MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

•  Southern Mississippi's Larry Eustachy set to become new basketball coach at CSU.

• Winston Shepard becomes highest-rated prep prospect to choose SDSU in school history.

• Cowboys sign versatile guard; still have two scholarships left.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• CSU's McElwain placing strong emphasis on "all for one, one for all" approach.

• UNLV excited about prospects of team's young tight ends.

• Wyoming's "other" Smith is proving to be more than backup QB.

• Boise State's defensive linemen have some sizable shoes to fill.

Have you seen a news article on the Mountain West, its teams and its players to share with fellow fans? E-mail them to Webmaster@TheMWC.com!

Air Force Falcons

2011-12 record: 1-13 MW, 6-24 overall
Key losses: F Jamela Satterfield

Synopsis: If there's hope on the horizon, it's that Air Force has graduated just two players in the past two seasons. And while the Falcons figure to once again lean heavily on talented forward Dymond James (12.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg) in 2012-13, guard Alicia Leipprandt was among the league's most improved players, averaging a team-high 12.7 points and leading the team in assists. Forward Katie Hilbig, who finished second on the team in rebounding (5.8 rpg), posted three double-doubles during the regular season. James, Leipprandt and Hilbig will all be seniors.

Boise State Broncos

2011-12 record: 5-9, 15-16
Key losses: G Katie Isham; F Nicole Brady; G Heather Pilcher

Synopsis: The Broncos will have a sizable void to fill with the loss of Isham, who ranked fifth in the league in scoring this season (14.2 ppg), finished second in the MW in 3-point field goals made (68) and played more minutes than anyone on the roster. The top returning player is All-MW second-team selection Lauren Lenhardt, who ranked among the league's top 10 in both scoring (14.0 ppg) and rebounding (6.1 rpg). For coach Gordy Presnell, the key will be identifying additional scoring options. Isham and Lenhardt combined for nearly 42 percent of Boise State's league-leading average of 67.6 points per game.

Colorado State Rams

2011-12 record: 9-5, 13-17
Key losses: G Kim Mestdagh, F Kelly Hartig

Synopsis: The Rams graduate only two players, but replacing Mestdagh, one of the top talents in CSU history, will be no small task. A four-year starter, Mestdagh earned first-team All-MW honors this season after finishing first in the league in 3-point field goals made (69) and steals (2.6 spg). She also led the team in minutes played, was the league's third-leading scorer (14.8 ppg) and tied for second in the MW with an average of 4.0 assists per game. Much of the team's leadership in 2012-13 figures to come from forward Sam Martin, who ranked first in the MW in field-goal percentage this season (.532) and was ninth in scoring (13.1 ppg). Also returning is forward Meghan Heimstra, who was tabbed the league's Sixth Player of the Year after averaging 8.6 points and 4.3 rebounds.

Fresno State Bulldogs

2011-12 record: 13-1 WAC, 28-6
Key losses: G Blakely Goldberg; C Veronica Wilson

Synopsis: The regular-season and WAC Tournament champion Bulldogs figure to make an immediate impact in their inaugural season in the MW. In addition to making its fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, Fresno State's 28 wins established a school record. Paced by WAC Player of the Year Ki-Ki Moore, the Bulldogs return their four top scorers in Moore (16.8 ppg), guard Rosie Moult (13.1), guard Madison Parrish (9.1) and guard Taylor Thompson (8.0). Moore, Moult and Thompson combined to average 17.0 rebounds per game for a team that led the WAC in both scoring offense (74.9) and scoring defense (62.2).

Nevada Wolf Pack

2011-12 record: 3-11 WAC, 7-23
Key losses: G Kate Kevorken, F Kayla Williams, G Amanda Johnson

Synopsis: After posting their best season in school history with 22 victories and winning their first-ever postseason tournament game in 2010-11, the Wolf Pack endured their share of struggles in 2011-12. The first order of business for coach Jane Albright's team will be to replace its top two scorers in guard Kate Kevorken and forward Kayla Williams. Kevorken ranked among the WAC's top 10 players in both scoring (16.0 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg) this season, while Williams averaged 12.9 points and a team-high 7.0 rebounds. The bulk of the scoring load figures to fall to guards Chanelle Brennan and Danika Sharp, who averaged 10.1 and 8.7 points, respectively. Brennan also ranked third on the team in rebounding (4.4 rpg).

New Mexico Lobos

2011-12 record: 3-11, 11-20
Key losses: F Porche Torrance, G Nikki Nelson, G Lauren Taylor

Synopsis: Despite enduring a second straight injury-plagued season, the Lobos, who lost seven games by six or fewer points, were a study in grit down the stretch, reaching the MW Tournament title game for the sixth time before falling to top-seeded San Diego State. Two key pieces to the puzzle --- junior guard Sara Halasz and freshman post player Whitney Johnson --- were lost to knee injuries, with Halasz, arguably the team's top talent, going down before the season began for the second straight year. Much like this season, the 2012-13 campaign figures to center around guard Caroline Durbin, a senior-to-be and first-team all-league selection who ranked second in the MW with an average of 15.0 points per game. Other players who expect to impact next season's fortunes include Jourdan Erskine, Chinyere Nnaji and Jayme Jackson. The trio combined for 58 starts.

San Diego State Aztecs

2011-12 record: 12-2, 25-7
Key losses: C Kalena Tutt

Synopsis: The only Mountain West women's team to earn an NCAA Tournament bid this season, San Diego State again figures to be a force to be reckoned with in 2012-13. The team returns four starters, including guard Courtney Clements, who earned MW Player of the Year honors after leading the league in scoring at 17.4 points per game. Also back is MW Tournament MVP and first-team all-league performer Chelsea Hopkins, the team's second-leading scorer and school's all-time assists leader, guard Kiyana Stamps, and center Malia Nahinu. Clements and Hopkins were the only two players in the league unanimously selected to the All-MW first team. In 2012-13, SDSU will have the opportunity to earn an NCAA Tournament bid while simultaneously winning at least 20 games for the fourth time in five years.

UNLV Lady Rebels

2011-12 record: 10-4, 22-10
Key losses: F Lenita Sanford, F Jamie Smith, F Sandrine Nzeukou, C Markiell Styles

Synopsis: It was a season to remember at UNLV, where the Lady Rebels posted their first-ever top-two finish in the Mountain West and concluded the campaign with their best record in eight years. The payoff came with a bid to the Women's National Invitation Tournament, the first postseason appearance since 2006 for a team that doubled its win total from the previous season. The challenge in repeating that success will be identifying capable replacements for Sanford, a first-team All-MW selection, and Smith, who during her career became just the second player in MW history (men or women) to score 1,000 career points while collecting 1,000 career rebounds. Key returnees include guard Kelli Thompson, the league's fourth-leading scorer (14.3 ppg) and a second-team All-MW selection, and guard Mia Bell, who earned third-team all-league honors after finishing tied for second in the MW in assists.

Wyoming Cowgirls

2011-12 record: 7-7, 12-17
Key losses: None

Synopsis: If there's a team to be wary of in 2012-13 it would appear to be the Cowgirls, who do not graduate a single player. Paced by forward Chaundra Sewell, the team's only returning starter this season, Wyoming returns three players who started all 29 games and another, standout freshman forward Kayla Woodward, who started 28. Sewell, a second-team All-MW selection, led the team in both scoring (13.7 ppg) and rebounding (8.8 rpg) while posting 11 double-doubles. Woodward (12.1) and forward Ashley Sickles (11.3) also averaged double-figure scoring for the Cowgirls, while finishing as the team's No. 3- and No. 2-ranked rebounders, respectively. Also back in the fold is starting guard Kaitlyn Mileto (9.1 ppg), as well as guards Chelan Landry and Alison Gorrell, who combined for 29 starts.

Despite defeat, the final act was far from forgettable. Fact is, where San Diego State's women's basketball team is concerned, the surface was merely scratched, the promise merely a preview.

During the course of a season where naiveté had little choice but to quickly come to grips with growth, the Aztecs might well have wilted with a roster that included one starting senior.

Instead, any fears of inexperience succumbing to ineptitude were dashed in only the second game of the season, when SDSU dispatched then-No. 18 DePaul 82-74, a win that would stand as the only victory by a Mountain West women's team against a Top 25 opponent this season.

In the ensuing five months, the Aztecs:

• Put together a 13-game win streak that marked the program's longest in 17 years and tied as the fourth-longest in team history.

• Opened MW play 7-0 for the first time in the 13-year history of the league.

• Posted their 14th 20-win campaign in program history, marking their third in the last four years and seventh under coach Beth Burns. Prior to 2008-09, the team hadn't won 20 games in the previous 11 seasons.

• Won their first outright MW regular-season title en route to pocketing their second MW Tournament title in three years.

• Boasted both the MW Player of the Year in junior guard Courtney Clements and the MW Tournament MVP in junior guard Chelsea Hopkins.

• Earned their third trip to the NCAA Tournament in four seasons.

And while the sting of Sunday's first-round NCAA Tournament loss to LSU will linger, its impact will last only long enough for SDSU to reload. In addition to returning four starters, the program was rated as having the 18th-best recruiting class in the nation this season by ESPN.com's HoopGurlz rankings. Moreover, forward Deajanae Scurry, a four-star recruit who was one of five freshmen on this season's roster, will rejoin the squad after redshirting in 2011-12.

"I think we may have skipped a step, if you will," Burns said after winning the MW Tournament. "I knew we had a talented young group. But the key was young, and our inside game beyond (senior) Kalena Tutt was such a question mark. We just weren't really sure how fast everything would get put together. I think it's a tribute to the older players on our team, the commitment they made, and the younger players on our team listening to the older players because I guess they did what you're supposed to do, which is get better and better and better as the season went on."

As New Year's Eve resolutions go, Drew Gordon's was to make New Mexico a winner, to take an already well-designed product and apply a final coat of sheen to the shimmer, to make whole a roster already rife with talent.

"The type of basketball New Mexico plays, on both offense and defense, is the kind of style I excel in," Gordon said on Dec. 31, 2009, "and coach (Steve) Alford is a great coach with a great reputation."

In announcing his transfer from UCLA to New Mexico, Gordon had Albuquerque abuzz. While waiting for his prerequisite year of idleness to expire per NCAA transfer rules, his practice performances often vied for headline space with the daily doings of a team that was merely en route to a 30-win season.

In his coming-out party against The Citadel on Dec. 19, 2010, Gordon finished with 11 points and three rebounds, drawing this assessment from Alford:

"He did a lot of great things today. He hasn't played in 13 months and he was just getting his feet wet."

And just getting started. Over the course of 61 career games at New Mexico (52 starts), Gordon averaged 13.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, taking his final bow with a 21-point, 14-rebound effort in Saturday's 59-56 loss to Louisville in the third round of the NCAA Tournament.

Gordon exits having posted 32 career double-doubles (19 this season) at New Mexico, a figure that ties him for third-most in MW history with Luke Neville (Utah, 2005-09).

Said Alford: "We're very, very proud of what he's been able to do and accomplish."

The real accomplishment, of course, will be identifying a capable replacement. Where Drew Gordon is concerned, replacing and replicating have drastically different definitions.

It was Nov. 1, ten days removed from San Diego State's 2011-12 season opener and seemingly light years removed from a campaign that had concluded nine months earlier with a school-record 34 wins and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16.

The Aztecs had holes to fill, gaping ones, gargantuan ones, Grand Canyon-esque ones. Gone were four starters from the previous season, one of them, Kawhi Leonard, an NBA lottery pick. On a small scale, they had been picked to finish third in the preseason Mountain West media poll. On a national scale, they had been relegated to the kiddie pool of also-rans, their story from the previous season since shelved and gathering dust.

So when coach Steve Fisher settled in for a press conference a day in advance of his team's first exhibition game, there was little chance that the opening question would entail how Fisher spent his summer.

"If you don't have pressures of expectations that are at least self-imposed, then you're probably not in a very good program and you're probably not a very good player. We have all of the above," Fisher said. "This isn't 2010-11. This is the 2011-12 season, so we have to come out and not feel like we have to live up to what happened last year. We have to see what we have to do to be as good as we possibly can. Right now, I don't think that any of us know for sure what `as good as we possibly can' really means. We will find that out."

What they found out was this: The higher the hill, the better the view.

That the Aztecs found themselves on the short end of a 79-65 decision in Friday's NCAA Tournament game against North Carolina State was hardly startling. SDSU never played a game this season where its lack of size wasn't a liability. That the Aztecs were there at all, however, after losing 66.2 percent of their scoring and 65.8 percent of their rebounding from the previous season, was an accomplishment worthy of being yodeled from a mountain top. Ditto the team's MW regular season co-championship and fourth straight appearance in the MW Tournament title game.

And know this: Of the five players who took the floor on Friday, four of them, including MW Player of the Year Jamaal Franklin and three-year starter Chase Tapley, will return next season. Also back are starting guards James Rahon and Xavier Thames. Waiting in the wings is 6-7 forward Dwayne Polee II, a transfer from St. John's whom insiders claim was the best player on the team this season; Utah transfer J.J. O'Brien, a 6-7 forward who started 21 games as a freshman in 2010-11; center James Johnson, a 6-10 transfer from Virginia; and 6-9 Winston Shepard, a four-star recruit from Findlay Prep in Las Vegas who owns the distinction of being the highest rated men's basketball recruit to make SDSU his first choice.

"No one ever thinks until the last game that it's going to be the last game," Fisher said of Friday's loss. "We're disappointed, yet immensely proud of the season that we've had and the program that these young men have helped build and grow. And I do think the best will be yet to come."

With Dave Rice's return to UNLV this season came images of glory days, of times when Jerry Tarkanian his band of merry marauders ran roughshod over most anyone who got in their way, of a day when the Runnin' Rebels were kings and the competition their court jester.

It was a new atmosphere that was only amplified when the former Rebel Rice, as the team's new coach, opted to add ex-UNLV teammate Stacy Augmon to his staff. The two had been part of the program's national championship team in 1990, and when Rice announced that his main priority was to once again link the terms Runnin' and Rebels, an always-fervent fan base couldn't fend off the fever. The Rebels were going retro.

And when UNLV swatted aside then-No. 1 North Carolina on Nov. 26, even the casual Rebel fan became a magnet for the mania. The heyday of UNLV basketball was back, and with it that "devil-may-care" constitution that had always left opponents just a tad terrified of running up against the Rebels.

So when the end of the season arrived in Thursday's NCAA Tournament second-round game against Colorado, the disillusioned and distraught were predictably quick with the "I-told-you-so's." This would have never happened with Lon Kruger. They got lucky against North Carolina. They were overrated, overhyped and swollen with a sense of self. They didn't deserve to be in the tournament.

As a coach, Dave Rice knows the drill: One day a pedestal, the next a target for tantrums. And when the cynics surface long enough to realize that all is not lost, that this year's crop of underclassmen (see Moser, Mike and Marshall, Anthony) is on par with the best in the Mountain West, the love affair will bloom anew. Always has, always will.

Said Rice: "It's important now for us right now to bottle up exactly how we feel so that we can get back to work. Because while this was a very rewarding season, and we're proud of a lot of things that we accomplished, we didn't ever feel satisfied with how it went.

"We're going to learn from it. Everything we'll do now until the start of next season is getting us ready to get back to the NCAA Tournament again."

The catch phrase, overwrought though it may be, is "prime time."

And where New Mexico sophomore guard Kendall Williams is concerned, time is apparently a dimension defined less by physics than fantastic finishes.

While Drew Gordon may ultimately be the Lobos' ticket to ride in the NCAA Tournament, it is Williams, last season's Mountain West Freshman of the Year, who has become the team's unquestioned leader. If Gordon is the standard bearer, Williams, in big games, has routinely become the bearer of bad tidings for opponents.

Flash back to last season's MW Tournament quarterfinal win against Colorado State. While Gordon was punching out his usual double-double (13/13), it was Williams who led the Lobos with a team-high 16 points, seven of them coming in the second half of a game in which New Mexico trailed by two with 5:44 to go. He shot 80 percent from the field (4-of-5) and was 6-of-6 from the foul line.

And so it was again Thursday when Williams, who seems to be as oblivious to pressure as he is horrible at tooting his own horn, sounded the call down the stretch, scoring 14 of his 16 points in the final 20 minutes to lead the No. 5 seed Lobos past ornery No. 12 Long Beach State 75-68.

Williams shot 54.5 percent from the field (6-of-11) and added six assists to pair with Gordon's 18th double-double of the season (18/13)

The Lobos (28-6) will face No. 4 seed Louisville (27-9) in Saturday's third round.

"He's got something that you just can't teach," Lobos coach Steve Alford said of Williams. "He's got that extra gear. He's the fastest player I've ever coached. He's very, very elusive. He can go right and left. He can go north and south. He's just got speeds to him that are hard to catch up to.

"And then he's got that ability that just very few players have --- he can make big shots ... He's always had that ability to make really big plays, if not by pass, by shot or by the free throw line."

Two Mountain West women's basketball teams have earned postseason tournament bids. Regular-season and MW Tournament champion San Diego State will face LSU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, while UNLV will take on Saint Mary's in the Women's National Invitation Tournament. Here's a look at the matchups.

Who: No. 12 San Diego State (25-6) vs. No. 5 LSU (22-10)
When: Sunday, March 18, 4:45 PT
Where: Baton Rouge, La. --- Pete Maravich Assembly Center
TV: ESPN2

San Diego State
What you need to know: The Aztecs will be playing in their third NCAA Tournament in four years and their ninth in program history. SDSU earned an automatic bid to the tournament after winning the MW championship on Saturday in Las Vegas with a 57-43 victory over New Mexico. The Aztecs were a No. 11 seed in their most recent NCAA appearance in 2010, defeating No. 6 Texas and No. 3 West Virginia to advance to the Sweet 16. San Diego State was a No. 10 seed in 2009, beating No. 7 DePaul before falling to No. 2 Stanford.

Players to watch: Junior guard Courtney Clements, the MW Player of the Year, reached double figures in scoring for the seventh straight game and 27th time of the season with 16 points in the MW Tournament title game. Clements was named to the MW All-Tournament Team after scoring 56 points (18.7 ppg) and grabbing 23 rebounds (7.7 rpg) over three games. Junior guard Chelsea Hopkins, who was named the MW Tournament MVP after finishing with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals in the MW championship game, is the school's career assist leader with 202. Hopkins averaged 16.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 3.3 steals in the MW Tournament. Junior center Malia Nahinu was also named to the all-tournament team after averaging 6.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.0 blocks.

Just the facts: San Diego State is the only MW team to defeat a top-25 ranked team this season, having beaten then-No. 18 DePaul on Nov. 18 at the Jack In The Box Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, 82-74. It was the Aztecs' sixth win against a top-25 opponent over the last four seasons.

LSU
What you need to know: LSU, which finished tied for fourth in the SEC regular-season standings, knocked off top-seeded Kentucky (a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament) in the semifinals of the conference tournament before falling to No. 2 seed Tennessee in the title game. The Lady Tigers lead the SEC in field-goal percentage defense (.341) and rebound defense (33.0 rpg). They are second in the conference in free-throw percentage (.704) and rank third in field-goal percentage (.436). LSU is making its 21st appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Players to watch: To suggest that the Lady Tigers present a tall order is hardly cliché. LSU boasts eight players 6-2 or taller, including 6-2 senior forward LaSondra Barrett, a first-team all-SEC pick who leads the team in both scoring (12.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.9 rpg). Yet Barrett's status for Sunday's game is uncertain after she was knocked unconscious in the SEC title game against Tennessee. The only other player averaging double-figure scoring for the Lady Tigers is junior guard Adrienne Webb (10.1 ppg).

Just the facts: LSU set a school record with 34 made free throws on 43 attempts in its SEC Tournament semifinal game against Kentucky, breaking the previous mark of 31. The 43 attempts tied for third most in school history and were the most ever by LSU against an SEC opponent.

Who: UNLV (22-9) vs. Saint Mary's (21-10)
When: Thursday, March 15, 7 p.m. PT
Where: Moraga, Calif. --- McKeon Pavilion
TV: None (live video on smcgaels.com)

UNLV
What you need to know: The Lady Rebels, who finished second in the Mountain West regular season, earned an automatic berth into the WNIT when San Diego State was the lone MW team to be selected to the NCAA Tournament after winning the conference's regular-season and tournament titles. This is UNLV's first trip to the WNIT since the 2005-06 season. The Lady Rebels have made nine appearances in the WNIT, posting an overall record of 9-10. UNLV made four straight trips to the WNIT from 2003-06.

Players to watch: Senior forward Lenita Sanford, a first-team all-MW selection, finished the regular season ranked second in the league in blocks (2.4 bpg), fourth in rebounding (7.4 rpg), 14th in steals (1.4 spg) and 15th in scoring (10.8 ppg). Her 62 blocks ranked as the fourth-highest total in school history, while her nine double-doubles were second-most in the MW. Senior forward Jamie Smith, the league's two-time rebounding champion, ranks third in the MW in rebounding (8.4), fifth in three-point field-goal percentage (.353) and double-doubles (six). Junior guard Kelli Thompson, a second-team all-MW pick, leads the team in scoring for the second straight year with an average of 13.7 points per game.

Just the facts: In 2011-12, UNLV not only doubled its win total from last season, but also posted just its third 20-win season in the last 18 years while claiming its first-ever top-two finish in the MW.

Saint Mary's
What you need to know: Saint Mary's, which has made four previous WNIT appearances, earned its third consecutive bid to the tournament. The Gaels, who reached the semifinals of the West Coast Conference Tournament before falling to runner-up Gonzaga, have one of the top RPI's in the West Region, entering the WNIT at No. 51. The Gaels have faced eight NCAA Tournament teams this season, posting wins over Gonzaga and WCC champion BYU. Saint Mary's finished fourth in the WCC regular-season standings.

