Busting Brackets
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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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ORLANDO, FL – MARCH 16: T.J. Cromer #0 of the East Tennessee State Buccaneers (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL – MARCH 16: T.J. Cromer #0 of the East Tennessee State Buccaneers (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

4. East Tennessee State Buccaneers

2019-20 record: 30-4 (16-2 in SoCon)

With fresh news that head coach Steve Forbes is off to Wake Forest, the Bucs are hoping to keep the transfers that elected to join the team this offseason. Assistant Jason Shay has been tagged as the interim head coach, which may do the trick. He’s also a rising star so the drop-off shouldn’t be too drastic from the sidelines.

Among the offseason pickups, East Tennessee State added Tennessee grad transfer guard Jalen Johnson, Northern Kentucky big man Silas Adheke, Kansas State guard David Sloan and Southeastern Louisiana wing Tyron Brewer. Brewer will likely have to sit out a season but his brother, Ledarrius Brewer, will be able to play after sitting this past year after leaving Southeast Missouri State.

These new additions will help offset the losses of leading scorer Tray Boyd, Isaiah Tisdale, and big men Jeromy Rodriguez and Lucas N’Guessan. ETSU still has a trio of mid-major starters coming back including All-SoCon guard Bo Hodges, Patrick Good and double-digit scorer Daivien Williamson. The key to the Bucs remaining at the top of the conference will depend on its defense remaining top-tier. Even if the impact transfers don’t provide more scoring, they can still prevent their opponents from producing.

Depending on what happens in the next couple of weeks regarding this roster, the Bucs could very well slide down these rankings. But this program is going to remain a top-tier threat in their respective conference and likely reach 25+ wins next season.

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