A capsule look at the nine men’s basketball teams in the Mountain West as conference play in 2012-13 is about to begin . . .

AIR FORCE FALCONS

Head coach: Dave Pilipovich (2nd year at school, 10-10 career record)
Team record: 8-4 (5-1 home)
Best wins so far: UC Riverside (61-53), Army (76-65).
Significant losses: Colorado (89-74), Wichita state (72-69), Florida (78-61), Richmond (91-68).
Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2006.
Mountain West regular season titles: 2003-04.
Mountain West tournament titles: None.
Top players: Michael Lyons (19.6 points, 5.2 rebs), Taylor Broekhuis (10.6 points, 4.3 rebs), Todd Fletcher (9.3 points, 49 assists), Mike Fitzgerald (7.0 points), Kyle Green (6.9 points).
Record vs. Wolf Pack: 0-0 (never met).
When they play Pack: At Air Force on Jan.9, at Pack on Feb. 9.
Home attendance average: 1,639.
Mountain West numbers to watch: Lyons (6-5 senior) is second in the Mountain West in scoring (19.6) . . . Fletcher (6-2 senior) is third in MWC in assists (4.1 a game) . . .Falcons are third in conference in scoring (74.8) and eighth in defense (66.4) . . . Air Force is worst free throw shooting team in league (.658) but best field goal shooting team (.481) . . . Falcons lead MWC with 8.7 successful 3-pointers a game.

BOISE STATE BRONCOS

Head coach: Leon Rice (3rd year at school, 47-32)
Team record: 12-2 (7-0 home)
Best wins so far: Creighton (83-70), LSU (89-70).
Significant losses: Utah (76-55), Michigan State (74-70).
Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2008
Mountain West regular season titles: None. Won Western Athletic Conference in 2007-08.
Mountain West tournament titles: None. Won WAC tournament in 2008.
Top players: Derrick Marks (16.3 points, 56 assists, 31 steals), Anthony Drmic (15.4 points, 4.8 rebs, 41 assists), Jeff Elorriaga (11.5 points), Ryan Watkins (9.1 points,7.2 rebs), Igor Hadziomerovic (6.5 points).
Record vs. Wolf Pack: 21-38.
When they play Pack: At Pack on Jan. 26, at Boise on Feb. 27.
Home attendance average: 4,290
Mountain West numbers to watch: Marks (6-3 soph.) is third in MWC in scoring (16.3) . . . Drmic (6-6 soph.) is ninth (15.4) . . . Marks leads conference in steals (2.4) . . . Eliorraga leads Mountain West with 46 3-pointers and .484 percentage on threes . . . Broncos are second in league in scoring (79.1) and are second in field goal percentage (.475) and first in 3-point percentage (.408).

COLORADO STATE RAMS

Head coach: Larry Eustachy (1st year at school, 13-2)
Team record: 13-2 (9-0 home)
Best wins so far: UTEP (62-58), Washington (73-55), Virginia Tech (88-52)
Significant losses: Colorado (70-61), Illinois-Chicago (64-55).
Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2012
Mountain West regular season titles: None
Mountain West tournament titles: 2003
Top players: Colton Iverson (14.7 points, 8.9 rebs), Greg Smith (11.8 points, 5.6 rebs), Dorian Green (12.7 points, 57 assists), Wes Eikmeier (10.8 points), Pierce Hornung (9.6 points, 10.2 rebs).
Record vs. Wolf Pack: 4-6
When they play Pack: At Pack on Feb. 6, at Colorado State on March 9.
Home attendance average: 3,773
Mountain West numbers to watch: Rams have fewest 3-pointers in Mountain West at 5.1 a game . . . Rams are second best defensive rebounding team in league at 27.1 a game . . . Colorado State is last in MWC in steals at 5.5 a game . . .Hornung (6-5 senior) is first in MWC in rebounding (10.2) . . . Iverson (6-10 senior) is first in field goal percentage (.580).

FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS

Head coach: Rodney Terry (2nd year at school, 19-27)
Team record: 6-7 (3-3 home)
Best wins so far: Pacific (66-61), Long Beach State (64-59).
Significant losses: Washington State (59-50), Colorado (50-43), UC Irvine (58-51), UCLA (91-78).
Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2001
Mountain West regular season titles: None. Won WAC in 2002-03.
Mountain West tournament titles: None. Won Pacific Coast Athletic Association in 1984.
Top players: Tyler Johnson (10.8 points), Allen Huddleston (10.2 points, 23 assists), Kevin Olekaibe (8.5 points), Jerry Brown (6.5 points, 4.5 rebs), Kevin Foster (6.7 points, 6.8 rebs), Marvelle Harris (8.0 points).
Record vs. Wolf Pack: 37-49
When they play Pack: At Fresno on Jan. 19, at Pack on Feb. 19.
Home attendance average: 6,132
Mountain West numbers to watch: Bulldogs tied with Pack for seventh in MWC at just 5.9 3-pointers a game . . . Bulldogs are second in MWC in steals (8.4) . . . Bulldogs are last in MWC in scoring at 62.2 and third in defense (59.2) . . . Fresno’s minus 3.4 rebounding margin is last in league as is its .400 field goal percentage.

NEVADA WOLF PACK

Head coach: David Carter (4th year at school, 71-44)
Team record: 9-5 (8-1 home)
Best wins so far: Washington (76-73), Green Bay (71-69), Fullerton (80-77).
Significant losses: Oregon (56-43), Pacific (78-72), Drake (76-66), Marshall (89-82).
Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2007
Mountain West regular season titles: None. Won WAC in 2012.
Mountain West tournament titles: None. Won WAC in 2006.
Top players: Deonte Burton (15.7 points), Malik Story (16.8 points), Jordan Burris (8.1 points), Jerry Evans (7.4 points, 4.9 rebs), Devonte Elliott (5.9 points), Cole Huff (5.8 points), Kevin Panzer (5.6).
Home attendance average: 6,245
Mountain West numbers to watch: Pack is last in the Mountain West in points allowed at 71.1 a game . . . Pack is seventh in successful 3-pointers at 5.9 a game . . . Wolf Pack is also seventh in assists at 13.1 and seventh in steals at 6.7 . . . Story is fifth and Burton is sixth in MWC in scoring . . . Wolf Pack is second in free throw percentage at .750 but seventh in field goal percentage (.438) and last in 3-point percentage (.305) . . . Wolf Pack is also last in league in 3-point defense. Opponents have made .369 of their threes against Pack.

NEW MEXICO LOBOS

Head coach: Steve Alford (6th year at school, 139-48)
Team record: 13-2 (7-1 home)
Best wins so far: George Mason (70-69), Connecticut (66-60), USC (75-67), New Mexico State (73-58), Cincinnati (55-54).
Significant losses: South Dakota State (70-65), Saint Louis (60-46).
Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2012
Mountain West regular season titles: 2009, 2010, 2012.
Mountain West tournament titles: 2005, 2012.
Top players: Kendall Williams (14.9 points, 66 assists), Tony Snell (11.5 points, 43 assists), Alex Kirk (11.2 points, 7.4 rebs), Hugh Greenwood (7.8 points, 5.1 rebs), Chad Adams (6.3 points, 4.1 rebs), Cameron Barstow (8.1 points, 5.1 rebs).
Record vs. Wolf Pack: 0-0 (never met).
When they play Pack: At New Mexico on Feb. 2, at Pack on March 6.
Home attendance average: 14,655
Mountain West numbers to watch: Lobos have highest average home attendance in MWC . . . Lobos are first in league in free throw percentage (.751) but just eighth in field goal percentage (.413) and just eighth in 3-point percentage (.341) . . . Lobos are seventh in scoring (68.7) and fifth in defense (62.1) . . . Williams (6-4 junior) is 10th in scoring and second in assists (4.7) . . . Kirk is sixth in rebounding (7.5).

SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS

Head coach: Steve Fisher (14th year at school, 270-162).
Team record: 12-2 (7-0 home)
Best wins so far: UCLA (78-69), USC (66-60).
Significant losses: Syracuse (62-49), Arizona (68-67).
Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2012
Mountain West regular season titles: 2006, 2011, 2012
Mountain West tournament titles: 2002, 2006, 2010, 2011.
Top players: Jamaal Franklin (17.2 points, 46 assists, 9.9 rebs), Chase Tapley (15.7 points, 31 assists), Xavier Thames (10.2 points, 5.2 rebs), Deshawn Stephens (6.9 points), J.J. O’Brien (6.1 points).
Record vs. Wolf Pack: 5-3.
When they play Pack: At Pack on Jan. 23, at San Diego State on Feb. 23.
Home attendance average: 12,414
Mountain West numbers to watch: Franklin (6-5 junior) is third in MWC in scoring (17.2), first in rebounding (9.9) and sixth in assists (3.5) . . . Tapley (6-3 senior) is second in 3-pointers with 35 and second in 3-point percentage (.455) and seventh in scoring (15.7) . . . Aztecs are third in MWC in defensive rebounding (26.3 a game).

UNLV REBELS

Head coach: Dave Rice (2nd year at school, 39-11).
Team record: 13-2 (10-1 home)
Best wins so far: Iowa State (82-70), Hawaii (77-63), California (76-75), UTEP (62-60).
Significant losses: Oregon (83-79), North Carolina (79-73).
Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2012
Mountain West regular season titles: 2000
Mountain West tournament titles: 2000, 2007, 2008
Top players: Anthony Bennett (19.9 points, 9.1 rebs), Anthony Marshall (9.8 points, 81 assists), Katin Reinhardt (10.2 points), Mike Moser (9.9 points, 7.4 rebs), Bryce Dejean-Jones (9.2 points, 4.3 rebs).
Record vs. Wolf Pack: 54-19
When they play Pack: At UNLV on Jan. 29, at Pack on March 2.
Home attendance average: 14,176
Mountain West numbers to watch: Rebels are first in MWC in assists at 17.6 a game and first in steals at 8.9 . . . UNLV also leads conference in defensive rebounding (28.4) . . . Rebels are best in league in 3-point defense (.287) . . . UNLV leads MWC in scoring at 78.8 but is seventh in defense at 64.3 . . . Bennett, a 6-8 freshman, leads the league in scoring (19.9) and third in rebounding (9.1) . . . Marshall (6-3, senior) leads MWC in assists (5.3).

WYOMING COWBOYS

Head coach: Larry Shyatt (3rd year at school, 53-21).
Team record: 13-0 (9-0 home)
Best wins so far: Colorado (76-69), UC Santa Barbara twice (68-40, 56-40), SMU (59-56).
Significant losses: None.
Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2002
Mountain West regular season titles: 2001, 2002
Mountain West tournament titles: None. Won WAC in 1988.
Top players: Leonard Washington (15.1 points, 8.8 rebs), Luke Martinez (14.5 points), Derrious Gilmore (11.8 points, 4 assists), Larry Nance Jr. (11.2 points, 6.8 rebs), Riley Graham (5.5 points).
Record vs. Wolf Pack: 7-1
When they play Pack: At Pack on Jan. 12, at Wyoming on Feb. 13.
Home attendance average: 5,296
Mountain West numbers to watch: Cowboys are third in MWC with 7.2 successful 3-pointers a game . . . Wyoming is also third in field goal percentage (.462) and leads the conference in defense (54.6 points a game allowed) . . . Cowboys are eighth in MWC in scoring at 68.5 . . .Washington (6-7 senior) is eighth in scoring at 15.1 and fourth in rebounding (8.8) . . . Martinez is second in the MWC in steals (2.1) and his 35 successful 3-pointers are second.