This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Mountain West Conference presidents are expected Friday to reverse their decision to cut the league's postseason basketball tournaments to eight teams.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, the presidents will decide at a previously scheduled Board of Directors meeting to stay with 11-team formats for the men's and women's tournaments.

In December, the Mountain West announced plans for eight-team tournaments starting in 2017, igniting a firestorm of criticism.

Wyoming's Larry Shyatt was publicly reprimanded for lashing out at the decision, which he said was made despite clear and unanimous opposition from the conference's coaches.

Citing sources with knowledge of the situation from around the league, the Journal reported that the coaches' opposition to the exclusionary format and the logistical impact such a change would have on fan bases, travel and existing hotel contracts are behind the presidents' decision to reverse course.

After the original change was announced, however, emails obtained because of a public records request by journalist Tracy Ringolsby and GoWyoGo.com confirmed the presidents were aware of the coaches' opposition.

Many suspect the eight-team decision was made to save money.

"If it was strictly dollars, I don't think there's any justification for the change," Utah State coach Tim Duryea said earlier this week. "The Mountain West is a league on a level where a decision like that shouldn't be made based on dollars."

Under an eight-team format, Utah State would not have qualified for this year's tournament. The Aggies dropped from the No. 7 seed to the No. 9 seed after an 86-85 loss to Fresno State in the final game of the regular season.

"To say you lost by one point and that took you out of the tournament just isn't a situation players and coaches need to be in," Duryea said. "… That would have been really hard."

— Steve Luhm