Busting Brackets
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Mountain West Basketball: Preseason rankings for 2019-20 season

By Jacob Salcido

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 16: Justin Bean #12 of the Utah State Aggies defends Matt Mitchell #11 of the San Diego State Aztecs during 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: Justin Bean #12 of the Utah State Aggies defends Matt Mitchell #11 of the San Diego State Aztecs during 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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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JANUARY 22: Head coach Paul Weir of the New Mexico Lobos looks on during his team’s game against the UNLV Rebels at the Thomas & Mack Center on January 22, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Rebels defeated the Lobos 74-58. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JANUARY 22: Head coach Paul Weir of the New Mexico Lobos looks on during his team’s game against the UNLV Rebels at the Thomas & Mack Center on January 22, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Rebels defeated the Lobos 74-58. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

There is no team in the Mountain West with as many question marks as Paul Weir’s New Mexico Lobos. The Lobos have the most talented roster in the league, and that is hardly debatable. The biggest concern here is chemistry. How does one take several former highly-recruited players looking for a second chance, and get them to gel and perform to the best of their ability? That is what Paul Weir is still trying to figure out; Not to mention that Weir is still relatively unproven at the head coaching position.

Star guard Anthony Mathis is gone, using his surprising extra year of eligibility to return home and play for Oregon. Fellow fan-favorite Dane Kuiper is also gone, having expired his eligibility. Yet there are several big-time ‘stars’ on this roster: Vance Jackson, Carlton Bragg, Makuach Maluach, and Corey Manigault are each making their return, and figure to be looking for a huge season. The most notable presence on this team is the Mountain West debut of JaQuan Lyle.

The former five-star guard from Ohio State sat out not one, but two consecutive seasons, due to NCAA transfer rules and injury. Lyle is the biggest x-factor in this equation. Towson transfer Zane Martin will join the fold, after sitting out a season, and the highly-recruited JJ Caldwelll has returned after a tenure at Texas A&M. The anticipation to see players of this caliber in the cherry and silver has been steadily building among fans in Albuquerque.

This team is ridiculously talented and deep. But again, chemistry will be key. At several points in the season last year, the Lobos looked lost and chemistry was near non-existent. Depending on this, New Mexico could see another mid-tier Mountain West finish or could see a Mountain West title and maybe even an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament. Neither would be surprising. But make no mistake, the pressure is certainly on for this team.