'Dynamic' Mountain West hoops race could see 6 teams move on to March Madness
Brian Dutcher has experienced all 25 seasons of Mountain West basketball and he’s never seen one as crazy as this one
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Brian Dutcher has experienced all 25 seasons of Mountain West basketball and he’s never seen one as crazy as this one.
A season after Dutcher’s San Diego State Aztecs became the first Mountain West team to reach the Final Four, the conference could have a record six teams reach the NCAA Tournament.
"Unbelievable,” Dutcher said of the race in the Mountain West, which stretches from San Diego’s beaches to the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains and into the high desert of New Mexico, where the Lobos would love to rejoin March Madness after a decade away. “It’s dynamic. You’ve just got to enjoy every win you get.”
For the longest time, several teams were within one game of the lead. The reigning regular-season and conference tournament champion Aztecs, ranked No. 21 in The Associated Press poll and led by power forward Jaedon LeDee, could have jumped into the lead two weeks ago but lost at Utah State. The No. 22 Aggies continued their unexpected run under first-year coach Danny Sprinkle when they clinched at least a share of the regular-season title by winning at San Jose State on Wednesday night.
