Basketball Preseason Series: Best Rebounders

Contact/Follow @aztecbreakdown Over the weeks leading up to the season Mountain West Wire will be looking at the best players at different aspects of the game. As basketball has become more and more positionless it’s more about being the best at …

Contact/Follow @aztecbreakdown

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Over the weeks leading up to the season Mountain West Wire will be looking at the best players at different aspects of the game. As basketball has become more and more positionless it’s more about being the best at specific skills than it is being the best at a certain position.

For previous articles, look here:

Best Scorers

A great former Mountain West basketball player once exclaimed that “The board man gets paid.” For what it’s worth, that player will be earning over 49 million dollars in the NBA this season, so he may have had a point. Scoring gets all the highlights, but elite players and coaches constantly talk about how defense and rebounding are key to winning championships. Every fan knows a game that their team would’ve won if they had simply grabbed a rebound at a key moment. The players listed below understand how important rebounding is to winning games.

5. Jared Coleman Jones, San Diego State –

Last year’s Aztecs team had the worst defensive rebounding rate of any Aztecs team since 2019. The Aztecs lost a couple games due to being unable to end a good defensive possession with a rebound. Jared Coleman Jones should help correct that weakness this season. His defensive rebounding rate of 24% ranked 70th nationally. He really knows how to get after the ball. He didn’t do much offensive rebounding at Middle Tennessee, and he may not be asked to at San Diego State, although it’s not out of the question and there’s reason to believe he could be better on that end if he wanted to.

4. O’Mar Stanley, Boise State –

O’Mar Stanley is better overall, but is also somewhat the opposite of Jared Coleman Jones. Defensively, Stanley’s rate of 17.5% is really good, but the offensive end is where he truly impacts games. His offensive rate of 12.3% ranked 76th nationally last season. Almost 18% of Stanley’s total points came off of putbacks. His aggression on the offensive end will continue to lead to easy points for the Broncos.

3. Aubin Gateretse, Utah State –

Gateretse has shown to be an elite rebounder on both ends of the floor. His offensive rebounding is a central part of his offense, which bodes well because his offensive rebounding rate ranked 40th nationally last season. His defensive rebounding rate ranked 219th nationally. There is no question he knows how to get after it on the glass. His numbers may take a dip this season though. Partly because he will spend a lot of time playing next to a true 7-footer in Isaac Johnson, who is a great rebounder himself. Secondly, the Atlantic Sun conference doesn’t have the same level of competition as the Mountain West. His numbers last season took hits against top-100 teams, so it is not out of the question that he may not be quite as elite.

2. Nelly Junior Joseph, New Mexico –

NJJ had great rebounding numbers his first year at New Mexico. He collected 8.2 rebounds per game and had double digits rebound rates on both ends of the floor. Nationally, his offensive rebounding rate of 11.3% ranked 128th, and defensively his rebounding rate of 21.2% ranked 154th. What is even more impressive is he could’ve gotten more rebounds if he didn’t have J.T. Toppin playing next to him. This season he will be asked to get even more rebounds, and he should be able to do it. No one should be surprised if Nelly Junior Joseph averages a double-double this season.

1. Robert Vaihola, San Jose State –

It is pretty hard to argue that Robert Vaihola isn’t the best rebounder in the conference. The 6’8 Big man plays bigger than his size would suggest and gets after it on the glass. He plays as if rebounding is the most important aspect of playing the game. He sat out last season after having season ending foot surgery, but is expected to be ready to go this season. His defensive rebounding rate of 20.1% is great, but he really excels on the offensive end. In 2023, his last healthy season, he led the conference with an offensive rebounding rate of 17.7%. Nationally he had the 5th best rate. He is elite on that end of the floor, which leads to second chance points for the Spartans. Defensively Vaihola should be able to collect a lot of rebounds after Diongue forces misses at the rim.

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Basketball Preseason Series: Best Scorers

Contact/Follow @aztecbreakdown

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When it all comes down to it, basketball is about scoring more points than your opponent. Having players that can put the ball through the hoop is key to accomplishing that goal. Doing so in high volume isn’t enough though. If a player scores 20 points a game but takes 30 shots to do so, they aren’t helping the team. Players need to score in volume, and do so efficiently. Players can’t be elite scorers if they only possess one of those two qualities.

Honorable Mention: Keyshawn Williams, Colorado State – Before being injured, Williams was averaging almost 18 points per game, on a solid 56% True Shooting percentage. That was two seasons ago, and took place over 13 games, so there’s no telling if those marks would have held over a full season, or if Williams will return to that level post injury. If he is fully recovered though, he will likely deserve a spot on this list.

