Austin Ainge is following his father from the Boston Celtics to the Utah Jazz.

Ainge, a former BYU basketball standout from 2002-07, was named the Jazz’s president of basketball operations Monday morning.

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He spent the previous 17 years with the Celtics organization in a variety of roles, most recently as the team’s assistant general manager for the past six years.

Ainge will reunite with his father Danny Ainge, who has been the Jazz’s CEO since December 2021 and had previously been a Celtics executive for nearly two decades.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Austin Ainge as our new president of basketball operations,” Jazz co-owner Ryan Smith said in a statement. “Austin is one of the brightest minds in the NBA — his 17 years with the Celtics have given him incredible insight into every part of an organization.

“I’ve known Austin for 15 years, and I’ve watched him grow into an accomplished, innovative, and strategic basketball executive who’s ready to lead this organization.”

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The hiring comes just weeks after Utah locked up head coach Will Hardy to a multi-year extension that runs through 2031.

“This is an incredible opportunity to lead Utah Jazz basketball operations,” Ainge said in a statement. ”I couldn’t be more excited about the bright future of this organization. I look forward to partnering with Ryan and Ashley Smith and our other leaders within the Utah Jazz and will utilize my experience over the last 17 years building a championship-caliber organization.

“I have lived this my whole life, constantly studying teams, talent, chemistry and the selflessness necessary to win. I look forward to bringing that to Utah and am excited to give Jazz fans a lot to cheer about as we build our program back up.”

The 43-year-old Austin Ainge, who grew up Gilbert, Arizona, spent one season at Southern Utah as an assistant coach following his career at BYU, then jumped into the NBA executive world as a scout for Boston.

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That led to being named the head coach of the Celtics’ G League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, for two seasons from 2009-11.

Ainge also previously served as the Celtics’ director of scouting and player personnel and has helped assemble rosters in Boston that have included stars such as Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, while being instrumental in trades that netted players like Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White.

“Austin is experienced, forward-thinking, and laser-focused on building a championship-caliber program. He has been instrumental in every aspect of building great teams — from scouting the best players to constructing a winning roster,” Smith said.

“In this new role leading the Jazz front office, Austin’s ability to identify great talent, scout, and partner with Danny, Justin, and Will and the rest of the front office team will be key. Hiring Austin couldn’t be coming at a better time as we build up as an organization towards our ultimate goal of championship-level basketball.”

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Jazz general manager Justin Zanik will remain in his current role with Ainge’s addition, ESPN reported, as the two will work together.

“Austin is one of the most respected executives in the NBA because of his basketball prowess, experience, and work ethic and I am excited to partner with him on our shared goal of success for the Utah Jazz,” Zanik said in a statement. “Once again, Ryan and Ashley illustrate their commitment to Utah as they strive to build the best franchise in the NBA.”

EUGENE, Ore. (ABC4 Sports) – Utah Valley’s historic run through the NCAA Baseball Tournament came to an end Sunday with a heartbreaking 11-inning 7-6 loss to Cal Poly.

Zach Daudet hit a solo home run to lead off the 11th inning to give the Mustangs the victory. Utah Valley went 1-2 in the NCAA Tournament, earning its first ever postseason win over #12 Oregon on Friday.

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“I feel like this game kind of summed up what our season is,” said UVU head coach Nate Rasmussen. “A bunch of guys getting punched in the mouth and having to come back in and just a lot of toughness. Really proud of the group.”

Arizona uses long ball to beat UVU, 14-4

“I just feel like we were never out of it,” said UVU reliever Cooper Littledike. “That’s just kind of how I saw it. I honestly thought we were still in it. We were one swing away. We were one at bat away one. Just one moment away.”

The Mustangs took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, but the Wolverines responded by loading the bases following walks to Joseph Barnhardt and Luke Iverson, along with a single from Jayden Smith. Landon Frei launched a grand slam to left field to put UVU ahead 4-1.

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Cal Poly answered with five runs in the bottom of the fourth to reclaim a 6-4 lead. Cooper Littledike entered in the inning and ended the inning for Utah Valley. 

Dominic Longo II trimmed the deficit to 6-5 in the sixth with a solo home run to right field on the first pitch from Chris Downs. In the seventh, Iverson worked his third walk of the game and later scored on Smith’s double down the left-field line, tying the game at 6-6.