Players to watch: The Gaels are led by senior guard Jasmine Smith, a two-time all-WCC selection who is averaging a team-high 15.0 points. Sophomore guard Jackie Nared (12.9 ppg) and senior guard Alex Carbonel (10.3 ppg) also average double-figure scoring. Nared and sophomore forward Danielle Mauldin (9.2 ppg) are averaging 7.4 and 8.6 rebounds per game, respectively.

Just the facts: In addition to having faced eight NCAA Tournament qualifiers this season, Saint Mary's has also played seven games against teams in the WNIT (San Diego twice, Oregon State, UC Davis, Cal Poly, Quinnipiac and Pacific).

Today we take a look at the Mountain West men's basketball teams that have earned postseason tournament berths. Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State and UNLV will participate in the NCAA tournament, while TCU and Wyoming have accepted bids to the College Basketball Invitational.

Who: No. 11 Colorado State (20-11) vs. No. 6 Murray State (30-1)
When: Thursday, March 15 (Tip-off 12:15 p.m. ET)
Where: Louisville, Ky. --- KFC Yum! Center
TV: CBS

Colorado State
What you need to know: The Rams' selection into the NCAA field marks CSU's ninth appearance in the tournament and the program's first since winning the 2003 Mountain West tournament. CSU's quarterfinal win over fifth-seeded TCU in last week's MW tournament gave the Rams 20 wins on the season, the seventh 20-win campaign in program history. The Rams' No. 4-ranked strength of schedule is the best among the four MW teams in the NCAA tournament, and they lead the Conference in field-goal percentage (.476), three-point percentage (.405) and free-throw percentage (.769).

Players to watch: First-team all-MW junior guard Wes Eikmeier (15.6 ppg) is the third-leading scorer in the league. Junior forward Pierce Hornung's 14-rebound performance vs. TCU last week set a new MW tourney record for the Rams, eclipsing the 13 rebounds pulled down by former NBA first-round selection Jason Smith against San Diego State in the 2007 first round. Junior guard Dorian Green, who had 20 points in the team's semifinal loss to the top-seeded Aztecs, currently has 1,022 career points.

Just the facts: Tim Miles is just the third coach in school history to lead the Rams to three consecutive postseason berths, having guided the team to the 2010 College Basketball Invitational and the 2011 NIT. CSU also made three straight postseason appearances under head coaches Jim Williams (1961-63) and Boyd Grant (1988-90).

Murray State
What you need to know: The Racers won the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season and tournament crowns, avenging their only loss of the season with a 78-58 win over Tennessee State in the championship game. Murray State achieved a ranking of No. 9 in the Associated Press poll during the regular season, its best in school history.

Players to watch: Junior guard Isaiah Canaan (19.2 ppg), tabbed a first-team All-American by the Sporting News, is one of the top three-point shooters in the country, having connected on 47.3 percent of his attempts. Senior guard Donte Poole (14.2 ppg) and senior forward Ivan Aska (10.9) also average double-figure scoring for a team that thrives from the perimeter.

Just the facts: The Racers' No. 6 seed is their highest in 15 NCAA tournament appearances. Murray State is 2-14 in NCAA tournament play overall, with both of its wins coming against higher-seeded teams --- North Carolina State in 1988 and Vanderbilt in 2010.

Who: No. 5 New Mexico (27-6) vs. No. 12 Long Beach State (25-8)
When: Thursday, March 15, 1:10 p.m. PT
Where: Portland, Ore --- The Rose Garden
TV: TBS

New Mexico
What you need to know: The MW regular-season co-champion Lobos were all business in winning last week's MW tournament. After getting past Air Force in the quarterfinals, New Mexico rallied from a 12-0 deficit at the outset to knock off 20th-ranked UNLV, a team that had dealt the Lobos their worst MW loss in four years during the regular season. The Lobos never trailed in the championship game, racing out to a 15-4 lead en route to a 68-59 victory over San Diego State.

Players to watch: New Mexico senior forward Drew Gordon was the MW tournament MVP, averaging a double-double with 15.3 points and 10.6 rebounds. Gordon has a MW-best 17 double-doubles this season. Sophomore guard Tony Snell averaged 13.0 points per game in the MW tournament, connecting on 9-of-22 three-point attempts.

Just the facts: New Mexico has won 64 straight games (58-0 under coach Steve Alford) when allowing less than 60 points. The last loss came on Feb. 22, 2006, in a 51-46 setback to Air Force.

Long Beach State
What you need to know: The 49ers are the Big West Conference regular-season and tournament champions, having defeated UC Santa Barbara in the tournament's title game. While Long Beach State may be a No. 12 seed, the 49ers are not to be taken lightly, boasting the nation's top-ranked strength of schedule in non-conference play. In addition to pushing San Diego State to the limit before falling, 77-73, in overtime, the 49ers dropped an eight-point decision at Kansas (88-80) and lost by just six at North Carolina (84-78).

Players to watch: Senior guard Casper Ware, the Big West Player of the Year, hit eight three-pointers en route to finishing with 33 points against UC Santa Barbara last week, marking his third 30-point outing this season. Senior guard Larry Anderson, who entered the season ranked seventh all-time at Long Beach State in steals, ninth in free throws made and 15th in scoring, is averaging 13.0 points and has led the team in scoring seven times in 2011-12. The 49ers start four seniors.

Just the facts: Long Beach State is 1-7 against teams in this year's NCAA tournament field, but five of those seven losses were by single digits.

Who: No. 6 San Diego State vs. (26-7) vs. No. 11 North Carolina State (22-11)
When: Friday, March 16, 12:40 p.m. ET
Where: Columbus, Ohio --- Nationwide Arena
TV: truTV

San Diego State
What you need to know: San Diego State, MW regular-season co-champion and the MW tournament runner-up, is making its school-record third consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament and eighth overall. This is the Aztecs' first-ever at-large selection into the tournament field. SDSU's 26 victories this season are tied for the program's second-most in its Division I history with the 2008-09 team that advanced to the NIT Final Four. Only last year's squad, which advanced to the Sweet 16, had more (34).

Players to watch: Sophomore guard Jamaal Franklin, the MW Player of the Year, posted his 12th double-double of the season (16 points, 10 rebounds) in the MW tournament title game against New Mexico. The league's leading scorer (17.2 ppg) during the regular season, Franklin has scored in double figures in a career-high 20 consecutive games. Junior guard Chase Tapley notched his second 20-point game of the 2012 MW tournament with 25 points in the championship game. It was the 29th double-figure scoring game of the season for Tapley, who tied a career-high with 10 field goals.

Just the facts: San Diego State is 23-5 in its last 28 games played during the month of March, a total that includes NCAA, NIT and Mountain West tournament games.

North Carolina State
What you need to know: The Wolfpack, which nearly knocked off top seed North Carolina before falling, 69-67, in the semifinals of the ACC tournament, earned its 23rd trip to the NCAA tournament and first since the 2005-06 season. North Carolina State, which finished the regular season tied for fourth in the ACC, enters the NCAA tournament having won four of its last five.

Players to watch: Sophomore forward C.J. Leslie was named to the first-team ACC All-Tournament team. He posted team-best averages of 17.3 points and 10.7 rebounds and shot 69.7 percent (23-33) from the field during the tournament, finishing with double-doubles in wins over Boston College (11 points, 11 rebounds) and Virginia (19 points, 14 rebounds). He also had 22 points in the team's loss to North Carolina in the semifinals. Sophomore guard Lorenzo Brown became the first N.C. State guard since Chris Corchiani in 1991 to average better than 4.6 assists per game with 6.3 per contest.

Just the facts: NC State's 22 victories represent its most since the 2005-06 season when it concluded the year with a 22-10 mark and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Wolfpack has posted 22 wins in a season just three times over the last 22 years.

Who: No. 6 UNLV vs. No. 11 Colorado (23-11)
When: Thursday, March 15, 8 p.m. MT
Where: Albuquerque, N.M. --- The Pit
TV: truTV

UNLV
What you need to know: One of a record-tying four MW teams in this year's NCAA tournament field, the Runnin' Rebels earned their ninth at-large bid in school history. The contest marks UNLV's fifth appearance in the tournament in the last six years, more than any current MW school. The Runnin' Rebels fell to eventual champion New Mexico in the semifinals of the MW tournament after finishing third during the regular season. This marks the first time UNLV has ever been a No. 6 seed and represents the highest seeding for a UNLV team since the Runnin' Rebels were a No. 1 in 1990-91. UNLV is 9-11 all-time at The Pit.

Players to watch: Three players are averaging double-figure scoring, including sophomore Mike Moser (14.1 ppg), senior forward Chace Stanback (12.7 ppg) and junior guard Anthony Marshall (12.1 ppg). Moser also leads the team in rebounding (10.6) and is one of only two MW players (New Mexico's Drew Gordon) averaging a double-double. He has 15 double-doubles this season. Stanback leads the team and MW in 3-point field-goal percentage at .464.

Just the facts: UNLV is 3-3 against current members of the Pac-12 in NCAA tournament play, with the last meeting being a 76-72 loss to Oregon in the 2007 Sweet 16.

Colorado
What you need to know: Colorado is making its first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2003 after winning four games in four days for the first time in school history last week to capture the Pac-12 tournament title. The Buffaloes are making their 11th trip all-time, having compiled a record of 9-12 in the NCAA tournament. This will be the first meeting between UNLV and Colorado since a 65-59 Buffaloes win in Las Vegas on Dec. 22, 1981. CU is 1-4 all-time vs. UNLV.

Players to watch: Senior guard Carlon Brown (12.6 ppg), the Pac-12 tournament's Most Valuable Player, is one of four players averaging double-digit scoring, along with sophomore power forward Andre Roberson (11.6), senior forward Austin Dufault (10.9) and freshman guard Spencer Dinwiddie (10.2).

Just the facts: Colorado went 1-2 against MW teams this season, falling 65-54 at home to Wyoming and 65-64 at Colorado State. The Buffaloes beat Air Force in overtime, 76-73, in Colorado Springs.

Who: TCU (17-14) vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee (20-13)
When: Tuesday, March 13, 7 p.m. CT
Where: Fort Worth, Texas --- Daniel-Meyer Arena
TV: None

TCU
What you need to know: TCU opens play in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) after earning its first postseason tournament berth since reaching the 2005 NIT quarterfinals. The tournament is not seeded. The Horned Frogs posted their best finish ever in Mountain West play with a fifth-place effort during the regular season. They went 13-3 at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, posting their best home mark since going 14-3 in 2004-05. The matchup against Milwaukee will be the first time that TCU has played host to a postseason tournament game since a March 17, 1999, NIT quarterfinal contest against Oregon.

Players to watch: Senior guard Hank Thorns ranks No. 1 in the MW in minutes played (34.03); No. 2 in assists (4.61); No. 3 in three-pointers (2.27); No. 4 in three-point percentage (39.5%); and No. 6 and No. 7, respectively, in scoring (13.5 ) and assist/turnover ratio (1.59).Senior guard J.R. Cadot has scored in double figures a career-high nine times in the last 10 outings. He is averaging team-high figures of 15.2 ppg and 8.4 rpg over the last five games.

Just the facts: TCU has guaranteed itself a winning record for the first time since 2004-05 (21-14). The squad's 17 victories are three more than in any season since 2004-05.

Wisconsin-Milwaukee
What you need to know: Wisconsin-Milwaukee, which tied for third place in the Horizon League, reached the second round of the league's tournament before falling to Butler. UWM enters the postseason having won five of its last six and will be making its sixth-ever Division I postseason appearance. The Panthers won 20 games for the second time in three years, marking just the 11th time in 115 years of basketball that the team has recorded 20 or more victories in a season. UWM ranks No. 5 in the nation in three-point field-goal defense (28.3 percent).

Players to watch: Senior forward Tony Meier (11.0 ppg) leads a group of four Panthers averaging double-figure scoring along with senior guard Kaylon Williams (10.8), junior forward James Haarsma (10.7) and junior guard Ja'Rob McCallum (10.0). Williams ranks No. 10 nationally in assists per game (6.4).

Just the facts: Milwaukee played at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum in 2009 as part of the Preseason NIT, but did not face the Horned Frogs. The two teams have never met.

Who: Wyoming (20-11) vs. North Dakota State (17-13)
When: Wednesday, March 14, 7 p.m. MT
Where: Laramie, Wyo. --- Arena-Auditorium
TV: None

Wyoming
What you need to know: The Cowboys are making their second appearance in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) since dropping a 64-62 decision to Northeastern in the first round in 2009. Wyoming's win over TCU on Feb. 28 gave the team its first 20-win season since a 21-11 mark in 2002-03 and its fifth 20-win season since 1990. The Cowboys, who finished sixth in the Mountain West, were 15-3 at home this season, the team's second-winningest season in the 30-year history of Arena-Auditorium.

Players to watch: Junior forward Leonard Washington has posted a double-double in three of his last four games. A second-team all-MW selection, Washington ranks in the top 10 of five conference statistical categories and is averaging a team-high 12.6 points and 6.9 rebounds. Senior guard Francisco Cruz and junior guard Luke Martinez, the team's perimeter threats, are averaging 12.2 points apiece. Senior guard JayDee Luster, the MW Defensive Player of the Year, ranks 35th in the nation in assist-turnover ratio at 2.3. Senior center Adam Waddell averages 9.4 points and 3.5 rebounds.

Just the facts: The Cowboys have held 30 of their 31 opponents below their season scoring average. Wyoming ranked sixth in scoring defense (55.5 ppg) in the latest NCAA rankings and 24th in three-point field goal percentage defense (30.4).

North Dakota State
What you need to know: The Bison finished 9-9 in Summit League play, tied for fourth with Western Illinois, a team that beat North Dakota State in the quarterfinals of the league championships on March 4. The Bison own one of the best offenses in the Summit League, as they lead the league and rank sixth in the NCAA in field goal percentage at 48.9. NDSU is also third in three-point field goal percentage and 44th in the nation at 37.4.

Players to watch: North Dakota State is paced by sophomore guard Taylor Braun, a first-team all-Summit League selection at 15.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Braun ranks 10th in the conference in scoring and sixth in rebounding. Freshman guard Lawrence Alexander was named the league's Newcomer of the Year after finishing fourth in the league with an average of 12.9 points and 4.6 assists. Sophomore forward Marshall Bjorklund is the team's inside presence at 11.5 points and 6.0 rebounds. Bjorklund leads the Summit at 66.5 percent from the field.

Just the facts: The Bison are 1-2 against Mountain West opponents since beginning Division I play in 2004-05 (all against Colorado State).

As the Mountain West men's basketball tournament drew closer, New Mexico coach Steve Alford spoke of the pressure associated with preseason prognostications, of the hype heaped upon a team teeming with talent.

Yet if the Lobos showed any signs of succumbing to heightened expectations, the evidence was certainly not evident in Las Vegas.

After dispatching Air Force in the quarterfinals and putting UNLV's Rebels on the run in the semis, No. 2 seed New Mexico went to the whip in Saturday 's championship, knocking off No. 1 seed and defending tournament champion San Diego State, 68-59.

The championship was the first since 2005 and second overall for the Lobos (27-6), who gained the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

"I think the neat thing about this team, there's always been somebody to pick somebody up," Alford said. "We've talked about holding the rope all year long. These guys have done a great job of holding the rope for each other."

It was a rope they used with a high degree of effectiveness against San Diego State, reining in the league's Player of the Year, Jamaal Franklin, and otherwise hog-tying the Aztecs for the duration.

San Diego State (26-7), which missed eight of its first nine shots, was 9-of-23 from the field (1-of-6 from beyond the arc) in the first half. Meanwhile, Lobo sophomore forward Tony Snell was 4-of-5 from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes and had only nine fewer points than the Aztecs, whose first-half total of 23 marked their second-lowest of the season.

"We just couldn't settle into any kind of a flow offensively," said Aztecs coach Steve Fisher. "The more we missed, the faster we played. That ain't a good combination. We tried to make a couple subs, tried to talk about it at timeouts. We weren't quite able to get it under control."

Where San Diego State's women's basketball team is concerned this season, give the C's an A for effort.

Behind yet another impressive performance from junior guards Chelsea Hopkins and Courtney Clements, the top-seeded Aztecs won their second Mountain West title in three years on Saturday with a 57-43 victory over No. 7 seed New Mexico.

And while those familiar with SDSU's 2011-12 title run are also more than a little familiar with Chelsea and Courtney, Chairese may not ring a bell, even if she is C squared.

Frequently lost amidst the talents of Hopkins, the tournament MVP, and Clements, the MW Player of the Year, are those toiling in roles that, while no less critical, tend to be crowded out by stardom.

Yet if San Diego State (25-6) is to take more than one step in the NCAA Tournament, coach Beth Burns knows full well there can be no distinction between stars and subs.

Exhibit A: Chairese Culberson.

A freshman forward who had been averaging 4.6 points and 19.5 minutes, Culberson may not have factored heavily in Saturday's title game, but neither was her contribution of eight points and four rebounds in 17 minutes to be taken lightly.

"That's what's been so good about this team," Burns said. "We don't have green eyed monsters. Everybody knows it's the sum of our parts that helps us win. To me, that's why we won the league, because if we had a bad night, somebody getting sick, we always had somebody who picked us up."

New Mexico (11-20) reached the title game despite a coaching change and a season littered with injuries.

"Good players make good plays, and San Diego State did that," said first-year coach Yvonne Sanchez. "I give them all the credit. That being said, I give my team a lot of credit. We were led by a great group of seniors. They never gave up. They could have written the season off. Six other teams thought they should be here. They watched our team play in the championship game. That's the thing I'm most proud of."

The Rams head into Selection Sunday with a mark of 20-11. The information used here is the official data compiled by the NCAA.

Colorado State vs. Washington (21-10)
While this seems to be the team most are quick to compare to Colorado State, here are a couple of facts worth noting:

1) Colorado State's strength of schedule ranks No. 4; Washington sits at No. 79.

2) Against top-50 teams in the latest RPI, the Huskies are 0-5. While CSU is 3-6, two of the six losses (Duke, Southern Miss) came with junior forward Pierce Hornung sidelined by a concussion. Hornung, the Rams' fourth-leading scorer, averages a team-high 8.4 rebounds per game and has a team-best 47 steals. He has also contributed 45 assists and 12 blocks.

3) Both teams are relatively even vs. opponents with RPI rankings of 51-100 and 101-200 and both are unbeaten against opponents with an RPI of 201 or worse. However, against teams with RPI number of 201+, Washington has played 10 such opponents while the Rams have played only four.

4) The Huskies concluded their airtight case for an NCAA bid by losing to No. 9 seed Oregon State in the Pac-12 tournament. Colorado State, on the other hand, entered the MW tournament with a 4 seed and handed No. 5 TCU an 81-60 loss in the quarterfinals before dropping a 79-69 decision to top-seeded and 18th-ranked San Diego State in Friday's semis.

Colorado State vs. Arizona (23-10)
1) The Wildcats, who have a date with Colorado in the Pac-12 championship game (an event that will necessitate the utilization of at least one usher at the Staples Center in Los Angeles), boast a strength of schedule ranking of 124.

2) In the latest RPI, Arizona is 1-3 vs. top-50 teams and 4-5 against opponents ranked 51-100.

3) How far have the Wildcats come since the departure of Lute Olson? Not only did they lose to Arizona State, a team with an RPI of 251, they were also tripped up --- get this --- 69-68 by Seattle Pacific in a preseason exhibition game.

Colorado State vs. Colorado (20-11)
1) Other than finally grasping CU's reasoning behind transferring to the Pac-12, where basketball is now only slightly more compelling than intramural welding, the Buffaloes lost to CSU, 65-64, on Nov. 30.

2) Sporting a strength of schedule of 86, only 82 spots below CSU, Colorado is 2-3 vs. top-50 teams in the latest RPI and 5-5 against opponents ranked 51-100.

3) CU played 10 games against teams with RPIs of 201+.

Colorado State vs. BYU (25-8)
1) Now members of the West Coast Conference, the Cougars got out of town while the gettin' was good. Their record against teams in the top 50 RPI? Try 1-6. Strength of schedule: 99.

2) Colorado State has three wins over ranked opponents; BYU has one (No. 24 Gonzaga).

3) BYU is 4-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 8-2 against RPI 101-200; and 10-0 vs. RPI 201+.

4) While the Cougars get the nod over CSU in terms of road record (8-3), they also play in a league with a worse RPI (11) than the Pac-12.

In the end, New Mexico sophomore guard Kendall Williams sprinted to the northeast corner of the Thomas & Mack Center, holding his right index finger aloft.

Williams was not proclaiming the Lobos the best team in the land, nor even the Mountain West. Rather, he was reminding half the population of Albuquerque in attendance that one more hurdle remained between the finish line and a MW season fulfilled.

Projected as the league's preseason favorite, the No. 2 seed Lobos wiped out a 12-0 deficit at the outset of the contest to knock off No. 3 UNLV, 72-67, Friday night in the semifinals of the MW men's basketball tournament.

The victory not only put an end to UNLV's 18-game home win streak, but it simultaneously set up a title showdown matching regular-season co-champions New Mexico and No. 1 seed San Diego State. The teams split during the regular season, with the Aztecs winning 75-70 at The Pit and the Lobos posting a 77-67 victory in San Diego.

The Lobos, who won the tournament in 2005, are making their third appearance in the championship game.

"It's going to be a great, great matchup," said New Mexico coach Steve Alford. "They beat us at our place, we beat them at their place. Now we get a neutral floor setting for the rubber match."

They are certain sights synonymous with Las Vegas. The Strip. Caesars. The Fountains at Bellagio. New York-New York and the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel.

And the presence of San Diego State's men's basketball team in March.

The Aztecs, who were deemed defective after losing four starters --- one of them a lottery pick --- from last year's Sweet 16 team, continued negating the naysayers Friday night, knocking off No. 4 seed Colorado State, 79-69, to advance to the Mountain West title game for the fourth straight year.

"We talked a little bit about us and a responsibility to ourselves to come out and be as good as we can be," said coach Steve Fisher, whose team improved to 26-6 as the defending MW Tournament champion. "We want to play (Saturday). We're not worried about not having a deep bench, not having legs. We want to be playing. We want to be that last team standing here in this Mountain West Conference, and we're going to be having a chance to do that. "

Perhaps a better chance than most. San Diego State has now won a conference-record eight straight tournament games and 10 of its last 11. The Aztecs are 4-1 in MW championship games.

