The Mountain West men’s basketball tournament is wide open, based on the betting odds.
Five teams are in single digits at the Westgate SuperBook to win the title, led by defending champion New Mexico at +225. Utah State is the +375 second choice, and Colorado State is the 4-1 third pick to win the event, which will take place Wednesday through Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center.
San Diego State and Boise State are each 6-1. The Aztecs won the tournament in 2021 and 2023, and the Broncos won in 2022.
“There are just so many balanced teams in that conference,” Westgate oddsmaker Ed Salmons said. “The 4-5 game is Boise and San Diego State, which is a great game for a 4-5.
“I would throw New Mexico out just because I think their odds are a little bit too low. I would think the value is either Utah State or Colorado State. One of those two would be the value play for me.”
UNLV, UNR odds
UNLV, which hasn’t won the tournament since claiming back-to-back crowns in 2007 and 2008, is the 18-1 sixth choice to win the title and earn the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
UNR, which hasn’t won the tournament since 2017, is 30-1 at Caesars Sportsbook to win the event.
The Rebels (17-14, 13-17-1 against the spread) won six of their final eight regular-season games while going 5-3 ATS. The Wolf Pack (16-15, 14-17 ATS) lost and failed to cover five of their last six.
“They’ve both been erratic,” Salmons said. “UNLV’s played pretty well down the stretch here but it’s a lot to ask them to win because they have to play four games in four days.
“(UNR’s) just been so wildly inconsistent. The one constant is they can’t beat good teams this year.”
Vegas Madness
Grand Canyon is the +140 favorite to win the Western Athletic Conference tournament, scheduled Wednesday through Saturday at Orleans Arena.
Utah Valley is +190, Seattle +550 and California Baptist 7-1.
The Big West tournament will be played Wednesday through Sunday at Lee’s Family Forum. UC San Diego is the -150 favorite, followed by UC Irvine at +195.
Power Four
Duke is a -375 favorite to win the ACC tournament, but the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC tourneys are up for grabs.
“Those three tournaments are crazy. There are just so many good teams in there,” Salmons said. “You can argue the SEC tournament is harder to win than the NCAA Tournament.
“The public is enamored with Florida right now. That’s like their favorite team.”
The Gators (27-4, 23-8 ATS), who have won and covered nine of their past 10, including upset wins at Auburn and Alabama, are the +285 second choice to win the SEC. Auburn is the +150 favorite, and Alabama and Tennessee are each 5-1.
Houston is the +105 favorite to win the Big 12. Michigan State tops a pack of six teams in single digits to win the Big Ten at +260.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.
