball-A First Look at the Colorado Buffaloes


Who are the Buffaloes?


Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Boise State draws First Four matchup in Dayton against Pac-12 foe Colorado.

The Mountain West Conference received a record setting six bids to the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday. Though after hammering each other twice a week, every week since January. The six teams that had their tickets punched, were given what many consider to be lower than deserved seeds.

For a conference that KenPom.com ($) has ranked as the seventh best in the entire country. With an extremely comfy margin between their Adjusted Efficiency ranking of +10.39 & the next best’s, the Atlantic 10 at +5.13. Even giving the Pac-12 a run for their money and their number 6th ranking of +10.94. Never the less, one of the Mountain West’s bigger seeding causalities on Selection Sunday was the Boise State Broncos.

After Leon Rice led his team to a second place tie with Nevada and a 22-10 (13-5, 2nd in the MWC) regular season record, top-30 NET Ranking (w/six Quad 1 wins) & a top-40 KenPom ranking.

It’s very frustrating, as the Broncos now have to earn their spot in the Field of 64. In a battle for the No. 10 seed against the Colorado Buffaloes, scheduled for Wednesday March 20th, in Dayton, OH with a 5:10 PM MT tip-off. The winner of that First Four contest goes on to face the Florida Gators as the No. 7 seed in the South region.

Who Are The Buffaloes

The Colorado Buffaloes have an extremely long history as members of the Big 12, dating all the way back to post-World War II, when the conference was known as the Big 7.

Possibly known for their gridiron dominance from the early eighties to mid-nineties under all-time great Buffaloes coach Bill McCartney. Who led them to nine bowl appearances in 13 seasons, not to mention the schools lone football National Championship in 1990.

On the hardwood though, Colorado hasn’t made a deep run since before the end of the Vietnam Conflict. Since, the program has seen five different head coaches come and gone.

With only two NCAA Tournament appearances to show for it, in over four decades. To say the program was a bit of an after thought in the Big 8 as well as out West is an understatement. But change was coming in Boulder, plenty of it.

As an announced move to what was then known as the Pac-10 was made public in 2010. The move also brought the program’s winningest head coach with them, in first year head man Tad Boyle.

Coach

Boyle took over at Colorado in their last season in the Big 12. Taking over from former NBA Head Coach Jeff Bzdelik, who left when he accepted his “dream job” at Wake Forrest in 2010.

Boyle had just led his hometown Northern Colorado Bears to a second place finish in the Big Sky behind a Damian Lillard led Weber State team. A mark celebrated after aiding Northern Colorado in their transition to the D-I ranks, beginning with a 4-24 season just three seasons prior.

After arriving in Boulder in 2010, he led the Buffaloes to a 5th place finish in their final season in the Big 12, their best in five years. He would then lead them to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances. For a grand total of six in fourteen seasons.

Their most recent trip coming in 2021, as a No. 5 seed, their highest in the tournament’s most modern iteration. A trip that is something fans in Boulder are coming to expect out of their basketball program. As they should, with a coach like Boyle in charge. With his local ties to the area, it’s easy to buy in to what the Buffaloes are selling every season.

Star Players

Jr. G-KJ Simpson (6’2, 190)

Stats: 19.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.9 APG & 1.6 SPG in 34 Games, 34 Starts

Sr. F-Tristan Da Silva (6’9, 220)

Stats: 15.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.4 APG & 1.1 SPG in 31 Games, 31 Starts

Fr. F-Cody Williams (6’8, 190)

Stats: 12.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG & 1.7 APG in 21 Games, 18 Starts

How Did They Get Here

Colorado was brought into the Pac-12 promise lands by Boyle almost immediately. But with conference realignment charged turmoil surrounding their home last year with the departures of UCLA, USC, Oregon & Washington to the Big Ten starting the summer of 2024, the Buffaloes had to act. Announcing a move back to the Big 12 last July, Tad Boyle will now be tasked with a move back to the conference where he cut his high major teeth in. So enjoying their last ride in the Pac-12 as fans everywhere know it, they went to work.

Using a strong yet short, 9-2 run through non-conference play with a pair of impressive wins over Richmond & Miami (FL) to prepare for their last run at a Pac-12 title. The ensuing 20-game conference slate would prove challenging.

As the Buffaloes battled their way to a 3rd place finish & 24-10 (13-7, 3rd in Pac-12) regular season record while earning the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament in Las Vegas.