In the bottom of the ninth, Cal Poly put runners on first and second with one out, but Alan Huerta got Nate Castellon to fly out. Carston Herman entered with three of the next four batters being left-handed hitters and recorded the final out to force extra innings.

UVU put the go-ahead run on first in the 10th when Longo II walked, but failed to execute a bunt before a pair of flyouts and a caught stealing ended the threat.

UVU shocks #12 Oregon in NCAA Tournament, 6-5

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Herman struck out the final two batters of the 10th, and after UVU went down in order in the top of the 11th, Daudet homered to right-center to send Cal Poly to the regional final against Arizona.

“Just being a part of this group, the culture change was unbelievable this year,” said Smith. “Something super special, and this was by far the most fun I’ve ever had playing baseball in my life.”

“It might feel really, really bad right now, but these guys have a ton to be proud of,” Rasmussen said.

This was Utah Valley’s second NCAA Tournament appearance, and first since 2016 when the Wolverines went 0-2.

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The Wolverines finish 33-29, winning their first WAC Tournament title since 2016.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Paxton Schultz’s big-league debut on April 20, against Seattle was a bit unconventional as he was summoned from the minors with a simple mission — help preserve a depleted Toronto bullpen against the Mariners following a 12-inning loss the previous night.

Schultz, 27, an Orem, Utah, native who played collegiately at Utah Valley University, did exactly that, allowing just two hits over 4 1/3 innings and striking out eight, tying a major league record for most strikeouts in a debut by a reliever.

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“Everything happened pretty quick. It was 8 o’clock at night (the night before) with Syracuse, our Triple-A team and the manager called me and let me know I would be heading to Toronto,” Schultz said. “Drove to Buffalo, stayed at my apartment there. A car came at 7 o’clock in the morning and picked us up, drove us to Toronto.

“Those are some of the most influential people of my life. I owe so much to them, the sacrifices and all they’ve done for me to be able to be in this position today, I can’t thank them enough.”

Toronto pitcher Paxton Schultz on his family

“Once they told me I was activated, I had a pretty good idea that I was going to be in the game. Second inning rolled around and our starter was in trouble, when I heard that phone ring I just knew. I had all the confidence in the world, especially getting my debut, something you dream of forever. Everything was clicking for me that day, a lot of success.”

And as far as his tying a big-league record, he had no idea until after he’d thrown his final pitch of the day.

“I had no clue about that. I was out there trying to give the team length and help the bullpen for the next series,” Schultz said. “After the game they told me you’d tied a Major League record. That was pretty cool to realize and take it all in.”

From the Beehive State to the Bigs

A 14th-round pick by Milwaukee in 2019, he was traded by the Brewers to the Blue Jays in 2021 and after about six years in the minors, which included a brief stint in Australia, he realized his lifelong dream, the seeds of which were sown early in the Beehive State.

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“Yeah, born and raised in Orem. That’s where I started playing baseball from T-ball all the way through high school,” Schultz said. “Definitely fortunate enough to stay close to home and have that support system until I got drafted and into pro ball.”

He does remember unique challenges accompanying baseball in a cold-weather state, differences he first noticed during travel ball.

“We would go out of state and play teams from Arizona and Nevada. You could tell they were more polished and could play year-round,” Schultz said. “But I feel like there were some benefits to being able to take a step back. Taking a break to go play football or basketball, that gives you a chance to refine your athleticism. I feel like it helps a lot.”

Taking pride in Utah strides

Schultz takes immense pride in representing Utah each time he takes the mound, but he’s also encouraged to see more players from his state getting drafted and entering pro ball.

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“When I first got into pro ball, there weren’t a lot of guys and looking at it now, it’s cool to see how many more guys (with Utah ties) have been drafted from bigger universities and are playing,” he said. “I feel like the game is growing there and it’s been awesome to be part of that and be one of the few that have made it. It’s something I’ll take great pride in always and be there to help whoever comes up next trying to do it.”

Thus far, Schultz has made five appearances with the Jays, including one start as Toronto’s opener for a May 28 win in Texas. That evening, he pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing one hit and striking out four as the Jays prevailed thanks to Bo Bichette’s first career pinch-hit homer in the eighth to take two of three from the Rangers.

Schultz’s manager, John Schneider, had a simple rationale for giving the Orem native the start.

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“He has that available length, has pitches that can combat righties and lefties. When you’re looking to navigate multiple innings with one guy, you’ve got to have multiple pitches and he has that,” Schneider said pregame.

And when asked what quality Schultz has brought most to his bullpen thus far, Schneider immediately cited length.

“Better stuff than what we thought. We got a quick look at him in spring training, he’s got a really good demeanor, knows where he needs to execute his pitches and he’s done a really good job since he’s been here,” Schneider said. “Him executing whether it’s a cutter at the top of the zone, changeup below, he’s got some pitches and when he’s executing, he’s pretty good.”

A whirlwind debut

Like many big-league debuts, his was a whirlwind, happening so quickly that friends and family couldn’t make it to Toronto in time to see him pitch in the big leagues for the first time in person. However, after he didn’t pitch in the ensuing series in Houston, his supporters made it to New York to see him make his second appearance on April 27.

“They all met me in New York at Yankee Stadium and got to see me throw there, which was awesome. I had about 20 family and friends there,” Schultz said. “They all got to congratulate me in person, so that was special. That is what it’s all about (sharing the journey with the people who helped you along the way), especially having my wife and daughter there, it was huge and my dad and my mom were there.

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“Those are some of the most influential people of my life. I owe so much to them, the sacrifices and all they’ve done for me to be able to be in this position today, I can’t thank them enough.”

Schultz is a rookie and among his rookie duties are to lug a bag of snacks to and from the bullpen and ensure it’s well-stocked, a small price to pay for reaching The Show and realizing a lifelong dream.

“After being told that was going to be it for the day (in my debut), I was able to sit in the dugout for a couple of innings, just look around and take it all in,” Schultz said. “That’s when it really set in that, wow, this is something I’ve been chasing my whole life and to finally be here and perform pretty well was special for me.”

Stephen Hunt is a freelance writer based in Frisco, Texas.

Imagine this: after years of scraping by, you manage to build up a small cushion and get a little financial breathing room. Your job is steady, but not necessarily guaranteed. Would you spend that cushion now? Or protect it, knowing how hard it was to build?

Most of us would protect it. So why aren’t we doing the same with our water?

Less than three years ago, northern Utah was in the grips of one of the most severe droughts in living memory. Reservoirs dropped to alarming lows. Cities and utilities scrambled to prepare for possible restrictions. In response, Utahns stepped up. We cut back. We conserved. And it worked.

Today, thanks to those efforts, good management and a few solid snow years, our reservoirs look healthy again, hovering around 80 to 90% full. But that’s not a license to use water like it’s going out of style.

Think of our reservoirs as a savings account. When we withdraw more water than we deposit, our balance drops. Unlike money, water doesn’t come with overdraft protection. When supplies run low, the trade-offs are real: lawns or drinking water? Car washes or fire protection? Backyard pools or a healthy Great Salt Lake? We shouldn’t wait for those choices to be forced on us.

As the pressure has eased, our habits have slipped.

In 2022, Utahns rose to the challenge of historic drought conditions and achieved record-breaking conservation. Even with reservoirs dipping to critically low levels (42% statewide), our collective effort helped avoid serious service cuts or restrictions. Since then, water use has steadily climbed, not from growth, but from individual behavior. Early 2025 data show a 20% increase per person over last year, which was already up 12.5% from the year before.

To return to our savings analogy: our emergency fund is shrinking, our future income — snowpack — is uncertain, and our spending is accelerating. We don’t need Warren Buffett to tell us that’s a bad plan.

The good news? We’re not too late. There’s still time to change course, and the solutions are well within reach.

Before anyone points fingers at agriculture, let’s clarify: agricultural water is a different system than the one that serves our homes, schools and businesses. The water we use day to day is part of the municipal system — that’s the one we can directly protect.

How to save water in Utah

The biggest opportunity for savings? Our yards. Outdoor watering, especially turf grass, is far and away the largest driver of summertime water use. Replacing traditional lawns with waterwise landscaping can reduce water use by up to 60%, and rebate programs can help cover the cost. But if a full yard renovation isn’t practical, start small: update a park strip, convert a side yard or reduce lawn to the areas you actually use.

Another option: install a smart irrigation controller, which adjusts watering based on weather and soil conditions. There are rebates for that, too.

The simplest step of all? Water efficiently. The average lawn watering session uses about 2,000 gallons, and the average Utah homeowner waters much more than necessary. Following the Utah Division of Water Resources weekly watering guide can help you determine just how much your lawn needs.

Slowtheflow.org provides even more water-saving tips. For example, raising your mower blades and leaving your grass at a longer length helps protect the root system from drying up, resulting in less water needs for your lawn.