Donovan Dent, New Mexico – Dent runs the New Mexico offense, and is the first option for the Lobos. Last season he scored 14 points per game. College basketball is a guards game, and Dent is arguably the best in the conference. His play in transition is elite, leading to easy baskets. What helps Dent be a great scorer is his ability to shoot off the dribble. He ranks in the 78th percentile in jump shots off the dribble. His ability to gain separation and lose his defenders helps him get clean looks and keep his efficiency up. His only down side is that he isn’t great from the free throw line, shooting only 68%. It’s not a terrible mark, but it’s below average for a guard.

Deyton Albury, Utah State – Albury played in transition more than most any player in the country while at Queens University. That will likely continue with the Aggies, as it is a key facet in Albury’s game. In the half court he is less efficient, but not enough to hurt the team or his overall efficiency. He maintained a true shooting percentage of 56%, helped by his ability to draw fouls and get to the free throw line. He scored 17 points per game last season. That number may go down a bit as he’ll have more offensive talent around him, but the tendency to play in transition should translate.

Ian Martinez, Utah State – Martinez scored 13.3 points per game as a third option behind Great Osobor and Darius Brown. Having two other players draw so much defensive attention allowed Martinez to play extremely efficiently. He had a 62% true shooting percentage, the highest of any player on this list. In overseas play this summer Martinez was the leading scorer on the team, and displayed a versatile scoring skill set. As defenses key in on him his efficiency will likely drop some, but his floor is still higher than most players in the conference.

Kobe Sanders, Nevada – In the past five years only 3 Mountain West players have scored 20+ points per game (Jaedon LeDee, Bryce Hamilton, Jalen Harris). Sanders scored 19.7 last season in the Big West. The leave of competition is tougher in the Mountain West, but Sanders has shown he can put up points. His combination of size and ball handling ability makes him tough to guard, similar to Kenan Blackshear last season, but Sanders is even taller. Most guards can’t contest a 6’8 shooter.Thanks in part to his size, Sanders scored 1.123 points per possession in isolation last season, ranking in the 91st percentile in that category. He also finished in the 75th percentile in pick and roll scoring per possession. With the departures of Blackshear and Lucas, the Wolfpack will be looking to Sanders to put up points in bunches.

Tyson Degenhart, Boise State – What makes Degenhart such a good scorer is his versatility. At 6’8, 235 lbs he is big and strong enough to play around the rim, and also skilled enough to play around the perimeter. His outside shot isn’t great, but it’s good enough to keep opponents honest, helping him rack up 1.093 points per possession when spotting up around the outside, good for 82nd percentile nationally. He also scored 1.112 points per possession when posting up last season, which finished 13th in the nation among players with at least 100 post up possessions. For context, all american Jaedon LeDee finished 16th in the same metric, and player of the year Zach Edey finished 27th. Degenhart’s versatility lets him truly attack big players off the dribble, and small players in the post.

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Way Too Early 2022-23 College Basketball Rankings

Way Too Early 2022-23 College Basketball Rankings What is in store for Mountain West hoops next year? Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Where do MW teams rank next year? The 2021-22 Mountain West basketball season was very fun, frustrating, …

Way Too Early 2022-23 College Basketball Rankings

What is in store for Mountain West hoops next year?

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Where do MW teams rank next year?

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The 2021-22 Mountain West basketball season was very fun, frustrating, exciting, and disappointing. Four teams made the NCAA Tournament which was great, but they all fell in the first round so that was disappointing. Fresno State made a deep run and won The College Basketball Tournament, but Utah State lost at home to Oregon in the NIT.

The season was up and down, which is nice.

With the national title game in the rear-view mirror and every major outlet putting out their first look at the top 25.

These will be changes with players going pro, transferring, and just testing the NBA waters and be returning to school.

In addition to the way-too-early top 25 rankings, we also take a look the early betting odds for the Mountain West. These are always a great value bet to place a few bucks in hopes of hitting it big.

Below are where the Mountain West teams are ranked or not ranked and a blurb from each outlet.

Heat Check CBB

25. San Diego State Aztecs

Projected 2022-23 lineup: Lamont Butler, Adam Seiko, Matt Bradley, Keshad Johnson, Jaedon Ledee

Although the team has a pair of returning seniors, its success will hinge on Lamont Butler’s ability to succeed as the primary point guard with the departure of Trey Pulliam.

