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5 questions entering the Mountain West

College basketball season is almost here!

Between now and Nov. 9th, we’ll take an in-depth look at different conferences around the country.

Today’s focus is on the Mountain West:

1. Is the Mountain West on an upward trajectory nationally?
It definitely felt that way last season. Only two teams from this league — San Diego State and Utah State — qualified for the NCAA Tournament, but three others — Boise State, Colorado State, and Nevada — were in the at-large discussion through February. Another thing that can’t be understated? The Mountain West’s television deal with both CBS and Fox Sports allows the league to be showcased at a level that is rare for a non power conference. This is massive in terms of highlighting the conference’s individual talents as well as its overall brand of basketball. People from the periphery are more familiar with the Mountain West’s product because the league is so visible nationally. (DISCLOSURE: I have been a college basketball insider for CBS Sports since 2010)

2. Can Grant Sherfield be an All-American?
It’s definitely within the realm of possibility. The 6-2 Sherfield averaged 18.6 points, 6.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals last season as a sophomore. As a junior, he’ll be expected to lead the Wolf Pack to the NCAA Tournament. If Nevada can emerge as one of the top non power conference teams in college basketball, Sherfield will be mentioned among the elite guards in the sport. He’ll also have a better supporting cast than he did a year ago, thanks to the addition of Texas transfer Will Baker, a former top-50 recruit. Desmond Cambridge (16.3 points) and Warren Washington (10 points, 5.9 rebounds) also return as starters for Steve Alford’s squad.

3. Which transfer will have the biggest impact?
Matt Bradley. Brian Dutcher needed to add reinforcements following the losses of both Matt Mitchell and Jordan Schakel; he did that with the 6-4 Bradley, who averaged 18 points and 4.6 rebounds last season at Cal. The broad shouldered guard left the Pac-12 for San Diego State because he wanted to be a part of a winning situation. He’ll now get a chance to be a focal point for one of college basketball’s most consistent programs. Bradley has averaged in double figures in all three years of his college career and will be instantly viewed as a first-team All-Mountain West caliber player. 

4. Will Kevin Kruger be able to bring UNLV back to national relevance?
That’s the million dollar question in Las Vegas. The son of Lon Kruger, Kevin Kruger played for his dad at UNLV and was recently an assistant before being promoted to head coach. He knows the inner workings of the Runnin Rebels’ program as well as anybody that’s ran the program since Dave Rice — another alum — was UNLV’s head coach from 2011-2016. Kruger has also recruited well out of the gate, landing a quartet of power conference transfers in Jordan McCabe (West Virginia), Donovan Williams (Texas), Victor Iwuakor (Oklahoma), and Royce Hamm (Texas). Those four players will join all-conference guard Bryce Hamilton (17.9 points) in the Runnin Rebels’ rotation. Now comes the hard part: Coaching this group into a top tier team in the Mountain West, which would then in turn make UNLV nationally relevant for the first time in over five years. 

5. Who is the sleeper?
Fresno State. Player retention is the key to success in college basketball and the Bulldogs return their top three scorers in Orlando Robinson, Deon Stroud, and Isaiah Hill. The 7-foot, 235 pound Robinson is a name to watch nationally. He averaged 14.6 points and 9.2 rebounds last season and flirted with the NBA Draft process before opting to return to school. If Robinson played at San Diego State, he’d regularly be talked about as one of the sport’s burgeoning post players. Justin Hutson also added an impact transfer in Jemarl Baker, who spent time at both Arizona and Kentucky before coming to Fresno State. Baker averaged 12 points last season in limited action due to injury, but has the ability to form a potent inside-outside combination with Robinson. This team is ready to make a jump. 

Leftovers