JaQuan Lyle was supposed to lead New Mexico Basketball. With a tough injury ending his season, how will the Lobos replace him on the court?
In the offseason prior to this one, JaQuan Lyle was one of the top transfers out on the market. Before he departed from Ohio State, the 6’5 guard averaged 11.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 4.4 apg on 46% shooting (41% from three-point range) in two full seasons as a starter. His ability to fill up the box score made him an attractive prospect, as well as his larger size compared to other ball handlers.
With many suitors vying for him, Lyle ultimately joined New Mexico and first-year head coach Paul Weir, who decided to use the transfer market to bring talent to Albuquerque. The former Buckeye was the first of three talented transfers to join the Lobos, with Arizona State/Kansas forward Carton Bragg and 6’8 sophomore Vance Jackson coming from UConn.
This trio along with returning leading scorer Anthony Mathis was supposed to bring New Mexico Basketball back to relevance and potentially an NCAA Tournament appearance. Unfortunately, just as the official practices started to begin, Lyle suffered a season-ending ruptured achilles injury.
Absolutely crushing college hoops news: New Mexico guard JaQuan Lyle suffered an Achilles injury and will miss the 2018-2019 season. I truly believed the Lobos were an NCAA Tourney team at full-strength - but Lyle was the key to everything. Hard to see the Lobos making a run now
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) October 1, 2018
From an individual standpoint, it has to be extremely hard for Lyle, who’ll now have to go two full seasons without playing a live game. And for a basketball player, any lower leg injury has to be concerning when it comes to the long-term diagnosis. For the transfer though, his game isn’t predicated on athleticism as much as his pure skill, so expect a full recovery for Lyle.
As for New Mexico, it’s yet another scorer they won’t have for this year. The program already had to replace five of the team’s top seven scorers from either graduation or transferring out, leaving guards Mathis, Makuach Maluach and Dane Kulper.
To replace Lyle as the team’s starting point guard, three-star freshman Drue Drinnon is the most likely option. Mathis himself could bring the ball up the court too but his 1.0 apg average last season doesn’t sound like he could be a true facilitator.
New Mexico will be solid in the frontcourt with Jackson, Bragg and Vladimir Pinchuk occupying the minutes and the perimeter still has some depth. But Lyle was supposed to be the one who would put it all together on the court and make the Lobos a formidable enough to potentially even challenge Nevada in the Mountain West at some point this season. Drinnon was supposed to be eased into the college game behind Lyle but may have to be thrown into the wolves.
His injury is clearly a blow to those hopes – and perhaps a fatal one. The 2018-19 NCAA Basketball season had just begun and New Mexico already suffered a major loss. And it very well could be one that they can’t recover from.