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MWC repped by New Mexico and San Diego St. in power rankings

The New Mexico Lobos and San Diego St. Aztecs are the sole representatives of the Mountain West Conference in the CBSSpors.com and ESPN college basketball rankings. MW Connection looks at the two rankings.

SDSU's James Rahon (bottom) and UNM's Kendall Williams (top) battle for the ball.
SDSU's James Rahon (bottom) and UNM's Kendall Williams (top) battle for the ball.
USA TODAY Sports

The New Mexico Lobos and San Diego St. Aztecs are the lone Mountain West Conference representatives in this week's power rankings from ESPN.com and CBSSports.com.

Over at CBSSports.com's Top 25 + 1 this week, the Aztecs are the top-are the top rated MWC team at 19th.

CBS' College Basketball Insiders Gary Parrish and Jeff Goodman move San Diego St. up from being unranked to No. 19 from this week, their one sentence on the Aztecs is tré milquetoast:

The Aztecs dealt New Mexico its first Mountain West loss of the season.

Yes. Yes they did.

Parrish and Goodman moved New Mexico down five spots to No. 20, punctuating the demotion with this blurb:

The Lobos' 34 points against SDSU was their lowest total in the shot-clock era.

Totally on point. And even more poignant than saying 1976, which was the last time UNM scored so few points.

Over at ESPN.com however, New Mexico is still rated by the Mothership's 18 voters - higher than the Aztecs, signing in at No. 19 with 85 votes, the same spot they occupied as last week. The Four-Letter network also commented on the Lobos' lack of scoring Saturday at SDSU.

The Lobos managed only 34 points in their first MWC loss, to San Diego State. It marked UNM's lowest output since scoring 32 on Jan. 31, 1976, at Utah. Yikes.

The Aztecs moved up from unranked (unofficially No. 26) to No. 20 this week with 60 votes. Props were given to San Diego State's defensive effort Saturday:

How do you push yourself back into the AP poll (and these power rankings)? How about holding No. 15 New Mexico to 11-for-44 shooting and 34 points? Coach Steve Fisher credited Jamaal Franklin for leading the defensive effort.

The UNLV Runnin' Rebels, Colorado St. Rams and Wyoming Cowboys both earned votes in the ESPN power rankings, UNLV landing unofficially at No. 29 with 35 votes, CSU at No. 35 with six votes and UW at No. 31 with a single vote.