After defeating Creighton University 57-56 on March 26, the San Diego State Aztecs reached the Final Four for the first time in program history, becoming the first Mountain West team to reach the semifinal round of the NCAA Tournament.
With Boise State being in the same conference as San Diego State, they have received benefits and drawbacks from the Aztecs’ playoff success.
Here is how San Diego State’s successful March Madness run impacts Boise State.
How it Hurts
Because Boise State and San Diego State are conference rivals, it does hurt fans a little bit to see the a rival team become successful.
Aside from attacking the pride of Boise State fans, it also does not help that the Broncos and the Aztecs have been competing against each other for a shot to enter a Power Five conference.
Since USC and UCLA announced their intention to leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, a handful of teams in the Group of Five have been rumored to be potential replacement candidates.
Despite both Boise State and San Diego State being rumored to have a chance at joining the conference, San Diego State’s basketball success gives the Aztecs an edge over the Broncos.
The trip to the Final Four also makes San Diego State a desirable destination for recruits and transfers. This larger influx of higher quality players makes Boise State’s chances of recruiting high caliber players themselves and contending for a future Mountain West title much more difficult.
How it Helps
Photo by Claire Keener
San Diego State reaching the Final Four will help out every school in the Mountain West.
The most prevalent benefit is the financial gains that each team receives for the March Madness units. Each conference receives a unit for every appearance made by a team. Each team can receive up to five units, with each unit approximately paying out $342,000.
San Diego State earned five units and helped the Mountain West earn approximately $1,710,000 of their $2,736,000 received for each unit in the tournament.
This means that Boise State, along with the 11 other Mountain West schools, will receive around $1,490,000 over the course of six years.
On top of the direct financial gain from the run, the Mountain West received more prestige and recognition for San Diego State’s performance as well.
The Mountain West has been perceived as a weaker conference in every sport for many years.
San Diego State proved to the nation that the Mountain West conference can compete against any team in the country after defeating the No. 1 seed Alabama 71-64 in the Sweet Sixteen.
The Aztecs’ run will most likely result in higher future March Madness seeding for every Mountain West school in the tournament.
Whether San Diego State’s basketball success has more positive or negative effects on Boise State, it is undeniable that the Aztecs’ run to the Final Four has been nothing short of entertaining.