Colorado earned a opening round bye & was slated to take on No. 6 seeded Utah in the quarterfinals on Thursday. They had split the regular season series with the Utes, but managed to post a solid 72-58 win over their conference foes to advance to the semifinals. Thanks to a great scoring performance from their trio of KJ Simpson, Eddie Lampkin Jr. & Tristan da Silva.

Next came Washington State on Friday, another team whom they had split their conference series with. The Cougars though, proved to be a formidable opponent for the Buffaloes. As Tad Boyle’s group narrowly advanced with a 58-52 win over Washington State, thanks again to an offensive effort spearheaded by Simpson with a game high 16 points.

That took them all the way to the championship game on Saturday night, against No. 4 seed Oregon. A game lost in the post, in part due to a flawless performance from Oregon big man N’Faly Dante who had 25 points off of 12-12 shooting from the floor.

With that Colorado was sent home without any hardware, though their fate as an at-large bid might have just been sealed in Vegas. As the Buffaloes were announced as a First Four selection on Sunday, pegged to due battle for a spot in the Field of 64 against a Cinderella-esque Bronco team on Wednesday.

Biggest Wins

Thursday January 18th, Home vs. Oregon 86-70

Saturday February 24th, Home vs. Utah 89-65

Friday March 15th, Neutral vs. Washington State 58-52

The Metrics

NET Ranking:ย  25th

KenPom:ย  26th

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

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2024 Mountain West Championship: New Mexico Secures First MWC Tournament Title in Over a Decade with 68-61 win over SDSU

Game Recap: No. 6 New Mexico 68, No. 5 San Diego State 61 Jaelen House get’s his moment & secures his first MWC title in his last conference game. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire New Mexico secures first conference tournament title in a …

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ย Game Recap: No. 6 New Mexico 68, No. 5 San Diego State 61


Jaelen House get’s his moment & secures his first MWC title in his last conference game.


Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

New Mexico secures first conference tournament title in a decade, thanks to the play of Jaelen House & JT Toppin.

Las Vegas, NV–If there were any better cherry on top of what has been one of the more competitive & entertaining Mountain West seasons in recent years, it was the championship game slated for Saturday afternoon in sin city. A showdown between longtime conference rivals No. 5 seed San Diego State & No. 6 seed New Mexico.

Two teams that may not have been on everyone’s bracket in the MWC Tournament title game, but two deserving programs nonetheless. New Mexico won three straight games in three straight days to get here. Beating Air Force on Wednesday (82-56), Boise State (76-66) on Thursday & Colorado State (74-61) late Friday night.

While San Diego State got a bye into the quarterfinals on Thursday, where they narrowly squeezed by UNLV 74-71. Then upsetting No. 1 seed & regular season champion Utah State 86-70 on Friday.

It isn’t unfamiliar territory for either program, but it’s been a second home for one & a once in a while destination for the other. San Diego State have become fixtures in the Mountain West Tournament title game the last decade. Making nine appearances in ten years & cutting the nets down four times in that span.

While New Mexico made a Cinderella style run in Paul Weir’s first season in Albuquerque back in 2018. That game was also against the Aztecs & their “first year” Head Coach Brian Dutcher. The Lobos fell 82-75 to their conference rivals that year.

Missing out on the title, one they haven’t brought home to Albuquerque since Craig Neals first year in charge in Albuquerque back in 2014. Noodles inherited a Steve Alford built roster to help lift that trophy. With history & an automatic berth to the big dance on the line, each team needed to cap amazing individual seasons with an amazing win Saturday afternoon.

The Lobos momentum was still in full swing at tip-off. Hitting the floor hard in the opening minutes on a 6-2 run. A Darrion Trimmell three pointer brought the Aztecs to within one. Sparked by Jaelen Houses’ energy, New Mexico found their offensive rhythm, though San Diego State kept things close.

Richard Pitino’s squad enjoyed small runs all throughout the first half. The first thanks to five straight Jamal Mashburn Jr. points, giving New Mexico their biggest lead to that point, 16-8 approaching the ten minute mark. To be followed with four straight three point field goals (3-House & 1-Mashburn Jr.) to extend their lead to double-digits, 30-18.

