Busting Brackets
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San Diego State Basketball: 2017-18 season preview for the Aztecs

By Tristan Freeman

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 10: A San Diego State Aztecs cheerleader performs during the team's game against the Colorado State Rams of the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament at the Thomas
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 10: A San Diego State Aztecs cheerleader performs during the team's game against the Colorado State Rams of the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament at the Thomas /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 10: Kell
LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 10: Kell /

Starters

JR Devin Watson

After sitting out last season, Watson may be the offensive spark plug that the team desperately needs. He averaged 20 per game for San Francisco and had his best game against Gonzaga, where he dropped 36 in an overtime loss. He’ll be the starting point guard, allowing the other guys to play their true positions.

JR Jeremy Hemsley

The 6’3″ guard is an outstanding defender who has become a major liability on offense. Although he brings 13 ppg, his efficiency wavers, including shooting barely over 60% from the free throw line. Also, for every assist he records, he turns the ball over once as well.

SR Trey Kell

The senior leader and top scorer will have more offensive help this season, so hopefully his percentages go up as well. Teams are fine with him shooting it from deep as he is just 27% as a 3-point shooter. He does provide three assists and five rebounds per game along with great defense, so his value is found all around the court.

SR Malik Pope

While his 11 ppg and six rebounds per game are perfectly fine, it still seems underwhelming for a player with Pope’s talents. His inability to stay healthy also affects his game, missing several games each year. As great a coach as Fisher was, his offenses tended to stymie players, so maybe Butcher can get the full potential out of Pope.

SR Kameron Rooks

Another graduate transfer out of the Pac-12, Rooks played behind a couple of bigs at California. Still, he showed some good defense and rebounding potential in the limited minutes he saw, making him a good fit for the Aztecs.