The Mountain West saw another wild week of basketball as the conference barrels its way towards a record six bids in the NCAA tournament. Seven(!) teams now sit within a game of first place after first-place Utah State fell at Colorado State. Let’s get into it.
Team of the Week: San Diego State
Things looked grim for the Aztecs at Viejas Arena after the first half of Tuesday’s tilt against Colorado State. The Rams were scorching the nets from distance, Jaedon LeDee spent most of the half on the bench in foul trouble, and SDSU trailed by 14 at the break.
Then there was the second half.
The Aztecs clamped down defensively, holding CSU to three made field goals and a paltry 11 points. LeDee took over the half offensively, scoring 22 points on 8/11 shooting, and the Aztecs rolled to a 71-55 victory.
SDSU followed that comeback win with a much less dramatic 81-70 home win over New Mexico. LeDee kept Nelly Junior Joseph on the bench all game with foul trouble and proceeded to score 23 points in his absence.
For their efforts, the Aztecs got a top four seed in the NCAA selection committee’s bracket preview and a subsequent bump to #19 in the AP poll. Vibes are good on the Mesa.
Player of the Week: Nick Davidson
Nick Davidson played solid minutes off the bench for the Nevada Wolf Pack last season, and has started every game so far in 2023-24. Yet somehow, it feels like Nick Davidson is the biggest discovery in northern Nevada since the Comstock Lode. Through January, Davidson’s career high in scoring was 19 points. Since the calendar turned to February, he has averaged 19.8 ppg, along with 8.8 rpg. Davidson’s rise couldn’t have come at a better time for the Wolf Pack; they’re 4-1 in that stretch, with the only loss a home heartbreaker to New Mexico on Tuesday, and they currently find themselves on the right side of NCAA tournament bubble.
Game to Watch: San Diego State at Utah State
2/20, 7 PM MT (CBSSN), Logan, UT
The red-hot Aztecs hold the tiebreaker for first place in the Mountain West, and they can secure sole possession with a win at Utah State on Tuesday. SDSU is playing some of their best basketball of the season, while Utah State is limping into their bye week, having lost three of five. The Aggies’ offense looked woeful in a Saturday loss at Colorado State, and the Aztec’s top-ranked defense is not exactly the cure for an ailing offense. But SDSU hasn’t won a road game at any of the other top six MW schools, and Logan is arguably the most difficult place to play in the conference. This should be one of the best games of the season.