BOISE, Idaho — With just three weeks left in a three-month long regular season, there isn’t much to debate when discussing which league out West is playing the best overall basketball this year.
“We’re the No. 1 league in the West,” new Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez told KTVB on Friday. “We have the fifth-ranked team-average NET ranking in the country, but more importantly, we have a 72% winning percentage in non-conference [games]. That is the result of tremendous scheduling and winning by our coaches, and that’s really going to carry us through to the end.”
Average NET Ranking by Conference:
- Big 12: 27.7
- Big Ten: 57.5
- SEC: 73.9
- Big East: 77.4
- Mountain West: 90.6
- Pac-12: 95.3
- ACC: 109.3
- WCC: 119.0
- American: 128.0
- C-USA: 140.5
Nevarez believes the Mountain West is a five-bid league. Will that actually happen come Selection Sunday? Who knows. But Nevarez isn’t wasting any time trying to campaign for her conference.
“What do we do as a conference? We advocate with the NCAA committee,” Nevarez said. “Really, we’re just amplifying the work that’s being done on campus and on the court.”
This is easily the best year for the Mountain West since the NET rankings were crafted prior to the 2018-19 season. The league has never held a higher accumulative average over the course of a season than 113.0 or finished higher than eighth-best overall in the country, two marks they are set to collectively crush this season.
NET Averages for Mountain West by Season:
- 2021-22: 8th (113.0)
- 2020-21: 13th (163.73)
- 2019-20: 10th (138.1)
- 2018-19: 12th (166.6)
Furthermore, as Nevarez alluded to, the quality of the top five programs in the league are undeniable. The Mountain West currently has five teams inside the top 50 of the NET rankings, as many as all the other leagues in the West combined.
Top 50 NET Teams by Conference:
1. Big Ten: 9
T2. Big 12: 8
T2. SEC: 8
T4. ACC: 5
T4. Big East: 5
T4. Mountain West: 5
7. Pac-12: 3
T8. AAC: 2
T8. WCC: 2
T10. ASUN: 1
T10. C-USA: 1
T10. Summit: 1
The Bronco Roundup
The second bye of the season could not have hit at better time for the Broncos.
As Boise State head coach Leon Rice said on Friday, his team was “leaking oil” during their last road trip. Starters Marcus Shaver Jr. and Naje Smith both missed significant time, which stressed the rest of the their thin roster.
“We’ve got guys that play heavy, heavy minutes,” Rice said. “It seems like they’ve got their legs back and their energy back. The stretch run is coming, and it was the perfect time for a break.”
A look at their upcoming slate of games for the Broncos:
- Saturday, Feb. 11 – vs Wyoming (NET199)
- Wednesday, Feb. 15 – at Colorado State (NET122)
- Sunday, Feb. 19 – vs UNLV (NET82)
If Boise State can sweep through this slate of games, they will enter the final week of February with a resume that will be difficult to discredit come Selection Sunday.
Wins by Quadrant
- Q1: vs Texas A&M*
- Q2: vs Washington State*, vs Colorado*, at Saint Louis, vs Utah State, at UNLV, vs Nevada
- Q3: vs Utah Valley, vs SJSU, at Wyoming, vs Colorado State, vs Air Force
- Q4: vs Loyola Chicago*, vs CSUN, vs New Orleans, vs Oakland, vs Fresno State
Losses by Quadrant
- Q1: at Nevada, at New Mexico, at SDSU
- Q2: at Santa Clara
- Q3: vs Charlotte*
- Q4: vs South Dakota State
*Played at neutral site
NET Gains: Opponents on the Rise
Charlotte (NET101): The 49ers were going in the wrong direction for weeks but following a big road win at UTEP on Thursday, they have finally found their footing again. Charlotte has a massive Quad 1 opportunity on Saturday, when they travel to Denton, Texas.
