MWC still lacking in perception department

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Messages can be sent different ways. Letters. E-mails. Texts. Tweets.

When it comes to college basketball, the most important ones deal in numbers.

When it comes to those numbers and the Mountain West Conference today, the inference from national media is clear: No one is that impressed.

UNLV seems solidly in the NCAA Tournament, a presumption the Rebels can strengthen by beating New Mexico tonight at The Pit.

But most bracketology forecasts in recent weeks have placed UNLV on the 8-9 line of the NCAA field, a dreaded position given what awaits -- a No. 1 seed -- in the second round for any team smart enough to guard this year's version of Ali Farokhmanesh.

"We have everything in front of us," Rebels coach Lon Kruger said. "No question, this time of year, every time you win is important, and every loss can do a little damage. But approaching any game differently than we have all season would be a mistake."

If anyone within the UNLV camp feels slighted by recent bracketology guesswork -- and, really, how could they? -- those who follow San Diego State and Brigham Young should perceive the various rankings and mock brackets with an even greater glare of contempt.

There isn't a better example in Mountain West history as to where the league truly rates in the minds of many than this past week, when four of the top five teams in The Associated Press Top 25 poll lost and San Diego State and BYU didn't.

Duke moved from No. 5 to No. 1.

San Diego State went from No. 6 to, well, No. 6.

BYU stayed at No. 7.

This, despite the Aztecs owning a No. 2 Rating Percentage Index and the country's best record at 27-1. This, despite BYU being third in the RPI with a schedule rating of 22.

It's true. Polls mean little when a selection committee closes the doors and crunches numbers in hopes of finishing in time for the late-night ice cream run. But perception means everything, and how votes fell this week sent that undeniable message.

"It's odd, especially this year," said New Mexico coach Steve Alford, whose team is fighting for its NCAA life after winning the conference regular-season title last year. "Our league is ranked fourth (in the RPI), ahead of the ACC and SEC. When we had our run last year and ended with a No. 3 seed (in the NCAAs), we hadn't even cracked the Top 10 until the last two weeks of the season. We had to get on a pretty good roll there to climb the rankings.

"A team like San Diego State has been in the Top 25 all year, and to have a week like this past one where all top four teams lose and they don't move up at all I assumed they would be knocking on the door for the top two spots."

A few NCAA mock brackets have placed San Diego State on the 1 line, but most now agree the Aztecs and BYU own a ceiling of a No. 2 seed. It goes to reason that one of them probably would have to win out through the conference tournament to seriously be considered for the top line.

Maybe it's unfair.

Maybe it isn't.

San Diego State has built its NCAA resume the way past committees have stressed is important, owning more true road wins -- 10 -- than any other Top 25 team. The Aztecs are 11-1 against Top 100 opponents and 3-1 against the Top 50.

But they lack a victory against anyone ranked today, a fact they can rectify Saturday when the Aztecs host BYU in a game to be televised nationally by CBS.

BYU also seems deficient in the minds of voters, despite the Cougars being 7-1 against Top 50 teams. Saturday is as big for them as it is for the Aztecs.

"Everybody has slip-ups," San Diego State coach Steve Fisher said. "We've had one (at BYU) where a team favored to win played better than we did. Ohio State has lost to Wisconsin and Purdue, both of which are undefeated at home. It's hard to go on the road and win against good people.

"On the flip side, we've gone on the road and won. We're good. But when it comes to a No. 1 seed, others will decide that. We just hope to be in the discussion and bantered about in the mix."

It's probably the best San Diego State and BYU can hope for as the next three weeks play out. If that wasn't apparent before now, Monday's rankings made it so.

Polls might not play a major part in anything.

But in a selection committee ballroom, before the ice cream is served, perception definitely does.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday and Thursday on "Monsters of the Midday," Fox Sports Radio 920 AM. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney.