The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: The Mountain West Championship Game

With the playoffs over and a new national team winning, it’s time to take a look at how Mountain West fared in college sports’ biggest tournament. Here’s a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly in March Madness.

The Good

San Diego State

The Aztecs became national favorites after defeating Alabama at the Sweet Sixteen and knocking down a controversial team. After the last second shot, the Aztecs went on to beat Creighton at Elite Eight. The Aztecs are a perfect example of what can happen when you play good defense. It’s not the most talented San Diego State team I’ve ever seen, but they played some really good games and they carried the weight on their shoulders. It may be the best athletic performance of a Mountain West team in conference history.
I’m sure PAC 12 watched the Aztecs’ performance closely.

The Bad

Boise State

For most of the game, the Broncos played well enough to outshine Northwestern, but a slow start and lack of depth ultimately proved difficult to overcome. Boise State has a lot of confidence in their starting five, and the damage he’s done to the team is starting to show as March arrives. It’s disappointing for a program still looking for its first win in the tournament. Addressing depth issues and low production will be Leon Rice and his team’s biggest concerns this summer.

Utah State

The Aggies, who survived by three points, managed to put up a good fight against Missouri, although it wasn’t good. Similar to the Broncos, the physique and athleticism of their opponents seemed insurmountable. The Aggies have achieved a lot in their campaign this year, but they are now looking for a new head coach and there are rumors of changes to some key players. It will be interesting to see what the show will do next season.

The Ugly

Nevada

Wolfpack is an example of a team that is very high. As the season progressed, the team appeared weakened, showing this at the Mountain West Championship and in their first encounter with Arizona State. Nevada dominated from the start and couldn’t match the Sun Devils’ athleticism and shooting ability. Many fans felt that Nevada did not deserve a place in the tournament, and their performance did nothing to prove believers wrong.

What gets you excited about the March Madness match at Mountain West?