Colorado State’s men’s basketball team is picked to finish fourth in the Mountain West Conference this season. That’s according to the preseason media poll released today in Denver.
The favorite? The New Mexico Lobos. The Lobos captured 22 of 26 first-place votes and 203 points for the top spot. UNLV received the remaining four first-place votes and 183 points to finish second, followed by San Diego State (158 points). Colorado State received 119 points to finish fourth, followed by Air Force (78), Wyoming (68), TCU (64) and Mountain West newcomer Boise State (63).
New Mexico returns four of five starters among nine letterwinners from a 2010-11 squad that compiled a 22-13 overall record and finished in fifth place in MW regular-season play (8-8).
Two-time defending Mountain West tournament champion San Diego State (34-3) is coming off the most successful season in program history. Senior guard Chase Tapley is the lone starter returning.
Four seniors and one sophomore, representing three schools, were selected for the 2011-12 preseason all-MW team. New Mexico’s Drew Gordon received preseason MW player of the year honors, while San Diego State’s Xavier Thames was named preseason newcomer of the year and New Mexico’s Hugh Greenwood was tabbed preseason freshman of the year.
The Mountain West will begin its 13th season of basketball competition on Friday, November 11.