23. Colorado State Rams

Projected 2022-23 lineup: Isaiah Stevens, Kendle Moore, John Tonje, David Roddy, James Moors

The biggest question facing Colorado State this spring is whether Heat Check CBB Third Team All-American forward David Roddy returns to campus. Assuming he does, the Rams have another team that should flirt with Top 25 publicity.

NCAA.com’s Andy Katz

23. San Diego State

The Aztecs are the most consistent program in the state of California and will be steered by Matt Bradley again — the Mountain West newcomer of the year. Lamont Butler and Keshad Johnson along with the possibility of Nathan Mensah back means the Aztecs will have the defensive ability to lock down again.

36. Wyoming

There is a chance Hunter Maldonado comes back. He will test the NBA draft process. If he comes back then the Pokes could be a Mountain West title contender again.

ESPN

The World Wide Leader shuts out the Mountain West in its top 25 but even the next five considered are not from the conference.

USA TODAY

25. Colorado State

Assuming the Rams bring back David Roddy (19.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg), they’ll be positioned to out-duel San Diego State in the Mountain West and stay in the national equation.

Sporting News

Another publication that is not a fan of the Mountain West and has zero teams in their early rankings.

CBS Sports

20. Colorado State

The Rams’ ranking is based on Colorado State’s top four scorers returning – among them Mountain West Conference Play of the Year David Roddy, who has declared for the NBA Draft but could return to school considering there’s no guarantee he’d be selected.

Busting Brackets

Honorable Mention: San Diego State Aztecs

With the news that 17 ppg scoring guard Matt Bradley is coming back, that automatically makes the Aztecs a contender in the Mountain West for next season.

No. 21 Colorado State

The Rams proved to be the one mid-major team not named Gonzaga that played up to expectations, getting a 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Junior forward David Roddy (19.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.9 apg) won Mountain West Player of the Year and is currently testing the NBA Draft waters, but odds are decent that he’ll come back for one more year.

If that happens, the duo of Roddy and Isaiah Stevens (14.7 ppg and 4.7 rpg) will once again have them in the top-25 range. And most of the supporting cast is set to return, including guard Kendle Moore, forward James Moor, and John Tonje, the team’s third-leading scorer from this year at 9.1 ppg.

Odds for the 2023 NCAA Tournament have opened and as far as Mountain West teams, San Diego State leads the list at +8000. Majority, if not all, of the US sportsbooks will have odds available for the tournament. Keep in mind that depending on the site, the odds will vary for each MW team so browse through each one to find the best value if you intend to get bets in this early.

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College Basketball Rankings: Colorado State Earns A Ranking

College Basketball Rankings: Colorado State Earns A Ranking Rams crack the top 25 Contact/Follow @MWCwire Colorado State is No. 23 Selection Sunday is just days away and conference tournament season is underway. For the final time before the …

College Basketball Rankings: Colorado State Earns A Ranking

Rams crack the top 25

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Colorado State is No. 23

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Selection Sunday is just days away and conference tournament season is underway. For the final time before the brackets are revealed, the Associated Press Top 25 dropped.

Once again, there are some changes, although this week wasn’t as crazy as the previous weekend with all of the losses in the Top 10.

2022 Mountain West Tournament Bracket, TV Schedule Announced

Here are the newest AP Top 25 results:

Gonzaga
Arizona
Baylor
Auburn
Kentucky
Kansas
Duke
Villanova
Purdue
Tennessee
Providence
Wisconsin
UCLA
Texas Tech
Arkansas
Illinois
St. Mary’s
Houston
Murray State
Connecticut
USC
Texas
Colorado State
Iowa
North Carolina

Others Receiving Votes: Boise State 49, South Dakota State 32, Memphis 26, San Diego State 24, LSU 22, Loyola Chicago 16, Ohio State 16, Seton Hall 9, San Francisco 9, Rutgers 8, Alabama 7, Notre Dame 4, Vermont 3, Davidson 1, Longwood 1

The Mountain West is back in business thanks to the Colorado State Rams landing at No. 23. A lot can change during the Mountain West tournament, especially with Boise State right on the cusp of the Top 25 and one of the favorites to win the whole thing in Las Vegas.

San Diego State is also pretty close to cracking the rankings.

But, Wyoming has fallen completely off, and Joe Lunardi even had the Cowboys as one of the last four in. The MWC is projected to have four teams in the Field of 68, but Wyoming is the one time on the fence.

Either way, the conference should have at least one ranked team on Selection Sunday, and if either San Diego State or Boise State make some noise in Sin City, then two ranked teams in the Top 25 is a genuine possibility next Monday.