SDSU, which got a team-high 19 points from MW Player of the Year Jamaal Franklin, also received 17 points from Chase Tapley and 15 from James Rahon.

The Aztecs, who ranked second in the league this season in field-goal percentage defense, limited CSU to a shooting percentage of 43.1 percent (25-of-58). SDSU has gone 48 consecutive games without allowing an opponent to shoot better than 50 percent from field. The Rams were the top shooting team in the MW entering the tournament.

"We gave up a lot of offensive rebounds," said Rams guard Jesse Carr, who finished with 17 points. "Once we got in the lane, it was tough to get up an easy shot. They did a good job of making sure we didn't get easy shots and just contested everything."

Having made five previous appearances, the New Mexico's women's basketball team is familiar with the road to the Mountain West women's tournament title game.

To do so a sixth time not only demanded defying the odds, it also necessitated a minor miracle.

The Lobos, who staggered through the 2011-12 regular season beset by myriad injuries and the liabilities that come with subs assuming the roles of starters, became the first No. 7 seed in league history to advance to the championship game on Friday, holding off No. 6 seed Boise State, 51-50.

This from a team that finished 10-19 during the regular season, one that had to acclimate itself to a new coach following the retirement of Don Flanagan, who in 12 years led the Lobos to 11 consecutive winning seasons and 10 straight postseason appearances, including seven trips to the NCAA Tournament.

One that heads into the title game against No. 1 seed San Diego State with enough mojo working to persuade the most hardened of skeptics.

"It's absolutely incredible," said first-year coach Yvonne Sanchez, Flangan's former assistant. "There have been a lot of challenges, I will say. I told these kids at the beginning, regardless of what the case is, for my first year as a head coach, I don't want any other team ... They have incredible team chemistry. They are terrific to work with."

And for San Diego State, tough to beat. The Lobos, who got 15 points apiece from senior forward Porche Torrance (12 rebounds) and Caroline Durbin against Boise State, are 6-0 against the Aztecs in the MW tournament, including a 62-59 win in the 2008 championship game.

"These kids leave it all out on the court," Sanchez said. "That's what I told them: If you leave it all out on the court, give everything you have, I can live with the results. They've done that."

For the first time in program history, San Diego State's women's basketball team this season won its first outright Mountain West championship. For the third time in four years, the Aztecs put together a 20-win season. From Dec. 16-Feb. 1, SDSU won 13 straight games, its longest streak in 17 years and the fourth-longest in team history.

In reaching the MW title game as the No. 1 seed with Friday's 73-55 win over No. 5 Wyoming, the Aztecs have a chance to pocket their second league title in three years.

Should they do so, they might even crack a smile. In the interim, the safe approach would be to keep your distance.

SDSU (24-6) is playing for keeps.

"The motivation for us right now is that we want to go to the NCAA tournament," said junior guard and MW Player of the Year Courtney Clements. "We're very well aware of the fact that even though we won our conference, there's a possibility we could still not get into the NCAA tournament. If that means that we have to win the championship to get to the NCAA tournament, that's what we're going to do."

If that statement carries with it a carload of conviction, rest assured that neither Clements nor fellow guard Chelsea Hopkins lack for tenacity --- or talent.

While Clements was scoring in double figures for the 26th time this season with 22 points on Friday, Hopkins set a MW tournament record with 10 assists. In adding 16 points, she also recorded her team-leading fifth double-double of the season.

"This team, really to a player, is really one big happy group," said coach Beth Burns. "Maybe that's because we've won a lot of games, but I think it's because we've had pretty good older leadership to involve everybody. We don't have somebody in there feeling left out. Everybody feels a part of it."

A feeling that might even prompt a measure of merriment --- when the job is done.

And now for Act III.

In a regular-season series defined by high notes and a fair measure of humiliation on the part of both parties, New Mexico and UNLV will settle matters for keeps in Friday's Mountain West men's semifinals.

In the opening act, staged in Las Vegas on Jan. 22, the Runnin' Rebels dealt the Lobos their worst league loss since Feb. 2, 2008, getting 14 points apiece from Mike Moser and Carlos Lopez in an 80-63 win.

New Mexico more than atoned for any atrocities in Albuquerque on Feb. 18, getting 27 points and 20 rebounds from Drew Gordon in dealing UNLV its worst loss of the season, 65-45. In the process, the Lobos held the Rebels to season lows for points and field-goal percentage (31.1 percent, 14-of-45).

New Mexico enters the rubber match as the tournament's No. 2 seed. UNLV, which hung on to beat No. 6 Wyoming 56-48 Thursday night after building a 28-11 halftime lead, is seeded No. 3.

The showdown also will pit two of the league's showcase players in New Mexico's Drew Gordon and UNLV's Mike Moser. Gordon posted his 16th double-double of the season in Thursday's win over No. 7 seed Air Force, while Moser recorded his 15th double-double against Wyoming with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Moser single-handedly outscored the Cowboys, 18-11, in the opening 20 minutes.

The Lobos have never beaten the Rebels in any conference tournament game, going 0-3 in the MW and 0-4 overall.

"We've had that bad taste in our mouth for a long time now," Moser said of the Rebels' 20-point loss in Albuquerque. "Getting back on the court back against them is definitely really going to get our blood going, and I think we're going to come out and be really ready for this game."

With 5:02 remaining in the first half of Thursday's Mountain West men's quarterfinal game between New Mexico and Air Force, Lobos sophomore guard Kendall Williams was hit with a technical foul for hanging on the rim following a dunk.

Suffice, New Mexico didn't hang around much longer.

The No. 2 seed Lobos, whose two regular-season victories over the Falcons came by a combined average of 34.5 points, got a career-high 19 points from sophomore guard Demetrius Walker to beat Air Force 79-64.

And while three other players finished in double figures for New Mexico, including Drew Gordon (15), Walker's performance is arguably the story of New Mexico's season. A reserve whose previous high of 16 points came last season against Missouri State, Walker is part of a roster that legitimately goes 10 deep. Walker finished 5-of-6 from the field (3-of-4 from three-point range) and was 6-of-8 from the line.

In an 81-42 win at Air Force on Feb. 1, the Lobos' bench matched Air Force's entire point total. New Mexico's reserves head into Friday's semifinals accounting for an average of 26.3 points per game.

"Our bench has been terrific all year," said coach Steve Alford. "Whether it's been Demetrius or Jamal (Fenton); Cam (Cameron Bairstow) was really good tonight. Phillip (McDonald) obviously comes in and does a lot of good things for us. Chad (Adams) has had good moments for us this year. Our bench has been very deep."

The cliché is to label it a team that totes a lunch pail, toils in a hard hat and is accustomed to dislodging dirt from under its fingernails.

The truth? Colorado State is blue collar in a three-piece button-down.

Tough as a roadhouse rib-eye, and with a lineup that looks more rec league than ready-to-rumble, CSU almost certainly locked down a spot in the NCAA Tournament on Friday with an 81-60 win over TCU in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West men's basketball tournament.

In a game many believed held promise as perhaps the tournament's most grueling, the No. 4 seed Rams instead turned it into a Porsche against a plow, a Lamborghini versus a lawn tractor.

And this was without starter Greg Smith, the team's third-leading scorer. Without, as usual, a starter standing taller than 6-6. Without anyone to seemingly capable of matching might with one of the most athletic teams in the league.

But not without a whole lot of chutzpah.

Paced by junior forward Pierce Hornung (18 points, 14 rebounds), who would routinely be mistaken for Shaquille O'Neal were he seven inches taller and 120 pounds heavier, the Rams had six players score in double figures. They outrebounded TCU 38-27 and held a 50-38 advantage on points in the paint. They led by 22 with 7:48 left.

"We came to win the Conference tournament," said coach Tim Miles. "We thought that we could do what we could do until the end of the regular season, to have a high finish in the conference and put ourselves in (the NCAA Tournament) conversation.

"But, you know, about the time you say, 'Oh, we might need one (win) to get in, Boise State could go out and upset San Diego State, so now you can't lose to Boise. It never ends. Try to win the Conference tournament and see if they can keep us out that way. They can't."

If San Diego State's men's basketball team rides Jamaal Franklin any farther, the standout sophomore guard should be afforded license to charge cab fare.

In what many anticipate being the most competitive Mountain West men's basketball tournament since the league's inception in 1999, Franklin provided enough drama in Thursday's opening act to bring down the house.

Franklin, the MW Player of the Year, hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer while falling backward as the top-seeded Aztecs survived a monumental scare from No. 8 Boise State, 65-62.

"Jamaal has turned into an extremely talented, confident basketball player who has steadily pulled the reins in on himself to play within the confines of what we want to do," said Aztecs coach Steve Fisher. "You have to have wiggle room, so I give him a little wiggle room. But Jamaal is unafraid."

Just ask UNLV. In a game against the then-No. 11-ranked Runnin' Rebels on Jan. 14, Franklin made an off-balance layup with three-tenths of a second left to give the Aztecs a 69-67 victory.

"I believed in myself," Franklin said of Thursday's heroics. "I always practice the last shot. When it left my hand, I felt it was going to go in."

Said Boise State coach Leon Rice: "We knew it was going to Franklin. Like (Broncos guard Derrick Marks) said, everybody in the gym knew it was going to Franklin. That's where it should go, obviously. He showed why it should go there."

Far be it from Boise State to be the only one not to throw a monkey wrench into the madness.

In keeping with the theme of the day on Wednesday, the No. 6 seed Broncos knocked off No. 3 seed Colorado State 68-63 in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West women's basketball tournament.

Boise State, which was swept by the Rams during the regular season, became the third lower -seeded team of the day to advance to Friday's semifinals, where it will meet No. 7 New Mexico.

With the exception of top-seeded San Diego State, three of the top four seeds lost in the opening round for the first time in the history of the tournament.

On a day where No. 2 UNLV and No. 4 TCU also fell by the wayside, junior forward Lauren Lenhardt scored a game-high 18 points for first-year MW member Boise State. Kati Isham (15), Kinzi Poteet (12) and Heather Pilcher (12) also finished in double figures for the Broncos, who head to the semifinals having swept New Mexico during the regular season.

"It sounds kind of little, but you always need a hump win," said Boise State coach Gordy Presnell. "This is kind of a hump win for our program. We battled injuries for a few years that just decimated us. Our kids were so focused, not on winning this tournament but just focused on Colorado State."

Sophomore guard Haley Thompson posted the first double-double of her career with 15 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for the Rams, who were hampered for much of the second half by foul trouble to starters Sam Martin and Kelly Hartig.

"With Sam and Kelly on the bench, it was hard because we didn't have the normal inside threat that we usually have," said senior guard Kim Mestdagh, who finished a standout career at CSU with 14 points and five assists. "They kept pressuring us outside, so it was hard. They were really physical, too. Meghan (Heimstra) kind of had to do it on her own in the paint. All of that made it a little harder. We were just kind of out of it. We couldn't find a way to get back in it and get good shots."

Perhaps the nomination of New Mexico senior Porche Torrance as the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year was a bit premature.

Torrance, who led the MW in rebounding with an average of 8.8 per game in league play, went on the offensive Wednesday night, knocking down 8-of-12 shots from the field and tying a career high with 20 points as the No. 7 seed Lobos knocked off No. 2 seed UNLV 61-58.

It was the first time in the 12-year history of the MW women's tournament that a No. 7 seed eliminated a No. 2.

"I told myself, I'm a senior, this is my last opportunity," said Torrance, who posted her fifth double-double of the season by also collecting 11 rebounds. "I wanted us to win this game. It's hard to beat a team three times (UNLV swept the Lobos during the regular season). We definitely stepped up. I took care of business out on the court."

The Lobos, who shot 57.1 percent from beyond the arc (8-of-14), also benefitted from the first scoreless game of the season for UNLV standout senior guard Jamie Smith.

"Jamie is going to beat herself up until we play again," said Lady Rebels coach Kathy Olivier. "So we better get chosen to play in the post-season, because she needs to play again. This is not the way she wants to end her career."

Over the years, coach Joe Legerski has come to refer to it as the Wyoming way, and it works it something like this:

Identify open shooter, get ball to open shooter, demonstrably deflate defense.

Exhibit A: Wednesday's Mountain West women's quarterfinal game against TCU.

In dispatching the No. 4 seed Horned Frogs, 61-44, the fifth-seeded Cowgirls amassed 17 assists on 20 made field goals, 10 of the assists coming in the first half as Wyoming raced out to a 32-18 lead.

The Cowgirls came up one shy of eclipsing the women's MW Tournament record for assists on made field goals in a game (18, by Colorado State in 2011).

"We share the basketball," Legerski said. "Everyone's asked to shoot when they're open. Tonight we got off to a great start. I thought the game was back and forth early. Then all of a sudden we started finding some people on the perimeter with threes. Those, I always say, are easy assists...they made the right decisions, found the right person, we stepped up and knocked down some shots. "

Wyoming will meet No. 1 seed San Diego State in the semifinals on Friday at noon PT. A No. 5 seed has advanced to the tournament championship only twice, with Utah winning in 2011.

Asked to define the distinction between the first and second halves of Wednesday's Mountain West women's quarterfinal tournament game against San Diego State, Air Force coach Andrea Williams broke it down to its simplest terms.

Said Williams: "It's called the Player of the Year in the conference getting a little ticked off and saying, 'I'm Player of the Year.'"

That distinction belongs to Aztecs junior guard Courtney Clements, who finished with 18 points and a career-high 11 rebounds as top-seeded SDSU ousted the No. 8 seed Falcons, 68-58.

The Aztecs trailed 34-32 at the half, with Clements, the league's leading scorer, tallying only four points in the opening 20 minutes. It was the first time in MW women's tournament history that a No. 8 seed led a No. 1 seed at the half.

"Sometimes, when shots aren't falling, you have to find other ways," Clements said, who posted her second double-double against Air Force in three meetings this season. "A lot of games where you can't knock (shots) down, can't get touches, you have to find other ways to win. I just saw an opportunity by going to the offensive boards. Luckily, I was getting putbacks and getting and ones, get us going a little bit."

Quarterfinal action on the men's side begins Thursday, March 8, with No. 1 seed San Diego State tipping off against No. 8 seed Boise State at noon PT. The Aztecs-Broncos match-up will be followed by No. 4 seed Colorado State vs. No. 5 seed TCU at 2:30 p.m. PT; No. 2 seed New Mexico vs. No. 7 seed Air Force at 6 p.m. PT; and No. 3 seed UNLV vs. No. 6 seed Wyoming at 8:30 p.m. PT.

Here's a look at each of the quarterfinal match-ups:

2012 MW MEN'S BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS

No. 1 seed San Diego State (24-6, 10-4 MW) vs. No. 8 Boise State (13-16, 3-11 MW)
Thur., Noon PT, The Mtn. HD (DirecTV 616)
Two-time defending tournament champion San Diego State swept the season series against the Broncos, winning 58-56 in San Diego on Feb. 1 and 66-53 in Boise on March 1. Aztecs sophomore guard Jamaal Franklin, the league's leading scorer, averaged 17.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in the two contests. Freshman forward Anthony Drmic leads Boise State with an average of 11.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

No. 4 Colorado State (19-10, 8-6 MW) vs. No. 5 TCU (17-13, 7-7 MW)
Thur., 2:30 PT, The Mtn. HD/ CBS Sports Network (DirecTV 616/613)
If you're waiting until Friday's semifinals for the real drama to unfold, forget it. Colorado State is trying to cement a spot in the NCAA Tournament, while TCU, with wins over Top-25 teams in UNLV and New Mexico, is bucking for its first postseason appearance as a member of the Mountain West. The Rams and Horned Frogs are squaring off in a rubber match after splitting their regular-season meetings by a mere 10 points combined, with the Rams prevailing 95-89 in double overtime on Jan. 14 and the Frogs getting even with a 75-71 victory in Fort Worth on Feb. 11.

No. 2 New Mexico (24-6, 10-4 MW) vs. No. 7 Air Force (13-15, 3-11 MW)
Thur., 6 p.m. PT, The Mtn. HD (DirecTV 616)
Though Air Force has rarely gone quietly in this event through the years, this was a nightmarish matchup for the Falcons during the regular season, with New Mexico winning both games by a combined average of 34.5 points. Senior forward Drew Gordon, who recorded his 15th double-double of the season in Saturday's win over Boise State, is averaging 13.2 points and 11.0 rebounds for the Lobos.

No. 3 UNLV (25-7, 9-5 MW) vs. No. 6 Wyoming (20-10, 6-8 MW)
Thur., 8:30 p.m. PT, The Mtn. HD/CBS Sports Network (DirecTV 616/613)
Five days after squaring off in the regular-season finale, the Runnin' Rebels and Cowboys meet again in a rubber match. UNLV prevailed 74-63 in Saturday's game in Las Vegas, with sophomore forward Mike Moser posting his 14th double-double of the season (17 points, 12 rebounds). Wyoming's 68-66 win over UNLV in Laramie on Feb. 4 marked its first victory over a ranked opponent since 2000.

2012 MW WOMEN'S BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS

No. 1 seed San Diego State (22-6, 12-2 MW) vs. No. 8 Air Force (6-23, 1-13 MW)
Wed., Noon PT, The Mtn. HD (DirecTV 616)
The Aztecs won their first outright MW regular-season title after sharing the distinction with Utah in 2009. SDSU swept the Falcons during the regular season, winning each of the two contests by 13 points. Air Force beat New Mexico in its regular-season finale, posting its second-ever victory over the Lobos and its first as a Division I team.

No. 4 TCU (16-13, 9-5 MW) vs. No. 5 Wyoming (11-16, 7-7 MW)
Wed., 2:30 p.m. PT, The Mtn. HD (DirecTV 616)
TCU, last year's runner-up, enters the tournament having won four straight, including a 58-48 victory over Wyoming in the regular-season finale for both teams. The Cowgirls beat the Frogs 64-54 in Laramie on Feb. 2. The game matches two of the top freshmen in the MW in TCU's Natalie Ventress and Wyoming's Kayla Woodward.

No. 2 UNLV (22-8, 10-4 MW) vs. No. 7 New Mexico (9-19, 3-11 MW)
Wed., 6 p.m. PT, The Mtn. HD (DirecTV 616)
UNLV, which won 20 games for the fifth time in the past 20 years, has never been seeded this high in the tournament. The Lady Rebels swept New Mexico during the regular season, winning 64-50 in Albuquerque on Jan. 21 and 65-60 in Las Vegas on Feb. 18. The Lobos are led by junior guard Caroline Durbin, who ranks second in the league in scoring at 15.4 points per game. UNLV counters with junior guard Kelli Thompson (13.6 ppg), the eighth-leading scorer in the MW.

No. 3 Colorado (13-16, 9-5 MW) vs. No. 6 Boise State (14-15, 5-9 MW)
Wed., 8:30 p.m. PT, The Mtn. HD (DirecTV 616)
Following its 67-58 win over Boise State on Feb. 14, a win that marked a sweep of the season series by the Rams, Colorado State was positioned to claim a share of the MW title with San Diego State. Yet despite beating the Aztecs, the Rams dropped three of their last four, including a 53-48 loss to UNLV on Feb. 29 that left them with the No. 3 seed. CSU is paced by senior guard Kim Mestdagh, the MW Preseason Player of the Year, who ranks third in the league in scoring (14.8 ppg) and assists (4.0). Broncos junior forward Lauren Lenhardt, who ranks second in the MW in field-goal percentage (.500), is also the league's seventh-leading scorer (13.8 ppg).

MW MEN'S BASKETBALL

• May I Assist You? UNLV senior guard Oscar Bellfield, who has recorded over 100 assists in all four years of his college career, leads the MW in assists per game with 5.2 and is fifth on the school's career assists list with 554. He is currently second all-time in the MW in career assists, 10 shy of the record held by New Mexico's Dairese Gary (2007-11). Bellfield is sixth in UNLV history with 203 career three-point baskets and is on pace to become only the second Runnin' Rebel ever to lead the team in assists in four straight seasons.

• In the Spotlight: San Diego State sophomore guard Jamaal Franklin continues to build a compelling case for MW Player of the Year honors. Franklin, the league's leading scorer, has finished in double figures in 16 straight games while recording double-doubles in 10 of his last 15 contests. In his last two games he has 49 points, 28 rebounds and four assists while connecting on 13-of-24 FGA (54.2 pct.) and 20-of-22 FTA (90.9 pct.).

• Milestone Within Reach: Air Force junior guard Michael Lyons is on track to become the 23rd player in the program's history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. Lyons, who has appeared in 83 career games, has 962 career points and is 26th on the school's career scoring list. The last Falcon to join the 1,000-point club was Matt McCraw in 2007. No Air Force junior has accomplished the feat since Otis Jones in 1994.

• Shuffling the Deck: Boise State has used 13 different starting lineups this season, with each of the 12 players to see playing time having started at least one game. The Broncos are one of three teams nationally to start every player who has seen game action. The last Boise State team to do so was the 2000-01 squad. The Broncos used just eight different combinations during Leon Rice's debut season in 2010-11.

• Big on the Boards: Despite its tallest starter being 6-6, Colorado State is the only team in the Mountain West with two players --- junior forwards Pierce Hornung and Greg Smith --- ranked in the top seven in the league in rebounding. Hornung ranks third at 8.5 boards per game, while Smith is seventh (5.2) after pulling down 25 rebounds in his last four games.

• Defensive Measures: New Mexico this season has limited its opponents to 58.6 points per game and a .378 field goal percentage. The last time the Lobos held an opponent's season scoring average under 60 points was in 1983-84, the final year without a shot clock. The team's fewest average points allowed in the shot clock era is 62.4 in 2005-06.

• Going Deep: Wyoming junior guard Luke Martinez has made at least one three-point basket in 25 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the league. TCU's Hank Thorns is second at 17. Martinez ranks first in the MW and 30th in the nation in threes per game at 2.7.

