While local attention is obviously and deservedly being concentrated upon the U men’s basketball team’s selection into the NCAA Tournament, the fact that the Mountain West Conference, three-year old separatist that it is, is sending six other teams as well, has come in under some people’s radar.
Just a few years removed from the controversial decision to split from a bloated, overloaded Western Athletic Conference, the eight member institutions of the MWC have validated that decision and illustrated their status as an up-and-coming league by sending three teams to the men’s tourney and four (half the conference) to the women’s.
Both totals established new highs for the burgeoning conference.
Ironically, the MWC’s high representation in the respective tournaments came in spite of speculation that improbable conference tournament victories by San Diego State on the men’s side and BYU on the women’s would effectively limit the MWC’s number of entrants admitted to The Big Dance.
When the Aztecs became the surprise victors on the men’s side, it was assumed that either regular season champion Wyoming or second-place Utah would have to sacrifice a spot at NCAAs.
Instead, SDSU got the automatic berth and a 13 seed in the Midwest Region, and both the Cowboys and the Utes also made it in, as an 11 in the West and a 12 in the South, respectively.
The Utes and Cowboys play Thursday, against No. 5 Indiana and No. 6 Gonzaga, while the Aztecs see action on Friday versus No. 4 Illinois.
Meanwhile, on the women’s end, Colorado State, ranked in the top-25 all year long, fell early and unexpectedly in the MWCs, and BYU came along to happily snatch up the free ride to the national competition.
Of course, CSU was still going to land a spot, but it was an added benefit that New Mexico and UNLV, who posted impressive records of 22-8 and 23-7, respectively, also made the grade.
The seventh-seeded Rams will take on No. 10 Tulane in Saturday’s West Regional, while the Lobos, Cougars and Rebels each were invited to the Midwest Region as the 10, 11 and 12 seeds. They will battle Notre Dame, Florida and Minnesota, respectively.