After a JT Toppin layup gave the Lobos the 34-20 lead approaching the two minute mark, the Aztecs made their stand. Going on a 10-2 run before half-time, with all points coming in the paint from their frontcourt duo of Jay Pal & JaeDon LeDee. As the buzzer sounded, New Mexico went into the locker rooms up 36-30.

Second Half

Even though the Lobos surrendered the closing minutes of the first half to the Aztecs, they wouldn’t let that influence how they emerged from half-time. Earning a quick five points from their backcourt duo before San Diego State decided it was time to put the clamp down.

The Aztecs fell victim to New Mexico’s fast pace style of play most of the game. Leading to their deficit & leadless first half. But Brian Dutcher’s squad wins their games in a much slower & physically charged way. San Diego State made a stand that would turn what was a comfortable Lobo lead most of the game into a one procession dogfight the rest of the way.

The Aztecs would turn to a style of play called, pass the ball to Jaedon. A play that would see LeDee vie for position in the post, receive the ball & eight times out of ten get fouled & head to the line. The other two times out of ten he would make the shot.

Creating quite a conundrum for New Mexico, who became spooked & decided their approach would be fouling the Aztec big to make him earn his points at the free throw line. Well, it sounded nice in theory. But LeDee came into this one shooting 72.4% from the free throw line. LeDee would go to the line multiple times over the next ten minutes, slowing the game down & taking New Mexico out of their offensive rhythm almost immediately.

A Jaelen House technical foul approaching the ten minute mark would trigger a series of plays that ultimately gave San Diego State their first lead of the game at 44-43 thanks to a Reese Waters jumper.

The next ten minutes were an exchange of free throws with a few genuine field goals scattered about. It brought everything down to the final two minutes of the game. Were both squads were tied at fifty-nine a piece, a time where the only way New Mexico would pull the upset would be if someone scored true field goals & rebounded when their opponents didn’t.

In comes MWC Freshman of the Year JT Toppin, Who grabbed four rebounds & scored five points, which became the cushion needed for third year Head Coach Richard Pitino to secure his first conference title.

The Lobos began to celebrate their 68-61 win at the buzzer, as the first No. 6 seed to win the Mountain West Conference Tournament ever. Jamal Mashburn Jr. joined House & Toppin in double-figures 21 points thanks to some very clutch shooting from all three-levels of scoring.

Player Spotlights

New MexicoJT Toppin & Jaelen House

Stat line: House-28 points, 5 rebounds & 3 steals on 10-22 (45.4%) from the floor & 3-7 (42.8%) from deep in 36 minutes of action Toppin-13 points & 11 rebounds on 6-8 (75%) from the floor in 35 minutes of action

The performance House had in the first half is the reason the Lobos were able to stay competitive as the Aztecs began chipping away at their grip on the lead. But it was also his level head in the second half as his team struggled, continuing to give effort & not letting it get to his head. His game high 28 points help attribute to an amazing final MWC game ever. And to go out cutting down the nets in the Pit West, there is no better feeling.

JT Toppin stepped up with his double-double as frontcourt mate Nelly Junior-Joseph was mainly tasked with keeping Aztec x-factor LeDee unimpactful until he absolutely couldn’t. So Toppin contributed in all the best ways down low, blocking & altering shots, securing boards of both variety & making shots when no one else could. I couldn’t give the spotlight to just one players as the game was won with the performances of both.

San Diego State F-Jaedon LeDee

Stat line: 25 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists on 7-12 shooting (58.3%) from the floor & a whopping 11-11 (100%) from the free throw line in 37 minutes of play

LeDee went scoreless in the first fifteen minutes of the game. Which is something no one realized until he began scoring every single minutes of the game going forward. The Aztec big man found his confidence late in the first half & found his role going forward, wrecking ball who can shoot free throws, exactly to his liking. LeDee can score at all three levels but is his most consistent battling for space in the paint.

No other Aztec scored in double-figures & his 100% performance from the charity stripe is the a huge piece of why the momentum of the game was laid gently in their hands most of the second-half. It was an All-Tournament level performance for the ages, a great way to cap a great career in the Mountain West.

Next Up:

With the final buzzer in Las Vegas on Saturday night, the conference postseason comes to a close with an incredible performance from all teams involved. The only thing left to do is tune in tomorrow Sunday March 17th for this year’s production of the NCAA Tournament Selection Show.

