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NCAA Tournament 2023: Ranking the starting lineups of each Sweet 16 team

Mar 18, 2023; Birmingham, AL, USA; Houston Cougars guard Marcus Sasser (0) celebrates with teammates after a play during the second half against the Auburn Tigers at Legacy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 18, 2023; Birmingham, AL, USA; Houston Cougars guard Marcus Sasser (0) celebrates with teammates after a play during the second half against the Auburn Tigers at Legacy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /
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NCAA Tournament San Diego State Aztecs guard Matt Bradley Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports
NCAA Tournament San Diego State Aztecs guard Matt Bradley Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports /

14. San Diego State (5-seed)

Matt Bradley (Senior – Guard)

Previously a top scorer in the Pac-12 at Cal, Bradley earned First Team All-MWC honors for a second straight season this year for the Aztecs. He averaged 13.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game and his offensive numbers were a bit down, but he’s remained a dynamic leader for San Diego State. He was named MWC Tournament MVP last week and had 17 points and 7 rebounds in their tight win over Charleston in the first round of the Big Dance.

Lamont Butler (Junior – Guard)

A key cog in San Diego State’s elite defense, Butler flourished this season, earning All-Defense honors for a second straight year while finding his way to Third Team All-MWC honors. He had career-bests by averaging 8.6 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game and had a 12-point, 6-rebound effort in their second-round victory over Furman.

Keshad Johnson (Senior – Forward)

Johnson put up 7.7 points and 5.0 rebounds this season in the Aztec’s backcourt and was another underrated piece of their offensive and defensive mastery. He’s one of the best interior shooters in the MWC and had a 15-point performance against San Jose State a few weeks ago in the MWC Tournament. Johnson also made all three of his shots in an efficient performance against Furman on Saturday.

Nathan Mensah (Senior – Forward)

A fifth-year starter for the Aztecs, Mensah has been an important piece of San Diego State basketball for half a decade. He may have averaged just 6.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game this year, but his role is more than just offensive numbers. He was named MWC Defensive Player of the Year for a second straight season and will end his career among the MWC’s all-time leaders in rebounds and blocks. Mensah had 6 points and 9 rebounds against Furman and plays the most important role in this elite defense.

Darrion Trammell (Senior – Guard)

After two years as a star point guard at Seattle, Trammell has been a welcomed addition to the Aztecs in running their system. He’s averaging 9.5 points and 3.2 assists, numbers quite lower than his last two years in the WAC, but he’s playing his role well. Trammell is a fantastic piece on defense who also just had 13 points in that second-round victory, now up to 39% from the season beyond the arc.