Posted on 3/11/2008 9:06:07 PM

NCAA March Madness Betting - PREVIEWING THE MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT

By Charles Jay

The Mountain West tournament is being played from March 12-15 in Las Vegas. Here is a look at the field, as it is listed at BetUS Sportsbook:

BetUS March Madness Betting Odds

Team to win the Mountain West Conference

Air Force +1500 

Brigham Young +125 

Colorado State +10000 

New Mexico +450 

San Diego State +700 

TCU +3000 

UNLV +225 

Utah +1000 

Wyoming +3000

BYU would appear to be the only team in this field that is assured of going to the NCAA tournament. But some others are viable. Let's take a look at some of the teams:

SAN DIEGO STATE (+700) has a longshot opportunity of sorts. Do you remember Steve Fisher, who once took over a Michigan team right before the NCAA tournament and took the Wolverines to the national title? He's been at San Diego State for the past nine seasons and guided his team to a fourth-place Mountain West finish. He's overachieved in this tourney before, but when Kyle Spain was kicked off the team, the Aztecs lost their most consistent scoring threat. Luke Nevill (15 ppg, 55% shooting) leads UTAH (+1000) into the fray, but the Utes never really got any momentum going, and lost five of their last six games. AIR FORCE (+1500) beat San Diego State in the season finale, and had a win over UNLV earlier, but beyond that there were no significant MWC wins. As usual, the Falcons shoot a lot of three-pointers, don't rebound very well and don't offer intimidators in the middle. And this is an edition that doesn't quite compare with what they've had in recent years.

BYU (+125) has an inside-outside combo in Trent Plaisted and Lee Cummard that shoots 55% combined. The Cougars won the regular season title in this conference pretty handily, and like always, part of that formula was their proficiency at home. They won 13 of their last 14 games, and even got into the national rankings. What sticks out like a sore thumb, however, was a 70-41 loss at UNLV in which BYU shot 33% from the field and 14% from beyond the arc. We're not saying those stats will repeat themselves again, but…And speaking of the Rebels, and our apologies for the pun that you knew was coming, but the guys from Vegas have a real "ace in the hole," and that is the ability of UNLV (+225), a team which advanced to the Sweet 16 last year, to hold serve at home. The Rebs have won 21 straight conference games at the Thomas & Mack Center, which is where this tournament will be played. And UNLV may have to win this tournament, or get close, to make it to the Big Dance.

I'll take a shot with NEW MEXICO (+450), regardless of whether Steve Alford is auditioning for a perceived opening at Indiana. With eight wins in their last nine games, with the only loss by one point against BYU, the Lobos are showing good form, and have one of the conference's best all-around players in J.R. Giddens (15.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg), along with a lot of three-point power. These guys can also stop people (40.7% FG's allowed), although admittedly they're more formidable in the "Pit" than outside of it. New Mexico is another of those teams who may need to reach the final, at the very least, to get NCAA consideration.

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(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com gives it the old college try as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)