You can watch Selection Sunday on CBS at 4:00 PM MT & 3:00 PM PT. A streamed version of the show can be viewed on NCAA.com during their March Madness Live Special.

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

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How Many Mountain West Teams Will Make NCAA Tournament?

How Many Mountain West Teams Will Make NCAA Tournament? Six-bid league? Follow @MWCwire Mountain West is doing extremely well in hoops It’s hard to ignore what is happening in the Mountain West Conference this basketball season when one looks at its …

How Many Mountain West Teams Will Make NCAA Tournament?


Six-bid league?


Follow @MWCwire

Mountain West is doing extremely well in hoops

It’s hard to ignore what is happening in the Mountain West Conference this basketball season when one looks at its history.ย 

Eight years ago, the Mountain West Conference was at the lowest point in basketball history regarding getting teams in the Big Dance.ย 

A gloomy shadow hung over the league as Fresno State emerged victorious in the league tournament, earning a modest No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament.ย 

Surprisingly, only some of the 25-win, regular-season champion San Diego State received an invitation.ย 

The following season brought no relief, resulting in just one NCAA Tournament bid, courtesy of Nevada.

Fast forward eight years, and things have changed for the better for the Mountain West Conference.ย ย 

The narrative takes a turn for the extraordinary as San Diego State triumphantly reaches the 2023 national title game under head coach Brian Dutcher.ย 

Undoubtedly, the Aztecs have been one of the most consistently winning teams in the Mountain West Conference. Still, the numbers don’t lie in that regard.ย 

This achievement propels the conference to new heights, boasting six teams in the mock field of 68โ€”an unprecedented feat that threatens to break the league’s previous record set in 2013.ย 

The last time a non-Power six conference achieved such a remarkable milestone was Atlantic 10 in 2014.

Theย Atlantic 10 Conferenceย earned a recordย sixย bids to the NCAA Tournament Sunday following a record season.

The Mountain West now stands proud with six teams positioned within the top 55 of the NET rankings: New Mexico (19), San Diego State (20), Utah State (25), Colorado State (30), Nevada (47), and Boise State (55).ย 

This formidable group has accumulated a remarkable 14 Quad 1 wins, putting them in a league of their own.

ย A stark comparison with the Pac-12, boasting only four teams in the top 55, and the ACC, also with six teams but with 12 Q1 wins among that cohort, highlights the newfound prowess of the Mountain West.

How did this transformation occur? It all started with a strategic shift in scheduling. The league officials devised a plan to recognize the limitations of attracting power-conference teams to locations like Boise, Idaho, and Fort Collins, Colo.

ย MWC teams were propelled into early-season multi-team events, providing them with opportunities to face formidable competition on neutral grounds.

ย Home-and-home matchups with solid mid-major programs became the norm, avoiding anchor games in Quad 4 as much as possible.

Mountain West Commissioner credits the high level of understanding among the coaches regarding team positioning and scheduling.ย 

The goal was clearโ€”to emerge with a 70-to-75% winning percentage in nonconference play, equipped with notable victories.ย 

The strategy paid off, with the league posting an impressive 73.2% winning percentage in nonconference play, ranking fourth among the 32 conferences.

As conference play unfolded, Quad 1 and 2 opportunities presented abundantly, mitigating the potential for damaging losses.ย 

The league’s commitment to avoiding losses to teams with lower NET rankings, exemplified by Air Force (200) and Fresno State (236), set the Mountain West apart. In contrast, the WCC struggled with three teams ranked below 250.

“When you lose to them,” Nevarez said of the conference stragglers, “you’re not losing to sub-300 NET teams.”

There is no denying the excitement around the league, and one would have to give some props to Gloria Nevarez’s new leadership.

ย Having assumed that position from retiring MW commissioner Craig Thompson on January 1, 2023, Gloria Nevarez came into her leadership role at a great time!

The national runner-up finish last year by San Diego State brought unprecedented exposure and millions of dollars in NCAA Tournament units to the league.ย 

This success has spurred other schools to catch up and invest in their basketball programs.ย 

While it’s unlikely that the Mountain West will maintain all six teams in the dance, the Pac-12’s challenges and the WCC’s potential one-bid season underscore the indisputable factโ€” the best basketball in the West is being played in the Mountain West.

