8. Mountain West Conference (MWC)
2026–27 Preseason Conference Preview
The Mountain West enters the 2026–27 season ranked eighth nationally in the preseason KenPom conference ratings. With an average adjusted efficiency margin of +4.58, the conference remains one of the stronger leagues outside the traditional power conferences, despite significant changes to its membership.
The departures of Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and Utah State to the Pac-12 have reshaped the Mountain West. New Mexico now finds itself in a position to lead the conference, with the Lobos earning a No. 12 seed and the automatic bid in the initial OCMM bracket projection.
The biggest question for the Mountain West is whether it can maintain its recent reputation as a multi-bid conference. Grand Canyon and UNLV are among the programs looking to challenge New Mexico, while Nevada provides additional competition. With the NCAA Tournament expanding to 76 teams, the opportunity exists for a second Mountain West team to earn an at-large bid, but the conference will need strong nonconference performances to establish its postseason credentials.
OCMM Outlook: The Mountain West opens the season as the nation's eighth-ranked conference, with New Mexico projected to capture the automatic NCAA Tournament bid. Grand Canyon, UNLV, and Nevada will be worth watching as potential challengers, but the league currently projects as a one-bid conference until another team establishes a stronger at-large résumé.
No comments:
Post a Comment