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) /

19 of 27

LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 10: Head coach Rodney Terry of the Fresno State Bulldogs calls out during the second half of a semifinal game against the Nevada Wolf Pack in the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center on March 10, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada won 83-72. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /

9. UTEP Miners

2018-19 season record: 8-21 (3-15 in Conference USA)

UTEP was one of the youngest teams in the country last season – and it showed. They were last in the conference and were non-competitive most of the time. But the goal for second-year head coach Rodney Terry looks to be sacrificing one season in order to secure future years of success.

The former Fresno State head coach gathered a bunch of transfers who had to sit out last season. JR Bryson Williams (13.8 ppg at Fresno State), SO Souley Boum (10.9 ppg at San Francisco), SO Tydus Verhoeven (led A-10 in blocks as a freshman), and JR Anthony Tarke (15.7 ppg and 6.2 rpg at NJIT), all had big roles at their previous stops and will be apart of the Miner’s rotation for 2019-20. The team was ranked No. 339 last year in scoring so these additions will be needed.

They’ll be joining returning players Evan Gilyard, Nigel Hawkins and Jordan Lathon, along with Efe Odigie, who averaged a double-double as a freshman. Quite frankly, this nucleus of players would’ve climbed the Conference USA ladder on their own without the incoming transfers.

It’s going to be interesting to see how Coach Terry utilizes these pieces. There isn’t a clear-cut go-to scorer and no one is guaranteed a starting lineup. UTEP could either immediately vault into national relevance or be a complete disaster trying to infuse these different players.

Home/Mid Major Conferences