Each week, Nevada Sports Net columnist Chris Murray will rank the Mountain West basketball groups. Here are this week’s rankings, with every workforce’s report and a remark. All data and rankings are based mostly on the video games accomplished by Monday.
1. Utah State
Last week: 1
Record: 24-5, 14-4 MW
Comment: Utah State snapped a two-game skid after dropping at Nevada and San Diego State with a hard-fought 74-69 win over Grand Canyon. The Aggies led by as many as 17 within the first half earlier than Grand Canyon rallied to take a 59-58 edge with lower than 5 minutes to play. Utah State responded with a 7-0 run and should solely break up video games this week in opposition to UNLV and New Mexico to clinch a share of the MW title.
2. New Mexico
Last week: 2
Record: 22-7, 13-5
Comment: In a battle of bubble groups, New Mexico outlasted San Diego State, with some controversial calls alongside the way in which. Luke Haupt hit the go-ahead 3-pointer to interrupt a 74-74 tie with 43 seconds remaining. New Mexico controls its future for a minimum of a share of the MW regular-season title, which might require wins this week in opposition to Colorado State (at residence) and Utah State (on the street).
3. San Diego State
Last week: 3
Record: 19-9, 13-5
Comment: San Diego State picked up an enormous residence win over Utah State to start out the week however couldn’t full the sweep with an 81-76 loss at New Mexico. The Aztecs have misplaced at Grand Canyon, Utah State and New Mexico by a mixed 11 factors in video games it led greater than it trailed. SDSU will seemingly go a 3rd straight 12 months with out a MW regular-season title, and it’s NCAA Tournament at-large hopes are skinny.
4. Nevada
Last week: 4
Record: 19-10, 11-7
Comment: The Wolf Pack’s back-to-back residence wins over Utah State and New Mexico didn’t carry over to the street as Nevada fell in extra time at UNLV on Saturday to drop its fifth straight recreation outdoors of Lawlor Events Center. It stays on the street to play at Wyoming, the place it has misplaced six in a row. Nevada will fall wanting a MW title for the seventh straight 12 months after profitable three in a row from 2017-19.
5. Grand Canyon
Last week: 5
Record: 18-11, 11-7
Comment: When Grand Canyon loses, it loses shut. Clearly, you don’t wish to lose in any respect. But the Antelopes have greater than held their very own of their MW debut season. Grand Canyon is 5-5 in its final 10, however these loses have come by six in extra time at Nevada; two at UNLV; six in opposition to New Mexico; 5 in opposition to Wyoming; and 5 at Utah State. The Antelopes shut with Air Force and Fresno State.
6. UNLV
Last week: 6
Record: 15-14, 10-8
Comment: Are we in settlement Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn needs to be the MW participant of the 12 months after his 42-point outburst in opposition to Nevada? It’s not usually a participant on a workforce within the backside half of the standings wins convention participant of the 12 months, and UNLV is more likely to end 10-10 in league, eighth out of 12 groups. But don’t blame Gibbs-Lawhorn, who’s averaging 23.3 ppg on 54.3/48.5/82.9 capturing in MW video games.
7. Boise State
Last week: 7
Record: 18-11, 10-8
Comment: Boise State has received three in a row, all in opposition to the MW’s “bad teams” Boise State is 6-0 in opposition to the MW’s backside 4 and bought a bum deal by drawing Air Force and Fresno State as soon as every (these groups are a mixed 6-30 in league play). The Broncos shut with two powerful video games, internet hosting San Diego State earlier than taking part in at Colorado State. Boise State is 9-3 since a four-game skid in early January.
8. Colorado State
Last week: 8
Record: 19-10, 10-8
Comment: Colorado State has received seven straight video games, the longest energetic profitable streak within the MW. Only a kind of victories was over a top-five workforce within the MW (that was over San Diego State), however the Rams have pushed inside one victory of a 20-win season for the sixth time within the final seven seasons. Getting to twenty received’t be straightforward with video games this week at New Mexico and residential in opposition to Boise State.
9. Wyoming
Last week: 9
Record: 16-13, 7-11
Comment: Wyoming beat Air Force on Saturday, however solely by 4 factors with coach Sundance Wicks saying his players deserve criticism for his or her lack of vitality and enthusiasm in that contest. After a 11-4 begin, Wyoming is 5-9. The Cowboys have largely averted unhealthy losses however haven’t been in a position to degree up in opposition to the league’s high groups, going 1-7 in opposition to the highest 5 coming into tonight’s contest in opposition to Nevada.
10. Fresno State
Last week: 10
Record: 12-17, 6-12
Comment: Fresno State misplaced to Colorado State and Boise State final week, frittering away a 13-point lead in Fort Collins earlier than mustering simply 53 factors, one above its season low, at residence in opposition to the Broncos. Fresno State hosts San Jose State and performs at Grand Canyon this week, with the destiny of head coach Vance Walberg one thing to trace together with his two-year report with the Bulldogs sitting at 18-43.
11. San Jose State
Last week: 11
Record: 8-21, 3-15
Comment: San Jose State break up final week in opposition to Air Force (win) and Colorado State (loss). The Spartans proceed to refuse to play protection, with an adjusted defensive ranking of 116.8 factors allowed per 100 possessions in MW video games. In its three league wins, the Spartans have counteracted that by making 34-of-69 3-pointers (49.3 p.c). We’ll see if that system works this week in opposition to Fresno State and Wyoming.
12. Air Force
Last week: 12
Record: 3-26, 0-18
Comment: Still not a lot to say right here.
Columnist Chris Murray supplies perception on Northern Nevada sports activities. Contact him at [email protected] or observe him on Twitter @ByChrisMurray.