Each week, Nevada Sports Net columnist Chris Murray will rank the Mountain West basketball teams. Here are this week’s rankings, with each team’s record and a comment. All records and rankings are based on the games completed by Monday.

1. Utah State

Last week: 1

Record: 12-1, 3-0

Comment: Utah State is the class of the conference, which it proved with a 42-point win over Colorado State and followed with victories over Fresno State and San Jose State, ending the latter on an 18-4 run. Utah State ranks top 40 in the nation in offensive and defensive efficiency, the only MW school to do that. No other MW school is in the top 60 in both. The Aggies play at Air Force and Boise State this week.

2. Nevada

Last week: 6

Record: 11-3, 3-0

Comment: The Wolf Pack has ripped off seven straight wins, including three in a row to start MW play. That included double-digit victories over Boise State and Colorado State before eking one out at Fresno State after trailing for almost the entire second half. Nevada is doing it with lots of free throw attempts (27.6 a game), few turnovers (8.9 a game) and timely stops. Next up is a key game versus SDSU.

3. San Diego State

Last week: 5

Record: 9-4, 3-0

Comment: SDSU was dominating Boise State on Saturday before allowing a 23-point second-half lead turn into a three-overtime game that required the Aztecs to hit two 3-pointers in the final 10 seconds of the first extra session to overcome a six-point deficit. This is a different SDSU team that plays faster, hits more threes and isn’t as good on defense. But the Aztecs remain dangerous entering a game at Nevada.

4. Boise State

Last week: 4

Record: 9-5, 1-2

Comment: Boise State had a tough draw to start MW play with road games at Nevada and SDSU plus a home game against New Mexico. After a huge second-half rally, Boise State had the Aztecs cooked before a costly turnover up three late in the first of three overtimes. The Broncos have a point guard issue. UCLA transfer Dylan Andrews is shooting 29.5 percent from the field and was 3-of-17 at SDSU.

5. New Mexico

Last week: 3

Record: 11-3, 2-1

Comment: New Mexico has opened MW play with a pair of blowout home wins (over SJSU and Wyoming) and a nine-point loss at Boise State where it couldn’t do anything on offense. The Lobos rely heavily on three freshmen (Tomislav Buljan, Jake Hall, Uriah Tenette) and a staunch defense aimed at making its opponents shoot threes. Next, the Lobos face a team that shoots threes well (at CSU).

6. Colorado State

Last week: 2

Record: 10-4, 1-2

Comment: Colorado State lost Kyle Jorgensen, arguably the MW’s most important player, early in a 42-point loss at Utah State before dropping a home game against Nevada. The Rams rebounded with a key road win at Grand Canyon on Saturday but need Jorgensen (leg injury) back if they’re going to make any noise in the MW. Up next are home games against New Mexico on Tuesday and UNLV on Friday.

7. Grand Canyon

Last week: 8

Record: 8-5, 1-1

Comment: GCU opened MW play with an impressive 12-point win at Wyoming before failing to springboard off that by losing by 10 at home to Colorado State. The Antelopes’ key will be getting more out of their offense as their defense is good. The offense was trending in the right direction before being held by 60 points by a bad Colorado State defense. GCU hits the road for Boise State on Wednesday.

8. Wyoming

Last week: 7

Record: 10-4, 1-2

Comment: Wyoming went 9-2 in non-league but has been exposed a little in league play as the non-conference schedule was soft (323rd in the nation). The Cowboys beat Air Force but lost by 12 to GCU and 20 at New Mexico. In those losses, Wyoming made just 10-of-54 3-pointers (18.5 percent). The Cowboys have shot pretty well outside of those games. Wyoming draws UNLV and Nevada this week.

9. UNLV

Last week: 10

Record: 7-6, 2-0

Comment: UNLV is one of four unbeaten teams in MW play, but those victories are over Fresno State and Air Force at home. We’ll have to see more to move the Rebels up the rankings. That could come this week with road games at Wyoming and Colorado State, which are both winnable games despite being stiff tests. UNLV is shooting 28.6 percent from three, which isn’t going to win you many MW games.

10. Fresno State

Last week: 9

Record: 6-8, 0-3

Comment: Fresno State is improved from last season but still not quite good enough to beat top-half teams in the MW, with the biggest issue being its propensity to turn the ball over (more than 15 per game). The Bulldogs have lost six in a row, including a heartbreaker by one point Saturday against Nevada. During that stretch, they have a 21 percent turnover rate. The point guard play must improve.

11. San Jose State

Last week: 11

Record: 5-9, 0-3

Comment: SJSU scored 51 first-half points at Utah State on Saturday and still lost by 18. The Spartans led by as many as seven points in the second half but couldn’t get any stops, especially in the post as the Aggies were 27-of-37 on two-point attempts. SJSSU has a decent offense but has allowed 126 points per 100 possessions on defense in its last five games. Tuesday brings a home game against Fresno State.

12. Air Force

Last week: 12

Record: 3-11, 0-3

Comment: Air Force has lost seven straight games, including an 0-3 start in MW play that included a 23-point loss to San Diego State, a 12-point loss to Wyoming and a 28-point loss to UNLV. The Falcons scored just 39 points against the Rebels, shooting 15-of-54 from the field (27.8 percent) and 3-of-19 from three. They also made just 6-of-13 free throws. Next up is Utah State. Good luck.

Columnist Chris Murray provides insight on Northern Nevada sports. Contact him at crmurray@sbgtv.com or follow him on Twitter @ByChrisMurray.