The Mountain West currently rates as the nation’s fifth-best conference, according to the NET. It’s ahead of both the ACC and the Pac-12 — and on track to get at least three schools, and perhaps as many as five, into the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Two of those schools played each other late Friday. It was a great game.
Final score: New Mexico 81, Boise State 79 in OT.
Morris Udeze got a layup on a baseline out-of-bounds play with 2.6 seconds remaining in overtime to break a tie and secure the win that pushed the Lobos to 18-2 overall and 5-2 in the Mountain West. They’ll take a four-game winning streak into Monday’s game at Nevada.
“That was the loudest building I have ever been in,” New Mexico coach Richard Pitino tweeted after the victory that came in front of a packed and rowdy crowd inside The Pit. “Thank you Lobo fans!”
With the victory, New Mexico has gone from unranked to No. 25 in Saturday morning’s updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings thanks to a 5-1 record in the first two quadrants (featuring three Q1 wins) and just one loss outside of the first two quadrants. Boise State is now one spot below the Lobos, at No. 26, thanks to a 7-4 record in the first two quadrants featuring just one loss outside of the first two quadrants.
Houston remains No. 1 in the Top 25 And 1 for the 18th consecutive morning. Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars are also No. 1 in the NET, at KenPom.com, BartTorvik.com, in Sagarin and BPI — and the favorites in the betting markets to win the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Itching for more college hoops analysis? Listen below and subscribe to the Eye on College Basketball podcast where we take you beyond the hardwood with insider information and instant reactions.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Biggest Movers
2
New Mexico
1
Boise State
Read the full article here