Boise State must rise in NET Rankings to receive NCAA Tournament at-large consideration

The Boise State men’s basketball team’s clearest path to the NCAA Tournament is winning four games in four days this week at the Mountain West Tournament, but the Broncos have an outside chance at landing an at-large bid with a strong showing in Las Vegas.

As of Tuesday morning, Boise State (20-11, 12-8) is up to No. 57 in the NCAA NET Rankings. The sixth-seeded Broncos have won five straight games entering Wednesday’s MWC Tournament opener against No. 11 San Jose State (8-23, 3-17) at Thomas & Mack Center.

Boise State needs to rise a few spots in the NET to be an NCAA Tournament at-large candidate. The Broncos were No. 44 in the NET on Selection Sunday last year and were among the first four out alongside Ohio State (NET No. 41), West Virginia (No. 51) and Indiana (No. 54).

Regular-season champion Utah State (25-6, 15-5) is the MWC’s top-ranked team in the NET at No. 29, followed by No. 45 New Mexico (22-9, 13-7), No. 47 San Diego State (20-10, 14-6), No. 57 Boise State, No. 68 Grand Canyon (20-11, 13-7) and No. 73 Nevada (20-11, 12-8).

Here is a closer look at each Mountain West member’s NCAA Tournament resume through the lens of the NET Rankings.

Utah State

NET Ranking: 29

Record: 25-6, 15-5 Q1: 3-4 Q2: 8-1 Q3: 8-1 Q4: 5-0

New Mexico

NET Ranking: 45

Record: 22-9, 13-7 Q1: 2-6 Q2: 6-1 Q3: 4-2 Q4: 9-0

San Diego State

NET Ranking: 47

Record: 20-10, 14-6 Q1: 2-7 Q2: 5-2 Q3: 6-1 Q4: 6-0

Boise State

NET Ranking: 57

Record: 20-11, 12-8 Q1: 2-6 Q2: 6-3 Q3: 8-1 Q4: 3-0

Grand Canyon

NET Ranking: 68

Record: 20-11, 13-7 Q1: 3-5 Q2: 3-3 Q3: 4-2 Q4: 10-1

Nevada

NET Ranking: 73

Record: 20-11, 12-8 Q1: 1-5 Q2: 4-4 Q3: 11-0 Q4: 4-2

Colorado State

NET Ranking: 87

Record: 20-11, 11-9 Q1: 3-4 Q2: 4-5 Q3: 3-1 Q4: 9-1

Wyoming

NET Ranking: 98

Record: 18-13, 9-11 Q1: 1-7 Q2: 1-5 Q3: 3-1 Q4: 12-0

UNLV

NET Ranking: 110

Record: 16-15, 11-9 Q1: 4-4 Q2: 4-4 Q3: 2-4 Q4: 5-3

Fresno State

NET Ranking: 150

Record: 13-18, 7-13 Q1: 0-7 Q2: 0-7 Q3: 5-2 Q4: 7-2

San Jose State

NET Ranking: 256

Record: 8-23, 3-17 Q1: 0-7 Q2: 1-10 Q3: 0-6 Q4: 6-0

Air Force

NET Ranking: 349

Record: 3-28, 0-20 Q1: 0-7 Q2: 0-8 Q3: 0-8 Q4: 3-5