AROUND THE MOUNTAIN WEST
- The Mountain West is celebrating its 25th season of men’s basketball during the 2023-24 campaign.
- In the current NET rankings, the Mountain West has six programs ranked among the top 40: San Diego State (19), Boise State (24), New Mexico (28), Colorado State (34), Utah State (36) and Nevada (40). These six teams are a combined 133-43 on the season, including a 69-10 mark in nonconference action.
- The Mountain West is one of three conferences (Big 12, 7; MW, 6; SEC, 6) with six or more teams ranked among the top 40 of the current NET rankings.
- The Mountain West is 104-38 (.732) in nonconference action in 2023-24, the fourth-best nonconference record among the 32 conferences. The MW has had a nonconference winning percentage of .600 or better in each of the last four seasons.
- Best in the WEST. The Mountain West is 24-7 against the Pac-12 (6-1) and West Coast Conference (18-6) in 2023-24.
- The Mountain West is the only conference that has six or more teams with an overall winning percentage of .700 or better.
- The Mountain West is one of three conferences (Big 12, SEC) that has six teams with 20 or more wins this season.
- The Mountain West is the only conference to have all its teams finish the nonconference slate with a winning percentage above .500.
- San Diego State is currently ranked 21st in the Associated Press poll and 19th in the USA Today Coaches poll, while Utah State is No. 22 in both national polls.
- This marks the eighth week this year that the Mountain West has had at least two teams ranked in the Associated Press San Diego State is 21st and Utah State is 22nd.
- The Mountain West is one of eight conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, MW, Pac-12, SEC, WCC) with multiple teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25.
- Boise State, Colorado State, Nevada and New Mexico are receiving votes in the national polls.
- Four MW guards rank among the top 30 in the nation in assists per game. Colorado State’s Isaiah Stevens is fifth in the nation with 7.2, while Utah State’s Darius Brown II is 14th with 6.2 and Fresno State’s Isaiah Hill ranks 16th with 6.1 assists per game. New Mexico’s Donovan Dent ranks 29th with 5.5 helpers per contest.
- CSU’s Stevens and SDSU’s Jaedon LeDee have been named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 and the Lute Olson watch lists. Additionally, Utah State’s Great Osobor was named to the Lute Olson watch list. The trio was also named to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List.
- The Mountain West is one of five conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big East, SEC) with three or more student-athletes on the Lute Olson watch list.
- SDSU’s LeDee and USU’s Osobor are finalists for the Karl Malone Award, while CSU’s Stevens is a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award.
