Mountain West Conference Basketball Update & Power Rankings

What was once a comfortable lead for Utah atop the Mountain West Conference standings has turned into an absolute mess.

There is a three-way tie for first between BYU, New Mexico and Utah. Each team is 11-4 going into Saturday’s regular season finale.

And the last game may be a bit of scramble to see who can get the top seed in the postseason tournament. New Mexico, which has been playing the best basketball in the conference in the second half of the conference season finishes at Wyoming. BYU has the easiest road with a home game against Air Force. Utah can right itself as it finishes against reeling TCU.

It’s too early to talk about tiebreakers because of whatever happens to who.

However, it’s safe to say that all three need to win in order to continue to make their case to the NCAA selection committee. All three are at 20 or more wins.

However, New Mexico probably has more pressure on it because the Lobos have had to climb their way back into the argument. Finishing in at least a tie for the conference championship and getting to the conference semifinals would make a big difference.

Credit coach Steve Alford for getting his team to play really well since the conference season flipped over from February. The Lobos went 6-1 in the month.

San Diego State senior honored

Aztec reserve Kelvin Davis became the 2009 recipient of the U.S. Basketball Writer’s Association’s Most Courageous Award.

The 6-3 shooting guard from Waterbury, Conn. was diagnosed with Hodgin’s lymphoma last spring. But chemotherapy and radiation treatments enabled Davis to return to the program in the spring.

He will be honored at the USBWA’s Awards Breakfast on April 6 in Detroit, site of the Final Four. Davis has been a contributor for the Aztecs. He is averaging 2.5 points and 1.8 rebounds.

Davis will also receive $1,000 check that will be donated to the charity of his choice. Davis is also named one of 12 finalists for the V Foundation Comeback Award. The winner will also be announced the weekend of the Final Four.

His story grew slowly. He thought he was coming down with mononucleosis until he discovered a lump growing in his neck.

Briefly…

Should TCU lose at Utah, the Horned Frogs would be in danger of suffering their fourth consecutive losing season…consider Air Force’s plight. Coach Jeff Reynolds is the fourth head coach the program has had in the last five years. That definitely compromises the consistency of the program and why it goes from going to the NCAA tournament several years ago to potentially going winless in conference play this year….Wyoming freshman Afam Muojeke currently has 411 points to tie for third on the league’s all-time freshman scoring list. He is likely to pass former teammate Brandon Ewing who had 423 in 2005-06. Wyoming has at least two games remaining – the finale against New Mexico and a quarterfinal game in the MWC tournament. The Cowboys have an outside chance at postseason play.

Power Rankings

1. New Mexico
2. BYU
3. Utah
4. San Diego State
5. UNLV
6. Wyoming
7. TCU
8. Colorado State
9. Air Force