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If Mountain West Conference basketball were a stock, you might consider buying.

It could be a wise investment.

After nearly two months of sparring, Mountain West teams open the league season on New Year's Eve with five games, including Boise State-Colorado State and UNLV-Wyoming in the heavyweight division.

Five league teams — six counting injury-plagued New Mexico — have played well enough at times to look like NCAA tournament candidates.

Not all six will make it, of course, but the quality and depth of this year's Mountain West should make the regular season and conference tournament as invigorating as a pair of aces at a Las Vegas blackjack table.

San Diego State was the near-unanimous pick to win the league in the media's preseason poll. The Aztecs received 34 of 35 first-place votes, although they haven't played like a stone-cold lock yet.

SDSU, 10-3, is unfortunately dealing with a medical situation that has clouded the future of Dwayne Polee II. The Mountain West's Sixth Man Award winner last season, he collapsed during a game against UC Riverside on Dec. 22. He suffered a similar episode in practice a year ago.

Polee "has been told he can he can resume normal daily activity, but no physical activity, which obviously means no basketball," Aztec coach Steve Fisher said. "... [We] have to wait and hope."

The teams most capable of overtaking San Diego State look like UNLV, Colorado State, Boise State and Wyoming.

The Rebels' 71-67 win over third-ranked Arizona dramatically raised the Mountain West's profile last week, while the Rams have rolled through the nonleague season without a loss.

Colorado State has pushed its way into the championship discussion by running off a school-record 13 straight wins, including a recent 58-57 overtime victory at New Mexico State.

"I'm ecstatic, but it's behind us now," coach Larry Eustachy said after the Rams' win. "I never thought we'd go undefeated in nonconference, particularly with games like this on the road."

Last season, only two Mountain West teams reached the NCAA tournament.

The conference should do better in 2015.

A team-by-team look at the Mountain West Conference in predicted order of finish:

1. San Diego State (10-3)

The Aztecs are deep and athletic but average just 63.5 points and shoot 40.7 percent from the field. The offensive inconsistency hurt in losses to Washington, Arizona and Cincinnati, knocking them out of the Top 20. J.J. O'Brien, a senior transfer from Utah, averages nine points in a team-high 31 minutes.

Nonconference MVP • Winston Shepard (11.0 ppg)

Best win • Utah, 53-49

Worst loss • at Cincinnati, 71-62 (OT)

2. UNLV (9-3)

The Rebels are moving in the right direction as conference play opens. Their recent win over No. 3 Arizona was the Mountain West's signature victory of the preseason and put them on the radar as a title contender, although UNLV also lost to Utah, Stanford and Arizona State of the Pac 12.

Nonconference MVP • Rashad Vaughn (18.1 ppg)

Best win: Arizona • 71-67

Worst loss • at Arizona State, 77-55

3. Colorado State (13-0)

The Rams are unbeaten against a decent schedule — no monsters, few pushovers. They are 3-0 in games decided in the final moments, including wins over UTEP (65-62), New Mexico State (58-57 in overtime) and Colorado. Under Larry Eustachy, the ex-Utah State head coach, they are 55-25 since 2012-13.

Nonconference MVP • J.J. Avila (14.5 ppg)

Best win • at Colorado, 62-60

Worst loss • none

4. Boise State (10-3)

The Broncos have been mildly disappointing so far. They needed overtime to beat Montana (72-67) and Houston (75-73) and lost to Loyola Chicago. They have also been playing without outstanding wing Anthony Drmic, who was ruled out for the year Tuesday. He will undergo ankle surgery.

Nonconference MVP • Derrick Marks (16.7 ppg)

Best win • at St. Mary's, 82-71

Worst loss • vs. Loyola Chicago, 48-45

5. Wyoming (11-2)

More than any Mountain West team, Wyoming hangs its cowboy hat on defense. The 'Pokes allow 49.9 points per game. Opponents shoot 38 percent. Only four of their first 13 opponents have scored more than 54 points. The key for the Cowboys? They must win close games because they will play so many.

