A new season of college basketball is set to tip-off this Wednesday, Nov. 25. After last season was cut short due to the coronavirus, anticipation is running high for this season’s run to a national title.
One of the most interesting Mid Major conferences in Division I is the Mountain West. Looking at the futures odds to win MWC this season, it appears to be a three-team race with San Diego State leading the way.
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Here is a brief look at the top five teams on the betting board when it comes to their futures odds to win the Mountain West regular season.
Futures Odds to Win the Mountain West in 2020/21
San Diego State Aztecs (+125)
The Aztecs are coming off a straight-up 30-2 run before last season came to a sudden end. Many bettors though they had a legitimate shot to win it all.
Turning to this season’s prospects, San Diego State will have some big shoes to fill with the loss of Malachi Flynn as its best player last year. Fortunately, Matt Mitchell, Jordan Schakel and Nathan Mensah are back to help lead the way. Joining this group as a transfer from Cal State Northridge is Terrell Gomez. He will be an added plus in this year’s run.
San Diego State was left out of the preseason rankings in both the AP Top 25 and the Coaches Poll. However, this is still the team to beat in the Mountain West.
Utah State Aggies (+225)
The Aggies were second in the MWC standings last season at 26-8 SU overall. The loss of Sam Merrill tempers this team’s prospects for this season. Yet, three key pieces of last’s lineup remain in place, including Neemias Queta and Justin Bean.
The value in Utah State’s odds to win the MWC title are drained a bit as a lofty second-favorite. The Aggies will remain in the mix but there is better value in a few of the teams a bit lower on this list.
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Boise State Broncos (+350)
As a perennial contender to win the Mountain West, this season’s Broncos are an excellent value pick at their current odds.
Derrick Alston is back after foregoing this year’s NBA Draft. He is joined by Abu Kigab as the two best players on a team that went 20-12. New for this season is Emmanuel Akot as a key transfer from Arizona.
The Broncos are eying a return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six seasons. They are in position to pick up a MWC title along the way.
UNLV Rebels (+700)
Stretching the futures odds a bit, the Rebels are another team to watch in this conference. Just over .500 last season at 17-15, this was a great effort for TJ Otzelberger in his first year as head coach.
The expectations for this season have been set even higher with some key players back from last year’s squad. Leading the way is guard Bryce Hamilton with an average of 16 points a game. The addition of David Jenkins Jr. should complement Hamilton in UNLV’s backcourt.
It would be a stretch to see the Rebels move all the way to the top but they should keep things interesting throughout the season.
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Colorado State Rams (+1200)
The odds fall off from there with Colorado State as the best of the rest. The Rams were able to post 20 wins last season against 12 losses. As an extremely young team, this could be a building year for the following season.
Look for Isaiah Stevens, David Roddy and Adam Thistlewood to lead the way as the team’s best players back from last season.
2020/21 Mountain West Regular Season Champion Odds
San Diego State +125
Utah State +225
Boise State +350
UNLV +700
Colorado State +1200
Nevada +2000
New Mexico +3000
Fresno State +5000
Wyoming +6600
Air Force +10000
San Jose State +10000
