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

By Tristan Freeman

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)
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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RENO, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 09: Drue Drinnon #22 of the New Mexico Lobos tries to get past Jazz Johnson #22 of the Nevada Wolf Pack during the first half of the game between the Nevada Wolf Pack and the New Mexico Lobos at Lawlor Events Center on February 09, 2019 in Reno, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Devich/Getty Images)
RENO, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 09: Drue Drinnon #22 of the New Mexico Lobos tries to get past Jazz Johnson #22 of the Nevada Wolf Pack during the first half of the game between the Nevada Wolf Pack and the New Mexico Lobos at Lawlor Events Center on February 09, 2019 in Reno, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Devich/Getty Images) /

25. New Mexico Lobos

2018-19 season record: 14-18 (7-11 in Mountain West)

New Mexico had high hopes this past season but they ended in the preseason when Ohio State transfer JaQuan Lyle suffered a season-ending injury. Although he has put his name into the NBA Draft, odds are good that he’ll return to up his stock.

The Lobos will not only benefit having him next season but also having Kansas/Arizona State transfer Carlton Bragg for an entire season after only playing at the start of conference play before. He and Vance Jackson will form arguably the top backcourt in the Mountain West next season.

The key to New Mexico’s ceiling in 2020 will be the production from the backcourt. Their leading scorer Anthony Mathis graduated and Lyle will have an adjustment period. Hopefully, for Lobo fans Zane Martin will be just as good a scorer with his new team as he was at Towson. He averaged 19.8 ppg on 46% from the field and is a great three-point shooter to boot.

New Mexico will have good depth and firepower via transfers but must improve on their dreadful team defense. They gave up more points than the Lobos scored themselves and struggled badly against teams who moved the ball well. They have the high major transfers needed to move towards the top of the Mountain West, now they and Paul Weir must prove it.

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