Get ready, the best time of the year is here, and the strong play of the MWC is something to keep an eye on over the next couple of weeks.

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Mountain West power rankings: Wyoming Is At The Top

Mountain West power rankings has Wyoming at the top Contact/Follow @MWCwire Wyoming holds top spot 1.) Wyoming Wyoming remains the top team in this iteration of Mountain West power rankings. But they’ve lost two of their last three games and sit 1.5 …

Mountain West power rankings has Wyoming at the top

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Wyoming holds top spot

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1.) Wyoming

Wyoming remains the top team in this iteration of Mountain West power rankings. But they’ve lost two of their last three games and sit 1.5 games behind Boise State in the Mountain West regular-season race. Superstar Graham Ike only scored eight points on 3-13 shooting in Wednesday’s loss to Colorado State.

The Cowboys host Nevada this weekend.

2.) Boise State

Boise State snagged the narrow over Utah State, as the game stayed tight throughout. A Rylan Jones three-pointer chopped the lead to 57-55 with less than three minutes left before the Broncos exploded on an 11-2 run to finish out the contest. Marcus Shaver Jr scored 20 points on 6-9 shooting in the 11-point victory. On Tuesday, Boise State carried a 30-20 lead into halftime before San Diego State stormed back, taking the lead with 24 seconds left on an outstanding play leading to Matt Bradley finding Nathan Mensah for an alley-oop. A questionable foul call on the other end gave Abu Kigab two free throws with less than two seconds left — Kigab drilled both with ease.

Boise State travels to the Mountain West tournament site in Vegas, where they’ll face Bryce Hamilton and UNLV.

3.) Colorado State

It’s almost like the 2021-22 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels have some bizarre superpowers over Colorado State, as the Rams lost their second battle with UNLV this year. It adds another loss, but only of the quadrant two variety, so Colorado State’s at large resume remains solid. CSU bounced back on Wednesday, beating Wyoming by six in Fort Collins. David Roddy scored 26 points in the contest.

The Rams look to add another quality win on Sunday, facing Utah State in Logan.

4.) San Diego State

San Diego State looked to potentially turn a corner offensively, but the issues crept up again in the loss to Boise State. Even when the game got close, there wasn’t a ton of ball movement leading to open shots. The idea of missing the NCAA Tournament is starting to get serious; the Aztecs only hold five wins in the first two quadrants, which doesn’t help the committee select them into the dance.

SDSU hosts San Jose State this weekend in a must-win game to keep their tournament dreams afloat.

5.) UNLV

If you’re trying to zero in on a bid-stealing contender from the Mountain West, look no further than the host team. That’s the UNLV Rebels, who blew out Colorado State for the second time this season; Bryce Hamilton only had 20 points, but the Runnin’ Rebels stout defense gave the Rams problems all game. UNLV defeated Nevada by double-digits for the second time in Reno.

UNLV doesn’t have any NCAA Tournament chance aside from making a run in the Mountain West tournament but can play spoiler when meeting up with Boise State on Saturday. Even though there’s only a sliver of hope for the NCAA Tournament — making the NIT is very much in the realm of possibility.

6.) Fresno State

The Bulldogs followed their five-game losing skid up by knocking off Air Force. Star forward Orlando Robinson refound his conference player of the year caliber form, scoring 26 points while hitting eight of 11 shots. After Robinson went 6-24 with 16 points in two home losses to UNLV and San Diego State, that’s a promising sign.

Fresno State doesn’t take the court again until Monday when New Mexico comes to town.

7.) Nevada

Grant Sherfield scored 46 points while adding 18 assists in Nevada’s two victories over San Jose State last week, with the potential to grow their win streak to four games when facing UNLV. The Wolf Pack fell short and were short-handed as Desmond Cambridge Jr didn’t dress for the game. Sherfield and Warren Washington contributed 31 of the team’s 54 points in their loss.

It isn’t easy to beat Nevada when the two guards are clicking, and they’ll face Wyoming in Laramie as the Cowboys look to punch their NCAA ticket.

8.) Utah State

Utah State snapped their four-game losing streak on Tuesday when New Mexico went to Logan. Justin Bean scored 21 points, and Brandon Horvath added 19 points in the convincing victory over New Mexico. It’s surprising the Aggies conference record is 7-9, but don’t sleep on Ryan Odom’s team.

