Sports

Dane Miller’s Week 17 Best-in-West Hoops Power Rankings

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3 hours ago

2 March 2026

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  By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports

Several teams in the West are squarely on the Bubble.

From Santa Clara in the WCC to UCLA in the Big Ten, there will be plenty of nerves come Selection Sunday.

New Mexico and San Diego State are battling for what could be the lone at-large bid in the Mountain West while California is fighting for its spot in the ACC.

With only five teams in the region expected to be locks, the final week of the regular season is pivotal.

Here’s how I view the Top 10 College Basketball Teams in the West with two weeks to go until Selection Sunday.

1. Arizona (14-2, 27-2)

Tommy Lloyd is one victory away from winning the Big 12 outright.

The Cats got their revenge against Kansas on Saturday after coming from behind to beat Baylor earlier in the week. Koa Peat looked good in his return, setting the stage for a run in March.

Arguably a lock for the 1-seed in the West, Arizona can probably seal its position with a win over Iowa State on Monday.

2. Gonzaga (16-2, 28-3)

How deep does Gonzaga go in the NCAA Tournament? The Zags have made the Sweet 16 nine straight times.

But all dynasties eventually come to an end. Whether or not this is the year the streak ends remains to be seen.

Over the weekend, Gonzaga lost to Saint Mary’s and gave the Gaels a share of the WCC Regular Season Championship as a result. Even so, Mark Few deserves the benefit of the doubt.

3. BYU (8-8, 20-9)

There is no other high-major program in a worse downward trend than BYU. From getting embarrassed by UCF to losing against West Virginia, the Cougars are falling apart.

A Sweet 16 no longer seems viable. Now, a loss in the First Round wouldn’t be a shock.

It’s unclear where BYU would be seeded at this point, but a 7-seed or 8-seed seems about right.

4. Utah State (14-4, 24-5)

Sitting atop the Mountain West standings, Utah State is the expected auto-bid from the league.

But all it takes is one or two games to flip the narrative. The Aggies can’t slip up at UNLV this week and then need to handle New Mexico in Logan to finish the year.

If all goes according to plan, Utah State should avoid the dreaded 8-seed versus 9-seed matchup.

5. Saint Mary’s (16-2, 27-4)

The Gaels arguably secured an invitation to the Big Dance with the victory over Gonzaga.

There is still the WCC Tournament to deal with. But even a loss to say, Santa Clara, probably wouldn’t knock Saint Mary’s out of the field.

Now, seeding becomes the primary question. Is this the year Randy Bennett’s team finally breaks through to the Sweet 16?

6. UCLA (11-7, 19-10)

With an unexpected loss to Minnesota, the Bruins are in a somewhat uncomfortable position.

However, the Selection Committee loves to put Power Conference teams into the field these days, and the Big Ten carries clout.

If UCLA beats Nebraska this week, they could lock in an at-large bid, assuming the Bruins take care of USC in the regular season finale.

7. New Mexico (13-5, 22-7)

Beating San Diego State mitigated the damage from losing to Nevada earlier in the week.

If the Selection Show were held today, New Mexico might be one of the Last Four In. But the Mountain West is in an unfavorable position.

It’s unlikely that the league gets multiple at-large bids. That leaves UNM fighting with San Diego State for the lone invitation.

8. San Diego State (13-5, 19-9)

Losing three of their last four games, the Aztecs are on the outside looking in.

If not for the run to the National Championship Game a few years ago, San Diego State might not even be considered for the final at-large spots.

But the program has enough clout with the Selection Committee to stay in consideration. This week’s games against Boise State and UNLV are must-wins.

9. Santa Clara (15-3, 24-7)

The Broncos have work to do. The margin of defeat against Saint Mary’s last week was damaging.

Now, Santa Clara might need to make the WCC Championship Game to secure an at-large bid. The bracket is favorable, though, setting the stage for a rematch with the Gaels in Semifinals.

Every contest from here on out is essentially an NCAA Tournament elimination game.

10. California (8-8, 20-9)

It’s hard to understate how bad the loss to Pittsburgh was. That’s a defeat that just can’t happen at this point in the year. And not by 16 in Berkeley.

The only saving grace is the ACC’s reputation. The league will advocate hard for its members and has an effective media propaganda arm.

At the same time, Cal’s lack of recent success in the NCAA Tournament hurts it chances. The Selection Committee might prefer a bigger brand when it comes down to it.

Miller covers College Basketball and College Football as well as Formula 1 racing as a Senior Writer and Assistant Editor for SuperWest Sports.

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