It’s human nature to move on and forget hard times. But when it comes to water, we can’t afford complacency. The future of our families, communities and the Great Salt Lake depends on what we do today.

We’re asking every household to do just a little better than last year. Even small reductions add up. If we hit our conservation targets, we’ll be able to send an equivalent volume of water to the Great Salt Lake this fall, a direct investment in Utah’s environment, economy and health. At the very least, we’ll be shoring up our savings account for the next dry year.

Let’s not waste what we worked so hard to protect. Let’s show that conservation isn’t just a crisis response; it’s a shared commitment to a secure future.

EUGENE, Ore.—Arizona has built its team to succeed in its own ballpark, the cavernous Hi Corbett Field. In exchange for not hitting many home runs—just 27 in 30 games this season—the Wildcats lead the nation in triples and get plenty of doubles.

But put this UA team in a smaller park, with the wind blowing out, and boy can it be fun to watch.

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Arizona hit a school-record eight home runs, three by Mason White, in a 14-4 win over Utah Valley in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night at PK Park. The win advances the Wildcats (41-18) into the Eugene Regional final on Sunday night.

“The bats came out today, a little more than yesterday,” UA coach Chip Hale said.

White homered on his first three at-bats, banging a 2-run shot off the right field foul pole in the top of the 1^st inning, then going to right-center in the 3^rd and dead center in the 4^th for the 9^th 3-homer game in school history and first in the postseason. He finished 4 for 5 with a double to give him 110 extra-base hits, tying Dave Stegman’s school mark from 1973-76.

“We saw the wind when we got here, saw it in BP, and then nothing changed,” said White, who is up to 18 homers this season with nine in May. “We just hit like how we hit. And you see in Hi Corbett, it really doesn’t help out the wind blowing in, but playing in a park like this it really shows.”

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Tommy Splaine, Brendan Summerhill, Aaron Walton, Adonys Guzman and Garen Caulfield also homered, with Caulfield’s opposite-field shot in the 8^th breaking the previous school record set in 2001 against Washington State.

“They hit eight home runs, and they didn’t hit eight cheap home runs,” Utah Valley coach Nate Rasmussen said.

Arizona belted out 19 hits, including a school-record 14 for extra bases. The Wildcats had scored only five runs on eight hits in the previous two games, managing only two in Friday’s 3-2 win over Cal Poly.

“We actually talked about it before we left the hotel, just get our best swing off,” Hale said. “Get our best swing off, hit low, hard contact. Sometimes people think you’re trying to hit the ball in the air. They’re not, they’re trying to hit low line drives, and they end up going a long way.”

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White’s first homer spotted Raul Garayzar a 2-0 lead before he got on the mound but that edge was gone quickly. Utah Valley (33-28) got the first two on and scored twice, aided by a dropped relay by Caulfield on what would have been a double play.

Easton Breyfogle’s sacrifice fly gave Arizona the lead for good in the 2^nd, and White’s second homer upped it to 4-2. Splaine, Summerhill and White hit solo shots in the 4^th to make it 7-2.

Garayzar put the first three on in the bottom of the 4^th on a single and two hit batters and was pulled, the shortest outing for a UA starter since May 10. Casey Hintz came on with the bases loaded and got a trio of ground balls, the first two bringing in runs.

“You look at the scoreboard, I think at the time it was 7-2,” said Hintz, who would throw three scoreless innings and record seven outs on grounders, the other two on strikeouts. “At the time, it’s just get outs, get ground balls, turn a double play, just minimize what’s going on. All you can do is minimize, go pitch by pitch, and just don’t let them get more damage.”

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Michael Hilker Jr. then finished it out with three shutout innings and seven strikeouts to get the save as the UA bullpen allowed one hit over six innings.

Arizona put the game away with a 6-run 8^th that included 2-run homers by Walton and Guzman. For Walton, who was 3 for 6 after coming in 9 of 56, it was his first since homering twice on May 2, while Guzman’s deep oppo shot to right-center came after he was robbed of a homer to center by Utah Valley’s Nate Bach.

The UA now waits to see who it will face Sunday at 7 p.m. PT, getting the winner of a 3 p.m. PT elimination game between Utah Valley and Cal Poly (42-18). The Wildcats need to win once more to advance to their first Super Regional since 2021.

“Mission hasn’t changed,” White said.

