Wild Mountain West tournament: UNLV must run the gauntlet to win

UNLV is among the top seven teams in the Mountain West men’s basketball tournament, with odds of +750 or less to win. Ed Salmons, an oddsmaker at Westgate SuperBook, remarked that the tournament is likely the most evenly balanced he has ever witnessed. He added that this level of equilibrium had never been observed before. Seven teams with probability in the single digits is simply not possible. 

San Diego State is the 280-unit favorite to win the event, which will begin at the Thomas and Mack Center on Wednesday. As noted, Utah State is the second-favored team at a +450 odds ratio, followed by Boise State and New Mexico at 6-1 odds, the Rebels at 7-1 odds, and Colorado State at +750 odds.

Despite the fact that San Diego State is a couple of points ahead of the competition and UNR is arguably the most consistent team, the atmosphere is absolutely chaotic. A one-way ticket to New Mexico and Colorado State would put them in a stronger position to win. In the quarterfinals, UNLV, the No 4 seed, will face a formidable opponent in San Diego State, the No 5 seed. It is a rematch of the 62-58 Rebels’ victory over the Aztecs on Tuesday, in which they were home underdogs by 2.5 points. 

Salmons believes that last week’s matchup will represent the unannounced match schedule. Additionally, Ed Salmons stated that that number could be slightly higher in light of UNLV’s victory. UNLV does not consider this a genuine home game. It may rise slightly, perhaps four. Given that San Diego State has just suffered a loss to them, it is reasonable to assume they will approach the game with determination.

Having lost three of their last five games, the Aztecs won the tournament the year prior. Salmons stated that despite finishing fifth in the conference, they are the favorites to repeat, and his statement reaffirms that they are the highest-ranked team. According to him, the Rebels, who have accumulated ten victories in their last twelve games, will need to win the competition to secure a coveted berth in the NCAA tournament. This resembles a gauntlet. Ed Salmons is convinced that “no games are easy.” UNR has achieved remarkable success in its series with UNLV, winning ten of its last eleven games.

The SuperBook has Arizona as the -150 favorite to win the Pac-12 tournament. The prestigious sporting event commences on Wednesday at T Mobile Arena. After Colorado, the states of Washington, Utah, Oregon, and Southern California are in that order of preference. The Trojans will face Washington on Wednesday in the quarterfinals, and the victorious team will face Arizona on Thursday. 

According to media reports, Grand Canyon is the underdog by a -125 margin to win the Western Athletic Conference tournament. The highly anticipated sports carnival will commence at Orleans Arena on Thursday. Tarleton State is currently priced at +375, while Texas Arlington is 8-1. The Big West tournament, which commences at Dollar Loan Center on Thursday, is undoubtedly UC Irvine’s -175 favorite to prevail.