NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early mid-major top-25 for 2019-20 season

NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early preseason mid-major top-25 for 2019-20 season

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 16: The Utah State Aggies celebrate their victory over the San Diego State Aztecs in the championship game of the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center on March 16, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Utah State won 64-57. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /

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ORLANDO, FL – MARCH 16: Burrell /

17. East Tennessee State Buccaneers

2018-19 season record: 24-10 (13-5 in SoCon)

In a historically good season for the Southern Conference. East Tennessee State fought with Wofford, Furman, and UNC-Greensboro at the top, with the Terriers being the last team standing. But with the top players graduating from the other three programs, the Buccaneers are in a great position to be the dominant one next year.

Steve Forbes and East Tennessee State will bring the team’s top 10 scorers from this past season, including seven who averaged at least eight points a game. Their most important is arguably Jeromy Rodriguez, a JUCO transfer who averaged a double-double (11.2 ppg and 10.9 rpg) this season. Leading scorer Tray Boyd is their top three-point shooter Miaden Armus and Lucas N’Guessan provides great depth for the Buccaneers.

East Tennessee’s offense should remain one of the better ones in the country but they’ll have to work on two main defensive issues. One is their poor ability to defend the three-pointer and the other being the lack of turnovers forced. This was why they couldn’t beat Wofford and gave up over 100 to Green Bay in the CIT. Work these issues out and the Buccaneers will be preseason favorites in the SoCon.

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