NET Rankings update: Boise State among five Mountain West teams inside top 55

Broncos are No. 45 in NET entering MWC Tournament

Boise State guard Alvaro Cardenas reacts with head coach Leon Rice and teammates. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Boise State men’s basketball team sits at No. 45 in the NCAA NET Rankings heading into the Mountain West Tournament. 

In last Friday’s regular-season finale, the Broncos (22-9, 14-6) squandered a 10-point second-half lead in an 83-73 loss to Colorado State (22-9, 16-4). Boise State had won five straight games and nine of its last 10. 

The loss dropped Boise State to the No. 5 seed for the MWC Tournament. The Broncos will face fourth-seeded San Diego State (21-8, 14-6) in a 3:30 p.m. Mountain time Thursday quarterfinal at Thomas & Mack Center.

Boise State and San Diego State are both on the NCAA Tournament bubble. 

The Broncos, who hold a 2-6 record against the top four seeds at the MWC Tournament, are 2-5 against Quad 1 opponents. Marquee non-conference wins over Saint Mary’s (NET No. 19) and Clemson (No. 22) are keeping Boise State on the bubble.

Utah State (25-6, 15-5) is the top-ranked MWC team in the NET at No. 37, followed by No. 41 New Mexico (25-6, 17-3), Boise State, No. 51 San Diego State and No. 54 Colorado State. 

All five teams received a first-round bye for the MWC Tournament, which runs Wednesday through Saturday in Las Vegas. 

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: 37

Record: 25-6, 15-5   Q1: 2-3 Q2: 7-3 Q3: 5-0 Q4: 10-0

New Mexico 

NET Ranking: 41

Record: 25-6, 17-3   Q1: 3-3 Q2: 8-1 Q3: 3-2 Q4: 10-0

Boise State

NET Ranking: 45

Record: 22-9, 14-6   Q1: 2-5 Q2: 4-2 Q3: 5-1 Q4: 10-1

San Diego State

NET Ranking: 51

Record: 21-8, 14-6   Q1: 3-5 Q2: 5-2 Q3: 4-1 Q4: 8-0

Colorado State 

NET Ranking: 54

Record: 22-9, 16-4   Q1: 1-5 Q2: 6-2 Q3: 4-2 Q4: 11-0

Nevada

NET Ranking: 78

Record: 16-15, 8-12    Q1: 1-6 Q2: 2-6 Q3: 4-3 Q4: 9-0

UNLV

NET Ranking: 95

Record: 17-14, 11-9    Q1: 1-7 Q2: 2-6 Q3: 5-0 Q4: 9-1

San Jose State

NET Ranking: 180

Record: 14-18, 7-13    Q1: 0-6 Q2: 1-6 Q3: 4-4 Q4: 7-2

Wyoming

NET Ranking: 196

Record: 12-19, 5-15    Q1: 0-7 Q2: 1-6 Q3: 2-4 Q4: 8-2

Fresno State

NET Ranking: 278

Record: 6-25, 2-18   Q1: 0-7 Q2: 0-7 Q3: 0-7 Q4: 6-4

Air Force

NET Ranking: 317

Record: 4-27, 1-19   Q1: 0-5 Q2: 0-9 Q3: 1-8 Q4: 3-5

MORE BOISE STATE NEWS & ANALYSIS

• NCAA Tournament projections: Boise State remains on bubble entering Mountain West Tournament

• Mountain West basketball tournament: Updated bracket, schedule, seeds

• ‘He’s a special player;’ What Leon Rice said after Nique Clifford torches Boise State for career-high 36 points

• The Nique Clifford Show: 3 takeaways from Colorado State’s comeback win over Boise State

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