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Aztecs, Lobos Face NCAA Tourney Elimination
14 Mar
Summary
- SDSU and New Mexico clash in a winner-take-all game.
- Both teams are on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
- The game determines who plays for the conference title.
The San Diego State Aztecs and New Mexico Lobos are set to clash in a pivotal Mountain West Tournament game on Friday night. This matchup is being described as a de facto NCAA Tournament elimination contest by ESPN's bracket experts, significantly impacting both teams' chances of making the Field of 68.
As of Friday afternoon, Joe Lunardi's bracketology had the Lobos ranked No. 71 and the Aztecs No. 72, placing them just outside the projected tournament field. Both teams have experienced fluctuations on the bubble throughout the season. Their NCAA NET Rankings are close, with New Mexico at No. 45 and SDSU at No. 46, and this game offers a crucial Quad 1 opportunity.
The stakes are high: the victor will advance to the conference championship game to face the winner of the Utah State-Nevada game for an automatic NCAA Tournament bid. The Aztecs recently dispatched Colorado State, but their at-large chances remain slim at 29%. New Mexico, like SDSU, has a 2-6 record in Quad 1 games. The two teams split their season series, each winning on their home court.
