MW Men's 25th Hoops Season
Fromt he desk of Theresa Kurtz/Mountain West Conference
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 45: San Diego State (18), New Mexico (24), Colorado State (25), Utah State (30), Boise State (43) and Nevada (44). These six teams are a combined 118-37 on the season, including a 69-10 mark in nonconference action.
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 one of three conferences (Big 12, SEC) that has five or more teams with an overall winning percentage of .700 or better.
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 19th in the Associated Press poll and the USA Today Coaches poll, while Colorado State is No. 22 in the AP poll and No. 24 in the coaches poll.
This marks the sixth week this year that the Mountain West has had at least two teams ranked in the Associated Press poll. San Diego State is 19th and Colorado State is 22nd.
Boise State, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah State are receiving votes in the national polls.
Five MW guards rank among the top 30 in the nation in total assists. Colorado State's Isaiah Stevens leads the nation with 192 assists, while Utah State's Darius Brown II is eighth with 169 assists and Fresno State's Isaiah Hill ranks 13th with 164 assists. New Mexico's Donovan Dent ranks 30th with 140 assists.
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 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.