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Utah Valley’s pitchers were no match for Arizona’s batters Saturday night, as the Wildcats handed the Wolverines a 14-4 loss in NCAA baseball regionals action at PK Park in Eugene, Oregon.

As a result, UVU finds itself in a must-win scenario to stay alive in the double-elimination tournament.

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One day after the Wolverines beat No. 12 overall seed Oregon for the program’s first NCAA Tournament win, UVU gave up 19 hits, including eight home runs and 14 extra-base hits, to Arizona in a winner’s bracket matchup.

The Wildcats chased UVU starter Colton Kennedy after 3 1/3 innings, as they hit three solo home runs in the fourth inning to take a 7-2 lead. Kennedy gave up six of those runs, all earned.

Arizona then slammed the door shut with a six-run seventh inning that pushed its advantage to 13-4. UVU relief pitcher Garrett Miller gave up four earned runs in the inning against just one out, as he faced only five batters.

Mason White hit three of Arizona’s single-game program-record eight home runs. White’s first homer came just three batters into the matchup, and it gave Arizona a quick 2-0 lead.

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White ended up going 4 of 5 with four RBI while adding home runs in the third and fourth innings.

UVU had three of its four hits in the first inning. The Wolverines turned that into two runs, thanks to RBI singles from Mason Strong and Dominic Longo II.

The Wolverines also scored a pair of runs in the fourth after loading the bases, briefly making the game interesting again after cutting Arizona’s lead to 7-4.

After going scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings, the Wildcats then put the game on ice with their six-run seventh.

What’s next for Utah Valley?

The loss pushes Utah Valley into the one-loss bracket. The Wolverines will play Cal Poly on Sunday at 4 p.m. MDT, with the winner moving on to play Arizona Sunday night and the loser being eliminated.

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Cal Poly eliminated regional host Oregon Saturday in one-loss bracket play, beating the Ducks 10-8. Oregon was the first top 16 seed to be eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.

Utah Valley would need two wins Sunday — one against Cal Poly, then one against Arizona — to stay alive and force a winner-take-all matchup with Arizona Monday, with a spot in the Super Regionals on the line.

There are widespread expectations for the three FBS programs in the state of Utah this fall.

For BYU, the Cougars are hoping to use an 11-2 season last year to springboard to further success in 2025 and are viewed as one of the favorites to win the Big 12.

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For Utah, the Utes are looking to overcome a rare losing campaign and regain their footing as one of college football’s top 25 programs — all with a new offensive identity.

For Utah State, the Aggies are trying to forge ahead and regain some stability under a familiar face — first-year head coach Bronco Mendenhall, who was the coach at BYU from 2005-2015.

Those expectations are reflected in the post-spring ESPN SP+ rankings from Bill Connelly, which were updated last week.

There are three main factors that go into Connelly’s rankings — the returning production for a team, its recent recruiting efforts and the program’s recent history.

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Connelly explained that his SP+ rankings “aren’t intended to be a guess at what the AP Top 25 will look like at the end of the year. These are simply early offseason power rankings based on the information we have been able to gather to date.”

What do these post-spring rankings — with the transfer portal closed — say about the 2025 prospects for BYU, Utah and Utah State?

Where does BYU football rank in ESPN’s post-spring SP+ rankings?

• BYU is ranked No. 27 overall in the SP+ rankings with a 11.5 rating, including No. 29 on offense, No. 30 on defense and No. 10 on special teams.

• The Cougars are ranked fourth among Big 12 teams, behind only Kansas State (No. 18), defending league champion Arizona State (No. 22) and Texas Tech (No. 26).

• BYU is ranked No. 64 nationally in strength of schedule, with nonconference matchups against the ACC’s Stanford (No. 88), the American Athletic Conference’s East Carolina (No. 90) and FCS opponent Portland State (not ranked).

• Connelly said the SP+ rating gives BYU a 7% chance of going 11-1 or better, tied for second in the Big 12 — Kansas State is at 17% and Texas Tech is tied with BYU at 7%, with Arizona State next at 5%.

• The Cougars are 52nd in returning production at 59%, including 38th on offense at 65% and 72nd on defense at 52%.

Where does Utah football rank in ESPN’s post-spring SP+ rankings?

• Utah is ranked No. 31 overall in the SP+ rankings with an 11.0 rating, including No. 54 on offense, No. 16 on defense and No. 36 on special teams.

• The Utes are ranked sixth among Big 12 teams, behind only Kansas State (No. 18), defending league champion Arizona State (No. 22), Texas Tech (No. 26), BYU (No. 27) and TCU (No. 29).

