Preview: Boise State, New Mexico Set for Mountain West Women’s Basketball Championship Clash

LAS VEGAS (Interstat) — The top-seeded Boise State Broncos and the second-seeded New Mexico Lobos will meet for the Mountain West Conference women’s basketball championship Sunday at a neutral site, with an automatic NCAA Tournament bid on the line.

The game, scheduled for March 8, 2026, at a Las Vegas arena, features the conference’s two winningest teams this season. Boise State (24-8) earned the seed, while New Mexico (22-9) enters as the seed.

The teams split their regular-season series. New Mexico won the first meeting 70-63 at home on Dec. 17, 2025. Boise State responded with a dominant 63-35 victory in Boise on Feb. 7, 2026, holding the Lobos to a season-low scoring output.

Boise State advanced to the title game with a 68-51 semifinal win over San Jose State on Saturday. Natalie Pasco led the Broncos with 21 points. The junior guard is a key player to watch, averaging 13.1 points per game this season and coming off a 21-point performance. Her scoring will be crucial against a stout New Mexico defense.

New Mexico arrives riding a six-game winning streak, including an 86-64 rout of Fresno State in its semifinal on March 3. The Lobos are powered by standout guard Destinee Hooks, who erupted for 22 points in that victory. Hooks has been a consistent offensive force, scoring in double figures in seven of her last eight games.

The championship matchup pits Boise State’s balanced attack, which features additional scoring threats in Tatum Thompson and Libby Hutton, against a New Mexico team that has found its rhythm offensively during its late-season surge. The Lobos have averaged 71.8 points per game during their current win streak.

History will be on the line for both programs as they seek the conference’s automatic qualification to the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The neutral court in Las Vegas adds another layer to a rivalry defined by a split of two sharply contrasting results earlier this season.