• A Season of Firsts: A victory against No. 21 San Diego State on Saturday would mark the first time in history that TCU defeated three Top 25 teams (SDSU, UNLV and New Mexico) in one season. A win would also give the Frogs a winning record in league play for the first time since 2000-01 (9-7 WAC). TCU's seven league wins are its most in seven seasons as a member of the Mountain West.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

•  It'll be a family affair when Colorado State visits Air Force on Saturday.

• Rams still have unfinished business in quest for NCAA Tournament bid.

• The 'magician inside the locker room:' SDSU's Tom Abdenour.

• Seniors part of remarkable turnaround at TCU.

• UNLV's Massamba intent on making most of final leg of long journey.

• Former Cowboys' star Jay Straight now plying his trade overseas.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• New career path for former CSU football player Eugene Daniels.

WOMEN'S TENNIS HEADLINES

• Recruit from Serbia proves to be significant net gain for UNLV.

Have you seen a news article on the Mountain West, its teams and its players to share with fellow fans? E-mail them to Webmaster@TheMWC.com!

MW MEN'S BASKETBALL

1. Jamaal Franklin, G, So., San Diego State - While the general consensus throughout the season has been that the MW Player of the Year vote comes down to either New Mexico's Drew Gordon or UNLV's Mike Moser, has anybody been watching this guy? In finishing with 18 points and 12 rebounds in Wednesday's win at Boise State, Franklin posted his second consecutive double-double and his seventh in the last 10 games. This on the heels of a 31-point, 16-rebound performance against Colorado State on Saturday. He has scored in double figures in a personal-best 16 straight games.

2. Leonard Washington, F, Jr., Wyoming - Washington secured his second consecutive double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds in Tuesday's 71-59 win over TCU, helping the Cowboys post their first 20-win season since 2002-03. His 23 points marked the second-highest scoring total of his career. Washington, who has four double-doubles this season and 19 games scoring in double figures, also had 15 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday's victory over Boise State.

3. J.R. Cadot, G, Sr., TCU - The reigning MW Player of the Week posted his second consecutive double-double in Saturday's win over then-No. 18 New Mexico, finishing with a game-high 15 points, 10 rebounds and two steals. He had six offensive rebounds in the game as TCU beat a Top 25-ranked team twice in a season (UNLV on Feb. 14) for the first time in program history. Cadot finished with a team-high 11 points to lead the Frogs in scoring for the third straight game in Tuesday's loss at Wyoming.

4. Dorian Green, G, Jr., Colorado State - Green played a major role in rallying the Rams from a 16-point deficit by scoring 14 of his team-high 16 points in the second half of Wednesday's win over No. 17 UNLV. He tied for team-high scoring honors with 14 points while adding seven rebounds, one assist and one steal in the Rams' loss at No. 24 San Diego State on Saturday. Green, who has now started 92 games in his career at CSU, has knocked down at least one three-pointer in 12 of his last 14 contests.

5. Drew Gordon, F, Sr., New Mexico - Gordon posted his 14th double-double of the season and the 27th of his career in Wednesday's win over Air Force. Gordon, who had 16 points and six rebounds in 16 minutes in the first half, finished the contest by hitting 8-of-9 shot attempts in 27 minutes. After pulling down 12 rebounds in Saturday's loss at TCU, he currently has 317 rebounds, the eighth-best single-season total in New Mexico history. The school season record is 375 by Tom King in 1960-61.

6. Anthony Marshall, G, Jr., UNLV - In a win over Air Force and a loss to Colorado State, Marshall averaged 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He is the only player in the Mountain West averaging at least 12 points, five rebounds and four assists per contest for all games. He has scored in double figures in each of his last five games and seven of the last eight.

7. Francisco Cruz, G, Sr., Wyoming - Cruz scored 19 points to post his second consecutive double-figure scoring game and his 18th of the season in Tuesday's 71-59 win over TCU. He also dished out five assists, marking the seventh time this season he's finished with more than four in a game. He contributed a team-high 16 points in Saturday's win over Boise State.

8. Tim Shelton, F, Sr., San Diego State - Shelton, who had 11 points and four rebounds in Wednesday's win at Boise State, posted his fourth double-digit scoring game in his last five outings after going nearly three years (and 61 games played) without a double-digit effort. After connecting on 3-of-5 attempts from the field against the Broncos, he has now made 29 of his last 50 field goal attempts. He also drew his 30th charge of the season against BSU.

9. Wes Eikmeier, G, Jr., Colorado State - Eikmeier, who finished as the Rams' second-leading scorer in Wednesday's win over UNLV, tied for team-high scoring honors with 14 points in Saturday's 74-66 loss at San Diego State. The MW's second-leading scorer, Eikmeier has now hit a three-pointer in 23 of CSU's 28 contests this season and has reached double-figure scoring in 23 games.

10. Hugh Greenwood, G, Fr., New Mexico - Greenwood established career highs for points (22) and three-pointers (5) in Wednesday's win over Air Force. He scored the Lobos' first 14 points of the second half in a span of just 3:02, with 12 of his points coming from beyond the arc. Greenwood finished 7-of-9 from the floor, including a 5-for-7 performance from three-point range.

MW WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

1. Courtney Clements, G, Jr., San Diego State - The reigning Mountain West Player of the Week posted her third consecutive and league-leading 12th 20-point scoring outing of the year with 22 points in Wednesday's win over Boise State. Clements, the league's leading scorer, has averaged 23.7 points over her last three games.

2. Kelli Thompson, G, Jr., UNLV - Thompson tallied her third straight 20-point game in Wednesday's 53-48 win over Colorado State as the Lady Rebels secured the No. 2 seed in the upcoming MW Championships and claimed their first-ever top-two finish in the league. .In her last three games, Thompson has averaged 21.3 points while shooting 57.1 percent from the floor.

3. Jamie Smith, F, Sr., UNLV - Smith, who earlier this season became just the second player in MW history - men's or women's - to amass 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds, became the Lady Rebels' all-time leading rebounder in Wednesday's win over Colorado State. Smith, who had 11 rebounds in the game, broke the previous record of 1,124 held by former UNLV All-American Linda Fröhlich. Smith, the team's third-leading scorer, currently has 1,131 career rebounds.

4. Chelsea Hopkins, G, Jr., San Diego State - Hopkins, who has four of the Aztecs' six double-doubles this season, hit 5-of-6 shots from the field, finishing with 12 points, five rebounds, seven assists and three steals in Wednesday's victory over Boise State. The league leader in assists with an average of 6.5 per game (she has 61 more assists than any player in MW), Hopkins was a rebound shy of recording her fifth double-double in Saturday's loss at Colorado State, finishing with 11 points, nine boards, six assists and three steals in playing all 40 minutes.

5. Natalie Ventress, G, Fr., TCU - Ventress, who had 18 points and nine rebounds in Saturday's win over New Mexico, led TCU in scoring for the 18th time this season with a team-high 10 points in a 58-48 win over Wyoming on Tuesday. She also had five rebounds, four assists and two steals while scoring in double figures for the sixth straight game and 17th time this season.

For those merely concerned with the regular-season championship picture, it's simple: The possibility still remains that one, two or three teams could walk away with at least a piece of the crown because the Mountain West recognizes multiple regular-season champions in the event of a tie. All of the eye-crossing number-crunching you see below is merely a way to determine seeding for the MW tournament.

San Diego State and New Mexico simply have to win to claim their share, while UNLV has to win and hope for a little help from TCU and Boise State. However, should the Aztecs prevail Saturday on the Horned Frogs' home court (a place where all other MW teams have failed this season, I might add), SDSU will earn the coveted No. 1 seed due to New Mexico having split its series with the Horned Frogs.

Meanwhile, TCU, which has won eight straight at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, enters Saturday's contest knotted up with Colorado State in fourth place. In any tiebreaker scenario, should the Frogs and Rams finish tied in the final standings, Colorado State would earn the higher seed, regardless of whether both finish 8-6 or 7-7. Should CSU and TCU finish in a three-way tie with Wyoming at 7-7, the Rams would be seeded fourth, while the Frogs and Cowboys would be seeded fifth and sixth, respectively.

In the interim, if you have yet to purchase tickets to next week's Conoco Mountain West Basketball Championships, visit UNLVTickets.com. Single-session tickets are now on sale - purchase yours online or by calling 702-739-3267.

Oh. And happy reading.

Two-way tie between UNM and SDSU at 10-4:
• UNM and SDSU split with each other
• Both teams split with CSU and UNLV
• SDSU is 2-0 vs. TCU, UNM is 1-1 vs. TCU
• Both teams are 2-0 vs. WYO
• SDSU gets No. 1 seed due to sweep of TCU

Three-way tie between UNM, SDSU and UNLV at 9-5:
• UNM, SDSU and UNLV split with each other
• All three teams split with CSU, TCU
• UNM and SDSU are 2-0 vs. WYO; UNLV is 1-1
• UNLV gets No. 3 seed
• UNM is 2-0 vs. AFA; SDSU is 1-1 vs. AFA
• SDSU is 2-0 vs. BSU; UNM is 1-1 vs. BSU
• If BSU is 4-10 and AFA is 3-11, tiebreaker goes to SDSU
• If AFA and BSU are tied at 4-10 (both UNM and SDSU went a combined 3-1 against AFA and BSU), tie broken based on Feb. 27 RPI ranking (28-SDSU; 34-UNM)
• SDSU is No. 1 seed due to higher RPI ranking

Two-way tie between UNM and UNLV at 9-5:
• SDSU is No. 1 seed at 10-4
• UNM and UNLV split with each other
• Both teams split with SDSU
• Both teams split with CSU, TCU
• UNM is 2-0 vs. WYO; UNLV is 1-1
• UNM gets No. 2 seed due to sweep of WYO

Two-way tie between SDSU and UNLV at 9-5:
• UNM is No. 1 seed at 10-4
• SDSU and UNLV split with each other
• Both teams split with UNM
• Both teams split with CSU, TCU
• SDSU is 2-0 vs. WYO, UNLV is 1-1 vs. WYO
• SDSU gets No. 2 seed due to sweep of WYO

Two-way tie between UNM and SDSU at 9-5:
• UNM and SDSU split with each other
• Split with UNLV, CSU, TCU
• UNM and SDSU are both 2-0 vs. WYO
• If AFA and BSU are tied at 4-10 (both UNM and SDSU went a combined 3-1 against AFA and BSU), tie broken based on Feb. 27 RPI ranking (28-SDSU; 34-UNM) - SDSU gets No. 1 seed due to higher RPI ranking
• If AFA is 3-11, SDSU still gets No. 1 seed due to 2-0 record vs. BSU because UNM is 1-1 vs. BSU

Three-way tie between UNLV, CSU and TCU at 8-6:
• UNM is No. 1 seed at 10-4 if it defeats BSU
• SDSU is No. 1 seed if it is tied with UNM at 9-5
• UNLV, CSU and TCU split with each other
• UNLV, CSU and TCU split with UNM and SDSU
• CSU and TCU are 1-1 vs. WYO; UNLV is 0-2 vs. WYO
• UNLV gets No. 5 seed
• CSU and TCU are both 3-1 vs. AFA and BSU
• Tie is broken based on Feb. 27 RPI ranking (27-CSU; 90-TCU)

Two-way tie between UNLV and CSU at 8-6:
• SDSU is No. 1 seed, UNM is No. 2 seed
• UNLV and CSU split with each other
• Both teams split with TCU
• CSU is 1-1 vs. WYO; UNLV is 0-2 vs. WYO
• CSU gets No. 3 seed due to split with WYO

Two-way tie between UNLV and TCU at 8-6:
• UNLV and TCU split with each other
• Both teams split with both SDSU and UNM
• Both teams split with CSU
• TCU is 1-1 vs. WYO; UNLV is 0-2 vs. WYO
• TCU gets No. 3 seed due to split with WYO

Two-way tie between CSU and TCU at 8-6:
• Split with each other
• Both teams split with SDSU, UNM, UNLV, WYO and BSU
• Both teams are 2-0 vs. AFA
• Tie broken based on Feb. 27 RPI ranking (27-CSU; 90-TCU)
• CSU gets No. 4 seed due to higher RPI ranking

Three-way tie between CSU, TCU and WYO at 7-7:
• CSU, TCU and WYO split with each other
• CSU split with UNM, SDSU and UNLV
• TCU split with UNM and UNLV, is 0-2 vs. SDSU
• WYO went 2-0 vs. UNLV, is 0-2 vs. UNM and SDSU
• CSU gets No. 4 seed, TCU gets No. 5 seed, WYO gets No. 6 seed

Two-way tie between CSU and TCU at 7-7:
• CSU and TCU split with each other
• CSU split with UNM, SDSU and UNLV
• TCU split with UNM and UNLV, is 0-2 vs. SDSU
• CSU gets No. 4 seed, TCU gets No. 5 seed

Two-way tie between TCU and WYO at 7-7:
• TCU and WYO split with each other
• TCU split with UNM and UNLV, went 0-2 vs. SDSU
• WYO is 2-0 vs. UNLV; is 0-2 vs. UNM and SDSU
• TCU gets No. 5 seed, WYO gets No. 6 seed

Two-way tie between CSU and WYO at 7-7:
• CSU and WYO split with each other
• CSU split with UNM, SDSU, UNLV and TCU
• WYO split with TCU and UNLV; went 0-2 vs. UNM and SDSU
• CSU gets No. 5 seed, WYO gets No. 6 seed

Two-way tie between AFA and BSU at 4-10:
• SDSU is the No. 1 seed in this scenario because UNM can't be the No. 1 seed if it loses
• AFA and BSU split with each other
• AFA split with SDSU, CSU, WYO and went 0-2 vs. UNM, TCU, UNLV
• BSU split with UNM, CSU, TCU and went 0-2 vs. SDSU, UNLV, WYO
• AFA gets No. 7 seed due to split with SDSU

Two-way tie between AFA and BSU at 3-11:
• AFA and BSU split with each other
• AFA split with SDSU, WYO and went 0-2 vs. CSU, UNM, TCU, UNLV
• BSU split with CSU, TCU and went 0-2 vs. UNM, SDSU, UNLV, WYO
• AFA gets No. 7 seed due to split with SDSU
• BSU gets No. 8 seed

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• It's a storybook ending for former Colorado State walk-on.

• There's plenty at stake for Runnin' Rebels in matchup with the Rams.

• Lobos may be in driver's seat in chase for regular-season title.

• Boise State guard Tre' Nichols has learned that success doesn't come easy.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• Former CSU safety Greg Myers up for election to College Football Hall of Fame.

• Reviews are mixed, but former Bronco safety still his worst critic at NFL Combine.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Patience, perseverance have paid big dividends for UNLV's Jamie Smith.

• Math made simple: Winner of CSU-UNLV gets No. 2 seed in MW Championships.

• San Diego State senior Kalena Tutt finally enjoying her time in spotlight.

SOFTBALL HEADLINES

• New Mexico cracks Top 25 poll for the first time in 13 years.

Have you seen a news article on the Mountain West, its teams and its players to share with fellow fans? E-mail them to Webmaster@TheMWC.com!

• Good Omen: For the fifth time in 20 years, UNLV has posted a 20-win season. The previous eight times the Lady Rebels won 20 games they earned a spot in either the NCAA or WNIT tournaments. The last time UNLV won 20 games and was not allotted a postseason bid came in 1986-87, when the team finished 21-9.

• Record Breaker?: TCU freshman guard Natalie Ventress, the leading scorer in league games only through Feb. 25 (17.5 ppg), is on pace to break the MW all-time freshman record for points per game average currently held by Utah's Kim Smith (17.4, 2002-03). Ventress recently became the first player under head coach Jeff Mittie to post two-straight halves of 20 or more points, joining Wright State's Kim Demmings as the only freshmen in the nation to score 20-plus points in a half in two games.

• Twice the Fun: In finishing with 27 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in Saturday's game against Boise State, Wyoming junior forward Chaundra Sewell recorded her 11th double-double of the season. It was the 12th double-double of Sewell's career, moving her past New Mexico's Jordan Adams (1999-03), BYU's Lauren Riley-Varley (2004-08) and New Mexico's Lindsay Arndt (2001-05) on the MW all-time list.

• A Fond Farewell: Prior to Wednesday's game against New Mexico, Air Force will honor its lone senior, team captain Jamela Satterfield. Satterfield has played in 117 career games for Air Force, one shy of the program's all-time record. She is averaging a career-best 3.6 points and 4.3 rebounds this season.

• Turn of Events: New Mexico has historically enjoyed one of strongest home-court advantages in the nation, having gone 338-165 over the past 31 seasons. The past two seasons have not been as kind to the Lobos, however, with the team finishing 6-10 at The Pit this season and 6-9 in 2010-11. On the plus side, the Lobos head into the final week of the regular season ranked No. 8 in the nation with a three-point field goal percentage of .370, a mark that also currently leads the Mountain West.

• Movin' on Up: With Saturday's win over regular-season league champion San Diego State, Colorado State surpassed its conference win total from 2010-11 with its ninth league victory, its most in the Mountain West since coach Kristen Holt took the reins four seasons ago. Colorado State, which is tied with UNLV for second place, faces the Lady Rebels in Las Vegas on Wednesday. With a win, the Rams would earn the No. 2 seed in next week's MW Championships and face New Mexico in the first round. The loser of the CSU-UNLV game will face No. 6 seed Boise State.

• Down but not Out: Boise State, which scored only 17 points in the first half of Saturday's game against Wyoming, amassed 44 in the final 20 minutes en route to a 61-53 win. In doing so, the Broncos overcame a 13-point deficit, their largest of the season in a come-from-behind victory.

MW Men's Basketball

1. No. 17/17 UNLV at Colorado State, Wednesday (8:15 p.m. MT, CBS Sports Network - DirecTV 613): Not quite sure how one sits squarely on a bubble, but in regards to qualifying for the NCAA Tournament, the Rams find themselves in that very position. Win here, however, and you have to believe CSU is back in the picture, making the MW a four-bid league (New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV). The Rams have won 12 in a row at home, while UNLV has traveled a rocky road in league play (2-4) away from the Thomas & Mack Center.

2. No. 21/23 San Diego State at Boise State, Wednesday (8 p.m MT, The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): The Aztecs were fortunate to hold off the Broncos in the teams' initial meeting in San Diego on Feb. 1, rallying from a 12-point deficit and eliciting an audible sigh of relief when Thomas Bropleh's 3-pointer rimmed out at the buzzer. Of the three teams who enter the final week of league play tied for first place --- New Mexico, San Diego State and UNLV --- the Aztecs are the only team among the three who play both of their final two regular-season games on the road (at BSU, at TCU).

3. No. 21/23 San Diego State at TCU, Saturday (6 p.m. CT, The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): Even if SDSU maintains a share of first place following Wednesday's affair at Boise State, this is hardly the place you want to end the regular season with a potential No. 1 seed in the MW Tournament on the line. The Horned Frogs have virtually become bullet-proof at home, having won eight in a row at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, including knocking off the Aztecs' fellow league-leaders UNLV and New Mexico during that stretch. San Diego State has won nine of the last 10 meetings with TCU, including six straight.

4. TCU at Wyoming, Tuesday (7:30 p.m. MT, The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): TCU has been phenomenal at home, but until winning last week at Air Force, the Frogs had found the road a nightmare. The victory snapped a 15-game road losing streak in league play for TCU, which hadn't won away from Daniel-Meyer Coliseum since topping Wyoming, 76-68, on Feb. 13, 2010. If the Frogs are to reprise that effort, they'll have to do so against a Cowboy squad whose 19 victories this season include 14 at home.

5. Colorado State at Air Force, Saturday (2 p.m. MT, The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): Assuming CSU is fortunate enough to get past UNLV at home on Wednesday, and that's assuming plenty considering the Rebels have won nine times in 12 trips to Fort Collins since the MW's inaugural season, the Rams' quest for their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2003 could come down to this game. It was Air Force's 74-57 victory over the Rams at Clune Arena last season that factored heavily in Colorado State being left out of the NCAA Tournament conversation.

6. Wyoming at No. 17/17 UNLV, Saturday (7 p.m. PT, The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): The Rebels, who are 16-0 at home, will be looking to atone for a 68-66 loss in Laramie on Feb. 4 in which they had two chances to tie the game in the final 22 seconds but missed a layup and a long jumper as time expired. The Cowboys are one of just four teams in the league with five or more road victories but haven't won a regular-season game at the Thomas & Mack Center since Feb. 1, 2003.

7. Air Force at New Mexico, Wednesday (6 p.m. MT, The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): Just a hunch, but I don't envision The Pit being the ideal venue for an opposing team this week with the Lobos having lost two straight while ceding sole possession of first place. New Mexico dealt Air Force its worst loss of the season (81-42) on Jan. 31 as the Lobos' bench matched the Falcons' point total.

8. Boise State at New Mexico, Saturday (2 p.m. MT, NBC Sports Network - DirecTV 603): The final week of the regular season could well be a boon for the Lobos, who are 12-2 at The Pit this season and have not lost a home game since falling to San Diego State on Jan. 18. New Mexico won the first meeting between the teams, 65-49, limiting the Broncos to a shooting percentage of 31.1 percent.

MW Women's Basketball

Wyoming at TCU, Tuesday (6:30 CT, The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): While San Diego State has already locked up the regular-season title, this is not a game without seeding implications for the MW Tournament. Should Wyoming win, it would move into a tie for fourth place with TCU and sweep the season series. This game features several of the top freshmen in the league - Natalie Ventress (TCU), Chelsea Prince (TCU), Kaitlyn Mileto (Wyoming) and Kayla Woodward (Wyoming).

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• It's a family affair where Rebels' coaching staff is concerned.

• Aztecs Shelton, Green will be leading the cheers on Senior Night.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• After four years of Ryan Lindley, San Diego State has 5 QBs auditioning for job.

• Former Broncos get set to be put through their paces in Indianapolis.

