Mountain West presidents to allow all 11 schools in tournament

The Mountain West presidents, who created a stir throughout the conference with their decision to cut back on the number of teams in the league basketball tournament, changed course on Friday.

They ditched their previous action in December of allowing just eight men’s and eight women’s teams beginning next year, and voted to revert to the current format of allowing all 11 in on each side.

Momentum for the change began when GoWyoGo.com revealed through an open-records request the anger of the conference coaches toward the presidents. The coaches voted unanimously in May to keep the format of allowing each team to play.

The presidents had a meeting already scheduled for Friday in conjunction with the conference tournament at the Thomas &Mack Center and decided to take up the topic.

“This course of action ensures the best possible decisions for the conference as a whole, its individual member institutions, the student-athletes and their many fans across the Western United States,” the Mountain West said in a statement.

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65