MWC Sends League-Record Six Men's Basketball Teams to Postseason

BYU, Utah move on to NCAA tournament; New Mexico, San Diego State and UNLV receive NIT bids; Wyoming in College Basketball Invitational

March 15, 2009

Postseason Release  •  2009 NCAA Bracket  •  2009 NIT Bracket  •  2009 CBI Bracket

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The 2008-09 men's basketball season continues for six Mountain West Conference teams as BYU, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV and Utah have received invitations to the postseason.

BYU and Utah are included in the field of 65 for the 2009 NCAA Tournament, marking the eighth consecutive year the Mountain West has had at least one at-large qualifier on Selection Sunday. In 10 years, MWC teams have received 22 NCAA bids, including 13 at-large berths.

New Mexico, San Diego State and UNLV are also headed to the postseason after receiving berths in the 32-team 2009 National Invitation Tournament. In the 10-year history of the Mountain West, all of the league's 20-win squads have advanced to postseason play.

Wyoming was the sixth team from the Mountain West to receive a postseason bid, earning a spot in the 16-team College Basketball Invitational. The six postseason berths are the most in the 10-year history of the Mountain West Conference.

Number five seed and MWC tournament champion Utah (24-9) earned the league's automatic bid and will face off against No. 12 seed Arizona (19-13), an at-large qualifier, in the Midwest Region at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Fla. The Utes, who hold a 35-29 record in NCAA Tournament action, are making their 27th trip to the Big Dance and first since advancing to the Sweet 16 of the 2005 NCAA Tournament.

The first-round contest between the Utes and Wildcats will take place Friday, March 20. The winner of the Utah-Arizona contest will face the winner of No. 4 seed Wake Forest vs. No. 13 seed Cleveland State in second-round play on Sunday, March 22.

BYU (25-7) earned a No. 8 seed in the West Region and will face No. 9 seed Texas A&M (24-10) at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pa. The Cougars, who earned an at-large bid for the second straight year, will be making their 24th trip to the NCAA Tournament, including the sixth in the last nine years. BYU is 11-26 in NCAA Tournament contests overall.

The Cougars and Aggies square off Thursday, March 20. The winner of the BYU-Texas A&M contest will meet the winner of No. 1 seed Connecticut vs. No. 16 seed Chattanooga on Saturday, March 21 in second-round action.

This marks the second straight year BYU and Texas A&M will meet in postseason play. The Aggies claimed a 67-62 decision over the Cougars in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. BYU won the first meeting between the teams, an 83-81 decision on Dec. 28, 1972.

The No. 5 and 8 seeds for Utah and BYU, respectively, mark the two highest seeds the Mountain West Conference has ever received in the same NCAA Tournament.

In the 2009 MasterCard NIT, No. 3 seed New Mexico (21-11) hosts No. 6 seed Nebraska (18-12), Tuesday, March 17, in the first-ever meeting between the teams. The contest is set for an 8 p.m. MT start in The Pit and will be televised on ESPNU. The winner of the Nebraska-New Mexico game will play the winner of the Notre Dame-UAB contest in the second round.

The Lobos are making their second straight and 17th overall trip to the NIT, compiling a 16-18 record in the event.

San Diego State will be participating in the NIT for the third consecutive year and fifth time overall. The Aztecs, who received a No. 1 seed, will host No. 8 seed Weber State, Tuesday, March 17, in a 7 p.m. PT match-up in Cox Arena.

The winner of the San Diego State-Weber State game will advance to play the winner of the Kansas State-Illinois State contest in the second round.

Number five seed UNLV (21-10) will play a first-round game at No. 4 seed Kentucky (20-13) on Tuesday, March 17 at 9:30 p.m. ET. The game, to be played at Memorial Coliseum because of a conflict with Rupp Arena, will be televised on ESPN. The winner of the UNLV at Kentucky game will face the winner of No. 1 seed Creighton vs. No. 8 seed Bowling Green in the second round.

This will be UNLV's first NIT appearance since making four straight from 2002 to 2005, and 10th overall. The Runnin' Rebels hold an 8-10 all-time record in the tournament, turning in their best NIT finish in 1980 when they advanced to the semifinals in New York.

UNLV is 0-3 all-time against Kentucky. The last meeting was a 64-61 Wildcat victory in the first round of the 1985 NCAA Tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In the College Basketball Invitational, Wyoming (19-13) will host Northeastern on Tuesday, March 17 in the first-ever meeting between the two teams. The game tips off at 7 p.m. MT and will be televised on HDNet.

This marks the Cowboys' first postseason appearance since a trip to the NIT in 2003.