It happens almost every January and early February. The Mountain West undergoes prolonged angst and hand-wringing over the prospect of becoming a “one-bid” league at NCAA Tournament time.
Then things fall into place and the league gets two or three teams into the tournament. That could well happen again this season, with Air Force (21-5, 9-4) having improved its prospects and league-leading San Diego State (18-7, 11-2) also in good shape. There’s even a dark horse in BYU (16-7, 8-4).
Air Force has by far the MWC’s best RPI in the latest NCAA rankings, at No. 46, with BYU at No. 60 and San Diego State at No. 62.
Of course, it doesn’t help public perception when ESPN announcers at last week’s San Diego State-UNLV game called the MWC a one-bid league. CollegeRPI.com, meanwhile, dismisses the MWC as a “mediocre league.”
San Diego State, which has won 10 of its past 11 games, is doing what the NCAA Tournament committee likes, namely playing its best ball at the end of the season.
The Aztecs don’t resemble the team that stumbled around in December. Florida transfer Mohamed Abukar wasn’t eligible until just before league play started and the team’s best player, Marcus Slaughter, missed some December games with a knee injury.
The Mountain West is No. 8 as a conference in RPI. League research shows every league ranked No. 8 or better since 2000 earned at least one at-large bid, except for the MWC in 2001. The conference tournament winner gets the automatic bid.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had anyone jump up for joy over multiple at-large bids,” MWC commissioner Craig Thompson said. “I think we’ve earned (the at-large bids).”
San Diego State can clinch no worse than a share of the league title with a victory tonight at BYU. It would also be coach Steve Fisher’s 100th career win at the school. It would be a worthy victory, because BYU hasn’t lost a home game in league play.
Suspension scorecard
San Diego State freshman forward Kyle Spain returned from a suspension Saturday for undisclosed team rule violations.
But New Mexico lost reserve junior forward Kyle Proschaska, who was suspended for the year after he was charged with resisting arrest after local county sheriff deputies had to spray him with pepper spray.
Proschaska had been averaging 18.1 minutes and 4.3 points.
Proschaska was found sleeping in his vehicle early Sunday morning with the car missing a front tire and parked against a fence, according to the sheriff’s report.
“He did have the responsibility to pull over and not drive, but I wish he would have called a coach or a teammate to get him,” coach Ritchie McKay said during the league teleconference.
Proschaska had been suspended in early December for what McKay called a “similar issue.” This time there was a clear violation of the team rule against drinking alcohol during the season.
Proschaska told the Albuquerque Journal that he may drop out of school and transfer for his final year.
Footnote
There will be a moment of silence before Saturday’s Colorado State-Wyoming basketball game in Laramie for native Wyoming broadcasting icon Curt Gowdy, who died Monday at age 86. Gowdy lettered for the Wyoming basketball team from 1940-42 and also played tennis for the school.
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-820-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
