2026 Mountain West Conference Tournament Preview & Conference Awards

CBB Review prepares you for every conference tournament leading up to Selection Sunday on Mar. 15. Up next: The Mountain West Conference Tournament.

It may not be the strongest Mountain West this year. After earning at least four bids in each of the previous four seasons, this year’s conference is looking at just one team in the projected field of 68 as of Wednesday morning. (Utah State, who won the MWC regular season title, looms on the national 8-seed line.)

All this means is that the conference tournament holds significantly more weight. Can New Mexico or San Diego State add a quality or two to propel their at-large case? Furthermore, can a lower seeded team act as a bid stealer by snatching the automatic bid? Anything is possible in this wide open Mountain West Tournament.

2026 Mountain West Conference Awards

Player of the Year: Mason Falslev, Utah State

Freshman of the Year: Jake Hall, New Mexico

Transfer of the Year: Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, UNLV

Coach of the Year: Jerrod Calhoun, Utah State

First Team:

• G: Mason Falslev, Utah State (15.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.9 SPG)
• G: Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, UNLV (21.0 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.3 SPG)
• G: MJ Collins, Utah State (15.9 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.5 APG)
• G: Jake Hall, New Mexico (16.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.6 APG)
• F: Elijah Price, Nevada (13.2 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.7 BPG)

Second Team:

• G: Jaden Henley, Grand Canyon (17.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.5 SPG)
• G: Corey Camper Jr, Nevada (17.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.3 SPG)
• G: Colby Garland, San Jose State (20.3 PPG, 4.6 APG, 3.1 RPG, 1.0 SPG)
• G: Miles Byrd, San Diego State (10.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.9 SPG, 1.2 BPG)
• C: Drew Fielder, Boise State (14.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.3 APG)

2026 Mountain West Tournament Simulation

First round – Wednesday, Mar. 11

8. UNLV (16-15, 11-9) vs. 9. Wyoming (18-13, 9-11) – 12 p.m. PT on MW Network

Expect a lot of free throws in this one. Wyoming allows opponents to take 48.1 foul shots per 100 possessions, which ranks 360th nationally, while UNLV’s 46.2 defensive free throw rate ranks 354th. The Cowboys, led by senior guard Leland Walker, have been much more efficient at the charity stripe, and that is the difference.

Dan’s pick: 9. Wyoming

5. Nevada (20-11, 12-8) vs. 12. Air Force (3-28, 0-20) – 2:30 p.m. PT on MW Network

As their record suggests, the Falcons have been historically bad this season. No need to give much thought to this one.

Dan’s pick: 5. Nevada

7. Colorado State (20-11, 11-9) vs. 10. Fresno State (13-18, 7-13) – 6 p.m. PT on MW Network

This is a battle between a team with high expectations that disappointed, and a team with very low expectations that slightly exceeded them. Led by former Air Force Falcon and Clemson Tiger Jake Heidbreder, Fresno State puts Colorado State’s disappointing season to bed.

Dan’s pick: 10. Fresno State

6. Boise State (20-11, 10-8) vs. 11. San Jose State (8-23, 3-17) – 6 p.m. PT on MW Network

San Jose State is another example of how much of a doormat the bottom of the league was. Two of the Spartans’ three conference wins were against 0-20 Air Force. Boise State has its way offensively and easily avoids what would be its second catastrophic loss of the season.

Dan’s pick: 6. Boise State

Quarterfinals – Thursday, Mar. 12

1. Utah State (25-6, 15-5) vs. 9. Wyoming – 12 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network

After dominating Wyoming at home, Utah State got all they could handle from the Cowboys a few games later in Laramie. This one goes more similarly to the first matchup, where five Aggies finish in double figures en route to a comfortable victory.

Dan’s pick: 1. Utah State

4. Grand Canyon (20-11, 13-7) vs. 5. Nevada – 2:30 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network

One thing that Grand Canyon does exceptionally well is defend against smaller, more skill-reliant teams. Veteran guard Makaih Williams, who has worked his way into the ‘Lopes starting lineup, will prove too much to handle on both ends. Nevada falls victim to another cold shooting night, which they have been particularly susceptible to lately.

Dan’s pick: 4. Grand Canyon

2. San Diego State (20-10, 14-6) vs. 10. Fresno State – 6 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network

As underwhelming as San Diego State has been since the start of the season, at least you can say they have only fallen to decent teams. Their one loss outside of the first two quadrants was to a Troy squad that won the Sun Belt regular season and tournament titles. In a game that has the potential to almost certainly knock them out of the NCAA Tournament picture, the Aztecs take care of business.

Dan’s pick: 2. San Diego State

3. New Mexico (22-9, 13-7) vs. 6. Boise State – 8:30 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network

New Mexico has benefitted from outshooting its opponents most of the year, but they struggle with teams that can pack it into the paint. In fact, over the last five regular season games, the Lobos allowed opponents to shoot over 60% on two-pointers. Boise State’s front court of Drew Fielder and Javan Buchanan help complete the three-game sweep of Eric Olen’s squad.

Dan’s pick: 6. Boise State

Semifinals – Friday, Mar. 13

1. Utah State vs. 4. Grand Canyon – 6:30 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network

At some point, Grand Canyon’s lack of offensive stars will come back to bite them, and they will have a clear disadvantage if this game opens up. When it comes down to it, Utah State’s backcourt of Mason Falslev and MJ Collins edges the Lopes’ Jaden Henley and Makaih Williams. The Aggies emerge with a 6-to-8-point win after trailing for a chunk of the contest.

Dan’s pick: 1. Utah State

2. San Diego State vs. 6. Boise State – 9 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network

This one features strength against strength. San Diego State’s Miles Byrd is a shutdown defender, and Magoon Gwath has been great protecting the rim, but Boise State’s offense prevails again. The Broncos enter the Mountain West Tournament off five straight wins, including a nine-point victory over the Aztecs last week. Add another tally to that W-column as Boise State ultimately takes the season series.

Dan’s pick: 6. Boise State

Championship – Saturday, Mar. 14

1. Utah State vs. 6. Boise State – 3 p.m. PT on CBS

An entertaining tournament ends in a nightmare scenario for the Mountain West as a whole. Utah State takes the crown, and with San Diego State and New Mexico both losing before the title game, the league is in serious jeopardy of securing just one total bid.

At the end of the day, the Aggies won the regular season title for a reason, though. They have two of the best guards in mid-major basketball, they force opponents into suboptimal shot diets, and they have a rising star in the industry, leading their team in Jerrod Calhoun.

Utah State collects another piece of hardware on its way to the big dance!

Dan’s pick: 1. Utah State