Mountain West Men’s Basketball Tournament Preview
The Mountain West men’s basketball tournament begins Wednesday in Las Vegas, Nevada, with three first-round matchups.
Fans can expect some exhilarating games. Teams are looking to punch their ticket for the Big Dance, aka “March Madness.”
Outside of New Mexico, this is their only hope for any post season play. They want to finish off their basketball careers, having invested many years of their lives in this great sport, Basketball.
Video Courtesy of the Mountain West Conference
The tournament champion secures an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. They become one of the elite teams. This allows them to extend their seasons.
March in Las Vegas is always electric. Multiple conference tournaments take place. The Mountain West tournament is one of the highlights and what better place than Las Vegas.
This year, the competition is incredibly tight. FanDuel Sportsbook indicates that there is little separation in the title odds.
The top five teams have dynamic stars representing their schools and states. For many seniors, this is the end of their basketball careers.
Two strong contenders, No. 5 San Diego State and No. 4 Boise State, are currently projected among the last four teams in for March Madness. This is according to Jerry Palm’s latest bracket.
All 11 Mountain West teams will compete at the Thomas & Mack Center. The action will tip off on Wednesday, March 12, in the first round. The quarterfinals follow on Thursday, March 13.
The full tournament schedule is below, culminating in the championship game on Saturday, March 15.
The MWC’s top five seeds — No. 1 New Mexico, No. 2 Colorado State (22-9, 16-4), No. 3 Utah State (25-6, 15-5), No. 4 San Diego State (21-8, 14-6) and No. 5 Boise State (22-9, 14-6) — are all off until Thursday.
Wednesday – First Round
No. 8 San Jose State vs. No. 9 Wyoming, 11 a.m. (NSN)
Both teams enter the tournament struggling. SJSU has lost six of its last eight. Wyoming has dropped nine of its last ten.
San Jose State swept the Cowboys in the regular season, winning 67-58 on the road and 82-73 at home.
The Spartans, who won their first-ever MW Tournament game last year, are slight favorites. The winner will face No. 1 New Mexico in the quarterfinals.
No. 7 Nevada vs. No. 10 Fresno State, 1:30 p.m. (NSN)
Nevada has struggled in the MW Tournament under Steve Alford (2-5 record). However, it has a favorable first-round matchup. Look for the Wolfpack to advance in this game.
Fresno State has struggled this season with a 6-25 overall record. They are also 2-18 in conference play, its just been that kind of year for the Bulldogs from Fresno.
A betting scandal has significantly impacted the team and its roster. This situation is not what the local fan base wants in their program by any means. As they say, time will tell the story.
Nevada swept the Bulldogs in the regular season. They won a close road game in overtime. Then, they dominated the Bulldogs by 25 points at home in Reno.
The winner advances to play No. 2 Colorado State.
No. 6 UNLV vs. No. 11 Air Force, 4 p.m. (NSN)
UNLV has won six of its last eight despite losing star point guard Dedan Thomas Jr., whose tournament status remains uncertain.
This team is different without Thomas in the game. He is that kind of playmaker for the Running Rebels from Vegas.
Air Force has endured a brutal season. It finished 4-27 overall and 1-19 in MW play. Its lone win came in overtime against Fresno State.
UNLV handled Air Force easily in the regular season, winning by a combined 44 points. The winner moves on to face No. 3 Utah State.
Thursday – Quarterfinals
No. 1 New Mexico vs. SJSU/Wyoming winner, noon (CBSSN)
Top-seeded New Mexico aims to defend its Mountain West Tournament title after winning it as a No. 6 seed last year.
Last season, the New Mexico men’s basketball team entered the Mountain West Tournament as the No. 6 seed with a 10-8 conference record.
With Lobos fans filling Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack Center, New Mexico pulled off an impressive run. They won four games in four days, which frankly is very difficult.
This earned them their first Mountain West Tournament title since 2014 for head Coach Richard Pitino’s Lobos.
The “PIT West” in Las Vegas has been good to the Lobos in their history in the Mountain West Conference.
Richard Pitino faced a significant challenge this season, losing three of his top four scorers from last year’s championship squad.
JT Toppin has been dominating at Texas Tech, earning Big 12 Player of the Year honors. Jamal Mashburn Jr. is leading the nation in scoring (22 PPG) at Temple, while Jaelen House is currently an unrestricted free agent.
Despite those departures, the Lobos have thrived. They go on to win the Mountain West Conference Championship for the 2025 season.
Their success underscores the remarkable job Richard Pitino & his staff have done with New Mexico this season.
His efforts were rightfully recognized, as he was named Mountain West Coach of the Year.
However, the Lobos have taken a significant step forward, finishing 17-3 in conference play to claim the No. 1 seed. They also enter the tournament as +250 favorites to defend their title.
Junior guard Donovan Dent is the only returning double-digit scorer from last season. He has emerged as the frontrunner for Mountain West Player of the Year.
He’s been outstanding, averaging 20.4 points per game (12th in the nation) and 6.5 assists (11th in CBB).
The Lobos are safely in the NCAA Tournament but’ll aim for a strong showing. One of their three conference losses came against San Jose State on the road.
No. 4 San Diego State vs. No. 5 Boise State, 2:30 p.m.
Both teams finished 14-6 in MW play. SDSU earned the higher seed after sweeping Boise State in the regular season (76-68, 64-47).
The Broncos need a win to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. The Aztecs sit on the bubble, but they appear to be on the right side.
A victory here should secure SDSU’s fifth straight tournament appearance.
No. 2 Colorado State vs. Nevada/Fresno State winner, 6 p.m. (CBSSN)
The hottest team heading into the Mountain West Tournament is No. 2 Colorado State.
The Rams have surged onto the bubble in Jerry Palm’s latest projections. They achieved this after closing the regular season with seven straight wins. These included dominant double-digit victories over No. 3 Utah State and No. 4 Boise State.
Senior guard Nique Clifford has been the engine for Colorado State, leading the team in points (18.4), rebounds (9.7), assists (4.4), and steals (1.2) per game.
The Rams finished 16-4 in conference play. They enter the tournament with the second-best odds at +350. However, two of those losses came against top-seeded New Mexico.
The Rams are on the cusp of an NCAA at-large berth but are focused on securing the MW’s automatic bid. They swept both Nevada and Fresno State in the regular season.
No. 3 Utah State vs. UNLV/Air Force winner, 8:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
Utah State is in a strong position for an NCAA bid.
However, they could use another win. This would help them avoid a “First Four” play-in game.
The Aggies finished 3-3 in their final six games, causing a slight drop in seeding. If UNLV advances, this quarterfinal will be a tough battle.
The teams split their regular-season meetings, with each team winning at home.
Friday – Semifinals
- Quarterfinal 1 winner vs. Quarterfinal 2 winner, 6:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
- Quarterfinal 3 winner vs. Quarterfinal 4 winner, 9 p.m. (CBSSN)
Saturday – Championship Game
- Semifinal 1 winner vs. Semifinal 2 winner, 3 p.m. (CBS)
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