Nonconference MVP • Larry Nance Jr. (14.5 ppg)

Best win • Colorado, 56-33

Worst loss • at SMU, 66-53

6. New Mexico (8-4)

Sophomore guard Cullen Neal averaged 24.5 points in New Mexico's first two games before being sidelined with a severely sprained ankle. He has not returned and it's possible he won't play again this season. Without Neal, the Lobos probably won't contend. Exhibit A: They lost at Grand Canyon last week.

Nonconference MVP • Deshawn Delaney (14.8 ppg)

Best win • at Valparaiso, 63-46

Worst loss • at Grand Canyon, 68-65

7. Fresno State (5-8)

Fourth-year coach Rodney Terry has used nine players in his starting lineup and the Bulldogs shoot only 28 percent from the 3-point line. But they seem to be moving forward. Fresno has won three of its last five games with the losses coming at Texas Tech (73-56) and Pacific (71-68).

Nonconference MVP • Marvelle Harris (16.9 ppg)

Best win • UC Irvine, 72-63

Worst loss • at Northern Arizona, 73-52

8. Utah State (7-5)

The Aggies don't have much size or depth and it showed during their roller-coaster ride through the nonconference season. They started 3-0 before losing four straight games. Rebounding has been the biggest problem. In its first 12 game, Utah State has outrebounded exactly one opponent — little Wayland Baptist.

Nonconference MVP • Jalen Moore (15.3 ppg)

Best win • at Illinois State, 60-55

Worst loss • at UC Davis, 77-70 (OT)

9. Nevada (4-8)

In his sixth year, is coach David Carter on the hot seat? Maybe not. But the Wolf Pack are 31-44 since the 2012-13 season and own only two wins over Division I opponents (Marshall and Cal Poly) so far this year. Nevada often struggles to score, partly because a nonproductive bench has been an issue.

Nonconference MVP • D.J. Fenner (11.5 ppg)

Best win • Marshall, 83-55

Worst loss • at Nebraska-Omaha, 78-54

10. Air Force (7-4)

The Falcons are the conference's mystery team. Their record is decent, but the schedule has been loaded with opponents like Western State, Grambling and Colorado Christian. Air Force averages 70.7 points on 49.4 percent shooting, but can it continue in the Mountain West? That's the big question.

Nonconference MVP • Max Yon (14.8 ppg)

Best win • Nebraska-Omaha, 77-61

Worst loss • at Army, 84-78

11. San Jose State (2-10)

The preseason has been a disaster for the Spartans. Coach Dave Wojcik suspended five players indefinitely, including four starters, for violating team rules. Football players have been used to fill the roster. In its most recent game, San Jose dressed seven players and lost at Washington State, 82-53.

Nonconference MVP • Darryl Gaynor II (7.5 ppg).

Best win • St. Katherine, 74-63

Worst loss • Seattle, 54-38 —

1. San Diego St. (10-3)

The Aztecs are deep and athletic but average just 63.5 points and shoot 40.7 percent from the field. The offensive inconsistency hurt in losses to Washington, Arizona and Cincinnati, knocking them out of the Top 20. J.J. O'Brien, a senior transfer from Utah, averages nine points in a team-high 31 minutes.

Nonconference MVP • Winston Shepard (11.0 ppg)

Best win • Utah, 53-49

Worst loss • at Cincinnati, 71-62 (OT)

2. UNLV (9-3)

The Rebels are moving in the right direction as conference play opens. Their recent win over No. 3 Arizona was the Mountain West's signature victory of the preseason and put them on the radar as a title contender, although UNLV also lost to Utah, Stanford and Arizona State of the Pac-12.

Nonconference MVP • Rashad Vaughn (18.1 ppg)

Best win • Arizona, 71-67

Worst loss • at Arizona State, 77-55

3. Colorado St. (13-0)

The Rams are unbeaten against a decent schedule — no monsters, few pushovers. They are 3-0 in games decided in the final moments, including wins over UTEP (65-62), New Mexico State (58-57 in overtime) and Colorado. Under Larry Eustachy, the ex-Utah State head coach, they are 55-25 since 2012-13.

