Mountain West Basketball Head Coaching Rankings
Ranking the Mountain West coaching ladder for the 2019-20 season
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Mountain West basketball head coaching rankings
11) Jean Prioleau, San Jose State
Career W-L record (NCAA appearances): 8-53 (0)
Previous ranking: 10th
It’s unfair to say that all of San Jose State’s failures the past two years have been Jean Prioleau’s fault. However, his teams have notched a pair of 1-17 league records and have yet to show any signs of life. Every SJSU player to average double figures under Prioleau has transferred, and it seems to be almost impossible for this program to build any positive momentum. Former Spartan Brandon Clarke exploding into All-American and likely lottery pick status as a Gonzaga Bulldog is just further salt in the wound.
10) Niko Medved, Colorado State
Career W-L record (NCAA appearances): 91-108 (0)
Previous ranking: 6th
I still fully expect Niko Medved to turn Colorado State in a top-half Mountain West squad within a year or two, but the early returns haven’t been all that great. Dave Pilipovich aside, Medved is the most experienced head coach in the conference without a tournament appearance. Even so, the Minnesota alum has a history of turning around programs, seeing a 14-win improvement at Furman over four seasons and guiding Drake to a 10-win boost in his sole season with the Bulldogs. Let’s see what he can do in year two with senior studs Nico Carvacho and Kris Martin.
9) Allen Edwards, Wyoming
Career W-L record (NCAA appearances): 51-52 (0)
Previous ranking: 7th
The first two seasons of the Allen Edwards era in Laramie were, in large part, a solid success. The Cowboys won the CBI Tournament in ‘16-17 and followed it up with a 20-win ‘17-18 campaign. This past season was a nightmare, though, and easily one of the worst in program history. Athletic director Tom Burman has already addressed Edwards’ status moving forward, saying next season must be “significantly better.” Don’t expect things to be easier now that superstar Justin James has graduated. The pressure is on for Allen Edwards in Laramie. He probably has the hottest seat in the conference.
8) T.J. Otzelberger, UNLV
Career W-L record (NCAA appearances): 70-33 (2)
The first of two new head coaches in the state of Nevada this offseason, the ex-South Dakota State shot caller heads to Vegas after taking the Jackrabbits to two NCAA Tournaments and an NIT appearance in three years. The big questions now are whether his SDSU successes were mostly due to Mike Daum’s heroics and also how quickly he can assemble a formidable roster to compete with the league’s top tier. Serving under Lorenzo Romar, Fred Hoiberg and Steve Prohm before heading to South Dakota State, acquiring talent should not be an issue.
7) Dave Pilipovich, Air Force
Career W-L record (NCAA appearances): 98-131 (0)
Previous ranking: 9th
On paper, Dave Pilipovich’s numbers don’t exactly pop off the page. It’s not a fair assessment, however, until you consider that Pilipovich has managed to field competitive teams in one of the nation’s strongest mid-major conferences at a service academy. The Falcons could be dangerously good next year as well. Only one player who recorded a start for the Mountain West’s sixth-place finisher this past season graduates this spring. Pilipovich recently inked a well-deserved extension and could be higher on this list a year from now.
6) Paul Weir, New Mexico
Career W-L record (NCAA appearances): 61-39 (1)
Previous ranking: 3rd
What a bizarre calendar year in Albuquerque. A season after shocking the league by nearly picking up the league’s autobid in Weir’s first campaign, the Lobos completely collapsed in ‘18-19. By season’s end, New Mexico ranked 183rd and 202nd in offensive and defensive efficiency, respectively. Weir will have arguably the most talented roster in the MW next season, led by six players who were either four or five-star recruits. The problem with having that much talent, though, is that you are expected to win. If New Mexico flops again in ‘19-20, Weir’s seat will be scorching.
5) Justin Hutson, Fresno State
Career W-L record (NCAA appearances): 23-9 (0)
Previous ranking: 11th
Fresno State was egregiously snubbed of a postseason berth after going 23-9 and finishing 71st in KenPom. That’s no fault of Justin Hutson, though, the ‘18-19 Joe B. Hall award winner (given to the nation’s best rookie head coach). Hutson did inherit a strong roster led by senior starters Deshon Taylor, Braxton Huggins, and Sam Bittner, so he must find a way to climb a much taller hill next season. Achieving the 20-win benchmark again in year two would solidify Hutson as one of the Mountain West’s best head coaches.
4) Brian Dutcher, San Diego State
Career W-L record (NCAA appearances): 43-24 (1)
Previous ranking: 4th
There’s a lot (both positive and negative) that can be said about what Brian Dutcher has done in two seasons after succeeding the legendary Steve Fisher. The reality of it is simple, though. Regardless of what you make of SDSU’s non-conference failures and league hiccups, twice have the Aztecs been put in win-and-in Mountain West title games in as many years. Has SDSU been elite, or even a consensus top three team in the conference over the past two seasons? No. There’s plenty reason to believe, however, that Dutcher and his staff can get San Diego State back to consistent top 25 status in the years to come.
3) Leon Rice, Boise State
Career W-L record (NCAA appearances): 178-116 (2)
Previous ranking: 2nd
Leon Rice still, somehow, does not get enough credit for what he has accomplished in Boise. The ‘18-19 campaign – the worst of Rice’s tenure – is further proof why this is true. BSU fans were clearly distraught and disappointed with the Broncos’ 13-win season, which is understandable. However, prior to Rice, this type of season was the norm. In nine years under Rice, Boise State has recorded seven seasons of 20 wins or more. In the nine years before Rice’s arrival, it happened just twice. The 2015 Mountain West Coach of the Year has completely shifted the culture in Boise and the future remains bright for the Broncos.
2) Craig Smith, Utah State
Career W-L record (NCAA appearances): 107-62 (1)
Previous ranking: 8th
Not even the most biased Utah State fans could have predicted the outcome of the ‘18-19 Aggies men’s basketball season. Pegged ninth in the preseason, Utah State shared the Mountain West regular season title and won the conference tournament with Sam Merrill being named player of the year and Neemias Queta taking both freshman and defensive player of the year honors. Merrill is set to return for his senior season in Logan leading an Aggie roster that looks to have plenty of depth behind the 21-point scorer (regardless of whether Queta turns pro). Don’t be surprised to see Utah State in the preseason top 25 and continue to hover around the AP poll so long as Smith is strolling the USU sidelines.
1) Steve Alford, Nevada
Career W-L record (NCAA appearances): 509-269 (11)
New face, same ranking among the Mountain West’s coaching ladder for Nevada. Steve Alford is now in Reno as the leader of the Wolf Pack after his mid-season ousting in Los Angeles with the UCLA Bruins. Hiring a fired head coach is never awesome, but Alford was a three-time Mountain West Coach of the Year with New Mexico, has 11 NCAA Tournaments and four Sweet 16 appearances, and has recruited a boatload of NBA talent. Alford easily has the best track record of any coach in the conference. It’s not even close.
Eli Boettger is the lead basketball writer at Mountain West Wire. He’s covered Mountain West basketball since 2015 and his work has been featured on Bleacher Report, NBC Sports, SB Nation, Yahoo Sports, MSN, and other platforms. Boettger is a current USBWA member.
