2013 MWC Betting Futures
College basketball season is just around the corner. Team media days have come and gone and practices are now in full swing. The first games of the season come on November 8. CappersPicks is going to give you a look at power rankings in many different conferences.
We’ll start it out with the Mountain West. Included by the team name is odds to win the Mountain West Conference from BetOnline.
Preseason Coaches Poll (Link)
As of Thursday, October 17, 2013
Mountain West Conference 2013-2014 NCAA BB Power Rankings
1. New Mexico (+150)
The Lobos definitely have the most returning talent of any team in the conference. Kendall Williams is the top point guard in the conference. Cullen Neal will be a star here, and his Dad is the new coach here. Alex Kirk is a rebounder and strong defensive presence on the inside.
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It’s next to impossible to win at “The Pit” and this team is going to be tough to beat. They might be underrated a bit because of their surprise loss to Harvard in March last year.
2. Boise State (+300)
Boise State is starting to make a name for themselves in basketball. Anthony Drmic can score from just about anywhere on the court. Derrick Marks is a slashing point guard who gets the rest of his teammates a lot of open looks. The Broncos will shoot a lot of three-pointers, and when they are falling they can beat anyone. If they can hold their own inside, the Broncos will be very tough to beat.
3. UNLV (+175)
UNLV lost 70% of its scoring from last year. The team saw its top four players all either graduate or transfer following last season. Khem Birch is expected to do big things this season. In addition, UConn transfer Roscoe Smith should be a star here. Dave Rice wants the team to keep running, but their first focus is on winning with great defense. Too many question marks here for me to put them at the top.
4. San Diego State (+800)
San Diego State probably has less talent than most other teams in this conference this year, but they have one of the best coaches. Steve Fisher gets a lot out of his team every year, and I don’t expect this year to be any different. The Aztecs lock it down on defense better than anyone else in this league.
5. Utah State Aggies (+1,000)
It will be Utah State’s first year in the Mountain West this year. The Aggies are a disciplined team with a great coach in Stew Morrill. They dealt with a ton of injuries last season. If they stay healthy, this team could knock off some of the top teams in the league this season. [ad-6571516]
6. Fresno State (+2,000)
The Bulldogs haven’t been all that good the last couple years, but they have some very good youngsters to build around. Look for Fresno State to be on the rise in the near future.
7. Colorado State (+1,500)
Colorado State was top-notch last year, but they replace all five starters from last year’s team. Jesse Carr suffered another torn ACL and has had to quit basketball altogether. This team is in for a significant drop.
8. Nevada (+3,000)
Deonte Burton is a star, but the rest of his team is a mess. Look for Burton to win this team some games single-handedly, but this team will struggle against the elite in this conference.
9. Wyomin (+1,500)
Wyoming started last year well, but it went downhill late. Expect a poor season from this team. They don’t have enough offense to keep up.
10. Air Force (+5,000)
Air Force lost star Michael Lyons, and adjusting to life without him won’t be easy for this team.
11. San Jose State (+7,500)
The Spartans are in for a very long season. They have no depth and should be beaten badly on multiple occasions this year.
Free Pick to Win Mountain West:
New Mexico – The Lobos have it all in terms of balance and team depth, and it’s tough to see anyone else keeping up with them.
