NET Rankings update: Boise State closing in on NCAA Tournament at-large range

The Boise State men’s basketball team kept its momentum going with Saturday’s 70-69 Mountain West Conference road win at Nevada. 

Andrew Meadow scored a career-high 24 points for the Broncos (19-8, 11-5) while Javan Buchanan added 17 points, four rebounds and three steals off the bench. 

With victories in six of their last seven games, the Broncos are up to No. 46 in the latest NCAA NET Rankings. Boise State holds a 3-5 record in Quad 1 games and is 3-1 in Quad 2. 

In their latest NCAA Tournament projections, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi and CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm both had Boise State listed among the first four teams left out of the field of 68. 

To get on the right side of the bubble, the Broncos need to take down Utah State (24-4, 14-3) Wednesday night at Extra Mile Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Mountain time in Boise. 

The Aggies won the first meeting between the teams in a thriller as Ian Martinez converted a late four-point play for an 81-79 victory. 

Utah State is the top-ranked MWC team in the NET at No. 33, followed by No. 42 New Mexico (22-5, 14-2), Boise State, No. 49 San Diego State (18-7, 11-5), No. 62 Colorado State (18-9, 12-4) and No. 72 Nevada (15-12, 7-9). New Mexico, which holds a half-game lead on Utah State in the MWC standings, swept the regular-season series with the Aggies. 

Here is a closer look at each Mountain West member’s NCAA Tournament resume through the lens of the NET Rankings.

Utah State

NET Ranking: 33

Record: 24-4, 14-3   Q1: 3-1 Q2: 7-3 Q3: 4-0 Q4: 9-0

New Mexico 

NET Ranking: 42

Record: 22-5, 14-2   Q1: 3-2 Q2: 8-1 Q3: 1-2 Q4: 9-0

Boise State

NET Ranking: 46

Record: 19-8, 11-5   Q1: 3-5 Q2: 3-1 Q3: 4-2 Q4: 8-0

San Diego State

NET Ranking: 49

Record: 18-7, 11-5   Q1: 4-5 Q2: 3-1 Q3: 2-1 Q4: 8-0

Colorado State 

NET Ranking: 62

Record: 18-9, 12-4   Q1: 1-5 Q2: 5-3 Q3: 3-1 Q4: 9-0

Nevada

NET Ranking: 72

Record: 15-12, 7-9    Q1: 1-5 Q2: 1-4 Q3: 5-3 Q4: 8-0

UNLV

NET Ranking: 102

Record: 14-13, 8-8    Q1: 1-6 Q2: 1-6 Q3: 3-0 Q4: 9-1

San Jose State

NET Ranking: 176

Record: 13-16, 6-11    Q1: 0-6 Q2: 1-6 Q3: 4-2 Q4: 6-2

Wyoming

NET Ranking: 182

Record: 12-16, 5-12    Q1: 0-7 Q2: 2-4 Q3: 1-4 Q4: 8-1

Fresno State

NET Ranking: 280

Record: 5-23, 1-16   Q1: 0-8 Q2: 0-7 Q3: 0-5 Q4: 5-3

Air Force

NET Ranking: 316

Record: 4-23, 1-15   Q1: 0-4 Q2: 0-7 Q3: 1-7 Q4: 3-5