By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports
BYU cruises into the Big 12 Tournament 0n what could be one of the hottest streaks in school history.
Can the Provo Cougars keep the steamroller going in Kansas City? That would be something.
The play of Saint Mary’s has been just as impressive, but the true test for the Gaels likely lies beyond the WCC.
UCLA hasn’t been anywhere near as consistent, but the Bruins appear capable of contending for the Big Ten Tournament title, nonetheless.
The same can be said of Oregon, winner of seven straight with a coach known for wizardry in March.
Here’s how I see the Top 10 squads from the West stacking up heading into the conference tournaments.
1. BYU (14-6, 23-8)
Kevin Young’s team is on another level. The Cougars beat Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum in one of the most impressive victories of the season.
Bringing an eight-game win streak to Kansas City, the only team with comparable momentum is Houston.
But all the success of the regular season will be forgotten if the Cougars stumble in March. Programs are always judged by how deep of a run they go on in the NCAA Tournament.
Nobody will remember the win streak to finish the year if the Cougars get bounced in the First Round.
2. Saint Mary’s (17-1, 27-4)
The Gaels have lost just one game in all of the calendar Year 2025.
The WCC may be perceived to be in a down year, but going 17-1 in the Conference should be respected.
If Gonzaga had done that, the national media would be fawning all over their Final Four chances.
But it’s different because the name on the front of the jersey says Saint Mary’s. If ever there was a year for Randy Bennett’s team to make the Sweet 16, it’s this year.
3. UCLA (13-7, 22-9)
Don’t sleep on the Bruins. It’s been a long season, but it’s clear that Mick Cronin’s roster has bought in.
That wasn’t true last year when half the team had their foot out of the door. How the buy-in translates in the Big Dance remains to be seen. Yet, Cronin is an elite coach who can extract a run out of his guys.
Other than the defeat at home to Minnesota, you have to go all the way back to early January to find a bad loss on their resume.
The March Madness expectations in Westwood are cautiously optimistic.
4. Oregon (12-8, 23-8)
The Ducks are on a seven-game winning streak heading into the postseason.
Arguably a sleeper team, there probably aren’t many that expect Oregon to make a deep run. But Dana Altman is one of the greatest coaches of all time and he has his team in position.
The road win at Wisconsin, in particular, indicates that UO has what it takes.
Don’t be surprised when they make the Sweet 16.
5. Arizona (14-6, 20-11)
Arizona’s March Madness hopes are relatively dim.
The team’s defensive efficiency has fallen off a cliff. Opponents are running the same type of action in pick-and-roll situations, which Tommy Lloyd has failed to adjust to.
Lloyd himself even admitted that the “code” could have been “cracked.” You don’t say, Tommy. This happens every season, and nothing changes.
Now, we all get to witness how horribly coached the Cats become in NCAA Tournament games. Get ready for an ugly finish to the year.
6. New Mexico (17-3, 25-6)
The Lobos won the Mountain West Regular Season Championship outright.
But it’s been 13 years since New Mexico won a game in the NCAA Tournament. That is an ugly fact that can’t be ignored. Last year, UNM got bounced by 21 points in the First Round.
Is this team any different? Perhaps. And maybe the answer is a resounding “yes.”
But until the Lobos prove it in the Big Dance, the doubts will remain. Going out and winning the MWC Tournament would be a solid first step.
7. Gonzaga (14-4, 23-8)
Nine. That’s the number of Sweet 16s that Gonzaga has made in a row.
It’s been a legendary run over the last decade and a streak that the Bulldogs are fighting to keep alive.
But nobody is expecting Mark Few’s team to make a run. Likely ending up as an eight or nine-seed, GU could have its hands full in the First Round.
Yet, if the Zags survive and advance to face the one-seed, watch out. Whichever one-seed draws the potential matchup would be worried.
8. Utah State (15-5, 25-6)
Utah’s State schedule was weak, and it has questionable losses. The only resume win is a victory at Saint Mary’s.
The Aggies have played just a single ranked team all season. The possibility of USU getting exposed in the First Round is real.
The Mountain West is in a down year, and Utah State still can’t beat the top teams. New Mexico swept them and they split the series with Colorado State, Boise State, and even UNLV.
A double-digit loss in the Round of 64 would not be surprising.
9. San Diego State (14-6, 21-8)
Without the nonconference wins over Houston and Creighton, the Aztecs would be on the wrong side of the Bubble.
Those victories have carried the program into Selection Sunday. But San Diego State is dangerously close to the Play-In game.
If Brian Dutcher’s team loses their first matchup in the Mountain West Tournament, they could find themselves in Dayton.
But a win or two in the MWC Tournament could bump them up a seed line, potentially up as high as a 10-seed if they win it all.
10. UC San Diego (18-2, 28-4)
The Tritons are 28-4 overall and 18-2 in the Big West.
They won the regular season championship and are the one-seed in the Big West Tournament.
But it would be a disaster if UC San Diego loses in the semifinals. A defeat would be very difficult to overcome on Selection Sunday, even with a NET ranking in the 30s.
But if the Tritons win their opening game and make the Big West Championship Game, they should have a strong enough resume to get in as an at-large team.
Miller covers College Basketball and College Football as well as Formula 1 racing as a Senior Writer and Assistant Editor for SuperWest Sports.