• New Air Force defensive coordinator ready to turn up heat on opposing offenses.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Boise State seniors provide a lift to women's program.

TRACK & FIELD HEADLINES

• CSU standout Trevor Brown keeps his focus on the next hurdle.

Have you seen a news article on the Mountain West, its teams and its players to share with fellow fans? E-mail them to Webmaster@TheMWC.com!

MW Men

1. Drew Gordon, F, Sr., New Mexico - While limited to 13 points and six rebounds in Tuesday's loss at Colorado State, Gordon was the definitive man against boys in Saturday's 65-45 win over then-No. 11 UNLV. In finishing with a career-high 27 points and 20 rebounds, Gordon became the first Lobo to pull off a 20-20 since Jimmy Allen (21 points, 20 rebounds) in 1976. It was Gordon's 13th double-double of the season and the 26th of his career. Over his last four games he is averaging 16.0 points and 14.0 rebounds.

2. Michael Lyons, G, Jr., Air Force - Although he was held to fewer than 10 points for the first time in five games in Wednesday's loss to TCU, Lyons was spectacular in Saturday's 58-56 win over then-No. 13 San Diego State. In the second-highest-scoring game of his career (27 points), Lyons also tied career-highs with six 3-pointers made and four steals. He entered the week having averaged 25.0 points in his previous three games, the best three-game scoring stretch by a MW player in league play this season.

3. Pierce Hornung, F, Jr., Colorado State - After delivering a game-changing put-back dunk that sparked an 18-6 run to close the game in Saturday's win over Wyoming, Hornung was instrumental in the Rams' 71-63 win over No. 18 New Mexico on Tuesday. Matched against Gordon, Hornung finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds. He leads the league in offensive rebounds per game (3.2), despite missing six contests earlier this season with a concussion.

4. Anthony Marshall, G, Jr., UNLV - Marshall, who led the Runnin' Rebels with 18 points and 10 rebounds in the team's loss at New Mexico, posted his fourth double-double of the season (11 points, 10 rebounds) in Wednesday's win over Boise State. He also dished out five of UNLV's 19 assists.

5. J.R. Cadot, G, Sr., TCU - Cadot posted his fifth double-double of the season and the eighth of his career with 16 points and a career-high-tying 13 rebounds in Wednesday's 65-62 win at Air Force, helping snap the Horned Frogs' 15-game MW road losing streak. Eight of Cadot's rebounds came on the offensive end.

6. Garrett Green, F, Sr., San Diego State - With his team facing the prospect of losing four straight games for the first time since 2005, Green, a transfer from LSU, came off the bench to score 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting from the floor in Wednesday's overtime against Wyoming. It was the first double-digit scoring game in the MW for Green, who led the Aztecs in scoring for the first time this season.

7. Tim Shelton, F, Sr., San Diego State - Shelton, who had not posted a double-digit scoring performance from March 3, 2009, through Jan. 14, 2012, hit double figures (10 points) for the third straight game in Wednesday's overtime win against Wyoming. The last time Shelton scored in double figures in three straight games was Dec. 6-13, 2008.

8. Chace Stanback, F, Sr., UNLV - Stanback finished with a game-high 19 points in Wednesday's win over Boise State, his best scoring performance since a 21-point outing against TCU in mid-January. Despite being troubled recently by a balky knee, Stanback had 11 points in the first half, including eight straight to give the Rebels an eight-point lead six minutes into the game.

9. Demetrius Walker, G, So., New Mexico - After coming off the bench to score nine points (all in the second half) in Saturday's win over UNLV, Walker again entered in a reserve role Tuesday and finished as the Lobos' second-leading scorer (14 points) in the loss to Colorado State. Walker's point total against the Rams was his best in a league game this season. He also played a career-high 25 minutes.

10. Anyone Shooting a Free Throw for Colorado State - The Rams, who earlier this season went 23-for-23 from the line in their win over then-No. 11 San Diego State, were practically pedestrian in Tuesday's victory over No. 18 New Mexico. CSU, which entered the game as the 11th-best free-throw shooting team in the nation, finished 20-for-23 against the Lobos, this coming on the heels of a 14-for-16 effort in Saturday's win over Wyoming. The Rams are shooting 76.6 percent from the line.

MW Women

1. Courtney Clements, G, Jr., San Diego State - After falling one rebound short of a double-double (16 points, 9 rebounds) in Saturday's win over Air Force, Clements, the league's leading scorer, finished with 25 points - 17 in the second half - as the Aztecs clinched a share of the MW regular-season title with a 68-55 victory at Wyoming. Clements' performance at Wyoming marked her tenth 20-point game of the season. In the two games, she shot a combined 14-of-29 (43.8 percent) from the field, including a 6-of-8 effort (75.0 percent) from beyond the arc.

2. Lenita Sanford, F, Sr., UNLV - Sanford, the reigning MW Player of the Week, finished one rebound shy of posting her third straight double-double (14 points, 9 rebounds) as the Lady Rebels topped Boise State 75-66 on Wednesday to move into a tie for second place while reaching the 20-win mark for just the third time in 20 years. Over her last three games, Sanford has averaged 17.0 points and 11.3 rebounds.

3. Natalie Ventress, G, Fr., TCU - Ventress, who scored a team-high 17 points while grabbing six rebounds and recording a pair of steals in Wednesday's win over Air Force, entered the week as one of only two freshmen in the nation to post two-straight halves of 20 or more points. Overall, Ventress has scored 20 or more points in six of the last 11 games.

4. Chelsea Hopkins, G, Jr., San Diego State - A steadying force in helping lead the Aztecs to the MW regular-season title, Hopkins recorded her fourth double-double of the season on Saturday with 15 points and 10 of the team's 11 assists in a 59-46 win over Air Force. The MW leader in assists, Hopkins matched her season high with five steals to go along with six assists and nine points in Tuesday's title-clinching win at Wyoming.

5. Caroline Durbin, G, Jr., New Mexico - Durbin, who on Thursday became the first player in Lobos history to earn Academic All-America honors when she was named to the Capital One Academic All-American first team, averaged 17.5 points for the week, including a 16-point performance in 53-45 win over second-place Colorado State. Durbin, who leads the MW in three-point field goal percentage (53.5) and ranks second in scoring (15.6 ppg), has scored in double figures in 23 of 26 games and has led the Lobos offensively in 17 contests.

Carefully begin by folding the bracket along its width, proceed following standard paper airplane instructions and launch it from a rooftop. This is where your bracket belongs.

Failing that, repeat step one above before vigorously (and with at least a measure of unfettered aggression) wadding it up and taking aim at the kitchen waste basket from a distance of roughly 20 feet.

In the event you misfire, opt for a dunk. This is where your bracket belongs.

I've seen my share of Mountain West men's basketball through the years, but not like this, not where the so-called "bottom-half" of the league lies in wait for the heavies like some rec-league ringer sporting polka-dot Vans and a pair of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar signature goggles.

If this is going to be the drill for the MW Championships, I'd wedge myself into a line at your nearest ticket office post haste, particularly those preferring their March Madness with a ladle of lunacy.

In the last week, the Goliaths have gone down faster than the Davids can fill their pockets with rocks, tumbling from their perches like bloated birds. I was convinced I'd seen it all when TCU rallied from 18 points down with less than 15 minutes left to beat then-No. 11 UNLV, but clearly I'd developed a limited sense of imagination.

This misgiving was all but confirmed four days later when Air Force, fresh off the heels of rallying from a 14-point deficit at Wyoming, promptly pocketed its second win in history against a ranked opponent with a 58-56 victory over then-No. 13 San Diego State.

Surely, sanity still existed somewhere. Ah, New Mexico. Seven straight league wins, margins of victory resembling games pairing the Lakers and Floyd's Barber College, Drew Gordon getting to the rim and rebounding anything not anchored to the floor. Certainly the Lobos would help ease my oars back into the water.

And then along comes Colorado State. Now, I would write the biography of Rams coach Tim Miles for free, but the way No. 18 New Mexico was conducting business, I feared that this particular chapter might necessitate utilizing such words as "wolves" (Lobos), "sheep" (Rams) and "slaughter" (slaughter).

Colorado State won, of course, which anyone with a basketball IQ of a ball rack could have foreseen.

Me? I've stopped trying to make sense of it all. I have trouble enough with paper airplanes.

Tickets for the 2012 Conoco Mountain West Basketball championships at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas can be purchased by calling the UNLV Ticket Office at 702-739-3267 or logging on to UNLVTickets.com. A limited number of all-session tickets remain. Single-session and single-game tickets will go on sale Thursday, March 1. Don't miss out - get yours today!

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Young Boise State squad is coming of age in second half of league play.

• Max Yon is making a splash as freshman guard with Air Force basketball team.

• Cowboys looking for a cure to recent second-half shooting woes.

• UNLV's Stanback ailing, but refuses to use sore knee as crutch.

• Beat-up Aztecs would be happy with healthy outcome versus Wyoming.

• Journey back to playing almost complete for New Mexico grad assistant Dairese Gary.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• BCS postseason plans: Call it a plus-one. Call it a playoff. Call it a concession. Call it a lollipop.

• BCS executive director preaching patience as playoff talks continue.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Sophomore center has had major impact on altering way opponents attack TCU.

BASEBALL HEADLINES

• Former Lobo looking to parlay defensive versatility into spot on Colorado Rockies' roster

Have you seen a news article on the Mountain West, its teams and its players to share with fellow fans? E-mail them to Webmaster@TheMWC.com!

• In the last two games, TCU freshman guard Natalie Ventress not only became the first player under head coach Jeff Mittie to post two-straight halves of 20 or more points, but also joined Wright State's Kim Demmings as the only freshmen nationally to accomplish scoring 20-plus points in a single-half in two games. Overall, Ventress, who has scored 20 or more points in six out of the last 10 games, ranks No. 15 among all freshmen nationally in points per game. She is the only freshman in the Mountain West to score at least 20 points in six contests.

• Kayla Woodward isn't the only freshman coming of age at Wyoming. Guard Kaitlyn Mileto, one of three freshmen starters for the Cowgirls, did not allow Colorado State standout and MW Preseason Player of the Year Kim Mestdagh to score a field goal in Saturday's 66-62 overtime win against the Rams. Mestdagh, who finished with four points (all free throws) had scored in double figures in every MW game this season.

• Air Force junior Dymond James registered her fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Wyoming on Feb. 15, while junior Katie Hilbig tallied the second double-double of her career with 10 points and 10 rebounds versus San Diego State on Feb. 18. The Falcons finished with a season-low 12 turnovers against Wyoming.

• New Mexico senior Porche Torrance, who has 143 blocks going into this week's action, is two removed from taking over second place on the school's career list. Torrance is also averaging double figures with an average of 11.7 points and leads the MW with an average of 8.4 rebounds per game. She also holds the top spot in the league in blocks per game (2.6) and defensive rebounds (5.6).

• For the fourth time this season, UNLV's Lenita Sanford was named the Mountain West Women's Basketball Player of the Week. The only other player in Lady Rebel history to duplicate that feat was former UNLV standout Constance Jinks, who won the award four times during the 2001-02 season.

• Colorado State senior forward Kelly Hartig, who currently ranks second in the league in field-goal percentage (.545), has shot 64.3 percent from the field (18-of-28) in her last three games. Hartig finished a rebound short of a double-double against Boise State last week, posting a career-high 20 points while grabbing nine rebounds.

MW Men's Basketball

1. No. 18/21 New Mexico at Colorado State, Tuesday (8 p.m. MT, The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): It's not a week free of challenges for the first-place Lobos, who in the span of four days play at Colorado State and at TCU, teams that already own wins over nationally-ranked San Diego State and UNLV, respectively. New Mexico is riding a seven-game win streak and (finally) entered the national polls for the first time this season after dispatching the aforementioned Aztecs and Runnin' Rebels last week. The Rams and Horned Frogs are 12-1 and 12-2, respectively, at home this season, with CSU having won 11 straight at Moby Arena. The Rams' last loss at home came against Southern Mississippi on Nov. 19.

2. No. 18/21 New Mexico at TCU, Saturday (6 p.m. CT, The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): TCU has won seven straight at home, the team's longest run since winning nine in a row in 2008-09. The Frogs, whose last appearance in Fort Worth culminated in a 102-97 overtime victory over then-No. 11/11 UNLV, a game in which they rallied from an 18-point deficit, have not lost at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum since falling to Tulsa on Dec. 31.

3. Wyoming at No. 24/25 San Diego State, Wednesday (7:30 p.m. PT, The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): While New Mexico plays both of its games away from The Pit this week, the Aztecs, who trail the Lobos by two games in the standings, are at home for meetings with Wyoming and Colorado State. SDSU is 23-1 at home against current members of the MW, but also finds itself in the midst of a three-game skid for the first time in four years. One of only four teams in the league without an overall losing record on the road, Wyoming is also trying to put the brakes on a three-game losing streak.

4. Colorado State at No. 24/25 San Diego State, Saturday (7 p.m. PT, The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): The Rams dealt the then-12th-ranked Aztecs their worst loss of the season (77-60) on Jan. 28, posting their first home win against a ranked opponent since 2003. But while CSU has been largely bullet-proof at home, it is one of only two teams in the MW (TCU) not to have won a league road game this season. Overall, the Rams have lost eight straight away from Moby Arena.

5. Boise State at No. 21/20 UNLV, Wednesday (7:15 p.m. PT, CBS Sports Network - DirecTV 613): After going 0-7 through the first round of league play, Boise State has won three MW games in a row, with each of its last two wins coming down to the final second. The Broncos had the Runnin' Rebels on the ropes in Boise on Jan. 25 before falling 77-72 in overtime. UNLV, 13-0 at home this season, is looking to find its feet after consecutive losses to TCU and New Mexico (64-45), the latter marking its largest margin of defeat since dropping a 68-48 decision to Louisville on Nov. 21, 2007.

6. Air Force at No. 21/20 UNLV, Saturday (1 p.m. PT, NBC Sports Network - DirecTV 603): Hats off to Falcons' interim head coach Dave Pilipovich, who is now 2-1 following Saturday's 65-63 win over No. 13-ranked San Diego State. Air Force's only other victory against a ranked opponent came against No. 22 UTEP on Feb. 15, 1992. The Falcons put a scare into the Rebels in the teams' initial meeting of the season, falling 65-63 in overtime in a game Air Force led 34-33 at the half. Since the 2004-05 season, five of the seven meetings in Las Vegas have been decided by seven or fewer points.

7. TCU at Air Force, Wednesday (6 p.m. MT, The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): The Falcons, who rallied from a 12-point deficit to win at Wyoming on Wednesday, have won two in a row after dropping seven straight. TCU won the teams' initial meeting of the season, 59-56, in a game the Falcons led 28-26 at the half. The Frogs are looking for their first league road win of the season.

8. Boise State at Wyoming, Saturday (2 p.m. MT, The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): Wyoming never trailed in the teams' first meeting of the season on Jan. 28, winning 75-64 at Taco Bell Arena as it finished 25-of-38 (65.8 percent) from the field, including an 8-of-14 performance (57.1 percent) from three-point range. The Broncos took 24 shots from beyond the arc but made just seven.

MW Women's Basketball

San Diego State at Wyoming, Tuesday (6 p.m. MT; The Mtn. - DirecTV 616): The first-place Aztecs (20-5, 10-1), who hold a two-game lead in the MW with three to play, nailed down their third 20-win season in four years with Saturday's victory over Air Force. SDSU, which has won 16 of its last 17, trailed only once (3-2) against Wyoming in the teams' first meeting on Jan. 24, winning 56-45. The Cowgirls, who knocked off second-place Colorado State, 66-62, in overtime on Saturday, have won four of their last five home games. The game will feature MW Player of the Year candidate Courtney Clements (SDSU), Newcomer of the Year candidate Chelsea Hopkins (SDSU) and Freshman of the Year candidate Kayla Woodward (Wyoming).

MW MEN'S BASKETBALL

• Peak Performances: Colorado State junior guard Wes Eikmeier, who scored a career-high 26 points in Saturday's game at TCU, topped that achievement when he finished with 30 on Wednesday at Boise State. Eikmeier, the league's leading scorer (16.7 ppg), has hit at least one three-pointer in 20 of the Rams' 24 contests this season and has reached double figures in 20 games.

• Rare Occurrence: No. 13-ranked San Diego State, which owned the nation's fifth-longest streak without suffering consecutive losses (trailing only Kansas, Duke, Temple and Ohio State) prior to Wednesday's setback against New Mexico, has not lost three straight games since falling Feb. 9, 13 and 16, 2008. The Aztecs, who visit Air Force on Saturday, have gone 142 straight games without experiencing a three-game losing streak. SDSU is 11-1 in its last 12 games following a loss.

• Man of Many Talents: TCU senior guard Hank Thorns, who is tied for first in the MW in minutes played (33.4 mpg) and tied for third in 3-pointers made (2.28 3pg), also ranks No. 4 in assists (4.6 apg) and 3-point percentage (40.7%), No. 5 in scoring (13.7 ppg), No. 7 in assist/turnover ratio (1.47) and tied for 10th in steals (1.44 spg). In MW play, Thorns is No. 1 in 3-point shooting (47.0%) and 3's made (3.44 3pg) and is tied for No. 3 in scoring (15.8 ppg). He has made at least one 3-pointer in 13 consecutive games, a career-long streak that ranks as the second-longest active streak for all MW players.

• Ain't No Mountain High Enough: Air Force's rally from a 14-point deficit against Wyoming on Wednesday was its largest this season and the largest since overcoming an 18-point deficit against Sam Houston State on Dec. 28, 2010. It was also the largest deficit Air Force has overcome against a Mountain West opponent since Jan. 9, 2007, when the Falcons rallied from a 21-point first-half deficit to beat New Mexico, 65-57, at Clune Arena.

• Movin' On Up: New Mexico sophomore guard Kendall Williams, who tied a career-high with 21 points in Wednesday's 77-67 win at No. 13 San Diego State, has taken over as the team's leading scorer (12.5 ppg). Williams leads the Mountain West in league games only with a .564 shooting percentage, including a .515 mark from three-point range. He is averaging 14.2 points in Conference play and ranks among the MW top 10 overall in scoring (12.5), free throw percentage (.761) and assists (4.2).

• Rebels Look for Repeat Performance: In dealing New Mexico its worst league loss in four years (80-63) on Jan, 21, UNLV had five players finish in double figures, led by Mike Moser's double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman forward Carlos Lopez tied a career high with 14 points, while junior guard Anthony Marshall (13), senior forward Chace Stanback (13) and junior guard Justin Hawkins (10) also had double-digit scoring performances. The Runnin' Rebels held a 26-0 advantage in fast-break points, recorded 11 steals and forced 21 turnovers. The teams meet again at The Pit in Albuquerque on Saturday (11 a.m. MT, CBS).

• Cowboys Look to Get Back in Saddle: Wyoming, which visits Colorado State in Round 2 of the Border War on Saturday, suffered consecutive losses for the first time this season when it dropped a 58-53 decision at home to Air Force on Wednesday. The Cowboys, who had been 5-0 in games following losses, had outscored opponents by an average of 12 points in the five wins.

• Climbing the Charts: Boise State junior center Kenny Buckner, who had a team-high 20 points in Wednesday's win over Colorado State, has made 87 of his 144 field goal attempts in his debut season with the Broncos, a shooting percentage of .604. The mark currently ranks ninth all-time in Boise State single-season history, and is the best mark since Kurt Cunningham went 134-of-199 (.673) in 2008-09.

MW WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

• No Experience Necessary: Wyoming forward Kayla Woodward continues to defy the notion that freshman need time to get a feel for the game. In Wednesday's win at Air Force, Woodward posted her third double-double of the season, finishing with 19 points and 12 rebounds. She has led the team in scoring nine times.

• Formula for Success: First-place San Diego State has won or been even in the rebounding battle in 22 or its 24 games this season. The Aztecs have also had more offensive boards than their opponent in all but two games, holding a composite advantage of 417-292.

• Cool in the Clutch: For the fourth time this season and the fifth time in her career, UNLV junior guard Mia Bell provided the Lady Rebels with the game-winning points when she hit a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left in Wednesday's 55-54 win over TCU. Bell also has game-winners this season against Fresno State, UC Santa Barbara and Kansas State.

• A Future Flush with Fortune: TCU freshman guard Natalie Ventress, who scored a career-high 25 points on Wednesday against UNLV, has led the team in scoring 14 times this season. Ventress' performance against UNLV marked the fifth time this season that she's eclipsed the 20-point mark. Ventress, who had a career-high five three-pointers against the Lady Rebels, has made at least eight field goals in five games.

• Finishing with Flurry: Colorado State senior guard Kim Mestdagh, the MW Preseason Player of the Year, is making the most of her final season. Mestdagh, who has finished in double figures in every league game, has averaged 20.1 points in her last eight outings. She has also averaged 7.0 assists in the Rams' last three contests.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

•  New Mexico looks to build on momentum from win at San Diego State.

• Pressure on Wyoming's bench should decrease with Derrious Gilmore's return.

• SDSU standout Jamaal Franklin is questionable for Saturday's game against Falcons.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• Aztecs look at offensive line challenges as matter of opportunity.

• Boise State's new football complex gets go-ahead from State Board of Education.

• CSU's McElwain opts to employ co-defensive coordinators.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• With three freshmen in backcourt, young guns are coming of age for Cowgirls.

Have you seen a news article on the Mountain West, its teams and its players to share with fellow fans? E-mail them to Webmaster@TheMWC.com!

MW Men

1. Mike Moser, F, So., UNLV - There was little Moser didn't do in the Rebels' 65-63 win over No. 13 San Diego State last Saturday, finishing with 19 points, nine rebounds, six steals and four blocks. He then went for 22 points with eight rebounds in an overtime loss at TCU. He has posted a double-double in seven of his last 11 games.

