NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early preseason mid-major top-25 for 2019-20 season
6. Nevada Wolf Pack
2018-19 season record: 29-5 (15-3 in Mountain West)
It was a disappointing Round of 64 exit for Nevada despite having arguably the most roster talent in program history. And with head coach Eric Musselman now moving to Arkansas, the program will move on to a new chapter. It’ll be without five of the team’s top six scorers, including the Martin twins and Jordan Caroline.
Even though there’s a combined 18.1 ppg from the remaining Wolf Pack players, don’t underestimate what Musselman left on the roster, including a few more transfers ready for 2019-20. Three-point sharpshooter Jazz Johnson will be back, along with former five-star recruit Jordan Brown, who was buried in Nevada’s frontcourt this past season. Nisre Zouzoua, who averaged 20 ppg at his previous stop at Bryant should also get more playing time. And the Wolf Pack also will benefit from the return of point guard Lindsey Drew, who was a medical redshirt this year.
As for the new transfers, Jalen Harris looks most likely to be the star of the team. The 6’5 guard averaged 15.3 ppg in 11 games at Louisiana Tech before transferring. Mike Lewis is a former leading scorer at Duquesne before leaving. Shamiel Stevenson is a 6’6 forward who put up numbers as a freshman at Pittsburgh.
There will be a new head coach at Nevada but look for more transfers to come, as the program has already been linked with many who’ve announced in March/April. As long as Brown plays to him projected potential out of high school, the Wolf Pack will contend for another Mountain West title.