MWC Preview: Best Bets 2026-27

Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) and Cannabis Capper (@CannabisCapper) break down the 2026-27 Mountain West basketball preview, walking through the new-look league after realignment. Cannabis Capper is all in on UNLV winning it, while Ryan McIntyre rides an old, experienced Grand Canyon team.

Utah State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Boise State are gone, and in come Hawaii off an NCAA tournament trip out of the Big West, J.C. Davis and UTEP from Conference USA. Grand Canyon went 13-7 in its first Mountain West season, Steve Alford is coaching his final year at Nevada, and Air Force hands the keys to new coach Joe Crispin after going 0-20 in league play. On the hot seat, both guys land on Joe Golding at UTEP.

Stock up? Cannabis Capper loves Kevin-free roster math at UNLV, where Pastner adds Terrence Ford Jr., Cam Miles and Sebastian Mack around Tyron Jones. Ryan McIntyre goes Wyoming, with Sundance Wicks in year three and plenty of returning production. Stock down is Hawaii for Cannabis Capper after nearly the whole roster turned over, and J.C. Davis for Ryan McIntyre, who thinks the Aggies get bullied in a more physical league.

The top four is the same four teams on both cards, just shuffled. Cannabis Capper goes UNLV, Grand Canyon, Nevada, New Mexico. Ryan McIntyre goes Grand Canyon, New Mexico, Nevada, UNLV. Both slot Wyoming fifth and Air Force tenth.

Coach of the Year is Pastner for Cannabis Capper, chasing that award in a third different conference, and Bryce Drew for Ryan McIntyre. Player of the Year comes down to Makai Williams of Grand Canyon versus Jaden Henley. For the conference tournament in Las Vegas, both pick Nevada to send Alford off with one last run. And with UNLV scheduling Kansas, Stanford and SMU and Grand Canyon taking on Florida and Memphis, there is a path to a two-bid league if the non-con goes right.

0:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
2:13 Welcome to the New Look Mountain West
3:54 Who Is in the League
7:29 Coaches: Alford, Wicks & Drew
13:32 Hot Seat: Golding & Miles
15:09 Stock Up, Stock Down: UNLV, Wyoming, Hawaii
21:45 Who Is Winning the Regular Season
29:36 Coach of the Year, Player of the Year & Tournament
31:41 One Bid League or Two Bid League
33:33 Sign-Off & Socials

MWC Preview: Best Bets 2026-27 | The College Experience: Basketball (Ep. 1188)

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