Nonconference MVP • J.J. Avila (14.5 ppg)

Best win • at Colorado, 62-60

Worst loss • none

4. Boise State (10-3)

The Broncos have been mildly disappointing so far. They needed overtime to beat Montana (72-67) and Houston (75-73) and lost to Loyola Chicago. They have also been playing without outstanding wing Anthony Drmic, who was ruled out for the year Tuesday. He will undergo ankle surgery.

Nonconference MVP • Derrick Marks (16.7 ppg)

Best win • at St. Mary's, 82-71

Worst loss • vs. Loyola Chicago, 48-45

5. Wyoming (11-2)

More than any Mountain West team, Wyoming hangs its cowboy hat on defense. The 'Pokes allow 49.9 points per game. Opponents shoot 38 percent. Only four of their first 13 opponents have scored more than 54 points. The key for the Cowboys? They must win close games because they will play so many.

Nonconference MVP • Larry Nance Jr. (14.5 ppg)

Best win • Colorado, 56-33

Worst loss • at SMU, 66-53

6. New Mexico (8-4)

Sophomore guard Cullen Neal averaged 24.5 points in New Mexico's first two games before being sidelined with a severely sprained ankle. He has not returned and it's possible he won't play again this season. Without Neal, the Lobos probably won't contend. Exhibit A: They lost at Grand Canyon last week.

Nonconference MVP • Deshawn Delaney (14.8 ppg)

Best win • at Valparaiso, 63-46

Worst loss • at Grand Canyon, 68-65

7. Fresno State (5-8)

Fourth-year coach Rodney Terry has used nine players in his starting lineup and the Bulldogs shoot only 28 percent from the 3-point line. But they seem to be moving forward. Fresno has won three of its last five games with the losses coming at Texas Tech (73-56) and Pacific (71-68).

Nonconference MVP • Marvelle Harris (16.9 ppg)

Best win • UC Irvine, 72-63

Worst loss • at Northern Arizona, 73-52

8. Utah St. (7-5)

The Aggies don't have much size or depth and it showed during their roller-coaster ride through the nonconference season. They started 3-0 before losing four straight games. Rebounding has been the biggest problem. In its first 12 games, Utah State has outrebounded one opponent — little Wayland Baptist.

Nonconference MVP • Jalen Moore (15.3 ppg)

Best win • at Illinois State, 60-55

Worst loss • at UC Davis, 77-70 (OT)

9. Nevada (4-8)

In his sixth year, is coach David Carter on the hot seat? Maybe not. But the Wolf Pack are 31-44 since the 2012-13 season and own only two wins over Division I opponents (Marshall and Cal Poly) so far this year. Nevada often struggles to score, partly because a nonproductive bench has been an issue.

Nonconference MVP • D.J. Fenner (11.5 ppg)

Best win • Marshall, 83-55

Worst loss • at Nebraska-Omaha, 78-54

10. Air Force (7-4)

The Falcons are the conference's mystery team. Their record is decent, but the schedule has been loaded with opponents like Western State, Grambling and Colorado Christian. Air Force averages 70.7 points on 49.4 percent shooting, but can it continue in the Mountain West? That's the big question.

Nonconference MVP • Max Yon (14.8 ppg)

Best win • Nebraska-Omaha, 77-61

Worst loss • at Army, 84-78

11. San Jose St. (2-10)

The preseason has been a disaster for the Spartans. Coach Dave Wojcik suspended five players indefinitely, including four starters, for violating team rules. Football players have been used to fill the roster. In its most recent game, San Jose dressed seven players and lost at Washington State, 82-53.

Nonconference MVP • Darryl Gaynor II (7.5 ppg).

Best win • St. Katherine, 74-63

Worst loss • Seattle, 54-38