9.) San Jose State

The Spartans notched their first win since league play started, knocking off New Mexico 71-55. Omari Moore led the winning effort with 18 points on 9-14 shooting while dishing out ten assists. While there won’t be a high number in the win column, there are plenty of positive takeaways from Tim Miles’s first season in San Jose.

The Spartans face an arduous task with San Diego State this weekend.

10.) New Mexico

The Lobos have immense potential when Jaelen House and Jamal Mashburn Jr make plays, but they’ve lost three consecutive games by 66 combined points. I see UNM very comparable to last year’s Wyoming squad — first-year head coaches with talented teams, but there are some real ebbs-and-flows. In the San Jose State loss, House only scored 14 points on 3-15 shooting. House and Mashburn Jr only scored 16 total points on Tuesday in the 25 point loss in Logan.

UNM will head home to face Air Force, which hasn’t won in over a month.

11.) Air Force

Air Force lost eight consecutive games dating back to January 25th — during the losing streak, the Falcons haven’t held a team to less than 1.00 points per possession.

Air Force will meet the tough New Mexico offensive on Saturday in the PIT.

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Mountain West All-Decade Basketball Team

Our staff voted on the all-time Mountain West basketball team from 2010-20.

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The All decade team, 2009-10 through 2018-19, as chosen by the fans.

Contact/Follow @aztecbreakdown.

Over the long off season I’ve seen a number of outlets release All-Decade teams for the conferences they cover. To the best of my knowledge, no one has released one for the Mountain West, so I took on the challenge. The years in question were the 2009-10 season through the 2018-19 season, as that is what I had seen the other outlets do. I asked the staff at @MWCwire to fill out a google form for their All-Decade Mountain West Team, and I asked as many fans as I could to fill out the google form as well. The results were then weighed 60% for the staff and 40% for the fans if only to help mitigate any bias from Aztec fans (who are most of my following on twitter.)

In the poll, I had a list of 27 players, plus gave the option to write in your own player in case I missed someone. Fans and staff chose 5 first team players, 5 second-team players, and 5 third-team players. If anyone is so offended at the results you feel the need to go change them, the link to the google form will be here: https://forms.gle/HGSaCNVDqnQhVuby7.

With that, let’s get into the results. Players will be listed from least votes to most votes.

Coach of the Decade:

Steve Fisher: 213 Wins, 75.5% Win percentage, 5 regular season championships, 2 conference tournament championships, 6 Postseason appearances, 2 sweet 16s.

This one is really a no brainer. When you consider longevity, success, conference championships, and postseason success, there’s only one choice here. Nevada and New Mexico fans stanning their guys is understandable, but it’s honestly not even a competition. Steve Fisher was the best coach of the decade, and what he was able to accomplish at San Diego State, turning it from an irrelevant school to a national program, is truly impressive. So much so that Fisher himself says that he’s more proud of what he accomplished at San Diego State than he is of winning a National Championship at Michigan.

Third Team All Decade:

Cameron Bairstow, New Mexico: 134 games, 9.2 points, 4.8 Rebs, 0.8 Ast, 13 Win shares.

One of the hardest questions to figure out when finding an all-decade team is, what should the criteria be? Does a player need to play at a high level for multiple seasons, or is one season where you’re the best player around enough to make the team. Bairstow answers that question. His first three seasons at New Mexico were nothing special. He took the classic route of advancing from bench player to starter. In his senior season something clicked, and he exploded for 20.4 points and 7.4 rebounds a game. That single season propelled him to a spot on the all decade team. During that season Bairstow led the Lobos past the Aztecs in the MW championship game, and helped the Lobos achieve a 7 seed in the March Madness tournament. As a senior, Bairstow finished 1st in points, 8th in rebounds, 6th in blocks, and 2nd in win shares. He likely would’ve been the MW player of the year too if it wasn’t for Xavier Thames’ great season.

Josh Adams, Wyoming: 131 G, 13.9 Pts, 3.3 Rebs, 3.0 Ast, 13.94 Wins Added.

Josh Adams never got to experience a large amount of team success, but as an individual player he was consistently pretty good throughout his career. He capped off his collegiate career by scoring 24.7 points a game, to go along with 5.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Adams was rewarded for his stellar play by winning the 2015-16 MW Player of the Year award. Adams currently stands at the 10th all time leading scorer in Mountain West history, after finishing in the top 10 in scoring 3 times, and leading the conference his senior year. He also finished top 5 in both assists and steals twice. His advanced data on Sports Reference is incomplete, so I substituted Wins Added for Win Shares. Adams led all Wyoming players in the decade in career Wins Added, and currently stands at 20th overall dating back to the 2005 season.

