Mountain West men’s basketball title race: Boise State, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah State all drop games

It was chaos week in the Mountain West as the conference’s top four NCAA Tournament contenders — Boise State, New Mexico, San Diego State and No. 22 Utah State — all took losses.

The Lobos (15-4, 7-1) and Aggies (16-2, 6-1) both suffered their first MWC defeats of the men’s basketball season. New Mexico bounced back strong Friday with an 84-65 rout of Boise State (13-6, 5-3) while Utah State returns to action Wednesday against visiting Nevada (11-7, 3-4).

Saturday night, surging UNLV (11-7, 5-2) stunned San Diego State (11-5, 4-3) at Viejas Arena, 76-68. The Rebels also knocked off Utah State, 65-62, earlier in the week.

Following the carnage, the MWC is left without a team inside the top 40 of the NCAA NET Rankings. Utah State leads the way at No. 41, followed by San Diego State (No. 45), Boise State (No. 48) and New Mexico (No. 59). UNLV, despite the two signature wins, is all the way down at No. 96.

KenPom has the top four MWC teams ranked in a different order: No. 43 San Diego State, No. 50 Utah State, No. 55 New Mexico and No. 56 Boise State.

Entering Friday, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi had three MWC teams in his NCAA Tournament field of 68: Utah State (seven seed), San Diego State (nine seed) and New Mexico (last four in, 11 seed). Boise State was not among Lunardi’s next eight out.

The MWC received six NCAA Tournament bids last season — Boise State, Colorado State, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State and Utah State. The Aztecs made it to the Sweet 16.

To put itself back in NCAA Tournament contention, Boise State needs to start banking some MWC wins. The Broncos’ next opportunity is a 6 p.m. Mountain time road game at Colorado State (11-7, 5-2) on Wednesday.

New Mexico junior point guard Donovan Dent strengthened his MWC Player of the Year case against the Broncos, putting up 16 points, seven assists and two blocks.

Dent averages 18.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. He is the MWC’s co-leader in scoring with Wyoming’s Obi Agbim and ranks second in assists per game behind Boise State’s Alvaro Cardenas (6.8).

Other MWC Player of the Year candidates include:

San Diego State sophomore guard Miles Byrd (14.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block)

Colorado State senior guard Nique Clifford (16.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1 steal)

Boise State senior forward Tyson Degenhart (17.5 points, six rebounds, 1.6 assists)

Utah State sophomore guard Mason Falslev (15.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals)

Utah State senior guard Ian Martinez (16.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists).

UNLV sophomore guard Dedan Thomas Jr. (15.8 points, 4.5 assists, 2.1 rebounds)

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