Mountain West Remains Multi-Bid League in New NCAA Tournament Projection

ESPN's Joe Lunardi has two MWC teams firmly on the bubble in his latest NCAA Tournament bracket.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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The Mountain West Conference has received at least two men's basketball NCAA Tournament bids each year since 2017. In ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi's latest projection, he has two MWC teams - San Diego State and Utah State - firmly in the field, while New Mexico is among the first teams left out.

Why it matters

The Mountain West's ability to consistently earn multiple NCAA Tournament bids is a testament to the strength of the conference and helps raise the profile of its member schools. This season, the race for the MWC's automatic bid and at-large spots is shaping up to be highly competitive.

The details

In Lunardi's latest bracket, San Diego State and Utah State were both included, with the Aggies receiving a No. 8 seed and facing No. 9 Nevada. New Mexico, the reigning MWC regular-season champion, was listed among the first four teams out. Despite sitting in seventh place in the MWC standings, Lunardi still has Boise State within striking distance of an at-large bid based on its strong metrics.

  • ESPN's Joe Lunardi released his latest NCAA Tournament projection on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.
  • The Mountain West has received at least two men's basketball NCAA Tournament bids each year since 2017.

The players

Joe Lunardi

ESPN's bracketologist who releases regular NCAA Tournament projections.

San Diego State

An MWC co-leader that Lunardi has firmly in his NCAA Tournament field.

Utah State

An MWC co-leader that Lunardi has as a No. 8 seed in his latest projection.

New Mexico

The reigning MWC regular-season champion that Lunardi has among the first four teams left out of the NCAA Tournament field.

Boise State

Despite sitting in seventh place in the MWC standings, Lunardi still has the Broncos within striking distance of an at-large bid.

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What’s next

Utah State will take on Boise State on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 8:30 p.m. Mountain time, while San Diego State hosts Grand Canyon on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 8 p.m.

The takeaway

The Mountain West's consistent ability to earn multiple NCAA Tournament bids underscores the strength of the conference and the competitiveness of the race for the automatic bid and at-large spots this season. With teams like San Diego State, Utah State, and New Mexico firmly in the mix, the MWC is poised to once again be a multi-bid league in the Big Dance.