Busting Brackets
Fansided

Mid-major Basketball: Way-too-early top-50 power rankings for 2020-21

By Tristan Freeman

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 11: Fans of San Diego State Aztecs cheer during the first half of a game against the New Mexico Lobos at Viejas Arena on February 11, 2020 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 11: Fans of San Diego State Aztecs cheer during the first half of a game against the New Mexico Lobos at Viejas Arena on February 11, 2020 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – NOVEMBER 06: Charles Bassey #23 of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – NOVEMBER 06: Charles Bassey #23 of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

10. Northern Iowa Panthers

2019-20 record: 25-6 (14-4 in Missouri Valley)

The conference suffered a big individual blow with the announcement that Valpo’s Javon Freeman-Liberty elected to transfer to DePaul. Northern Iowa hopes to keep their best player, AJ Green for another year, as he entered the NBA Draft. The Missouri Valley Player of the Year (19.7 ppg) has been excellent since day 1 and if he returns, he would give the team their top three leading scorers back, alongside fellow double-digit scorers Trae Berhow and Austin Phyfe.

The issue for the Panthers would be the depth overall. They weren’t that deep to begin with last season and loses a few rotation players. Assuming George Mason transfer Goanar Mar does have to sit out a year, they’ll need players such as Tywhon Pickford and Noah Carter to have big producing campaigns. But hey, there’s nothing wrong with Green playing 40 mpg next season.

9. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

2019-20 record: 20-10 (13-5 in Conference USA)

I don’t want to say that it’s “good news” that star big man Charles Bassey is back for another season because it’s only due to him suffering a season-ending injury just 10 games into it. But he didn’t go through the NBA Draft process and the 6’11 center could very well average 18 ppg and 10 rpg next year. He and leading scorer Taveion Hollingsworth will form arguably the best 1-2 punch in all of mid-major basketball, let alone Conference USA.

Forward Carson Williams is coming back for his final season, as is double-digit scoring wing Josh Anderson. The question is more from the lead ball-handling role. Jordan Rawls isn’t much of a distributor and Lipscomb transfer Kenny Cooper may be better playing off the ball as well. If four-star guard Zion Harmon reclassifies, they’ll be the clear-cut favorite to win the conference.

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