Utah State Basketball Unanimously Picked To Win Mountain West Conference
Oct 15, 2019, 9:47 AM | Updated: Oct 16, 2019, 9:32 am
Neemias Queta #23 of the Utah State Aggies celebrates with his team after defeating the San Diego State Aztecs in the championship game of the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center on March 16, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Utah State won 64-57. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
(Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – For the first time in Mountain West Conference basketball history, a team was unanimously picked to win the conference regular season title and that school is the reigning champion Utah State Aggies.
The Aggies received all 17 first place votes that was submitted by the media.
“The Mountain West has a rich tradition of excellence in men’s basketball,” second-year head men’s basketball coach Craig Smith said. “It is humbling to be the first MW program to be unanimously ranked as the preseason favorites to win the MW championship. “That being said, we aren’t really into polls and rankings in our program. This team hasn’t proven anything and our goal is to be on top of the MW at the end of the year.”
U N A N I M O U S
➡️ https://t.co/VBxbdtKcTQ#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/UHvvxot5GP
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) October 15, 2019
While receiving every first place vote, Utah State collected 187 points. The rest of the preseason poll points went to the following:
2. San Diego State (180)
3. New Mexico (141)
4. Nevada (135)
5. Boise State (128)
6. Fresno State (103)
7. UNLV (89)
8. Air Force (76)
9. Colorado State (59)
10. Wyoming (36)
11. San Jose State (17)
Utah State returns six key players, including reigning conference Player of the Year Sam Merrill, Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year Neemias Queta, as well as Brock Miller, Abel Porter, Diogo Brito and Justin Bean.
The Aggies will begin their season on November 5 when they host Montana State at 8 p.m.
