Best of the West: Mountain West, Pac-12 and WCC tracking for at least seven combined NCAA bids and perhaps eight (or nine)
Welcome to the final edition of Best of the West for the 2022-23 season — or should we say, the final standard edition.
Next week, the Hotline will eschew the rankings and offer predictions for the West Coast Conference tournament, which begins March 2.
The following week, we’ll game out the Pac-12 and Mountain West tournaments and peek ahead to Selection Sunday.
Our current projections for NCAA Tournament bids are as follows …
WCC (two): Gonzaga and Saint Mary’sPac-12 (three): Arizona, UCLA and USCMW (three): San Diego State, Boise State and Nevada
On the outskirts of the bubble: New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Utah State
Here we go, one last time …
(NET rankings through Wednesday)
1. UCLA (23-4/14-2 Pac-12)
Last week: 1Results: beat Stanford 73-64 and Cal 78-43Next up: at Utah (Thursday)NET ranking: 4Comment: In our view, the Bruins must beat Arizona twice, in the regular-season finale and the conference championship, to receive serious consideration for a No. 1 seed in the NCAAs.
2. Arizona (24-4/13-4 Pac-12)
Last week: 2Results: beat Utah 88-62 and Colorado 78-68Next up: vs. Arizona State (Saturday)NET ranking: 11Comment: Good time to remind fans that conference affiliation and finish have zero bearing on NCAA seeds or regional placement.
3. Saint Mary’s (24-5/13-1 WCC)
Last week: 3Results: beat San Diego 62-59 and BYU 71-65Next up: vs. Pacific (Thursday)NET ranking: 8Comment: To be considered a trap game, the opponent must have teeth. On the road, UoP can’t do much more than try to gum the Gaels into submission.
4. Gonzaga (23-5/12-2 WCC)
Last week: 4Results: beat LMU 108-65 and Pepperdine 97-88Next up: vs. San Diego (Thursday)NET ranking: 10Comment: Prediction: The Zags will win their regular-season finale in blowout fashion. (Psst: They play Chicago State next week.)
5. San Diego State (22-5/13-2 MW)
Last week: 5Results: beat Colorado State 77-58Next up: at New Mexico (Saturday)NET ranking: 16Comment: The record looks better by the week, but the Aztecs don’t have enough Quadrant I wins to climb as high as a No. 4 seed.
6. USC (19-8/11-5 Pac-12)
Last week: 7Results: beat Cal 97-60 and Stanford 85-75Next up: at Colorado (Thursday)NET ranking: 54Comment: We have no evidence to support the theory that it’s better to play Colorado first on the Mountain swing. But we have no evidence to refute it, either.
7. Boise State (22-6/12-3 MW)
Last week: 8Results: beat UNLV 73-69 and New Mexico 82-77Next up: at SJSU (Saturday)NET ranking: 23Comment: Not difficult to envision the Broncos beating SDSU in Boise next week to pull even in the MW race, then losing their finale at Utah State to finish second.
8. Nevada (21-7/11-4 MW)
Last week: 6Results: lost to Utah State 75-66, beat SJSU 66-51Next up: at Fresno State (Friday)NET ranking: 32Comment: Ladies and gentlemen, may we introduce the Coach of the Year in the Mountain West, Mr. Steve Alford …
9. Utah State (22-7/11-5 MW)
Last week: NRResults: beat Nevada 75-66 and Wyoming 65-55Next up: at UNLV (Wednesday)NET ranking: 31Comment: Hold on, we’re being told Mr. Ryan Odom would like a word.
10. Utah Valley (21-6/12-2 WAC)
Last week: NRResults: beat Seattle 67-58Next up: at Tarleton (Thursday)NET ranking: 78Comment: Meanwhile, UVU’s fourth-year coach, Mark Madsen, is building a solid resume in case there are any vacancies in the Pac-12.
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