2. Hank Thorns, G, Sr., TCU - Thorns, the Las Vegas native who on Saturday had 15 points and six assists in a 75-71 win over Colorado State, delivered the ultimate dagger on Tuesday, scoring a career-high 32 points in TCU's 102-97 overtime win over No. 11 UNLV. Thorns' 32 points matched the third-highest output by a MW player this season. His eight three-pointers equaled the second-highest single-game total by a TCU player, one shy of Michael Strickland's school record of nine set against Arkansas on Feb. 14, 1990.

3. Kendall Williams, G, So., New Mexico - As was the case a year ago, Williams seems to have saved his best for the stretch run. After finishing with a game-high 10 points and five assists in Saturday's grueling 48-38 win over Wyoming, Williams tied a career-high with 21 points on Wednesday as the visiting Lobos took sole possession of first place with 77-67 win over No. 13 San Diego State. Williams, who hit a career-high 5-of-6 attempts from beyond the arc against the Aztecs, is shooting 51.5 percent (17-of-33) from 3-point range in MW games.

4. Jamaal Franklin, G, So., San Diego State - Despite the Aztecs suffering consecutive losses for the first time in 80 games, Franklin recorded his eighth double-double of the season and ninth of his career with 16 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday's setback against New Mexico. Franklin, who finished in double-figure scoring for a career-high 13th straight time, has eight double-doubles in his last 12 games. Against the Lobos, he led the team in rebounding for the seventh straight game.

5. Wes Eikmeier, G, Jr., Colorado State - While the Rams can't seem to find their way home on the road, having lost eight straight away from Moby Arena, don't blame Eikmeier. After finishing with a game-high 26 points (5-of-6 from three-point range) in a loss at TCU on Saturday, Eikmeier posted a game-high 30 points in Wednesday's loss at Boise State. He is the league's leading scorer at 17.6 points per game.

6. Drew Gordon, F, Sr., New Mexico - While the Lobos were bombing away from three-point range with repeated success in Wednesday's win at No. 13 San Diego State, Gordon took care of things inside, finishing with 17 points and 17 rebounds, both season-highs against a MW opponent. It was Gordon's 12th double of the season and 25th of his career, 13 of which have come in MW play.

7. Craig Williams, F, Sr., TCU - Williams matched his entire season total for three-pointers by hitting 4-of-5 attempts from beyond the arc and finished with 20 points in Saturday's 75-71 win over Colorado State. In a game in which TCU matched its season high with 12 three-pointers, Williams went 7-of-11 from the field. He fouled out in Tuesday's overtime win against UNLV, but nonetheless contributed 10 points in 13 minutes.

8. Michael Lyons, G, Jr., Air Force - After going a combined 0-for-7 from beyond the arc in losses to New Mexico and Colorado State the previous week, Lyons regained his stroke against Boise State and Wyoming, connecting on 10-of-14 three-pointers. He shot 66.7 percent (18-of-27) from the field overall in those two contests, finishing with 24 points each time. Lyons has topped the 20-point mark in three of his last five games.

9. Oscar Bellfield, G, Sr., UNLV - Bellfield, who finished with 15 points and six assists in Saturday's win over San Diego State, came back with 16 points and five assists in Tuesday's overtime loss at TCU. Ranked No. 2 all-time on the MW assist list, Bellfield needs 28 assists to pass career leader and former New Mexico standout Dairese Gary, who had 564 from 2007-11.

10. Dave Pilipovich, Interim Head Coach, Air Force - The Falcons have endured more than their share of struggles this season, and changing head coaches in mid-season only heightens the challenge. Nontheless, with Pilipovich directing just his second game, the Falcons overcame a 14-2 deficit at the outset to defeat host Wyoming 58-53 on Wednesday. The win was Air Force's first in Laramie since the 2007-08 season. The Cowboys had won 13 of 15 home games this season prior to the loss.

Honorary performer: Derrick Marks, G, Fr., Boise State - Marks only scored seven points in Wednesday's win over Colorado State, but any guy who goes coast-to-coast to hit a game-winning shot with .8 seconds left, particularly a freshman, should at least get a mention in the weekly top 10.

MW Women

1. Kim Mestdagh, G, Sr., Colorado State - Whatever struggles the MW Preseason Player of the Year may have endured in non-conference play, Mestdagh is playing her best basketball down the stretch. After finishing with 21 points, eight assists and two steals in the Rams' first victory over TCU in 13 years, Mestdagh had 18 points, five assists and four steals in a 67-58 win over Boise State, keeping CSU in contention for its first MW title since 2001-02.

2. Chelsea Hopkins, G, Jr., San Diego State - Hopkins kept the Aztecs atop the league standings, posting her third double-double of the year with 12 points and 12 assists and a team-high six rebounds in a 77-64 win over UNLV. Hopkins' 12 assists matched her career high and are three more than any other MW player in a league contest this season. She also had 12 points, contributed six of the team's nine assists and had two steals in a 57-44 win over New Mexico on Wednesday.

3. Kayla Woodward, F, Fr., Wyoming - Woodward continued to make a strong case for the MW's Freshman of the Year award, averaging 16.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in games against New Mexico and Air Force. Woodward had 13 points, six rebounds and two blocks in a three-point loss to New Mexico before posting a double-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and two steals in Wednesday's win over Air Force.

4. Lenita Sanford, F, Sr., UNLV - Slowed by a knee injury during a stretch in which the Lady Rebels endured a three-game losing streak, Sanford returned to form in Wednesday's 55-54 win over TCU. Finishing with 19 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks and two steals, she was instrumental in snapping the team's three-game skid, recording her sixth double-double and enabling the Lady Rebels to post their first season sweep of TCU.

5. Ashley Sickles, F, Jr., Wyoming - Sickles, who ranks among the top 10 players in the league in five statistical categories, posted her first career double-double in Wednesday's win over Air Force, finishing with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Sickles went 9-of-13 from the field, including a 6-of-6 performance from three-point range.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• There's a whole lot on line for Lobos as they gear up for rematches with Aztecs, Rebels.

• Players from Down Under have wasted little time rising to top for Boise State.

• It's not just another game on schedule when NCAA Tournament seeding is at stake.

• Falcons' junior guard Kyle Green throws open the door when opportunity knocks.

• Colorado State looks to cure road woes at Boise State.

• From Flava Flav to the Rebellion, a rejuvenated fan base inspires the Runnin' Rebels.

• Aztecs' rebuilding year has turned into a bridge to somewhere.

• Investment in coach's approach to defense has paid dividends for Cowboys.

BASEBALL HEADLINES

• San Diego State coach and Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn undergoes cancer surgery.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Neither New Mexico coach Yvonne Sanchez nor her brother intended to chase coaching careers.

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MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• UNLV's Mike Moser provides perspective on Saturday's showdown with San Diego State.

• In world that's neither fair nor necessarily easy, SDSU's Tim Shelton is beacon of light.

• Rebels coach Dave Rice ready to do battle with new opponent: Autism

• Cut by his high school team, DeShaun Stephens is getting grip on game at SDSU.

• Wyoming will be facing a new challenge in rematch with New Mexico.

• Pierce Hornung's absence underscored his value to Colorado State.

• Wyoming's coaching staff had hand in resurrecting Lobos during 1980s.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• Eleven MW players receive official invitations to the NFL Combine. Here's the list.

• New Lobos offensive coordinator will tailor system to players.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Wyoming freshman Woodward feeling a flow on the hardwood.

• Clements reaping the benefits of hard work at SDSU.

OTHER MW HEADLINES

• Steady and spirited wins the race for New Mexico softball coach.

• Lobos hosting the nation's best in indoor track & field.

• UNM learning from last season's highs and lows heading into 2012 baseball season.

• UNLV baseball looks to local prep talent.

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ALL-MW MEN'S BASKETBALL

• Mike Moser, F, So., UNLV - Moser is third in the nation with a league-leading average of 11.7 rebounds per game, trailing only Siena's O.D. Anosike (12.9 rpg) and Kansas' Thomas Robinson (11.8). He is fourth in the MW in scoring (14.7 ppg) and has recorded double-doubles in six of his last seven games. He leads the MW and is 10th nationally with 12 double-doubles.

• Jamaal Franklin, G, So., San Diego State - Franklin is the only player in the Mountain West to rank in the top three in both scoring and rebounding for all games (16.0 ppg,1st; 7.2 rpg, 3rd) and conference games only (18.0 ppg, 2nd; 9.3 rpg, 2nd). He has reached double figures in scoring in a career-high 11 straight games and has seven double-doubles in his last 10 games. During that 10-game stretch, Franklin has averaged a team-high 17.9 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals.

• Leonard Washington, F, Jr., Wyoming - Washington has been in double figures in all nine games for the Cowboys since Jan. 1. He has scored more than 20 points twice during that span, including a 32-point effort against Colorado State on Jan. 21. He is currently one of three players in the MW, along with Moser and Franklin, to rank in the top 10 for all games in points (13.2), rebounds (6.5) and blocks (1.1). In Conference games only, Washington ranks first in field-goal percentage (.577) and second in scoring (17.0 ppg).

• Chase Tapley, G, Jr., San Diego State - Tapley, who is second in the league in scoring (15.9) and first in steals (2.09), has already surpassed his scoring total from both his freshman and sophomore seasons. He has reached double figures in scoring in a career-high 17 straight games. In all games, Tapley ranks first in minutes played (33.3), second in 3-point field-goal percentage (.433), third in field-goal percentage (.475) and fifth in 3-point field goals made (2.3).

• Anthony Marshall, G, Jr. UNLV - Marshall, who at 6-foot-3 is UNLV's second-leading rebounder (4.6 rpg), ranks among the top 10 players in the league in assists (No. 2, 5.0), assist-to-turnover ratio (No. 3, 1.7), steals (No. 6, 1.6) and free-throw percentage (No. 9, 73.3). He ranks second on the team in scoring (14.9 ppg), has two double-doubles to his credit this season and has reached double figures in scoring in nine of his last 11 games.

• Player of the Year: Mike Moser, UNLV.

• Newcomer of the Year: Mike Moser, UNLV.

• Freshman of the Year: Anthony Drmic, F, Boise State.
Drmic is the only freshman in the league to rank among the top 20 in scoring (11th, 12.5 ppg) and rebounding (4.9 rpg). He also leads all MW freshmen in 3-point field-goal percentage (.350) and 3-point field goals made (2.33).

• Coach of the Year: Steve Fisher, San Diego State.
When you lose four starters from a Sweet 16 team, one of them a first-round NBA draft pick, and still manage to find yourself ranked among the top-15 teams in the nation, that's not merely remarkable, it's ridiculous. Fisher, last year's National Coach of the Year, has designated assistant head coach Brian Dutcher as the program's head-coach-in-waiting. At this rate, Dutcher could be waiting a while.

ALL-MW WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

• Courtney Clements, G, Jr., San Diego State - Clements, the league's leading scorer (16.6 ppg), has a MW-best eight 20-point games. She has scored at least 17 points in 14 contests and has reached double-figures in all but three games. Clements also ranks third in the MW in free-throw percentage (.839), 3-point field goals made (2.2) and is fourth in 3-point field-goal percentage (.366).

• Chaundra Sewell, F, Jr., Wyoming - The team's lone returning starter this season, Sewell has posted a MW-leading nine double-doubles. In all games, she ranks second in rebounding (8.9 rpg), seventh in scoring (13.4 ppg) and fifth in field-goal percentage (.457). Sewell is the league leader in offensive rebounds with an average of 3.8 per game.

• Kim Mestdagh, G/F, Sr., Colorado State - Mestdagh, the MW Preseason Player of the Year, has been in double figures in 21 of CSU's 23 games. In all games, she ranks first in the MW in steals (2.7), second in 3-point field goals made (2.3), third in scoring (15.3 ppg) and assists (3.7), and is fifth in free-throw percentage (.828) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.0).

• Chelsea Hopkins, G, Jr., San Diego State - Hopkins is averaging 6.1 assists per game, a figure that ranks 12th nationally and is a full 2.0 more than any player in the league. She also leads the MW and ranks in the top 30 nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0). A main component on a first-place team that put together its longest win streak (13) in 17 years, Hopkins has had four double-digit rebound games this season and is SDSU's third-leading scorer at 9.4 points per game.

• Sam Martin, F, So., Colorado State - In all games, Martin ranks first in the MW in field-goal percentage (.546) and second in free-throw percentage (.880). She is the league's sixth-leading scorer (13.6 pgg), having posted 13 double-digit scoring games and recording two double-doubles.

• Player of the Year: Courtney Clements, San Diego State.

• Newcomer of the Year: Chelsea Hopkins, San Diego State.

• Freshman of the Year: Kayla Woodward, Wyoming
Woodward has been stellar in league play, where she ranks second in field-goal percentage (53.3 percent), third in scoring (17.8 ppg), sixth in free-throw percentage (.810), sixth (tied) in rebounds (6.6 rpg) and seventh in steals (1.8). In all games, she ranks 12th in the league in scoring (12.0 ppg).

• Coach of the Year: Beth Burns, San Diego State.
At 7-1, the first-place Aztecs are off to their best start in league play since the 1997 squad also was 7-1 and went on to post a 15-1 mark en route to the regular-season conference title. SDSU has five more victories than it had all of last season. This is the fourth time in the last five years the Aztecs have at least 14 wins after being unable to reach that mark once in the previous 10 seasons. The Aztecs' loss to TCU last Saturday, which snapped a 13-game win streak, was the team's first setback in nearly two months. The win streak is the ninth-best in the nation this season and tied for fourth-longest in school history.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Red-hot New Mexico generating plenty of buzz going into second half of season.

• Wyoming coach Larry Shyatt is rewriting the script in Laramie.

• Dave Rice has hit the court running in first season with Rebels.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• Defensive coordinator's jump to Colorado State figures to fuel the fire of Border War.

• UNLV shuffles staff, announces new offensive and defensive coordinators.

• Former Boise State signal-caller Kellen Moore is one of 19 QBs invited to NFL Combine.

• McElwain's staff hirings at CSU translate to homecoming for former local prep standout.

• Boise State football center granted sixth year of eligibility.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Air Force freshman rekindles a career she thought was over.

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• New Mexico junior guard Caroline Durbin has been in double figures in every league game this season. Durbin, who is averaging 16.8 points against MW opponents, has finished as either the team's or the game's high scorer four times in eight league contests. She had a career-high 29 points against Wyoming earlier this season.

• In seeing its 13-game winning streak come to an end in Saturday's 58-39 loss at TCU, league leader San Diego State failed to connect on a three-point shot (0-for-17) for the first time this season.

• Boise State junior forward Lauren Lenhardt, who has led the Broncos in scoring six of their last eight games, has hit at least one three-point basket in every league contest this season. In conference games only, Lenhardt leads the league in both scoring (20.1 ppg) and three-point field-goal percentage (57.7, 15-for-26). Only one other player in the MW --- New Mexico's Caroline Durbin (52.2) --- is shooting better than 50 percent from beyond the arc in league games.

• Through 23 games this season, Colorado State sophomore forward Sam Martin ranks 14th in the nation and first in the MW with a free-throw shooting percentage (minimum of 2.5 made per game) of 88.0 percent (66-of-75).

• TCU has held nine different opponents to less than 30 percent shooting from the floor this season, including San Diego State, which shot a season-low 23.4 percent on Saturday. The Frogs are 6-1 when holding an opponent without a three-point field-goal in a half. Five opponents in TCU's last eight home games have not hit a three-point shot in a half.

MW Men's Basketball

1. No. 13/14 San Diego State at No. 14/16 UNLV, Saturday (1 p.m. PT; NBC Sports Network, DirecTV 603): Fans on both sides have been eagerly awaiting this top-25 re-match since Jamaal Franklin's last-second bucket lifted San Diego State to a 69-67 win in the teams' MW season opener in San Diego. The Aztecs, who enter the game in sole possession of first place, have an opportunity to grab the inside track to the league title, particularly in that they get New Mexico, Wyoming and Colorado State at home over the course of the next three weeks. SDSU has won six straight against UNLV, but will be entering a Thomas and Mack Center where the Runnin' Rebels are undefeated in 12 outings this season.

2. Wyoming at New Mexico, Saturday (1:30 p.m. MT; The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The Cowboys, who made things even more interesting in this season's regular-season race with Saturday's win over UNLV, can wreak additional havoc this weekend in Albuquerque. Doing so, however, will require an effort of some proportion. While Wyoming has found success away from Arena-Auditorium by winning four of its last five road games, the Lobos have won four straight games by an average of 26.3 points and are 12-2 at The Pit this season. New Mexico, who is receiving votes in both top-25 polls this week, won the season's first meeting in Laramie, 72-62.

3. Colorado State at TCU, Saturday (7:30 p.m. CT; The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The teams' first meeting of the season in Fort Collins was a dandy, with Colorado State winning 95-89 in double overtime after the Horned Frogs had forced the first extra session by erasing an 11-point deficit. TCU, which has won five straight at home, is 10-1 this season in games decided by six or fewer points.

4. Boise State at Air Force, Saturday (7 p.m. MT; CBS Sports Network, DirecTV 613): The Falcons recorded their largest margin of victory in a MW road game under coach Jeff Reynolds in the teams' first meeting of the season, winning 74-59. The Broncos, hit hard by offseason attrition and the loss to injury of key players Igor Hadziomerovich and Jeff Elorriaga, have been forced to use 11 different lineups this year, more than they did in the entire 2010-11 campaign (eight). BSU is still in search of first road win of the 2011-12 campaign.

MW Women's Basketball

1. TCU at Colorado State, Saturday (4:30 p.m. MT; CBS Sports Network, DirecTV 613): Colorado State, which claimed sole possession of second place with Saturday's win over Air Force and UNLV's loss to Wyoming, will be looking to avenge a 79-71 loss to the Frogs on Jan. 14. TCU hit 12 three-point shots in a game it led 15-0 before the Rams got on the scoreboard. This game features two of the top freshmen in the Conference in CSU's LaDeyah Forte and TCU's Natalie Ventress.

2. Air Force at Boise State, Saturday (4 p.m. MT; The Mtn., DirecTV 616): Boise State put the brakes on a five-game losing streak and moved a game over .500 (12-11) with Saturday's win at New Mexico. Air Force's 81-75 setback against the Broncos on Jan. 14 was its narrowest margin in a loss this season against a MW opponent.

MW MEN'S BASKETBALL

• Lobos Lighting it Up: Heading into Saturday's contest at Boise State, New Mexico has outscored its last three opponents by an eye-popping average of 29.7 points per game. The Lobos' 81-42 win at Air Force on Tuesday marked their third-largest margin of victory in a road game and the second-largest in a league road game. New Mexico beat BYU by 42 (90-48) in Provo on Feb. 27, 1997.

• Plenty in Reserve: New Mexico's bench tied a season high for the second time in three games in the team's win at Air Force by scoring 42 points. It's the sixth time this season the Lobo reserves have combined to score at least 40 points.

• May I Help You?: UNLV ranks third in the nation with a league-best 18.7 assist average. The Rebels have dished out at least 18 assists in 14 of their 24 games this season.

• Man of Many Talents: Wyoming junior forward Leonard Washington has been a handful in MW play. Washington, who sat out last season after transferring from USC, is averaging a league-best 17.2 points against MW opponents and is averaging a team-high 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds for the season. He ranks in the top eight in six different league categories, including a MW-best field goal percentage of 62.4.

• Getting Defensive: TCU is forcing an average of 17.1 turnovers per game, 1.2 more than any other Mountain West team. The Frogs are No. 2 in the MW and No. 38 nationally in average turnover margin (+2.67). More than 25% of the Frogs' points this season have come off turnovers (385 of 1,483).

• Tough to Double Up: Though it was nearly ambushed by Boise State on Wednesday after falling to Colorado State, San Diego State has gone 77 consecutive games without suffering consecutive losses, the fifth-longest streak in the nation.

MW WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

• Flirting with Perfection: San Diego State's 13-game win streak is the program's longest since the 1994-95 team set a school record with 18 consecutive victories. It is also the fifth-longest current streak in the nation, trailing only four top-10 ranked teams in No. 1 Baylor (22), No.10 Green Bay (19), No. 2 Notre Dame (19) and No. 4 Stanford (16). A win on Saturday at TCU would give SDSU (7-0 in MW play) its best league start since going 14-0 in 1995.

• Deep Threat: Since the beginning of Mountain West play this season, Colorado State's Kim Mestdagh has hit three three-pointers in seven consecutive games. The Rams are 7-4 when Mestdagh makes at least three from beyond the arc. Mestdagh's season high for three-pointers came vs. Tulsa on Nov. 17 when she hit seven en route to a career-high 35 points.

• Doubling Down: After posting her second consecutive double-double (20 points, 11 rebounds) in Wednesday's win over TCU, Wyoming junior forward Chaundra Sewell now has nine double-doubles this season.

• Shouldering the Load: Boise junior forward Lauren Lenhardt and senior guard Kati Isham have accounted for nearly 45 percent of the Broncos' scoring this season. Lenhardt, who had a game-high 24 points on Wednesday against San Diego State, has scored 20 or more points in four of the team's seven league games.

• Pulling Away: San Diego State has never trailed in the second half in 15 of its 17 victories this season.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• The Aztecs' future man in the middle is growing by leaps and bounds.

• Charlie Spoonhour should never be forgotten for what he did for UNLV basketball.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• New Mexico coach Bob Davie is happy camper being back on the sideline.

• SDSU's Rocky Long didn't just want a kicker; he wanted an athlete.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Wyoming coach Joe Legerski doesn't want his young team to get ahead of itself.

• Lady Rebels forward is hoping for a fitting end to a long journey.

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MW Men

1. Mike Moser, F, So., UNLV - Moser was almost pedestrian in Wednesday's win over Colorado State, finishing with 13 points and eight rebounds. Of course, after averaging 22.5 points, 16.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.0 assists in consecutive overtime road wins prior to Wednesday's game, even Superman has occasional problems pulling his cape on.

2. Jamaal Franklin, G, So., San Diego State - Finished with 16 points in Wednesday's win over Boise State, reaching double figures for a career-high 10th straight game. After a 9-for-10 outing at the free-throw line against the Broncos, he is now 27 for his last 29 from the free-throw line.