• Utah is ranked No. 55 nationally in strength of schedule, with nonconference matchups against the Big Ten’s UCLA (No. 51), the Mountain West’s Wyoming (No. 105) and FCS opponent Cal Poly (not ranked).

• The Utes are 17th in returning production at 65%, including 11th on offense at 75% and 60th on defense at 56%.

Big 12 teams in the ESPN post-spring SP+ rankings

• No. 18: Kansas State

• No. 22: Arizona State

• No. 26: Texas Tech

• No. 27: BYU

• No. 29: TCU

• No. 31: Utah

• No. 32: Iowa State

• No. 35: Baylor

• No. 50: Kansas

• No. 52: Colorado

• No. 57: West Virginia

• No. 58: Oklahoma State

• No. 59: Houston

• No. 60: Arizona

• No. 61: UCF

• No. 66: Cincinnati

Big 12 observations from ESPN’s post-spring SP+ rankings

• The Big 12’s highest-ranked team in the SP+ rankings — Kansas State at No. 18 — is lower than the highest-ranked program from each of the other power conferences, with the SEC having 10 teams ahead of the first Big 12 team, the Big Ten four and the ACC two.

• Half of the the Big 12’s 16 teams are ranked in the top 35. That’s behind the SEC (12 in the top 35) and the Big Ten (nine).

• The Big 12’s lowest-ranked team in the SP+ rankings — Cincinnati at No. 66 — is higher than the lowest-ranked program from each of the other power conferences, including the SEC (Mississippi State, No. 71), Big Ten (Purdue, No. 101) and ACC (Stanford, No. 88).

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• The average ranking of Big 12 teams in the SP+ rankings is 42.7, with an average rating of 6.3. By comparison, the SEC has an average ranking of 22.4, with an average rating of 15.3, the Big Ten with averages of a 38.2 ranking and a 9.5 rating and the ACC with a 47.3 ranking and a 5.0 rating.

• The Big 12 has the highest average returning production amongst all FBS conferences, at 61.8%, per Connelly’s numbers.

• The Big 12 is fourth in average strength of schedule rating by conference (0.902), just below the ACC (0.891).

Where does Utah State football rank in ESPN’s post-spring SP+ rankings?

• Utah State is ranked No. 119 overall in the SP+ rankings with a minus-14.8 rating, including No. 88 on offense, No. 132 on defense and No. 76 on special teams.

• The Aggies are ranked 10th among Mountain West teams, ahead of only Nevada (No. 124) and New Mexico (No. 130).

• Utah State is ranked No. 82 nationally in strength of schedule, with nonconference matchups against the SEC’s Texas A&M (No. 15) and Vanderbilt (No. 55), Conference USA’s UTEP (No. 123) and FCS opponent McNeese State (not ranked).

• The Aggies are 133rd in returning production at 31%, including 135th on offense at 19% and 98th on defense at 43%.

Mountain West teams in the ESPN post-spring SP+ rankings

• No. 33: Boise State

• No. 75: UNLV

• No. 83: San Jose State

• No. 89: Fresno State

• No. 94: Air Force

• No. 97: Colorado State

• No. 102: San Diego State

• No. 105: Wyoming

• No. 108: Hawaii

• No. 119: Utah State

• No. 124: Nevada

• No. 130: New Mexico

Mountain West observations from ESPN’s post-spring SP+ rankings

• Boise State, at No. 33, is the highest-ranked Group of 6 conference team in the SP+ rankings. The Broncos are 15 spots ahead of the next-highest Group of 6 team, No. 48 Tulane of the American Athletic Conference.

• The AAC has five teams — Tulane, Memphis (No. 53), UTSA (No. 62), Army (No. 67) and Navy (No. 68) — before the second-highest ranked MWC team, UNLV at No. 75.

• Half of the Mountain West’s 12 teams are ranked in the 100s in the SP+ rankings.

• The average ranking of MWC teams in the SP+ rankings is 96.6, with an average rating of minus-8.6.

• The Mountain West’s average rating per school of minus-8.6 is third among Group of 6 conferences, behind the AAC (minus-7.8) and Sun Belt (minus-8.1).

• The MWC has an average returning production of 46.5%, per Connelly’s numbers.

• The Mountain West is seventh in the nation in average strength of schedule rating by conference (0.959) and third among Group of 6 conferences.