With all due respect to Air Force and Boise State, there are really four teams that have set themselves apart for the pack in the Mountain West race: UNLV, San Diego State, Colorado State and New Mexico.
Only one of those four teams has won a road game against the top four in the MWC. That was UNLV, when they picked up an 82-75 win at SDSU back in January. UNLV also happens to be one of the teams that is the most notorious for their inability to win on the road, and not just in the MWC. Nationally.
That’s really all you need to know about the MWC this season.
And that’s what you need to keep in mind when you hear about No. 22 Colorado State’s loss at the Thomas & Mack Center on Wednesday night.
Yes, there were some positive signs for the Rebels. A team that has had a bad habit of getting beaten up in the paint, the Rebels went all Waka Flocka on Colorado State, who just so happens to have one of the biggest and most powerful front lines in the country. They’ve shown an increased aptitude for making smart passes and taking fewer dumb shots. They didn’t wilt in the second half when the Rams completely erased a 13 point lead. Anthony Marshall was able to shake off a tough shooting night and hit the game-winner.
UNLV’s hopes of winning the league vanished long ago, but they’re still going to be in the NCAA tournament and they still have the talent to make some noise in the Big Dance.
Tonight’s performance was a step in the right direction. Now let’s see them do it on the road.
It’s worth noting that, as far as the Rams are concerned, this loss put them behind the eight-ball in terms of winning the Mountain West title outright. They will have a chance to host conference leader New Mexico on Saturday, a game that should be one of the best of the weekend.
You can find Rob on twitter @RobDauster.