The Mountain West Conference may be making headlines for going after the BCS system, but on the basketball side they have spent the year in obscurity. Despite Utah being in the top-ten in RPI and the BYU Cougars clocking in at No. 22, neither team has been able to get much national attention. With Utah leading the MWC comfortably, a win over BYU would have all but clinched the conference for the Utah Utes. It also would have made it more likely that the MWC would be a one-bid conference if Utah won the MWC ended up winning the MWC Tournament. That is not a problem after BYU blew Utah out in the second half.
Playing at the Marriott Center in Provo is still one of the toughest home courts in the country, and Utah definitely looked rattled in the second half. The Cougars went on a 14-2 run early in the second half to take the lead that they never gave back.
The loss definitely cost Utah a chance to be ranked, which hardly makes a big difference at this point in the year. They can still win the MWC if they can beat New Mexico at the Pit and close out the season with TCU.
BYU can breathe a little easier knowing that this win essentially clinched their NCAA Tournament ticket. That means a little less pressure to win the MWC Tournament.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-01-2009 @ 12:57PM
JESSICA said...
Spent the year in obscurity? This idiot obviously knows nothing about college hoops, esp. the Mtn West which is definitely stronger than the SEC this year. There are 5 very good teams in the Mtn West (Utah, BYU, San Diego State, New Mexico and a UNLV team that beat Louisville in Louisville).
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