College Basketball Conference Tournament Betting Guide: Mountain West Odds, Picks, Stats

College Basketball Conference Tournament Betting Preview - Mountain West

The countdown to the NCAA Tournament is less than one week away, and Selection Sunday is March 16. The small conference tourney's have started to finish with some teams punching their ticket to the Big Dance, and the West Coast Conference will send two teams to the NCAA Tournament with Gonzaga beating top seed St. Mary's Tuesday night in Las Vegas. But the power conferences will crown their winners this week with many at-large teams completing the March Madness brackets. The Mountain West Conference tournament tips off Wednesday, March 12, and 11 teams will try to take the title with 3-4 teams in position to play in March Madness, according to ESPN's Bracketology. 

It's wall-to-wall basketball every day this week with conference tournament engaging action providing many of the most exciting games as the memorable moments build into March Madness and the most live bet games of the season as the media coverage ramps up for the NCAA Tournament. 

Follow the Big 12 and ACC tournaments and teams along with the Big Ten and SEC as those CCT's tip-off and crown champions this weekend. The top seeds Houston, Duke, Michigan State and Auburn lead a number of teams that will make the NCAA Tournament with top teams odds and stats to review as you craft your bets ahead of March Madness. 

While the college basketball conference tournaments and March Madness generate billions of dollars wagered, the money bet offshore is 3-4 times that amount. So, there are still many benefits to wagering offshore, and Off Shore Gaming Association provides benefits for players to get more out of their online gambling experience. Especially fans and bettors in the three most populous states that still do not offer wagering options with U.S. sportsbooks - California, Texas and Florida. Neither does Georgia, Alabama or South Carolina for SEC faithful fans, or Minnesota and Missouri, with the Show Me State pushing hard to change that yet this year. 

All odds provided by BetOnline, a top online sportsbook and the largest gaming company in Panama.  

Mountain West

Odds to win the Mountain West Conference tournament from BetOnline and leading online sportsbooks refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting. Each teams offensive and defensive efficiency ratings from KenPom.

A competitive MWC tournament with five teams priced with odds of 6/1 or less to win. New Mexico (25-6/17-3) won the Mountain West regular season title and is going to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season under 4th year head coach Richard Pitino, who has emerged as a leading candidate for the Virginia Cavaliers job. Pitino was fired by my alma mater Minnesota four years ago, but the replacement has been a near disaster and Bro Ben Johnson is finished once they lose in the Big Ten tournament and finish with another losing record. New Mexico is on top again despite losing three stars from last year’s team. Colorado State (22-9/16-4) enters with 7-straight wins, but the Rams lost both meetings to New Mexico this season. Utah State (25-6/15-5) has the best scoring margin (+11.6) in the MWC and was leading the conference at 8-1 before losing to New Mexico twice, and then two road losses at Colorado State and Boise State (22-9/14-6) in late season games. Perennial MWC power San Diego State (21-8/14-6) has the top defense again in the MWC, but the Aztecs lost to both Utah State and UNLV (17-14/11-9) twice. 

Mountain West Stats, Trends and Notes 

The value of having a bye in conference tournaments is typically significant, especially when they are believed to be the better team. In fact, heading into the 2025 action, VSiN research notes that conference tournament favorites off a bye are 312-106 SU and 219-191 ATS (53.4%) over the last five seasons against teams that played earlier in that tournament.

Along with the Mountain West Conference tournament in Las Vegas, three other conferences hold their events in Las Vegas. The West Coast Conference and WAC are both ot Orleans Arena less than 2 miles West of the Las Vegas Strip off Tropicana Ave. The Big West tournament is now played in Henderson at Lee's Family Forum. Previously, the Pac-12 tournament was held at T-Mobile Arena, home of the NHL Vegas Golden Knights.

Mountain West Tournament Schedule 

The Mountain West basketball tournament is held at the Thomas and Mack Center Las Vegas. Games are televised on the the Mountain West Network First Round, quarterfinals and semi's on CBS Sports Network and the championship game on CBS. 

First Round: March 12
Quarterfinals: March 13
Semifinals: March 14
Championship: 6 p.m. March 15 on CBS 

Matchups and Odds 

Wed., March 12 

- No. 9 Wyoming vs. No. 8 San Jose State (-1), 135
- No. 10 Fresno State vs No. 7 Nevada (-13.5), 137.5
- No. 11 Air Force vs. No. 6 UNLV (-12.5), 130 

Wyoming (12-19/5-15 MWC) finished 1-9 in its last 10 games and San Jose State (14-18/7-13) was 2-6 its last eight. The Spartans swept the regular-season series winning both games by 9 points. SJSU has won just one MWC Tournament game in its history (2023). 

The Nevada Wolf Pack (16-15/8-12) are 2-5 in the MWC Tournament under sixth-year coach Steve Alford, who previously took New Mexico to the NCAA Tournament. Fresno State (6-25/2-18) has struggled badly while also ensnared in a betting scandal that has thinned its roster. The Wolf Pack swept the Bulldogs during the regular season with an OT win and 25-point blowout in Reno.

UNLV (17-14/11-9) has won 6-of-8 games to close the regular season despite losing star point guard and leading scorer/assist man Dedan Thomas Jr. (shoulder). Rumblings of the status of 4th-year head coach Kevin Kruger are getting louder without an NCAA Tournament appearance, but this Rebels follower believes UNLV should keep him as coach. Air Force (4-27/1-19) has had a forgettable season which includes a pair of 19+ point losses to UNLV.

Thurs., March 13 

- No. 8 San Jose State vs. No. 1 New Mexico (-14.5), 150.5
- No. 5 Boise State (-1) vs. No. 4 San Diego State, 135
- No. 7 Nevada vs. No. 2 Colorado State (-5), 139.5
- No. 6 UNLV vs. No. 3 Utah State (-7.5), 142

Fri., March 14 

- No. 5 Boise State vs. No. 1 New Mexico (-1.5), 148.5
- No. 3 Utah State vs. No. 2 Colorado State (-1), 148.5

Sat., March 15

- No. 5 Boise State (-1) vs. No. 2 Colorado State (137.5)

Select matchups and game odds with any additional stats and information you can bet on provided as able as the conference tournaments progress. 

Follow along and check out more college basketball conference tournament betting odds and futures at BetOnline.ag. 

You can bet on it. 

FairwayJay is a proven sports handicapper and insightful analyst. He chips college basketball and additional sports betting coverage and reporting on industry news and events. Read more great insights from FairwayJay and follow him on  X: @FairwayJay