2019–20 Mountain West Conference men's basketball season

The 2019–20 Mountain West Conference men's basketball season began with practices in October 2019, followed by the start of the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play begins in December 2019 and concludes in February 2020. This season marks the 20th season of Mountain West Conference basketball.

2019–20 Mountain West Conference men's basketball season
LeagueNCAA Division I
SportBasketball
DurationNovember 2019
through March 2020
Number of teams11
TV partner(s)ESPN, CBSSN, CBS
Regular Season
Season championsSan Diego State
Tournament
ChampionsUtah State
  Runners-upSan Diego State
2019–20 Mountain West Conference men's basketball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
No. 6 San Diego State171 .944  302  .938
Utah State126 .667  268  .765
Nevada126 .667  1912  .613
UNLV126 .667  1715  .531
Boise State117 .611  2012  .625
Colorado State117 .611  2012  .625
New Mexico711 .389  1914  .576
Fresno State711 .389  1119  .367
Air Force513 .278  1220  .375
San Jose State315 .167  724  .226
Wyoming216 .111  924  .273
2020 MW Tournament winner
As of January 19, 2021; Rankings from AP Poll

Preseason

Coaching changes

On March 15, 2019, UNLV head coach Marvin Menzies was fired after three seasons.[1] On March 27, 2019, South Dakota State head coach T. J. Otzelberger was announced as the new head coach of UNLV.[2]

On April 7, 2019, Nevada head coach Eric Musselman resigned after four seasons to become the head coach of Arkansas.[3] On April 11, 2019, former UCLA and New Mexico head coach Steve Alford was announced as the new head coach of Nevada.[4]

Media Day

The Mountain West Men's Basketball Media Day was held at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson, Nevada.

Preseason poll

Utah State received all 17 first-place votes in the conference media poll.[5]

PlaceTeamPoints
1Utah State (17)187
2San Diego State150
3New Mexico141
4Nevada135
5Boise State128
6Fresno State103
7UNLV89
8Air Force76
9Colorado State59
10Wyoming36
11San Jose State17
(first place votes)

Preseason awards

HonorPlayerTeam
Preseason Player of the YearSam Merrill Utah State
Preseason Newcomer of the YearMalachi Flynn San Diego State
Preseason Freshman of the YearK.J. Hymes Nevada

Preseason All-Conference team

PositionPlayerClassTeam
FLavelle ScottieSr. Air Force
GDerrick AlstonJr. Boise State
F/CNico CarvachoSr. Colorado State
GSam MerrillSr. Utah State
CNeemias QuetaSo. Utah State

Watchlists

PlayerTeamWatchlist(s)
Sam Merrill Utah State Jerry West Award[6]
Naismith College Player of the Year[7]
John R. Wooden Award[8]
Neemias Queta Utah State Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award[9]
John R. Wooden Award[8]
Nico Carvacho Colorado State Kareem Abdul–Jabbar Award[9]

Regular season

Conference matrix

  Air Force Boise St Colorado St Fresno St Nevada New Mexico San Diego St San Jose St UNLV Utah St Wyoming
vs. Air Force 1–11–01–02–01–01–01–11–01–10–1
vs. Boise State 1–10–10–11–11–02–00–10–11–10–2
vs. Colorado State 0–11–00–21–10–11–00–10–12–00–2
vs. Fresno State 0–11–02–00–01–12–00–22–02–00–1
vs. Nevada 0–21–11–10–00–11–01–10–21–00–1
vs. New Mexico 0–10–11–01–11–02–01–12–00–00–2
vs. San Diego State 0–10–20–10–20–10–20–10–10–20–2
vs. San Jose State 1–11–01–02–01–11–11–01–01–01–0
vs. UNLV 0–11–01–00–22–00–21–00–11–10–1
vs. Utah State 1–11–10–20–20–10–02–00–11–10–1
vs. Wyoming 1–02–02–01–01–02–02–00–11–01–0
Total 4–109–69–55–109–56–815–03–118−610–51–13

Postseason

Mountain West Tournament

All-Conference Teams and Awards

[10]

Award Recipients
Player of the Year Malachi Flynn (San Diego State)
Coach of the Year Brian Dutcher (San Diego State)
Newcomer of the Year Jalen Harris (Nevada)
Defensive Player of the Year Malachi Flynn (San Diego State)
Sixth Man of the Year Nisré Zouzoua (Nevada)
Freshman of the Year Isaiah Stevens (Colorado State)
First Team Malachi Flynn (San Diego State)
Jalen Harris (Nevada)
Sam Merrill (Utah State)
Matt Mitchell (San Diego State)
Bryce Hamilton (UNLV)
Second Team Yanni Wetzell (San Diego State)
Neemias Queta (Utah State)
Nico Carvacho (Colorado State)
Justinian Jessup (Boise State)
Derrick Alston Jr. (Boise State)
Jazz Johnson (Nevada)
Third Team Justin Bean (Utah State)
Lavell Scottie (Air Force)
Seneca Knight (San Diego State)
Isaiah Stevens (Colorado State)
Amauri Hardy (UNLV)
Honorable Mention KJ Feagin (San Diego State)
Hunter Maldondo (Wyoming)
Lindsey Drew (Nevada)
Nate Grimes (Fresno State)
Orlando Robinson (Fresno State)
All-Defensive Team Malachi Flynn (San Diego State)
KJ Feagin (San Diego State)
Neemias Queta (Utah State)
Lindsey Drew (Nevada)
Justin Bean (Utah State)

Notes and references

  1. Anderson, Mark (15 March 2019). "Marvin Menzies fired as UNLV basketball coach". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  2. Anderson, Mark (27 March 2019). "UNLV hires T.J. Otzelberger as basketball coach". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  3. Borzello, Jeff (7 April 2019). "Arkansas hires Nevada's Musselman as coach". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  4. "Ex-UCLA coach Alford hired to lead Nevada". ESPN.com. ESPN. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  5. "Utah State Picked to Win 2019-20 Mountain West Men's Basketball Regular-Season". themw.com. Mountain West Conference. 15 October 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  6. "The Jerry West Award". hoophallawards.com. Basketball Hall of Fame. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  7. "Merrill Named to Naismith Trophy Watch List". Utah State Communications. Mountain West Conference. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  8. "Sam Merrill and Neemias Queta Named to Wooden Award Watch List". Utah State Athletics. Mountain West Conference. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  9. "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award". hoophallawards.com. Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  10. "Mountain West Announces 2019–20 Men's Basketball All-Conference Team" (Press release). Mountain West Conference. March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
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