Tony Snell, New Mexico: 104 G, 9.2 Pts, 2.4 Rebs, 2 Ast, 8.9 Win Shares.

Tony Snell was an important piece to the dominant New Mexico teams at the beginning of the decade. He played in 104 games over the course of 3 years, and was efficient with an average eFG% of 53.3% over that time. In 2013 he was the second leading scorer on a New Mexico team that won 29 games and received a 3 seed in the tournament, scoring 12.5 points to go along with 2.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists. That campaign propelled Snell to the 20th pick in the 2013 NBA draft.

Skylar Spencer, San Diego State: 144 G, 3.8 Pts, 4.5 Reb, 0.3 Ast, 11.9 Win Shares.

When it comes to Skylar Spencer, it’s all about his defense. Offensively Spencer was pretty limited, with his best offensive season contributing a mere 4.8 points per game. HE was a great offensive rebounder though, and currently has the 7th most offensive rebounds in conference history. As for the defense, Spencer currently stands at 7th in conference history in defensive win shares. Most notably, Spencer collected more blocks over his career than any other Mountain West player and it’s not close. Spencer blocked 303 shots over his four years at San Diego State.

It’s a record that is likely to stand for a while. Neemias Queta will have a chance at breaking the record but is currently on pace to fall 34 blocks short. As for team impact, while Spencer was at SDSU the Aztec’s defense never finished ranked lower than 13th in the nation according to KenPom. That’s not all because of Spencer, but he was the defensive centerpiece. As a reward for his efforts, he took home consecutive Mountain West defensive player of the year awards.

Kendall Williams, New Mexico: 137 G, 13.2 Pts, 3.4 Reb, 4.5 Ast, 20.6 Win Shares.

Kendall WIlliams dropping down to the third team all decade blows my mind. This man is the all time leader in assists in conference history with 617. In addition to being a great passer, Williams also currently stands at 11th place in points scored all time, 8th in career steals, and won the 2013 MW player of the year award. Over the course of four years Williams collected 20.6 win shares, which happens to be the most out of any MW player collected during the decade, and 4th in conference history. One of his best moments was arguably in the MW title game against the Aztecs in 2014 where Williams hit a 3 with under 30 seconds left to ice the game. I suspect his lack of pro success had a factor in Williams falling this far, but finishing with the 11th most points in the voting process is nothing to scoff at.

UP NEXT: Second Team

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Way-Too-Early Top 25 Roundup: Conditional Love for SDSU

San Diego State is featured in many “way-too-early” Top 25 lists, but the early love for the Aztecs comes with an important condition.

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Mountain West Basketball: Way-Too-Early Top 25 Roundup

Aztecs’ shot at preseason Top 25 hinges on Flynn’s decision

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

SDSU is receiving lots of early love, but most of it comes with a caveat.

In the wake of the cancellation of the 2019-20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many pollsters and pundits have already pivoted toward next season. While much of the offseason coverage relates to the transfer portal, recruiting, and the NBA Draft, there is another springtime trend that has popped its head up a little earlier than usual this year.

The “way-too-early” Top 25 list.

These lists are an amalgamation of residual feelings about teams from the previous season and the hype surrounding the incoming talent for the next campaign. They are necessarily more art than science, as the landscape of college basketball will surely experience a few seismic shifts over the coming months.

Hence, “way-too-early.”

Still, these lists provide an interesting glimpse into the current perception of the college basketball world. The question as it pertains to this site, then, is simple:

Where does the Mountain West fit into that picture?

For now, only one team is getting any love in the early polls, and that is San Diego State. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise, as the Aztecs are coming off a 30-2 season in which they had a chance to become a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and were legitimate national title contenders.

But much of the love for the Aztecs is contingent on the return of Malachi Flynn. Even without Flynn, though, Brian Dutcher will be bringing back a squad of talented, battle-tested players who will be itching to replicate the success from this past season.

Without further ado, here’s a roundup of prominent Way-Too-Early Top 25 lists that include the Aztecs, starting with those that have San Diego State ranked highest.

Mark Cooper, TheScore.com; SDSU Rank: #4

Cooper writes: “This spot is contingent on the return of All-American Malachi Flynn (17.6 points, 5.1 assists per game). If he’s back, the Aztecs will be stacked again with Matt Mitchell, Jordan Schakel, and Trey Pulliam returning, plus the addition of Cal State Northridge shooter Terrell Gomez (44.2% from 3-point range).”

