The domination by San Diego State over the Mountain West Conference standings over the past few years has been one of the least talked about dynasties in the country.
Yet here we are again, with the Aztecs sitting at 6-0 and the Broncos at 5-1, both looking to separate themselves from the likes of Fresno State, UNLV, and the rest of the conference.
But aside from their positions on top of the standings, what else should we be looking for as MWC play continues into February, and eventually into March? We’ve got the top storylines below.
UNLV Turnaround, For Real?
The Rebels have shown signs of life after the dismissal of former head coach Dave Rice. Since then, UNLV has won three games in a row, scoring 100, 86, and 80 points in those games. Including Stephen Zimmerman has certainly helped, but in general, they simply look more organized and seem like there may even be offensive sets getting run during practice. It’s been far too long since we could say that about this group.
Player of the Year Race Tight
Many picked Fresno’s Marvelle Harris as the preseason POY and he’s poured in 19.2 points per game since then. But Boise State’s James Webb III has been, perhaps, the best all-around player in the conference at 16.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. New Mexico’s Elijah Brown has been ridiculous as well, but even his 19.2 points per game won’t be enough if the Lobos can’t keep pace in the standings.
Will SDSU Find March Success
Steve Fisher’s program has won four of the past five regular season ‘ships, not to mention six straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Still, the Aztecs only made the Sweet 16 in 2011 and 2014 in that stretch, despite constantly boasting one of the nation’s top resumes. It’s not that Sweet 16s are anything to scoff at, but SDSU needs to take the next step in its progression from Mountain West Conference power to national power.
