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Conference USA Basketball: Preseason rankings for 2019-20 season

By Andrew Dieckhoff

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 27: Head coach Rick Stansbury of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers reacts in the fourth quarter against the Utah Utes during their 2018 National Invitation Tournament Championship semifinals game at Madison Square Garden on March 27, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 27: Head coach Rick Stansbury of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers reacts in the fourth quarter against the Utah Utes during their 2018 National Invitation Tournament Championship semifinals game at Madison Square Garden on March 27, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 27: Head coach Rick Stansbury of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers has a conversation with Lamonte Bearden #1 of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the second quarter during their 2018 National Invitation Tournament Championship semifinals game at Madison Square Garden on March 27, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 27: Head coach Rick Stansbury of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers has a conversation with Lamonte Bearden #1 of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the second quarter during their 2018 National Invitation Tournament Championship semifinals game at Madison Square Garden on March 27, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

#1 — WESTERN KENTUCKY

2018-19 IN REVIEW

  • Record: 20-14 (11-7, T-2nd in C-USA)
  • Rankings: #113 in NET, #116 in KenPom
  • Postseason: none

2019-20 AT A GLANCE

HEAD COACH

  • Rick Stansbury (4th year)
  • School W-L: 62-42 (.596)
  • Career W-L: 355-208 (.631)

PROJECTED STARTERS

  • Taveion Hollingsworth, G, Jr. — 36.8 MPG (34 starts), 14.4 PPG, 1.2 SPG
  • Camron Justice, G, Gr. — 18.6 PPG, 90 3PM in ’18-19 at IUPUI
  • Jared Savage, G, Sr. — 35.7 MPG (34 starts), 12.2 PPG, 80 3PM
  • Josh Anderson, F, Jr. — 29.9 MPG (28 starts), 12.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG
  • Charles Bassey, C, So. — 31.4 MPG (34 starts), 14.6 PPG, 10.0 RPG

NON-CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

  • Paradise Jam (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands)
    • 11/22 vs Bowling Green
    • 11/23 vs Cincinnati/Illinois State
    • 11/25 vs Nevada/Grand Canyon/Valparaiso/Fordham
  • 11/29 vs Louisville (Nashville, TN)
  • 12/07 vs Arkansas
  • 12/21 @ Rhode Island
  • 12/28 vs Belmont
  • Full schedule at official team website

2019-20 SEASON OUTLOOK

The Hilltoppers were picked to finish atop the league last season by the C-USA’s head coaches but ultimately had to settle for second place. It felt like a disappointing end to such a promising year — maybe even a wasted season, considering the hype around five-star freshman Charles Bassey. The surefire NBA Draft pick must have felt those pangs of disappointment as well, though, because he surprised many people by returning to Bowling Green for a second season under Rick Stansbury.

In his first season, Bassey collected all kinds of accolades: All C-USA First Team, C-USA Defensive POY, and C-USA Freshman of the Year. He averaged a double-double and threw in two and half blocks per game to boot. He is a nightmare matchup for just about every team in the league. And he has help.

Taveion Hollingsworth was a third-team selection for the all-league team last year and will likely slide into the point guard spot left vacant by Lamonte Bearden. Two more starters return, as well, in Jared Savage and Josh Anderson. The fifth spot in the team sheet will likely go to Camron Justice, who comes over from IUPUI on a grad transfer after a stupendous year with the Jaguars. The former Vanderbilt player and high school All-American made the Horizon League’s second team, scoring 18.6 points per night and knocking down 90 long balls. Those kind of numbers could be exactly what the ‘Toppers need to get back on top of the league.

Just like last season, Western Kentucky should come into this year thinking that the C-USA is theirs to lose. They squandered their first chance with Charles Bassey last season. Stansbury cannot afford to miss twice. Anything less than an NCAA Tournament bid will feel like a letdown.

Next. 2019-20 Preseason Big East Rankings. dark

Here’s a summary of the C-USA preseason rankings:

  1. Western Kentucky
  2. UTSA
  3. UTEP
  4. Old Dominion
  5. Louisiana Tech
  6. UAB
  7. Middle Tennessee
  8. Marshall
  9. North Texas
  10. Southern Miss
  11. Florida International
  12. Charlotte
  13. Florida Atlantic
  14. Rice

This season promises to deliver intriguing C-USA matchups, night in and night out, starting with the non-conference schedule. Despite the level of talent in the league, this is still likely a one-bid conference. Expect a wild ride all the way to the finish line.

Disagree with these rankings? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter and reach out to @bustingbrackets and @andrewdieckhoff to give us your 1-14.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.