John Wilner, The Mercury News; SDSU Rank: #9

Wilner writes: “Will he or won’t he? If point guard Malachi Flynn returns, the Aztecs should keep humming — all the way to a high seed in the NCAAs. If Flynn departs, then a step back (or two) seems likely. Matt Mitchell is best as a complementary scorer, not the first option.”

Rob Dauster, NBC Sports; SDSU Rank: #10

Dauster writes: “The key here is going to be Malachi Flynn. A redshirt junior that transferred into the program from Washington State, Flynn is an All-American at the point that allows Brian Dutcher’s offense to run the way he wants it to run.

Losing Yanni Wetzel will hurt, but Nathan Mensah started over him at the start of the year, and the defense that K.J. Feagin provided will be missed. But with Matt Mitchell back, he and Flynn should be able to provide enough firepower that the system will still run just fine. Remember, the Aztecs are coming off of a season where they lost just two games and will return 3.5 starters, including an All-American, if Flynn is back.”

Kevin Flaherty, 247Sports; SDSU Rank: #11

Flaherty writes: “Malachi Flynn was one of the nation’s best guards this season, piloting the Aztecs to a 30-2 record. He was also just a junior, and he currently sits at No. 42 on ESPN’s list. This ranking is obviously dependent on him coming back to school. Losing Yanni Wetzell hurts; Matt Mitchell and Jordan Schakel returning is huge. If Nathan Mensah can come back fully from a blood clot in his lungs that cost him most of the season — and there was talk he might make it back for the NCAA Tournament — San Diego State would get back a big man who started the first 12 games of the season.”

Connor Muldowney, FanSided; SDSU Rank: #13

Muldowney writes: “It looked like San Diego State was poised to go undefeated in 2019-20, but the Aztecs had a couple of slip-ups, including in the Mountain West title game. Still, San Diego State should be elite once again, potentially pushing for an unbeaten season in a winnable Mountain West. As long as Malachi Flynn returns, the Aztecs will be one of the best mid-majors in the nation again.”

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College Basketball Rankings: San Diego State Drops Just One Spot

College Basketball Rankings: San Diego State Drops Just One Spot Aztecs are still a top five team even after loss. Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire San Diego State loss doesn’t impact them. The latest college basketball rankings were kind to …

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College Basketball Rankings: San Diego State Drops Just One Spot

Aztecs are still a top five team even after loss.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

San Diego State loss doesn’t impact them.

The latest college basketball rankings were kind to San Diego State who only dropped one spot to fifth even after losing to UNLV, 66-63, over the weekend.

The initial impression was that the Aztecs would tumble with a quadrant three home loss to a Rebel team that was .500 heading into this game.

However, other top-five teams lost and barely took a hit. Baylor was No. 1 and fell to then-No. 3 Kansas and dropped just one spot, Gonzaga went from second to third after losing to BYU. So, it is a trend by the voters to not drop these high ranked teams too much even in a varying degree of losses.

This bodes well for San Diego State who is still in the mix for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Aztecs have just two games left before the Mountain West tournament with, they take on Colorado State at home and the finale is on th road to Nevada.

Utah State is riding a five-game winning streak and earning a few votes in the AP top 25 but they are not getting any coaches to vote for them in the USA TODAY poll.

AP POLL

1. Kansas
2. Baylor
3. Gonzaga
4. Dayton
5. San Diego State
6. Florida State
7. Duke
8. Kentucky
9. Maryland
10. Creighton
11. Louisville
12. Villanova
13. Seton Hall
14. Oregon
15. Auburn
16. Penn State
17. BYU
18. Iowa
19. Michigan
20. West Virginia
21. Colorado
22. Texas Tech
23. Ohio State
24. Michigan State
25. Houston

COACHES POLL

1. Kansas
2. Baylor
3. Dayton
4. Gonzaga
5. San Diego State
6. Florida State
7. Duke
8. Maryland
9. Kentucky
10. Louisville
11. Creighton
12. Villanova
13. Seton Hall
14. Penn State
15. Auburn
16. Oregon
17. Iowa
18. BYU
19. West Virginia
20. Colorado
21. Texas Tech
22. Michigan
23. Ohio State
24. Arizona
24. Michigan State

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College Basketball Rankings: San Diego State Remains No. 4, Utah State Getting Votes

Could the Mountain West have two teams ranked?

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College Basketball Rankings: San Diego State Remains No. 4, Utah State Getting Votes

Aggies are getting respect during the winning streak.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Two ranked Mountain West teams?

The latest college basketball rankings are out and San Diego State remains at No. 4 for another week and are behind Baylor, Gonzaga, and Kansas.

