Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball: 5 best mid-major teams so far this season

By Blaine Lewallen

SPOKANE, WA - DECEMBER 01: Josh Perkins
SPOKANE, WA - DECEMBER 01: Josh Perkins /
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MILWAUKEE, WI – MARCH 16: Head coach Steve Prohm of the Iowa State Cyclones calls out instructions in the second half against the Nevada Wolf Pack during the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at BMO Harris Bradley Center on March 16, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI – MARCH 16: Head coach Steve Prohm of the Iowa State Cyclones calls out instructions in the second half against the Nevada Wolf Pack during the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at BMO Harris Bradley Center on March 16, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

2. Nevada Wolf Pack

The Wolf Pack are looking to return to the NCAA tournament after finishing 29-6 a season ago. As previously mentioned, coach Eric Musselman’s team currently hold the No. 22 rank in the latest AP top-25 poll and are 8-1.

This week, Nevada lost a heartbreaking game in overtime to a Texas Tech team who will likely be in the top-25 rankings next week. Outside of that loss, the Wolf Pack have dominated. In the process of this season, the Wolf Pack have picked up a quality win over Rhode Island and are ranked 8th in the RPI rankings.

Nevada has found success largely due to the play of their core of junior forwards. Leading scorer Caleb Martin (20.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg) is joined by Jordan Caroline (17.0 ppg, 9.4 rpg) and Cody Martin (15.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg) in leading the Wolf Pack this season.

Senior guard Kendall Stephens, a Purdue transfer, rounds out the veteran led squad averaging 9.7 points per game.  This is definitely a team to keep your eye on throughout the season and into March.  Nevada will be put to the test again when they travel to Los Angeles to take on the 20th-rated TCU Horned Frogs.

Upcoming Schedule:

  • Nevada vs. TCU (9-0) in Los Angeles on Dec. 8
  • Radford (4-4) at Nevada on Dec. 17
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