Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: Top 25 mid-major teams through non-conference play

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Eric Musselman of the Nevada Wolf Pack gestures to his team during the championship game of the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Invitational basketball tournament against the Massachusetts Minutemen at the Orleans Arena on November 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada defeated Massachusetts 110-87. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Eric Musselman of the Nevada Wolf Pack gestures to his team during the championship game of the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Invitational basketball tournament against the Massachusetts Minutemen at the Orleans Arena on November 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada defeated Massachusetts 110-87. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 19: Dwayne Brown Jr. #2 of the Utah State Aggies lays up the ball against the Saint Mary’s Gaels during the first half of a semifinal game of the MGM Resorts Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 19, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 19: Dwayne Brown Jr. #2 of the Utah State Aggies lays up the ball against the Saint Mary’s Gaels during the first half of a semifinal game of the MGM Resorts Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 19, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /

9. Utah State Aggies (10-3)

After losing arguably the team’s best player in Koby McEwen as well as DeAngelo Isby unexpectedly, Utah State was expected to finish closer to the bottom of the Mountain West than the top in the preseason. However, a couple of surprise freshmen contributions have changed the calculations for this team.

Portugal native Neemias Queta has given the Aggies a legit presence in the post (9.4 ppg and 7.8 rpg), while making 62% from the field and blocking a couple of shots a night. His best game came in the team’s best win to date, scoring 24 points and nine rebounds to beat Saint Mary’s. First-year guard Brock Miller also has been a good source of offense for the team as well.

But Utah State starts and ends with junior guard Sam Merrill, averaging a career-high 19.0 ppg and 3.8 apg. He’s doing it at an efficient level too, nearly hitting the 50-40-90 shooting clip. He had 27 in the loss to Arizona State and a single-game career high 37 to start the season at Montana State. If he has a bad game, the Aggies are in trouble but a good game by him gives the Aggies a legit chance in the Mountain West.

Wins over Saint Mary’s, Utah Valley, and UC-Irvine are good but the Mountain West will be another challenge. Could Utah State take a step back in conference play against familiar foes? Or can Queta continue his progression to make the Aggies truly the second-best team in the conference?