Boise State Mountain West Tournament hub: Schedule, bracket, predictions

The Boise State men’s basketball team is on the right side of the bracket to make a run at the Mountain West Tournament.

The Broncos (20-11, 12-8), who won their final five regular-season games to claim the No. 6 seed, open the four-day tournament against San Jose State (8-23, 3-17) at 9:30 p.m. Mountain time on Wednesday at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The winner advances to face No. 3 seed New Mexico (22-9, 13-7) in the quarterfinals.

Boise State is a combined 4-0 against San Jose State and New Mexico this season. The three teams that swept the Broncos in MWC play—No. 1 Utah State (25-6, 15-5), No. 4 Grand Canyon (20-11, 13-7) and No. 8 UNLV (16-15, 11-9)—are all on the opposite side of the bracket.

Sitting at No. 57 in the NCAA NET Rankings, Boise State will likely need to win the MWC Tournament to earn an NCAA Tournament bid for the fourth time in five seasons.

Here is the complete bracket for the MWC Tournament. All times listed are Mountain Daylight Time.

Wednesday, March 11

First round

All games on Mountain West Network

No. 8 UNLV vs. No. 9 Wyoming, 1 p.m.

No. 5 Nevada vs. No. 12 Air Force, 3:30 p.m.

No. 7 Colorado State vs. No. 10 Fresno State, 7 p.m.

No. 6 Boise State vs. No. 11 San Jose State, 9:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 12

Quarterfinals

All games on CBS Sports Network

No. 1 Utah State vs. UNLV/Wyoming winner, 1 p.m.

No. 4 Grand Canyon vs. Nevada/Air Force winner, 3:30 p.m.

No. 2 San Diego State vs. Colorado State/Fresno State winner, 7 p.m.

No. 3 New Mexico vs. Boise State/San Jose State winner, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, March 13

Semifinals

All games on CBS Sports Network

Quarterfinal 1 winner vs. Quarterfinal 2 winner, 7:30 p.m.

Quarterfinal 3 winner vs. Quarterfinal 4 winner, 10 p.m.

Saturday, March 14

Championship game

Semifinal 1 winner vs. Semifinal 2 winner, 4 p.m. (CBS)

How far can Boise State go?

With victories in five straight games, the Broncos are the hottest team entering the MWC Tournament.

Boise State played much better defensively down the stretch, holding opponents to 65.6 points per game during the winning streak. Prior to the streak, the Broncos had surrendered an average of 84.3 points during a rough four-game stretch.

Boise State does not match up well with scoring guards who can blow by defenders and get to the basket. UNLV’s Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, GCU’s Jaden Henley and Utah State’s MJ Collins Jr. and Mason Falslev are four players who torched the Broncos this season. And all four are on the opposite side of the bracket.

The Broncos should easily dispatch San Jose State to earn a chance for a third victory over New Mexico. Boise State matches up well with the Lobos and could cruise into the semifinals against Colorado State (20-11, 11-9) or San Diego State (20-10, 14-6). The Broncos swept the Rams and split with the Aztecs, including an 86-77 home victory last week.

Boise State Broncos On SI believes the surging Broncos will reach the MWC title game before falling to Grand Canyon. The Lopes have too much size, physicality and athleticism for the Broncos to handle on their fourth straight day of games.