Even in the Mountain West those bottom schools had a better chance of making it because it was always looked at as a multibid league. The conference was also not considered a mid major so they could get better players. But in the WCC Gonzagas dominance has scared any good recruits to other mid major leagues and the ones who are good like San Francisco's Devin Watson ends up transferring. It's upsetting but not hard to see why the bottom 7 struggles so much.

As far as the fans go by the time conference play starts their team is already out of it and only travel to zag games for the remote chance to be on tv and storm the court. But their level of passion for their team is at an all-time low.