3. Oscar Bellfield, G, Sr., UNLV - Bellfield kept the nation's No. 11-ranked team rolling by averaging 14.0 points and 6.5 assists in wins over Air Force and Colorado State. Bellfield's average of 5.3 assists per game leads the MW.

4. Wes Eikmeier, G, Jr., Colorado State - After leading Colorado State with 19 points in Saturday's upset of then-No. 13 San Diego State, Eikmeier finished with a game-high 18 in Wednesday's loss at No. 11 UNLV. Eikmeier, the second-leading scorer in the Mountain West, has now hit a three-pointer in 18 of CSU's 21 contests this season and has scored in double figures 17 times.

5. Kendall Williams, G, So., New Mexico - Averaged 13.5 points and 4.5 assists as the Lobos posted consecutive wins over Air Force and TCU. His seven rebounds against Air Force marked a career-high.

6.Chase Tapley, G, Jr., San Diego State - Tapley, who had 14 points in Wednesday's win over Boise State, has scored in double figures a career-high 16 straight games and 20 times this season. He has recorded multiple steals in 13 of the Aztecs' 22 games.

7. Leonard Washington, F, Jr. Wyoming - Washington, who had a game-high 21 points against TCU on Wednesday, is one of four players to rank among the top 10 in the Mountain West in both points and rebounds. He is also just one of two players, along with UNLV's Mike Moser, to rank in the top 10 of the MW in points, rebounds and blocks. Washington is currently in the top 10 of six different MW categories.

8. Drew Gordon, F, Sr., New Mexico - Even though his scoring numbers dipped in games against TCU and Air Force, Gordon continued to be a force on the glass as he averaged 9.0 rebounds in the two contests. The league's No. 2 rebounder with an average of 10.5 per game, he now has 505 career rebounds in 48 games with the Lobos.

9. Anthony Drmic, F, Fr., Boise State - Drmic, who tied for game-high honors with 17 points in Wednesday's two-point loss at San Diego State, continues to be the only freshman in the league to rank among the top 20 in scoring (11th; 12.8 points per game). He also leads all MW freshmen in rebounding (5.0 per game), 3-point field goal percentage (.364) and 3-point field goals per game (2.4).

10. Tony Snell, G, So., New Mexico - After scoring just 10 points in his first two league games this season, Snell has scored a combined 51 in his last four.

MW Women

1. Courtney Clements, G, Jr., San Diego State - The league's leading scorer is making a serious case for Player of the Year honors. Clements, who has played a major role in San Diego State's 13-game win streak and 7-0 start in league play, finished as the team's leading scorer and rebounder in wins against Colorado State and Boise State, averaging 18.0 points and 6.0 rebounds.

2. Chaundra Sewell, F, Jr., Wyoming - Sewell helped move the Cowgirls over the .500 mark in league play by posting a pair of double-doubles. After finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds in Saturday's win over Boise State, Sewell had 20 points and 11 rebounds to help lead Wyoming past a TCU team that had won three straight.

3. Kim Mestdagh, G/F, Sr., Colorado State - Mestdagh finished as the leading scorer in Wednesday's key matchup with UNLV, putting up 22 points to enable the Rams to hold onto a tie for second place in the MW. Mestdagh, the league's Preseason Player of the Year, also had a game-high 21 points in Saturday's loss to league leader San Diego State.

4. Chelsea Hopkins, G, Jr., San Diego State - Hopkins, the league's assist leader by a wide margin, has dished out 100 assists in the Aztecs' 13-game win streak after finishing with seven on Wednesday at Boise State. Hopkins also scored 13 points against the Broncos after finishing with 15 in Saturday's win over Colorado State.

5. Kayla Woodward, F, Fr., Wyoming - Woodward, who along with TCU's Natalie Ventress is making a push for Freshman of the Year honors, averaged 17.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in wins over Boise State and TCU.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• In grueling MW, Pokes have found success away from Arena-Auditorium.

• UNLV's Moser has been a monster, even when he's ailing.

• Former SDSU standout Marcus Slaughter has become professional globetrotter.

• Rebel Nation loses former coach Charlie Spoonhour.

• Extended losing streaks have seldom been part of program for Aztecs.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• Falcons' defensive coordinator leaving Academy to coach linebackers at Texas A&M.

• San Diego State recruit gives new meaning to term 'veteran leadership.'

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Colorado State's regular-season fate could hang in balance against UNLV.

• Cowgirls not out of woods yet, but young team showing signs of progress.

• New Mexico's women's basketball team continues to draw impressive crowds to The Pit.

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• Despite having three starters out for the season with injuries and still searching for its first MW win, New Mexico's women's basketball team continues to draw impressive crowds to The Pit. The Lobos ranked No. 10 in the nation in women's basketball home attendance with an average of 6,756.

• Air Force has used 12 different starting lineups this season with 11 different players earning at least one start. Sophomore forward Megan O'Neil registered a career-high four blocks against UNLV on Jan. 28 and ranks fifth on the Academy's Division I single-season blocks list with 45.

• Colorado State senior guard/forward Kim Mestdagh, the MW preseason Player of the Year, has scored 20 or more points in three of the team's last four games. Mestdagh, who currently has 1,545 career points, is 52 points removed from moving into fourth place on the school's career scoring list. She recently became the seventh player in CSU history with 500 or more field goals.

• One of the big keys to UNLV's success thus far has been rebounding. The Lady Rebels, who rank second in the league in rebounding margin (+6.4), boast four of the top 11 rebounders in the MW. Senior forward Jamie Smith's average of 8.4 rebounds per game ranks third in the Mountain West, while senior forward/centers Lenita Sanford (7.5) and Sandrine Nzeukou (6.6) rank fourth and seventh, respectively. Senior center Markiell Styles ranks 11th with an average of 6.2 rebounds per contest.

• Newcomer Boise State leads the Mountain West in free-throw shooting at 74.1 percent on the season, but is shooting 78.8 percent from the line in league games. The Broncos never led that statistical category in 10 seasons as Wyoming, which has made at least one three-point shot in every game this season, has now done so in 86 consecutive contests. The streak dates back to the 2008-09 season against Colorado State (3/10/09).

• In three of its first six league games, TCU has limited opponents to a field-goal percentage of 40 percent or less. The Frogs have forced a combined 61 turnovers in their last three games while holding Boise State, Air Force and New Mexico to a combined shooting percentage of 28.9 percent (11-of-38) from three-point range.

MW Men's Basketball

1. Colorado State at No. 11/13 (AP/Coaches) UNLV, Wednesday (7:30 p.m. PT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): Can Colorado State back up Saturday's big win against No. 13 San Diego State? A year ago, the Rams picked up their first win (78-63) at UNLV since 2003. CSU is 2-5 on the road, where it has dropped its two league road games by an average of 26 points, and will be heading into a Thomas & Mack Center where the Rebels have won 11 straight. While many thought last year's win over the Runnin' Rebels might earn CSU a bid in the NCAA Tournament, such hopes never came to fruition after the Rams lost four of their last five regular-season MW games. Win this one, and an invitation to The Dance should be in the mail, if CSU doesn't falter down the stretch.

2. No. 11/13 UNLV at Wyoming, Saturday (2 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): Will a stingy defense beat a high-paced offense? Tune in Saturday to find out. The Cowboys continue to be the best defensive team in the Mountain West (and fourth-best in the NCAA), limiting opponents to an average of 53.6 points per game. However, slowing the Runnin' Rebels, the nation's ninth-highest scoring team (MW-best 80.6 ppg), will be no small feat. Yet UNLV has had its share of struggles on the road, with each of its last two games away from the Thomas & Mack Center (Boise State and Air Force) being decided in overtime.

3. New Mexico at Air Force, Tuesday (8 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The Falcons were on the verge of posting what might arguably have been one of the biggest wins in program history before falling 65-63 to then-No. 12/15 UNLV in overtime on Saturday. Air Force has been hamstrung by a rash of injuries, but standout junior guard Michael Lyons served notice against UNLV (25 points) that he's on the mend after being hampered for more than a month by a high ankle sprain. New Mexico also has a healthy Hugh Greenwood back running the point. The Falcons reeled off seven straight wins vs. the Lobos on their home court from 2001-07, but New Mexico has won each of the last four meetings at Clune Arena.

4. Wyoming at TCU, Wednesday (7 p.m. CT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The Cowboys are unbeaten on the road in Mountain West play thus far in 2011-12, with wins at Air Force and Boise State. TCU has yet to lose a league game at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, with wins over the same two teams. Look for a defensive battle in a game where the Pokes and Horned Frogs rank first and second, respectively, in the league in turnover margin.

5. Air Force at Colorado State, Saturday (3 p.m. MT, CBS Sports Network, DirecTV 613): Three of the last five games in the series have been decided by four or fewer points. Colorado State's NCAA Tournament hopes largely slipped away last season due in part to its 17-point loss at the Academy in late February. As with any opponent facing the Falcons, good shots figure to be at a premium for CSU, the top-shooting team in the league. Air Force guard Michael Lyons averaged 17.5 points in the teams' two meetings a year ago.

6. TCU at No. 17/17 San Diego State, Saturday (7 p.m. PT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616/Ch. 4 San Diego): The Horned Frogs have historically given the Aztecs fits in San Diego, with four of the last five games being decided by an average of six points. Two of the top guards in the league will square off in SDSU's Chase Tapley (16.1 ppg) and TCU's Hank Thorns (13.2 ppg), who currently rank first and eighth, respectively, in scoring.

7. New Mexico at Boise State, Saturday (2 p.m. MT, NBC Sports Network, DirecTV 603): The Broncos, who nearly played the role of giant killer at Taco Bell Arena last week before falling to then-No. 12/15 UNL`V 77-72 in overtime, get another shot at one of the top-tier teams in the MW. The next six days figure to severely test the Broncos, who must travel to San Diego State on Wednesday.

8. Boise State at No. 17/17 San Diego State, Wednesday (7:15 p.m. PT, CBS Sports Network, DirecTV 613): The Aztecs, who will undoubtedly be anxious to rid themselves of the hangover of Saturday's loss at Colorado State, have won 42 straight home games against unranked teams. The Broncos have yet to win a road game this season, but fell by just two (54-52) at TCU in their last outing away from Taco Bell Arena.

MW Women's Basketball

1. San Diego State at TCU, Saturday (2 p.m. CT, CBS Sports Network, DirecTV 613): The Aztecs, who remain the only unbeaten team in league play, enter the week having won 12 straight, the program's longest streak in 17 years. The Horned Frogs have won four out of the last six meetings against SDSU, including sweeping their two-game set against the Aztecs last season. TCU enters the week having won three straight and four of its last five. This game kicks off the second half of Mountain West action on the women's side. The Aztecs won the first meeting of the season in San Diego, 61-46.

2. Wyoming at UNLV, Saturday (4 p.m. PT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The Lady Rebels, whose only league loss came in overtime against front-running San Diego State, have won four in a row and seven of the last eight coming into the week. Wyoming, which is coming off one of its most impressive performances of the season with a 20-point win over Boise State, has won three of its last five games. In the first meeting of the season, UNLV squeaked by Wyoming in Laramie, 54-51.

3. Air Force at New Mexico, Tuesday (6 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): One thing's for certain: Somebody is going to breathe a contented sigh of relief to end the first half of Conference action. Both teams come into the week at 0-6 in league play. New Mexico has won 30 straight games in the series.

MW MEN'S BASKETBALL

• Young Guns: The Broncos have gotten five 20-point games by freshmen this season, including three from Anthony Drmic and two from Derrick Marks. The five performances are more than the combined total of 20-point games by Bronco freshmen the last 17 seasons. The single-season total is also the highest in at least the last 24 years.

• Taking Their Best Shot: No. 12-ranked UNLV is outscoring its opponents by an average of 15.4 points per game and is shooting 47.4 percent from the field. The Runnin' Rebels are shooting 37.5 percent from 3-point range. Last year, UNLV shot 45.9 percent from the field and 33.0 percent from 3-point range.

• Climbing the Charts: TCU senior guard Hank Thorns needs only four more assists to reach the 500 mark for his career. Despite having played only 51 games as a Horned Frog, Thorns is just 10 assists away from entering the program's career top-10 list (321). Thorns is No. 4 this season in the MW in assists (4.53); No. 5 in minutes (32.37); No. 6 in 3-pointers made (1.95) and assist/turnover ratio (1.54); No. 7 in scoring (13.4); and tied for No. 10 in steals (1.42).

• Time Well Spent: In Wednesday's win over Colorado State, New Mexico senior guard Phillip McDonald came off the bench to score 12 points in 12 minutes. McDonald is shooting 52 percent (21-of-40) from three-point range in the past nine games. He has connected on 30-of-61 attempts (49.0 percent) beyond the arc this season.

• Clamping Down: No. 13-ranked San Diego State, winner of 11 straight, has gone 37 consecutive games without allowing an opponent to shoot 50 percent or better from the field, a streak that dates back to last season. In four MW games this season, SDSU opponents are shooting 35.3 percent from the field.

• In Good Hands: After leading the nation for three-straight weeks earlier this season, Wyoming senior guard JayDee Luster entered Saturday's action ranked sixth in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio. Luster currently has 73 assists and 23 turnovers on the season for a 3.17 ratio.

MW WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

• Off and Running: San Diego State's 11-game win streak is the program's longest in 15 years when the 1996-97 team also claimed 11 in a row before falling in the NCAA Tournament. A victory on Saturday against Colorado State would give the Aztecs their longest win streak since the 1994-95 team set a school record with 18 consecutive wins. The Aztecs are in the midst of their best league start (5-0) in the Mountain West's 13-year history. The team's previous best start was 3-0 during the 2009-10 campaign. SDSU is also one win away from matching its MW win total from last season.

• Breaking From the Gate: Colorado State's 4-1 start in league play is its best since opening 5-0 in 2001-02, a season in which the Rams went wire-to-wire in first place to win the MW regular season championship and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

• Reserves to the Rescue: In nine of TCU's 10 victories this season, the Horned Frogs have outscored their opponent off the bench by a combined 267-114. Overall, TCU has outscored its opponent off the bench in all but six games.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• A year after the most successful season in program history, San Diego State continues to roll, even with a change of the ingredients in its recipe for success.

• The college basketball world is no longer overlooking Mountain West.

• New Mexico players rise to the challenge when coaching staff throws down the gauntlet.

• It's the little things that can mean a lot, and Wyoming is paying attention to smallest detail.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• As UNLV men climb ever higher, there's another team on campus making noise of its own.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• Kellen Moore's future as an NFL quarterback will largely depend on how he measures up.

Have you seen a news article on the Mountain West, its teams and its players to share with fellow fans? E-mail them to Webmaster@TheMWC.com!

If the competition in Mountain West men's basketball hasn't been stiff enough in recent seasons, suddenly the student sections have become the show within the show.

Which is not to be confused, of course, with "The Show," the so-dubbed maniacal, madcap mob of students at San Diego State that leaves few stones unturned when attempting to unsettle the opposition.

Having covered San Diego State men's basketball from the outset of coach Steve Fisher's arrival in 1999, I can attest to witnessing nights at Viejas Arena (formerly Cox Arena) where you could actually hear players exhale at the line before taking a foul shot. The building was frequently as empty as a con artist's promise, the result of 13 losing seasons in the 14 years prior to Fisher's debut.

Today, obtaining a ticket to a San Diego State men's basketball game is a challenge of major proportion.

ESPN's Andy Katz nailed it in his Jan. 16 "3-Point Shot" blog when he described the vast difference at Viejas Arena between then and now.

"The Show" is just one of many distractions endured by opposing teams when traversing through Mountain West venues. There are the "Howl Raisers" at The Pit at New Mexico, already one of the most daunting venues in the nation. There's the "The Stampede" at Wyoming's "Dome of Doom (elevation 7,220 feet)," the deafening, incessant chant of "Reh-bels," Reh-bels" at the Thomas & Mack Center, home to UNLV, and the raucous "white-outs" staged by students at Colorado State. Even at Air Force's Clune Arena, the smallest venue in the league, the decibels generated by a full house rattle the most poised of teams.

Yet for those who missed it, the Mountain West newcomers from Boise State put their own spin on things in Wednesday night's contest against No. 12/15 UNLV, executing a pair of flash mobs that nearly helped lift the Broncos over the hurdle before Boise State fell, 77-72, in overtime.

Welcome to the madness BSU. Only wish you were staying. With football ruling the day, the Broncos are off to the Big East in 2013, while basketball gets shipped back to the WAC. Equaling the mayhem generated by what is fast becoming one of the top leagues in the nation will be no small feat.

Katz, in another blog post on Jan. 26, suggested that the aura experienced on Wednesday night could be hard to find down the road.

In the interim, Bronco fans, you'll be able to match wits this March with some of the best at the Conoco Mountain West Basketball Championships at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, though I wouldn't be tardy in purchasing tickets.

Already, ticket sales for the Championships are directly on pace with last year's record-breaking all-session sales, despite the fact that the MW only has eight institutions this year instead of last year's nine. The lower bowl is likely to sell out within the next week to 10 days, so I'd buy an all-session ticket now to guarantee a seat close to the action. The men's semifinals have sold out each of the last two years, as did last year's championship game.

To purchase tickets, contact your favorite Mountain West institution's ticket office. For more information on the 2012 Conoco MW Basketball Championships, visit TheMWC.com/2012.

MW Men

1. Mike Moser, F, So., UNLV - Moser continued to hold the inside track to Player of the Year honors this week, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds in an 80-63 win over New Mexico on Saturday before scoring 18 points and collecting 21 rebounds (most in the MW this season) in Wednesday's 77-72 overtime win at Boise State. Moser has posted a double-double in five of his last six games and three straight.

2. Jamaal Franklin, G, So., San Diego State - After posting his fourth double-double of the season (14 points, 10 rebounds) in the Aztecs' win over Air Force on Saturday, Franklin picked up his fifth double-double in his last seven games with a 12-point, 11-rebound performance in a 52-42 victory Tuesday at Wyoming.

3. Drew Gordon, F, Sr., New Mexico - Helped the Lobos snap a two-game skid by finishing with 13 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals in Wednesday's 85-52 win over Colorado State. Gordon, who also drew three charges in the game, posted his 11th double-double of the season. He had 11 rebounds in 16 minutes in the second half.

4. Hank Thorns, G, Sr., TCU - After scoring 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting in a 15-point comeback win over Boise State, Thorns scored a career-high 22 points in Wednesday's victory over Air Force. Thorns, who led TCU in scoring for a team-leading ninth time this season, shot 75.0 percent from the field (9-of-12) against the Falcons, the second-best performance by a Mountain West player this season with at least 10 field-goal attempts in a game. He also matched a career-high with four 3-pointers on only five attempts.

5. Chase Tapley, G, Jr., San Diego State - Tapley, who had a game-high tying 12 points in SDSU's win at Wyoming on Tuesday, has scored in double figures a career-high 14 straight games. He has connected on at least one 3-point field goal in a career-long 19 consecutive games and has multiple 3s in 12 of his last 14 contests.

6. Leonard Washington, F, Jr., Wyoming - After almost single-handedly leading the Cowboys to a win over Colorado State with 32 points and 14 rebounds, Washington had a team-high 12 points, eight rebounds and three blocks against San Diego State. He has scored in double figures in six straight games.

7. Taylor Broekhuis, C, Jr., Air Force - A mainstay for the Falcons this season, Broekhuis, who had a team-high 15 points and seven rebounds on Wednesday against TCU, is averaging 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 62.2 percent over his last six games. During that stretch, the 6-foot-10 Broekhuis has hit 6-of-13 attempts from three-point range.

8. Derrick Marks, G, Fr., Boise State - Marks, who earlier this season scored the most points (20) by a Boise State freshman in 22 years, tallied a career- and game-high 21 points to go with six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot in Wednesday's overtime loss to UNLV. Marks made his second straight start in a Bronco lineup that has seen 10 variations this season.

9. Chace Stanback, Sr., G/F, UNLV - Stanback, who continues to lead the Runnin' Rebels in both field-goal percentage (.498) and three-point field-goal percentage (.479), scored in double figures for the seventh time in nine games by finishing with 15 points in Wednesday's overtime win against Boise State. Stanback had 13 points in the Rebels' win over New Mexico on Saturday.

10. Thomas Bropleh, So., F, Boise State - Bropleh, who had not played more than 16 minutes in a league game this season, logged 38 minutes off the bench against UNLV, posting his first career double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Broleph entered the contest averaging 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 19.4 minutes per game.

MW Women

1. Courtney Clements, Jr., G, San Diego State - Clements, who recorded her first career double-double with a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds against Air Force, notched her seventh 20-point game of the season and her third in the last four games with 21 points on Tuesday against Wyoming. Clements, who has played a key role in the Aztecs' 11-game win streak, had 16 of the team's 30 first-half points on Tuesday.

2. Kelli Thompson, G, Jr., UNLV - Thompson, the team's leading scorer, finished with 24 points in Wednesday's win over Boise State as the Lady Rebels (16-5, 4-1) clinched their first winning season in six years. It was the third time this season that Thompson has exceeded the 20-point mark.

3. Kim Mestdagh, G/F, Sr., Colorado State - Mestdagh scored 19 points to go along with three steals and three assists in Wednesday's win over New Mexico as the Rams moved to 4-1 in league play for the first time since the 2001-02 season. Mestdagh, who has cracked the 20-point mark in two of her last three games, scored 21 points in Saturday's win over Wyoming when she finished 8-for-14 from the field and 3-for-6 beyond the arc. She also collected five rebounds.

4. Natalie Ventress, G, Fr., TCU - Ventress, who tied for team honors with 18 points in Saturday's win over Boise State, finished with a game-high 21 in Wednesday's victory over Air Force. It marked the third time in four games that Ventress has scored 20-plus points. She has led TCU in scoring nine out of the last 11 games.

5. Chelsea Hopkins, G, Jr., San Diego State - Hopkins, who had 19 points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals in a win over Air Force, helped the Aztecs remain unbeaten in league play when she produced another all-around effort with nine assists, nine rebounds and seven points in Tuesday's victory over Wyoming.

