How many Mountain West basketball teams will make the 2023 NCAA Tournament?

Is it possible for the Mountain West to be a five-bid league?

There were four from the league in the 2022 men's NCAA Tournament and the Mountain West looks likely to snag several bids again in 2023.

It's also worth noting that the Mountain West is the host for games being played at Ball Arena in the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Those games will be March 17 and 19 in Denver.

There are five Mountain West teams in contention for at-large bids. Below is a look at their resumes and chances of making the Big Dance.

These metrics and team bios will be updated frequently through the end of the season. Last updated through games played on Feb. 15.

San Diego State

• Record: 21-5 (12-2 Mountain West)
• NET ranking: 19
• Quad 1 and 2 record: 2-4 in Quad 1, 6-1 in Quad 2
• Quad 3 and 4 record: 11-0 in Quad 3, 1-0 in Quad 4
• Bracket projections: In the NCAA Tournament field in all 100 brackets online, according to BracketMatrix.com
• NCAA tournament seeding: Average seed of 5.88 in the brackets they appear in. Highest is a No. 4 seed, and lowest is a No. 9 seed.
• Remaining games (NET and Quad of game): Feb. 21 vs. Colorado State (121 NET, Quad 3); Feb. 25 at New Mexico (55 NET, Quad 1); Feb. 28 at Boise State (23 NET, Quad 1); March 4 vs. Wyoming (180 NET, Quad 4).
• Prognosis: The Aztecs are firmly in the field and are playing for a Mountain West title and NCAA Tournament seeding. Games at New Mexico and Boise State in late February could decide the title and where SDSU will be seeded come Tournament time.

Boise State

• Record: 20-6 (10-3 MW)
• NET ranking: 23
• Quad 1 and 2 record: 1-3 in Quad 1, 7-1 in Quad 2
• Quad 3 and 4 record: 5-1 in Quad 3, 6-1 in Quad 4
• Bracket projections: In the NCAA Tournament field in 98 of 100 brackets online, according to BracketMatrix.com
• NCAA tournament seeding: Average seed of 10.20 in the brackets they appear in. Highest is a No. 8 seed, and lowest is a No. 12 seed.
• Remaining games (NET and Quad of game): Feb. 19 vs. UNLV (86 NET, Quad 3); Feb. 22 vs. New Mexico (55 NET, Quad 2); Feb. 25 at San Jose State (100 NET, Quad 2); Feb. 28 vs. San Diego State (19 NET, Quad 1); March 4 at Utah State (36 NET, Quad 1)
• Prognosis: With a lack of marquee nonconference resume wins, the Broncos are comfortably in the field but without a huge margin for error. A tough stretch run provides big opportunity to boost the resume and chase a repeat MW title, but also potential trouble.

Nevada

• Record: 20-6 (10-3 MW)
• NET ranking: 32
• Quad 1 and 2 record: 3-4 in Quad 1, 5-2 in Quad 2
• Quad 3 and 4 record: 7-0 in Quad 3, 4-0 in Quad 4
• Bracket projections: In the NCAA Tournament field in all 100 brackets online, according to BracketMatrix.com
• NCAA tournament seeding: Average seed of 9.19 in the brackets they appear in. Highest is a No. 7 seed, and lowest is a No. 11 seed.
• Remaining games (NET and Quad of game): Feb. 18 at Utah State (36 NET, Quad 1); Feb. 21 vs. San Jose State (100 NET, Quad 3); Feb. 24 at Fresno State (163 NET, Quad 3); Feb. 27 at Wyoming (180 NET, Quad 3); March 4 vs. UNLV (86 NET, Quad 3)
• Prognosis: Wins over San Diego State and New Mexico have helped firmly put Nevada in the field. The margin for error is still thin, though. The relatively soft stretch run gives the Wolf Pack a prime chance to make a run at a MW title, but means losses late in the season would be damaging due to the relatively low ranking of the opponents.

Utah State

• Record: 20-7 (9-5 MW)
• NET ranking: 36
• Quad 1 and 2 record: 0-4 in Quad 1, 6-1 in Quad 2
• Quad 3 and 4 record: 10-0 in Quad 3, 3-2 in Quad 4
• Bracket projections: In the NCAA Tournament field in six of 100 brackets online, according to BracketMatrix.com
• NCAA tournament seeding: Average seed of 11.17 in the brackets they appear in.
• Remaining games (NET and Quad of game): Feb. 18 vs. Nevada (32 NET, Quad 2); Feb. 21 at Wyoming (180 NET, Quad 3); March 1 at UNLV (86 NET, Quad 2); March 4 vs. Boise State (23 NET, Quad 1)
• Prognosis: The Aggies are clearly on the outside right now, but do have two huge opportunities vs. Nevada and Boise State to attempt to play back into the field.

New Mexico

• Record: 19-7 (6-7 MW)
• NET ranking: 55
• Quad 1 and 2 record: 3-2 in Quad 1, 2-1 in Quad 2
• Quad 3 and 4 record: 8-3 in Quad 3, 5-1 in Quad 4
• Bracket projections: In the NCAA Tournament field in 66 of 100 brackets online, according to BracketMatrix.com
• NCAA tournament seeding: Average seed of 10.86 in the brackets they appear in. Highest is a No. 7 seed, and lowest is a No. 12 seed.
• Remaining games (NET and Quad of game): Feb. 17 at San Jose State (100 NET, Quad 2); Feb. 22 at Boise State (23 NET, Quad 1); Feb. 25 vs. San Diego State (19 NET, Quad 1); Feb. 28 vs. Fresno State (163 NET, Quad 4); March 3 vs. Colorado State (121 NET, Quad 2)
• Prognosis: Disastrous losses at Air Force and home vs. Wyoming have likely sent New Mexico to the wrong side of the bubble. The relatively weak nonconference schedule means there's not much depth to the resume. The Lobos still have two huge resume chances in the regular season at Boise State and vs. San Diego State.

What are the NET rankings?

NET (the NCAA Evaluation Tool) is the ranking system the NCAA adopted in 2018 to replace Rating Percentage Index (RPI) as a primary evaluation tool in evaluating Division I men's basketball teams.

The NET includes components that go beyond just winning percentage. It takes into account game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin, net offensive and defensive efficiency, and the quality of wins and losses. Game order does not matter, so the first game of the season counts the same as the 25th.

The NET rankings are updated daily.

The rankings are broken into four quadrants to give context to wins and losses. Quad 1 is the "best" or toughest games. They use a sliding scale for home, road and neutral games. Quad 1 and 2 wins (and overall record) are very important, as are avoiding Quad 3 and 4 losses.

• Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75
• Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135
• Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135-240
• Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353

When is the Mountain West tournament?

There is, of course, one surefire way to make the NCAA Tournament. That is by winning the Mountain West Tournament to secure the league's automatic bid. The tournament takes place March 8-11 in Las Vegas.

• First round (seeds 1-5 earn byes): March 8
• Quarterfinals: March 9
• Semifinals: March 10
• Final: March 11

When is Selection Sunday?

The NCAA Tournament selection show is on Sunday, March 12.

March Madness 2022 dates

• First four: March 14-15 in Dayton, Ohio
• First round: March 16-17
• Second round: March 18-19
• Sweet 16: March 23-24
• Elite Eight: March 25-26
• Final Four: April 1
• Championship: April 3 (Houston, Texas)

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.