Boasting influential head coaches such as Steve Alford at Nevada, Richard Pitino at New Mexico, Brian Dutcher at SDSU, Tim Miles at San Jose State, Leon Rice at Boise, and others, it’s challenging to envision a weakened Mountain West Conference.ย 

From a fan’s perspective, this league has been electrified, offering exhilarating games that are an absolute joy to watch on either Fox Sports 1, CBS Sports Network, or national TV coverage on CBS Network.ย 

Home teams hold a definite advantage this season, setting the stage for intense matchups and potentially providing a crucial edge as the postseason and NCAA tournament draws near.ย 

The excitement is palpable, especially with the anticipation building for the inaugural mailbag edition of Bracket Watch.

ย Fans are encouraged to submit questions about NCAA Tournament selection, the bubble, team outlooks, and more.

As we approach Selection Sunday, just 51 days away, the enthralling journey of Mountain West basketball persists, capturing the hearts of fans and serving as a source of inspiration.

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San Diego State Falls To UConn In National Title Game, 76-59

San Diego State Falls To UConn In National Title Game, 76-59 Aztecs are national runners-up Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire The loss hurts but what a season San Diego State’s first trip to the NCAA title game appearance was as an underdog …

San Diego State Falls To UConn In National Title Game, 76-59


Aztecs are national runners-up


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

The loss hurts but what a season

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San Diego State’s first trip to the NCAA title game appearance was as an underdog against UConn by being a 7.5-point underdog. It ended in disappointment by losing to the Huskies, 76-59.

This UConn team was very dominant in the NCAA Tournament by winning every game by double-digits en route to its fifth national title.

The Aztecs did start the game off hot with a 10-6 lead over the Huskies but UConn went on a 10-0 run to lead 36-24 at the half, and they never looked back or trailed at all.

The Huskies were in control for most of the game and were just keeping San Diego State at arm’s length for the majority of the game.

The closest the game came in the second half was when San Diego State went on a run midway through the second half to get it within six points, 56-50 with 7:15 left in the game.

During that run, it looked as if the Huskies were just playing with their food for a bit and allowed San Diego State to make things interesting, nothing more.

UConn then used its stout defense to smother the Aztecs who had difficulty passing the ball and getting clean looks not just in the second half but the whole game.

The Aztecs struggled to score and shot just 32% from the field and the defense did all they could to hold the Huskies to 43% but that was a big difference in this game. Free throw shooting also ailed the Aztecs as they were a respectable 15 of 20 but UConn was nearly perfect at 24 of 27.

Three-point shooting also was off the mark for San Diego State with making just 6 of 23 from downtown.

San Diego State just couldn’t get into a good groove in this game. They would get close and UConnw could respond, specifically with rebounding as they seemingly got the big ones when it mattered.

This loss stings for San Diego State fans but at least we can all agree,ย  we aren’t this guy who bet a cool half-million on Aztecs to cover the 7.5 points.

In all seriousness, this season for San Diego State basketball was amazing as they had their best season ever by becoming national runners-up. The Aztecs got over the hump after years and years of disappointing exits in the NCAA Tournament.

Now, San Diego State can be considered one of the elite teams in college basketball.


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SDSU vs. UCONN: Three Keys (Plus Two) To An Aztecs NCAA Championship Win

SDSU vs. UCONN: Three Keys (Plus Two) To An Aztecs NCAA Championship Win Just one game now separates the Aztecs from 2023 NCAA National Champion status, on college basketball’s biggest stage. Contact/Follow @tedmcgovern & @MWCwire The Huskies are …

SDSU vs. UCONN: Three Keys (Plus Two) To An Aztecs NCAA Championship Win


Just one game now separates the Aztecs from 2023 NCAA National Champion status, on college basketball’s biggest stage.ย 


Contact/Followย @tedmcgovernย &ย @MWCwire

The Huskies are dynamic, yet they have vulnerabilities the Aztecs can exploit in pursuit of a national championship.

Houston, TX โ€” The No. 5 Aztecs (32-6) play the No. 4 Huskies (30-8) in the NCAA National Championship Monday night. Tipoff takes place at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX, at 9:20 p.m. EST.

UCONN finds itself in familiar territory as it seeks a fifth national championship.ย  The Huskies are favored to win the championship by 7.5 points.ย  Meanwhile, the Aztecs have waged impressive upsets during this tournament, most notably against No. 1 Alabama.