FOOTBALL HEADLINES

• It's been nearly six weeks since the Mountain West requested a two-year exemption from the BCS, and Brian Murphy of the Idaho Statesman says it's time for the BCS to respond. Now. An exemption would give the league an automatic spot in one of the five BCS bowls.

• Former Boise State standout Kellen Moore, the NCAA's winningest quarterback, figures to be under the microscope at Saturday's Senior Bowl. Former San Diego State quarterback Ryan Lindley will also put his talents on display.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Taylor Stewart's older sister may be competing in a riding ring these days instead of on a basketball court, but she keeps his competitive fires burning at Air Force.

• ESPN's basketball rankings were altered a bit this week when a new league moved into the top five. Which league was it? Here's a hint: It wasn't the ACC.

• Patience may be a virtue, but for UNLV sophomore point guard Reggie Smith, it's not a virtue that's easy to practice.

• With ex-UNLV players Dave Rice and Stacey Augmon now leading from the sideline, the Rebels are runnin' once again.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Colorado State's 'X factors' playing significant role in formula for the team's fast start in league play.

• San Diego State's Chelsea Hopkins healthy and happy after transferring from Duke.

• Colorado State eliminating giveaways in MW play and thriving.

Have you seen a news article on the Mountain West, its teams and its players to share with fellow fans? E-mail them to Webmaster@TheMWC.com!

• Something's gotta give when Boise State visits UNLV on Wednesday. The Broncos enter the contest tied with Colorado State for No. 2 in the league in scoring offense at 66.5 points per game. UNLV, meanwhile, is allowing an average of 56.0, ranking third in the MW. While Boise State is trying to snap a two-game skid, it has won its last two road games. The Lady Rebels, who are receiving votes in this week's coaches' poll, are 3-0 on the road but have yet to win a home league game.

• Three Colorado State players are currently ranked in the top 50 of the Mountain West record book. Sophomore forward Sam Martin currently has the fifth-best field-goal percentage (.550) in MW history and ranks first among active players. Junior forward Meghan Heimstra ranks 24th with 73 career blocks, while standout senior guard Kim Mestdagh appears in the record book no fewer than five times. Mestdagh leads all active players in points per game (20th), field goals made (20th), three-point field goals made (second) and free throws made (46th).

• Beset by a raft of injuries this season, New Mexico coach Yvonne Sanchez had only two scholarship players available in Saturday's 64-50 loss to UNLV. "All year long we've tried not to make excuses out of it," said Sanchez, whose team is 0-4 in MW play. "We have to use what we have on the bench and we have to get them better. You can get frustrated with it, but it's not going to change. The people that we have now are it. Maybe aside from Jourdan Erskine (knee), the other players aren't coming back. It sounds like a horror movie, 'She's never coming back,' but that's the reality of it. We have to do whatever we can as a staff to work as hard as we can to continue to teach these players. If we can do that, then I think we're successful. "

• MW leader San Diego State, which is receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25, puts its 10-game win streak on the line in Tuesday's home game against Wyoming. The Aztecs' run ties them for the sixth-longest active streak in the nation and accounts for more victories than five of the other seven Mountain West teams have for the entire season. The streak is also the longest by an MW squad this year by four victories. SDSU has already exceeded its win total from all of last season when it finished 12-17 overall.

• TCU's Delisa Gross had a breakout game on Saturday against Boise State, scoring a season-high 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting. With her 18-point showing, Gross has now scored in double-figures three times this season. During her three years on campus, the Horned Frogs are an impressive 13-5 when Gross scores in double-figures. Meanwhile, Natalie Ventress has led TCU in scoring eight out of the last 10 games, including an 18-point showing against Boise State. The freshman has led the Frogs in scoring 10 times this season, the first TCU freshman to lead the team in scoring in 10 games since former Horned Frog and current professional Helena Sverrisdottir carried TCU in eight games during the 2007-08 season.

• If Wyoming freshman forward Kayla Woodward hasn't exactly been awed by her transition to the collegiate level, there's ample reason why. Woodward, a three-time Wyoming All-State selection at Sheridan High, earned the Milward L. Simpson award, given to the top female athlete in the state of Wyoming, as a senior. Woodward, the current MW Player of the Week, averaged 25.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 3.0 assists in games against Air Force and Colorado State. For the week, she shot 76.9 percent (20-26) from the field, including 87.5 percent (7-8) from three-point range, and was a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line.

Here's how I rank the games to watch this week:

MW Men

1. Colorado State at New Mexico, Wednesday (8 p.m. MT, CBS Sports Network, DirecTV 613): This game pits the league's top field goal shooting percentage offense (CSU-49.3%) vs. the MW's best shooting defense (UNM-38.3%). After opening Conference play with a win at Wyoming, preseason favorite New Mexico will be looking to get back on the winning track following a week in which the Lobos suffered back-to-back losses to nationally-ranked San Diego State and UNLV. Colorado State, meanwhile, is coming off an emotional road loss at Border War rival Wyoming, and will be looking to steal a win in one of the nation's toughest environments.

2. No. 13/12 San Diego State at Wyoming, Tuesday (6:30 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): With sole possession of first place in hand, the Aztecs head to Laramie having dropped five of their last eight at Arena-Auditorium. SDSU has not beaten Wyoming in Laramie in consecutive seasons since 2002-03. Cowboys' junior forward Leonard Washington (6-7, 235) was unstoppable against Colorado State on Saturday, finishing with 32 points and 14 rebounds.

3. No. 13/12 San Diego State at Colorado State, Saturday (2 p.m. MT, NBC Sports Network, DirecTV 603): A grueling week for the Aztecs, who after playing at Wyoming on Tuesday must return to the Front Range to face the Rams on Saturday. SDSU has won five straight at Moby Arena by an average of 14.6 points.

4. No. 12/15 UNLV at Air Force, Saturday (7 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The Falcons give plenty of teams fits at Clune Arena, but last year's 49-42 win by UNLV was typical of a series in which the Runnin' Rebels have won just nine times in 16 games at the Academy.

5. Air Force at TCU, Wednesday (6:30 p.m. CT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The Horned Frogs sidestepped a 0-3 start in league play by rallying from a 15-point second-half deficit against Boise State. That won't work against Air Force, as the Falcons will limit your possessions and make you earn every basket. Since its inaugural season in the MW in 2005-06, TCU has been swept in its regular-season series against the Falcons three times.

6. Wyoming at Boise State, Saturday (1:30 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): After two straight years of going winless on the road, the Cowboys have turned things around, winning three straight road games for a 4-2 mark away from Arena-Auditorium this season. However, Boise State has been nearly unbeatable in Taco Bell Arena, stretching its home win streak to 15 games before having it snapped against Air Force in the Jan. 14 Conference opener.

7. TCU at New Mexico, Saturday (4 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): Not many teams survive facing New Mexico at The Pit, including TCU. The Horned Frogs are 0-9 against the Lobos in Albuquerque.

8. No. 12/15 UNLV at Boise State, Wednesday (8 p.m. MT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): The Runnin' Rebels appear to have regained their stride since dropping their league opener to San Diego State, posting a 13-point win against New Mexico on Saturday after drubbing TCU by 23. Boise State, which has used nine different starting lineups in 18 games this season, has failed to score more than 60 points in four straight games.

MW Women

1. Wyoming at San Diego State, Tuesday (7:30 p.m. PT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): San Diego State has won 10 straight and is off to a 4-0 start in MW play, the team's best in the league's 13-year history. Senior Courtney Clements is leading the Aztecs' charge, and the league, with a 16.7 scoring average. The Cowgirls have won two of their last three but are 2-6 on the road. Wyoming is a young team and has a freshman in Kayla Woodward who averaged 25.5 points per game last week

2. Colorado State at San Diego State, Saturday (Noon PT, CBS Sports Network, DirecTV 613): Should the Aztecs beat Wyoming on Tuesday, they have a chance to distance themselves from the pack, particularly having already won this season at UNLV. Colorado State and UNLV are currently tied for second place. The Rams are coming around in Conference play after a tough non-conference schedule, and feature Preseason Player of the Year Kim Mestdagh.

3. New Mexico at TCU, Saturday (Noon CT, The Mtn., DirecTV 616): Both teams have played short-handed due to key injuries this season, but in a game pairing two teams that haven't exactly covered themselves with glory in terms of shooting percentages from the field or the foul line this season, TCU is the better rebounding team. Last year each team won on the other's home court.

• San Diego State: If Aztec fans thought last season was magical, the current campaign is threatening to stretch the limits of the imagination. Four days after knocking off then-No. 12-ranked UNLV, San Diego State (16-2, 2-0) won its ninth straight with a 75-70 victory at preseason league favorite New Mexico, a team that had won 13 in a row. This from a team that lost four starters, including a first-round NBA draft pick, from a year ago. That question about whether the Aztecs for real? Uh-huh.

• Anthony Marshall: Following UNLV's 101-78 rout of TCU on Wednesday, coach Dave Rice said he believed the Runnin' Rebels' junior is playing as well as any guard in the country. Tough to argue. After finishing with a game-high 26 against San Diego State, Marshall took it a step further by scoring a career-high 27 against the Horned Frogs. Marshall has averaged 19.3 points over the last six games.

• Colorado State: The Rams (13-4, 2-0), who began the week at No. 22 in the latest RPI rankings, have won eight straight for the first time since Nov. 18-Dec. 30, 2006. CSU has three players averaging double figures, paced by junior guard Wes Eikmeier (16.7). Junior guard Dorian Green and junior forward Greg Smith are averaging 14.2 and 10.5 points, respectively.

• Wyoming: The Cowboys' overall mark of 15-3 is their best start to a season since the 2002-03 squad opened with a 16-3 record. In addition, in a league where home court advantage is enormous, Wyoming opened the road portion of its MW schedule with a 64-53 win at Air Force on Wednesday, and will take an overall three-game road win streak into a Jan. 28 outing at Boise State. The Cowboys ended a 23-game road losing streak earlier this season with a 65-54 win at Colorado.

• The Mountain West: UNLV (17-3) and San Diego State (16-2) are two of 18 teams in the nation with at least 16 victories. The others: Syracuse 20-0; Murray State 19-0; Kentucky 18-1; Saint Mary's 18-2; Middle Tennessee 18-2; Baylor 17-1; Missouri 17-1; Creighton 17-2; Oral Roberts 17-4; Duke 16-2; North Carolina 16-3; Ohio State 16-3; Southern Miss 16-3; Wichita State 16-3; Cal 16-4 and BYU 16-5. The MW enters the weekend as the only league in the nation where every team boasts a winning record.

• Drew Gordon and Mike Moser: New Mexico senior forward Gordon, and Moser, UNLV's sensational sophomore, are both averaging double-doubles this season. In 18 games, Gordon, who has recorded double-doubles in six of his last 10 games, is averaging 12.6 points and 10.4 rebounds. Moser, meanwhile, named to the midseason Wooden Award watch list, has averaged 14 points and 11.4 rebounds through 20 games. Both players rank among national leaders with nine double-doubles apiece this season.

Who's Not

• TCU: The Horned Frogs, who reached the 10-win mark in non-conference play for the first time since 2004-05, have dropped their first two league games, the most recent coming in a 101-78 loss at UNLV in which the Rebels scored 100 points for the first time in a regular-season MW game since March 3, 2001 (106 vs. Wyoming). It marks the third time since joining the MW in 2005 that TCU has opened league play with consecutive losses.

• Boise State: The Broncos, who went 10-6 in non-conference play, have found the going a bit tougher in their inaugural season in the MW, dropping their first two league games. With coach Leon Rice facing the task of replacing seven lettermen from last year's squad, Boise State has struggled mightily on the road, where it is 0-6. The Broncos have scored fewer than 60 points in each of their past three games.

• USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll: So, let's see. North Carolina loses by 33 to unranked Florida State and drops from No. 3 to No. 8. UNLV loses to San Diego State by two at the buzzer in a meeting between Top-25 teams in one of the toughest environments in the nation and falls from No. 12 to No. 20? For those voting, eyes toward the front of the class: UNLV beat North Carolina, 90-80, on Nov. 26. Accomplishment may start with "acc," but last I checked, exclusive rights to the word did not belong to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

• UCLA: And to think Bruins coach Ben Howland once had the triumvirate of Gordon, Moser, and Moser's UNLV running mate, Chace Stanback, before all transferred to MW schools. No wonder UCLA wants nothing to do with the cream of the crop in the Mountain West.

MW Men

1. Mike Moser, F, So., UNLV - I'm assuming there won't be an overabundance of backlash here. A midseason Wooden Award nominee, Moser has it all, having posted a double-double in three of his last four games to put his season total at nine overall. He has flirted with triple-doubles on three occasions this season, including a 16-point, 18-rebound, six-assist performance in the Runnin' Rebels' upset of No. 1 North Carolina in November. Moser is averaging a double-double with 14.0 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, ranking sixth nationally in the latter category, and has also dished out 50 assists from the post.

2. Chase Tapley, G, Jr., San Diego State - Tapley has been one of the league's most consistent performers to date, scoring in double figures in 16 of 18 games, while shooting a shade over 50 percent (110-of-217) from the field and ranking ninth nationally with a .474 (45-of-95) conversion rate from behind the arc. He was all over the floor in Wednesday's win at New Mexico, tallying 12 points to go along with seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocked shots. Tapley has topped the 20-point mark six times this season and is tied with Colorado State's Wes Eikmeier for the league lead in scoring (16.7 ppg).

3. Chace Stanback, Sr., G/F, UNLV - Along with Tapley, Stanback is one of the league's top perimeter threats, converting .476 (50-of-105) of his 3-point attempts to rank seventh nationally. He is shooting just over 50 percent (97-of-193) from the field, leading UNLV's high-powered offense with 14.7 points per game. One of his top performances of the season came in the aforementioned take-down of the Tar Heels, when he poured in 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds.

4. Anthony Marshall, G, Jr., UNLV - After a slow start, Marshall (12.3 ppg) has caught fire of late, scoring in double digits in six straight games while shooting 55.4 percent from the field during that span. Without his 26 points at San Diego State, the Rebels would have been run out of the building in Saturday's loss to the Aztecs. In Wednesday's win against TCU, Marshall topped that effort with a career-high 27 points.

5. Drew Gordon, F, Sr., New Mexico - The Naismith Trophy candidate recorded his ninth double-figure scoring effort in 10 games with 15 points, eight rebounds and a career-high five assists in Wednesday's loss to San Diego State. He is averaging a double-double for the second straight year (12.6 ppg, 10.4 rpg), while converting 50 percent (84-of-166) of his field goal attempts.

6. Wes Eikmeier, G, Jr., Colorado State - Three of his six 20-point scoring performances this season have come in the last five games, as he has helped lead the Rams to eight straight wins. As mentioned earlier, his 16.7 scoring average is tied for the MW lead, while his 88.3 (68-of-77) shooting percentage at the free throw line is tops in the Conference.

7. Jamaal Franklin, G, So, San Diego State - When Aztecs coach Steve Fisher speaks of Franklin, he uses the analogy of the little girl with the curl. When he's good, he's very, very good. When he's not, he'll drive you crazy. Franklin has been good more often than not this season, averaging 15.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He has scored in double figures in six straight games, including knocking down the winning shot against UNLV on Saturday with three-tenths of a second left.

8. Luke Martinez, G, Jr., Wyoming - The junior college transfer has quickly established himself as the Cowboys' top offensive threat, averaging 13.4 points per game. He has scored at least 15 points in 14 of 17 games as the Pokes are enjoying their best start (15-3) since the 2002-03 season. Martinez is riding a five-game double-figure scoring streak heading into Saturday's Border War with Colorado State.

9. Xavier Thames, So., G, San Diego State - The graduation of four-year starter D.J. Gay left the Aztecs looking for a new floor general. In stepped Thames, a sophomore transfer from Washington State, who leads the league with a 5.3 assist average despite missing three games with a knee injury. Thames, the first Aztec point guard of Steve Fisher's 13-year tenure to record a 20-point, 10-rebound game, also boasts an 11.7 scoring average.

10. Anthony Drmic, F, Fr., Boise State - One of four Australian imports playing in the Mountain West this season, Drmic entered the week ranked 17th nationally in scoring among freshmen (14.1), third in 3-point field goal percentage (.404) and fourth in 3-point field goals made per game (2.80). He leads all MW freshmen in each of the aforementioned categories, as well as rebounding (4.3).

MW Women

1. Jamie Smith, F, Sr., UNLV - Smith became only the second player in Mountain West basketball history, men's or women's, to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career in Wednesday's win at TCU. Smith currently has 1,035 career rebounds and 1,011 career points.

2. Courtney Clements, G, Jr., San Diego State - Clements, the league's leading scorer, notched her fifth 20-point game of the season in Saturday's overtime win at UNLV. She returned with 19 points in Wednesday's victory over New Mexico as SDSU remained the only unbeaten team in the MW.

3. Chelsea Hopkins, G, Jr., San Diego State - Hopkins, a transfer from Duke who had seven assists and three steals in 21 minutes in Wednesday's win over New Mexico, was coming off a pair of games in which she averaged 14.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 3.0 steals.

4. Kati Isham, G, Sr., Boise State - Isham is the MW's second-leading scorer at 15.7 points per game and leads the league in 3-pointers made per game at 2.6 (36th nationally). She is also 34th nationally in 3-point field-goal percentage (38.8 percent), third-best in the league.

5. Sam Martin, F, So., Colorado State - Martin ranks second in league play with an average of 21.3 points per game and is first in field-goal percentage at 72.2 percent as the Rams have opened Conference action with a 2-1 mark. She is tied for fourth in the MW with an average of 2.0 blocks per game.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADLINES

• Former grade school chess champion Chase Tapley is making all the right moves on the court for San Diego State. Formerly dubbed by his father as a "studious couch potato," Tapley has emerged to become one of the deadliest three-point shooters in the nation.

• Steve Fisher sidestepped an invitation from senior forward Tim Shelton to make a cameo appearance in an SDSU hoops video that's getting a fair share of hits on YouTube.

• Jeff Reynolds is happy with the ownership his players have taken in Falcon hoops. Added responsibility has come as a result of advice Reynolds received from a fellow Air Force coach.

• Transfers proving their mettle as members of the Colorado State scout team in practice. While Colton Iverson and Daniel Bejarano may not be able to suit up for games, they are making contributions in other ways.

Have you seen a news article on the Mountain West, its teams and its players to share with fellow fans? E-mail them to Webmaster@TheMWC.com!

SDSU has traveled to Arizona, made the trek to Cal, visited Washington and Washington State. They've made a bus trip up Interstate 5 to face USC and taken the court at Arizona State.

Conspicuously absent from the list, however, is a school that once epitomized West Coast college basketball, that once made Final Fours its private party, that won an NCAA-record 88 consecutive games from 1971-74.

One that is located less than 2½ hours from San Diego State's campus.

"I'd love to play UCLA," Fisher said recently when asked why the schools have not met in 21 years. "They won't play us."

And not without good reason.

In 2011-12, the Mountain West is 11-3 against the Pac-12, with the MW's top three teams (New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV) combining for an 8-0 mark, including Aztec and Runnin' Rebel wins over current Pac-12 co-leader California. Indeed, in the last three seasons, the MW owns a mark of 20-12 against the Pac-12.

Over that three-year span, the MW has not only left the Pac-12 in its wake, it has also gone 28-8 against the Western Athletic Conference; 19-7 vs. the West Coast Conference; 20-4 against the Big West Conference; and 25-7 vs. teams from the Big Sky Conference.

In that there are no other Division I basketball conferences in what is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as the western United States, the Mountain West, simply put, has become the Best in the West.

"I've said many times that people across the country are beginning to realize just how good the basketball is in the Mountain West," said UNLV first-year coach Dave Rice, who was part of a national championship team at the school in 1990. "You take a look at two years ago when we had four teams in the NCAA Tournament, last year when we had three teams in the NCAA Tournament and multiple teams in the postseason."

Over the last three seasons, including the current campaign, the MW is 112-38 against conferences in the western half of the country. It is the only league in the West to boast multiple teams in the top 22 (UNLV, 10th; Colorado State, 22nd) in the latest NCAA RPI rankings. It is the only league in the country where all of its teams currently have winning records.

This, despite the rigors of travel in a conference where altitude (Wyoming, 7,220 feet), weather and flat-out fanaticism (New Mexico, The Pit; San Diego State, "The Show;" UNLV, "Rehhbels, Rehhbels") can unnerve even the best of teams.

Nationally, the MW is one of six conferences with multiple teams (UNLV and San Diego State) ranked in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches' polls. A third, New Mexico, is receiving votes in both polls and has an opportunity to vault into the Top-25 this week with games against the aforementioned Aztecs and Runnin' Rebels.

Comparatively, only one other conference in the western U.S. --- the WCC --- currently has a team ranked in the Top 25, with Saint Mary's at No. 24 and 23 in the AP and Coaches' polls, respectively.

The Pac-12 and the WAC? Nary a soul.

The MW, which is on pace to be the top-ranked conference in the West for the third straight year, has garnered multiple NCAA Tournament bids in 11 of the last 12 seasons. Over the past three seasons among conferences in the West, only the Pac-12 (12) has received more bids than the MW (9), though the latter has earned seven bids to the Pac-12's six in the last two years.

And with success comes notoriety. All 56 MW regular-season games will be nationally televised this year, as will all seven games of the 2012 Conoco MW Men's Basketball Championship.

Ticket sales for the tournament are already on pace to match last year's record-setting pre-championship sales, despite the fact that there is one fewer team due to changes in the MW membership.

Staged at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (capacity 18,500), where the arena's lower bowl seats approximately 8,500 fans (more than the entire Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, home to the WCC and WAC tournaments), the semifinal rounds of each of the last two MW tournaments have been sell-outs, as was last year's title game.

Said UNLV's Rice: "I think it's just become a situation in our league where teams have become accustomed to winning."

And accustomed to being the Best in the West.