The Aztecs have chances to move up as Baylor and Kansas play each other and Gonzaga travels to new top 25 BYU, who the Aztecs beat, which could allow San Diego State to not only move up in the polls but maybe take the No. 1 seed out West over Gonzaga.

San Diego State needs to pay attention first but they seem to be doing that after dismantling Boise State on the road by a score of 72-55. Their final three games are home for UNLV and Colorado State, then Nevada on the road. Those teams have a shot to finish second in the league so it will be sort of a challenge for San Diego State.

The other Mountain West team getting respect is Utah State who after having a slump after being a top 20 is back to its winning ways with a four-game winning streak and have won seven of eight. This turnaround has earned the Aggies votes in the Associated Press top 25 polls. Getting ranked will take a lot with just three games left in the regular season but Utah State is streaking and could be on its way to an at-large NCAA Tournament bid.

AP Poll

1. Baylor
2. Gonzaga
3. Kansas
4. San Diego State
5. Dayton
6. Duke
7. Maryland
8. Florida State
9. Penn State
10. Kentucky
11. Louisville
12. Villanova
13. Auburn
14. Oregon
15. Creighton
16. Seton Hall
17. West Virginia
18. Colorado
19. Marquette
20. Iowa
21. Butler
22. Houston
23. BYU
24. Arizona
25. Ohio State

Others receiving votes: Texas Tech 92, Michigan State 87, Michigan 83, LSU 55, Rhode Island 39, Virginia 32, Cincinnati 14, Stephen F. Austin 14, Illinois 12, Northern Iowa 9, Utah State 8, Florida 6, Rutgers 6, East Tennessee State 5, Saint Mary’s 4, Richmond 3, Tulsa 3, New Mexico State 2, SMU 2, Arizona State 1, Wright State 1

Cocahes Poll

1. Baylor
2. Gonzaga
3. Kansas
4. San Diego State
5. Dayton
6. Duke
7. Maryland
8. Florida State
9. Penn State
10. Kentucky
11. Louisville
12. Auburn
13. Villanova
14. Seton Hall
15. Creighton
16. Oregon
17. Colorado
18. West Virginia
19. Marquette
20. Iowa
21. Arizona
22. Houston
23. Butler
24. Ohio State
25. Michigan State

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College Basketball Rankings: San Diego State Steady At No. 4

San Diego State will need help if it is to move into the top three of the polls.

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College Basketball Rankings: San Diego State Steady At No. 4

Aztes stuck at the fourth spot.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

When will SDSU move up?

San Diego State remains as the only perfect team in college basketball but they are still sitting at the No. 4 spot. All of that is fine as the Aztecs are on track to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The big question is when San Diego State could move up and it will take a team ahead of them losing and there is a matchup looming between No. 1 Baylor and No. 3 Kansas is a great chance for the Aztecs to move up at least a spot.

There are a few options for San Diego State to move up, or not. A Baylor win will allow the Aztecs to move up a spot but a Kansas win could foil that if it is a close win or one that goes into overtime. That scenario could see Baylor remain ahead of San Diego State.

Including the Kansas game, Baylor has three other game against ranked teams in No. 14 West Virginia and they play twice, plus No. 24 Texas Tech.

As for Kansas, they have an easier schedule left with Baylor game and the other is a home game vs. No. 14 West Virginia.

Gonzaga currently has no ranked teams left on its schedule, but they two obstacles with a road game at BYU and a home game vs. Saint Mary’s.

There are chances for San Diego State tp move up over the next few weeks.

AP Top 25

1. Baylor
2. Gonzaga
3. Kansas
4. San Diego State
5. Louisville
6. Dayton
7. Duke
8. Florida State
9. Maryland
10. Seton Hall
11. Auburn
12. Kentucky
13. Penn State
14. West Virginia

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15. Villanova
16. Colorado
17. Oregon
18. Marquette
19. Butler
20. Houston
21. Iowa
22. Illinois
23. Creighton
24. Texas Tech
25. LSU

Coaches Poll

1. Baylor
2. Gonzaga
3. Kansas
4. San Diego State
5. Louisville
6. Dayton
7. Duke
8. Florida State
9. Maryland
10. Seton Hall
11. Auburn
12. Kentucky
13. Penn State
14. West Virginia
15. Colorado
16. Villanova
17. Iowa
18. Oregon
19. Houston
20. Butler
21. Creighton
22. Marquette
23. Illinois
24. Texas Tech
25. Michigan State

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