It will take an intensely focused effort to beat UCONN, as the Aztecs look to become the ninth team this season to achieve this goal, even though the stakes have never been higher in Aztecs program history.

Here’s how the Aztecs can wage victory in the NCAA Championship.

Keys to an Aztecs Victory

1. play big and rebound aggressively

UCONN’s Twin Towers consist of scoring leader and junior forward Adama Sanogoย (6โ€™9โ€ณ) who averages 17.2 points on 60.7 percent shooting, and 7.6 boards per game, and super big freshman center Donovan Clinganย (7โ€™2โ€ณ) with 7.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

The Twin Towers dominate rebounding, so finding a means to disrupt this is vital. A steady rotation of Nathan Mensah, Jayden LeDee, Aguek Arop and other SDSU bigs playing physically and tenaciously will impact Sanogo’s and Clingan’s ability to dominate the glass. When possible it makes a lot of sense to have two SDSU bigs battling the twin towers.ย  It’s also notable that Clingan is a poor free-throw shooter, and if fouled, he will often miss at the charity stripe.

Focused attention on winning the battle of the boards is critical to the Aztecs taking control away from the Huskies, while exposing the twin towers to foul trouble as they aggressively fight for the ball.

2. deny sanogo the ABILITY TO BE “OUTSTANDING”

Many prognosticators have predicted Sanogo to be the outstanding player of the game, which is both understandable and very presumptuous. If Sanogo can’t rebound and score effectively, it will not only impact this game’s score- it will rattle the Huskies.

A goal for the Aztecs is keeping Sanogo to under ten in scoring and under five in rebounds. If he cannot produce, the lack of production willย  detrimentally affect the Huskies’ ability to wage victory.

3. disrupt uconn’s three-point shooting

UCONN’s top three-point shooters are:

Jordan Hawkins, averaging three 3-pointers per game on around seven attempts (38.6%). He attempts as many three’s as the second and third most prolific perimeter shooters combined.ย  Shutting him down reduces arc production.

Alex Karaban, averaging two 3-pointers per game on roughly five attempts (40.4%). He’s not as prolific as Hawkins, but he’s a more accurate three point shooter.

Joey Calcaterra, (former USD sharpshooter) averaging more than two 3-pointers per game on five attempts (44.0%). Calcaterra is UCONN’s best perimeter shooter, so he must be guarded very closely. Calcaterra plays half the minutes as Karaban on average. He typically comes out and plays with a hot hand.

Tristen Newton, typically makes one-to-two 3-pointers per game on three attempts (36.7%). Newton is UCONN’s leader in assists as well.

If the Aztecs do what they did to Alabama and Creighton, it will be hard for Connecticut to win.ย  They can’t allow the same looks that FAU got during the Final Four. This is vital to winning.

4. CONVERT UCONN ASSISTS INTO TURNOVERS

Watch for Tristen Newton and Andre Jackson Jr. to repeatedly feed the ball to Sanogo, Clingan and others.ย  Clutch Aztec steals and alley-oop interceptions will be a big momentum shifter in this game, and simultaneously shake UCONN’s confidence.

5. SLOW DOWN THE PACE OF PLAY

A lower scoring UCONN will be easier to defeat. Reducing the frequency of fast breaks, consistently consuming clock time and offensive rebounding could help the Aztecs maintain possession at a higher percentage of the game. Keeping the ball out of the Huskies’ hands as much as possible will build desperation, and provoke reach-in fouls and other fouls.

A combined effort in these areas could help the Aztecs stymie the dominant Huskies in ways that other teams simply did not.

The Aztec Nation wishes Brian Dutcher and the SDSU Aztecs the very best as they battle for a first-ever National Championship victory! Go Aztecs!

 

Previewing SDSU vs UCONN

The San Diego State Aztecs did it. They’re the first Mountain West team to make an Elite 8, then a Final Four, and now a chance for a national championship. Their reward? A game against the most dominant team in recent memory. The UCONN Huskies have …

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The San Diego State Aztecs did it. Theyโ€™re the first Mountain West team to make an Elite 8, then a Final Four, and now a chance for a national championship.

Their reward? A game against the most dominant team in recent memory. The UCONN Huskies have been destroying their opponents. The closest any opponent has gotten to winning was Saturday night, when Miami lost by only (!!!) 13 points.