- Result vs. Boise State: W, 54-42
- Next: at North Texas (NET56) – Saturday, Feb. 11 – 4 p.m. (ESPN+)
South Dakota State (NET164): The Jackrabbits have won three straight games, and seven of their last nine overall. Since Jan. 29, they’ve jumped from No. 178 to No. 164 in the NET rankings. If they can move into the top 160, the only damning loss of the season for Boise State would move from Quad 4 to Quad 3. That would significantly help the Broncos at-large changes on Selection Sunday.
- Result vs. Boise State: W, 68-66
- Next: vs South Dakota (NET312) – Saturday, Feb. 11 – 5 p.m. (ESPN+)
Texas A&M (NET37): This is quickly turning into the best victory of the season for Boise State. The Aggies just beat NET32 Auburn on Wednesday, and now sit alone in second place in the SEC standings.
- Result vs. Boise State: L, 86-71
- This week: at LSU (NET139) – Saturday, Feb. 11 – 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
Utah Valley (NET77): The Wolverines have won 16 of their last 18 games, including their last three straight. The Broncos need Utah Valley to slide back into the top 75 to reclaim a Quad 2 win. First place in the WAC will be on the line when the Wolverines hosts NET109 Southern Utah on Saturday.
- Result vs. Boise State: L, 87-69
- This week: vs Southern Utah (NET109) – Saturday, Feb. 11 – 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
Caught up in the NET: Opponents Hurting Resume
Saint Louis (NET103): Following a six-game winning streak that lasted most of January, there was hope the Billikens could climb high enough to give the Broncos a Quad 1 victory. However, they have recently responded by losing three of their last four games and have slipped to No. 103 in the NET rankings.
- Result vs. Boise State: L, 57-52
- Next: vs Davidson (NET153) – Wednesday, Feb. 15 – 7 p.m. MT (CBSSN)
Santa Clara (NET90): The Broncos are running out of time to go on a run. With five games left, they sit at No. 90 in the NET rankings. Boise State needs them to get back in the top 75, so their Quad 2 loss moves to Quad 1.
- Result vs. Boise State: L, 73-58
- This week: vs Loyola Marymount (NET93) – Saturday, Feb. 11 – 5 p.m.
New Mexico (NET48): New Mexico is officially in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament. Following their win over Boise State in Albuquerque, the Lobos jumped all the way up to No. 28 in the NET rankings. They’re lost four of fives games since though, and have dropped to No. 48, two spots from their lowest point of the season.
- Result vs. Boise State: L, 73-58
- This week: vs Wyoming (NET199) – Tuesday, Feb. 14 – 8 p.m. (CBSSN)
UNLV (NET82): The Runnin’ Rebels didn’t do the Broncos any favors when they lost on their home floor to NET171 Fresno State last week. After starting the month at No. 69 in the NET rankings, they have slipped to No. 82. Boise State needs UNLV to rejoin the top 75 so they can get credited with a Quad 1 victory. Although unlikely, they could make up significant ground with a big upset in America’s Finest City on Saturday.
- Result vs. Boise State: L, 84-66
- This week: at San Diego State (NET22) – Saturday, Feb. 11 – 2 p.m. (FOX)
Who To Root For on Saturday
There are a number of games that could impact Boise State’s resume on Saturday. Root for the team in BOLD.
- South Dakota at South Dakota State (-9.5) – 5 p.m. (ESPN+)
- UNLV (+9.0) at San Diego State – Saturday, Feb. 11 – 2 p.m. (FOX)
- Charlotte (+6.5) at North Texas – 4 p.m. (ESPN+)
- Loyola Marymount at Santa Clara (-5.0) – Saturday, Feb. 11 – 5 p.m.
- Southern Utah vs Utah Valley (-6.0) – Saturday, Feb. 11 – 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
- Texas A&M (-6.5) at LSU – Saturday, Feb. 11 – 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
When it comes to the Mountain West games, it’s kind of tough to pick in a winner. Generally, it’s better if the home team holds serve in a big matchup. In this case though, Boise State already has a win over UNLV, and if the Runnin’ Rebels bump up to the top 75, that win becomes a Quad 1 win. If UNLV were to upset SDSU – which I don’t think is likely – the Runnin’ Rebels would probably move up quite a bit in the NET rankings.
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