Who has won the most Mountain West tournament titles?
Las Vegas will be the center of the college basketball scene next week when five conferences will host their tournament championships.
The Mountain West has had its conference tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center every year since 2007. It also hosted the first four tournaments from 2000 to 2003 before the Pepsi Center in Denver served as the host from 2004 to 2006.
Here’s a look at who has won the most Mountain West tournament championships:
Men’s
1. San Diego State (7)
The Thomas & Mack Center might as well be San Diego State’s second home. The Aztecs have accumulated 45 wins on UNLV’s home court, 27 coming in the Mountain West tournament, since 2008-09.
San Diego State’s first conference title came in 2002, and it won last year’s title on its run to the national championship game. The Aztecs have appeared in the championship game every year since 2018 and 15 times total.
2. New Mexico (4)
New Mexico claimed its first title in 2005 and won three straight from 2012 to 2014. The Lobos have appeared in six title games.
3. UNLV (3)
UNLV has the second-most wins (27) in the conference tournament, but it last won a title when it went back-to-back in 2007 and 2008. The Rebels won the first Mountain West title in 2000 and last appeared in the title game in 2013.
Tournament MVP Mark Dickel helped lead UNLV past Brigham Young for the title in 2000. The Rebels downed BYU for its titles in 2007 and 2008 under coach Lon Kruger. Current UNLV coach Kevin Kruger was the tournament MVP in 2007 when the Rebels made a run to the Sweet 16, and Wink Adams was the MVP in 2008.
T4. Utah and Utah State (2)
Currently in the Pac-12, and soon to be in the Big 12, Utah won titles in 2004 and 2009. Utah State won back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020, the latter came just a week before other conference tournaments were shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other tournament champions: BYU (2001), Colorado State (2003), Wyoming (2015), Fresno State (2016), UNR (2017), Boise State (2022).
Women’s
T1. New Mexico and Boise State (5)
New Mexico won all five of its titles from 2003 to 2008 and three straight from 2003-05. Boise State has found more recent success, winning all of its titles from 2015 to 2020, including four straight from 2017-20.
3. Utah (4)
Utah won the first title in 2000, and added titles in 2006, 2009 and 2011, its last year in the Mountain West before moving to the Pac-12.
T4. Four schools with 2
Under coach and Las Vegas native Lindy La Rocque, UNLV has been the team to beat in the Mountain West lately, winning the last two conference regular-season and tournament titles. The Lady Rebels also just wrapped up the 2023 conference regular-season title as they seek a third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Lady Rebels defeated Colorado State in 2022 and downed Wyoming last season, as they went 18-0 in Mountain West regular-season play.
Colorado State (2001, 2016), Fresno State (2013, 2014) and San Diego State (2010, 2012) have also won two tournament titles.
Other tournament champions: BYU (2002) and Wyoming (2021).
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.