UCONN has size, skill, experience, depth, everything a team needs to be great. The Aztecs will have their hands full. The Aztecs have also shown that theyโ€™re never out of a fight. They beat number one overall seed Alabama after being down by 9 in the second half. They beat Creighton after being down 7 points in the second half. They beat FAU after being down by 14 in the second half. This Aztecs team believes they can beat anyone, and on Monday night theyโ€™ll get to put that to the ultimate test.

Keys to a Huskies Victory-

UCONN simply needs to keep doing what theyโ€™re doing. It sounds boring, but when youโ€™re winning every game soundly why change anything? Theyโ€™re a top-10 team both offensively and defensively. Theyโ€™re the second best offensive rebounding team in the nation, and they have excellent ball movement.

Their team starts with Adams Sanogo, the bulky 6โ€™9 center who is 9th in KenPomโ€™s POY metric. He has been nearly averaging a double-double this tournament, as no one has been able to stop him.

When Sanogo comes off the floor heโ€™s replaced by the even taller Donovan Clingan, who is a rim protecting and glass cleaning monster at 7โ€™2.

UCONN has multiple guards that can shoot the ball, as Tristen Newton, Jordan Hawkins, and USD transfer Joey Calcaterra all shoot 36% or better from behind the arc. Newton and Hawkins each stand at 6โ€™5, giving UCONN a serious size advantage over SDSUโ€™s guards.

Rounding out UCONNโ€™s rotation are the 6โ€™6 Andre Jackson and the 6โ€™8 Alex Karaban. Jacksonโ€™s job will be to create plays off the dribble, clean the glass, and maybe most importantly contain Matt Bradley. Karaban will be asked to spread out the Aztec defense and punish them when they help from one pass away.

UCONN has all the tools to win this game, which is why theyโ€™re heavily favored. As long as they continue to play great defense, keep the ball movement, and control the glass theyโ€™ll leave Houston as champions.

Keys to an Aztecโ€™s victory-

The Aztecs have a steep hill to climb, but theyโ€™ve upset some really good teams this tournament, so why not do it one more time?

The Aztecโ€™s offense starts with Matt Bradley. Heโ€™s coming off a 21 point, 6 rebound performance against FAU and seems to be in rhythm again after struggling against Alabama and Creighton. Any Aztec victory likely starts with him scoring efficiently despite the Huskies size.

Social Media Reaction To San Diego State Defeating Florida Atlantic

Two time Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year Nathan Mensah will anchor the defense and be tasked with defending Sanogo. The other Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, and hero of the FAU game Lamont Butler, will be asked to guard UCONNโ€™s most dangerous perimeter threat at any given moment.

The Aztecs defense will need to return to pre-FAU form, where they held opponents to around 20 points less than their season averages, and held tournament teams to 14% shooting from behind the arc. As an extension of the defense, the Aztecs will need to limit the Huskies on the offensive glass. Getting a stop doesnโ€™t mean much if UCONN keeps the ball.

Iโ€™m terms of attacking UCONN there are a few keys. The first is forcing turnovers. UCONN can become turnover prone at times, and the Aztecs know how to crank up the defensive pressure to knock balls loose.

The other flaw UCONN has is they can be foul prone. Theyโ€™ve gotten it more under control as the season has gone on, but if the Aztecs can be aggressive and draw contact to get east trips to the line it would help a lot. Theyโ€™ll need to make the free throws, which they struggled doing against FAU, but without drawing a lot of fouls putting up enough points will be hard to do.

The Aztecs donโ€™t have any stars. Itโ€™s a true team. Any one of Adam Seiko, Darrion Trammell, Micah Parrish, or Jaedon LeDee could end up leading the team in scoring any given game. Keshad Johnson and Aguek Arop can also score, but add size and defensive versatility to the team.

X-Factor- 3 Point Shooting

The key to this Aztecs run has been its 3-point defense. FAU broke the trend, but the Aztecs still found a way to win due to breaking the other trend of Aztecs not shooting well in the tournament. The 3-point shot can be an equalizer. If, somehow, the Aztecs can maintain the 3-point shooting they showed against FAU, while regaining their 3-point defense, the Aztecs will have a chance.

Key trends for each team-

UCONN has started off every second half of the tournament with a run that essentially put the game away.

Meanwhile, SDSU is undefeated this season when playing teams that take 38% or more of their shots from behind the arc. UCONN fits that bill, as they take 41.9% of their shots from behind the arc.

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