So how those predictions turn out regarding the MWC finish and top talents?

Ah, the wretched media, those pixel-stained ne'er-do-wells. The names of the particular voters are not disclosed but here's how the beat reporters and the like predicted the 2013-14 Mounrain West Conference season finish and best players. The league's coaches didn't participate in making these predictions.

What's fascinating is that nobody envisioned New Mexico's Cameron Bairstow coming on like he did. The same for Xavier Thames of San Diego State, and the Aztecs as a whole were undervalued.

Here's what and who was envisioned:

2013-14 MOUNTAIN WEST MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL

1. New Mexico
2. UNLV
    Boise State    
4. San Diego State    
5. Utah State    
6. Colorado State    
7. Wyoming    
8. Fresno State    
9. Nevada
10. Air Force    
11. San José State    

2013-14 MOUNTAIN WEST MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON MEDIA ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM (there was a tie, hence the six names)

Anthony Drmic Jr. G/F Boise State
Derrick Marks Jr. G Boise State
Deonte Burton Sr. G Nevada
Alex Kirk Jr. C New Mexico
Kendall Williams Sr. G     New Mexico
Khem Birch Jr. F UNLV

Preseason Player of the Year: Kendall Williams, Sr., G, New Mexico

Preseason Newcomer of the Year: Josh Davis, Sr., F, San Diego State

Preseason Freshman of the Year: Kendall Smith, G, UNLV

+++++++

Here are the actual honorees as selected by a combination of the media and head coaches (why the coaches didn't participate in pre-season selections in unknown as is why there are more categories here):

Coach of the Year: Steve Fisher, San Diego State

Player of the Year: Xavier Thames, Sr., G, San Diego State

Defensive Player of the Year: Khem Birch, Jr., F, UNLV

Newcomer of the Year: Josh Davis, Sr., F, San Diego State

Freshman of the Year: Paul Watson, Fr., G/F, Fresno State

Sixth Man of the Year: Dwayne Polee II, Jr., F, San Diego State

2013-14 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

First-Team All-Mountain West

\

Cameron Bairstow, New Mexico    
Deonte Burton, Nevada
Kendall Williams, New Mexico
Xavier Thames, San Diego State   
Larry Nance Jr., Wyoming    

Second-Team All-Mountain West

Anthony Drmic, Boise State
Ryan Watkins, Boise State    
Daniel Bejarano, Colorado State    
Tyler Johnson, Fresno State    
Khem Birch, UNLV    

Third-Team All-Mountain West

Tre' Coggins, Air Force    
J.J. Avila, Colorado State    
Alex Kirk, New Mexico
Josh Davis, San Diego State    
Bryce Dejean-Jones, UNLV    

All-Defensive Team

Alex Kirk, New Mexico     .
Kendall Williams, New Mexico    
Skylar Spencer, San Diego State    
Xavier Thames, San Diego State    
Khem Birch, UNLV    
Larry Nance Jr., Wyoming    

Honorable Mention All-Mountain West

Derrick Marks, Jr., G, Boise State
Marvelle Harris, So., G, Fresno State
Cole Huff, So., F, Nevada
Hugh Greenwood, Jr., G, New Mexico
JJ O'Brien, Jr., F, San Diego State
Winston Shepard, So., F, San Diego State
Roscoe Smith, Jr., F, UNLV
Spencer Butterfield, Sr., G/F, Utah State
Jarred Shaw, Sr., C, Utah State