There are two ways to win in life: By being really, really, really, super good, and by being pretty sorta okay while also simutaneously praying that your competitors are also just pretty sorta okay and you can eke out something that might reasonably be called a victory. The ESPN blog is predicting the latter for the UNLV Rebels this season:

But the most salient piece of information about UNLV's impending season is how its conference gives the Rebels an almost immediate, de facto boost toward the top of the standings. Consider the offseason in the Mountain West. San Diego State lost four starters, three seniors and junior lottery pick Kawhi Leonard. Brigham Young waves farewell to national player of the year Jimmer Fredette, and also to the MWC; BYU will now play its hoops alongside Gonzaga and St. Mary's in the West Coast Conference. Colorado State, another nascent competitor in 2011, lost its two best players to graduation.