The Real Prestige Rankings: Part VIII

8)  Mountain West – Average Point Total: 148.33

1) UNLV – 453 (27, 8)

2) Utah – 448 (28, 24)

3) New Mexico – 144 (T-69, T-70)

4) BYU – 120 (T-80, 46)

5) Wyoming – 86 (T-96, T-111)

6) Colorado State – 38 (T-142, T-148)

7) TCU – 36 (T-149, T-138)

8) San Diego State – 6 (T-175, T-208)

9) Air Force – 4 (T-191, T-260)

The Mountain West Conference is ahead of Conference USA in the standings because they have two powerhouse teams, while Conference USA only has one.  UNLV and Utah are both in the top 30 overall teams.

UNLV barely edged out Utah for the top spot in the Mountain West.  Not only are they one after another in the conference standings, but they are also one after another in the overall standings (at 27 and 28 respectively).

Every team in the Mountain West has at least two tournament appearances in the past 24 seasons, and all except San Diego State and Air Force have won at least one game. 

The Mountain West is also the first conference we have seen to have a National Championship since 1985.  UNLV won the National Championship in 1990.

New Mexico has also had good tournament success, earning four straight first round victories from 1996 to 1999.  BYU has twelve tournament appearances, but has lost in the first round nine times and in the second round the other three times. 

Wyoming is the team that has made the most of their tournament appearances.  They have only made the NCAA tournament three times in the past 24 seasons but have a Sweet Sixteen appearance (1987) and a second round exit (2002).

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?