When early-arriving fans walked into the Thomas & Mack Center for last February's UNLV-San Diego State showdown, the first thing they probably noticed was a huge "THIS IS ARE HOUSE" banner hanging where the visiting team's student section usually sits.

College Hoops Countdown, No. 7: Mountain West

• Mountain West Preview Capsule: Transfers again bolster league's top teams

• Ranking the Mountain West's 15 most intriguing non-league games

• The UNLV-San Diego State rivalry will reach a crescendo in the Aztecs last year in the league

• A former Mountain West player breaks down this year's league race



For more news on the Mountain West, visit Rivals.com

The presence of the logo of San Diego State's student section known as "The Show" initially made it appear to be an embarrassing grammatical error by the Aztecs. In reality, it was merely the clever handiwork of a group of UNLV students who planted it to make it look that way.

Pranks like that one, coupled with consistently entertaining, meaningful basketball, have made San Diego State-UNLV into perhaps the West's premier hoops rivalry the past few seasons, challenged by only Gonzaga-Saint Mary's. The rivalry between the Aztecs and Rebels will likely reach a crescendo this season with both teams ranked in the preseason top 20, loaded with elite talent and expected to once again battle one-another for the Mountain West crown.

"It has become a tremendous rivalry because our fan bases are very competitive and the games have been as well," UNLV coach Dave Rice said. "We played two two-point games last year with San Diego State winning at their place and us winning here at UNLV. I joked with their coaching staff this summer, we'll probably have a couple two-point games this year."

If the games are as dramatic this season as they were a year ago, the only downside will be the knowledge that it could be the rivalry's final chapter. Whereas UNLV will remain in the Mountain West for the foreseeable future, San Diego State will move all its sports but football to the Big West beginning in 2013 in order to enable its football program to join the Big East.

Rice and San Diego State coach Steve Fisher have yet to discuss the possibility of a non-conference series between the two programs because neither has begun assembling their 2013-14 schedules yet. Both insist they're open to continuing the rivalry after this season, whether it's on a sporadic basis or annually.

"I think it could be something we do every year, one year here, one year there," Fisher said. "We don't have anything set for next year as we go forward, but I think both teams would like to continue to play one-another. I'm sure we will, whether it's immediately or a year from now, it will happen."

It's refreshing to hear that because conference realignment has jeopardized rivalries with far greater history and pedigree.

Kansas coach Bill Self has said he has no intention of scheduling longtime rival Missouri now that the Tigers have left the Big 12 for the SEC. Pittsburgh also has rebuffed West Virginia coach Bob Huggins' request to start a non-league series with programs leaving the Big East for new leagues.

A non-conference series between rivals sometimes won't inspire the same emotion since league titles aren't on the line, but annual matchups between Louisville and Kentucky, Marquette and Wisconsin or Missouri and Illinois show that doesn't have to be the case. Plus, with both UNLV and San Diego State primed to remain two of the West's top programs for at least the next few years, even a November or December matchup won't lack for significance.

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