The second-seeded Rams blasted No. 5 Boise State, 69-56, in Saturday’s Mountain West Tournament championship game at Thomas & Mack Center to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA

Xavier and Indiana had chances to give their NCAA Tournament resumes a significant boost. But the Musketeers lost 89-87 to Marquette, and Indiana fell 72-59 to Oregon.

Boise State and Colorado State unexpectedly reached Saturday’s final, perhaps costing a couple of familiar faces an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.