The Seniors
Honorable Mention: Nico Carvacho (Colorado State), Lindsey Drew (Nevada), Lavelle Scottie (Air Force)
5. Justinian Jessup, Boise State
Previous Ranking: Unranked
Season Stats: 14.8 PPG 4.3 RPG 2.0 APG 1.3 SPG
Best Performance: 27 Points, 4 Rebounds and 2 Steals against Colorado State 12/7
Jessup’s play right before the release of our first edition was good but he was hovering around the top-5 at the time but has since made a splash with the Broncos. He became Boise State’s all-time leader in 3-point field goals and has shot them out of tough situations multiple times this season while providing a defensive presence at the top of the key averaging 1.3 SPG. Fifth place was a tough spot to decide on with the list of seniors who weren’t listed in the top-5 containing some impressive names. But it was Jessup’s conference averages (16.8 PPG) and clutch shooting in big games that got him the spot, let’s see how he improves going forward in his last year in college basketball.
4. Jazz Johnson, Nevada
Previous Ranking: 3rd
Season Stats: 17.0 PPG 3.3 RPG 1.8 APG
Best Performance: 34 Points, 7 Rebounds and 2 Assists against Boise State 1/4
Johnson has taken the step in production I think we all expected of him after playing a key yet turned down role on last year’s top-10 ranked NCAA tournament appearance team (11.0 PPG in 20 games with 19 starts). But in the Alford era in Reno he is the go-to scorer Portland fans knew him as three years ago and when Jalen Harris isn’t scoring, it’s a safe bet that Johnson is. He run’s out of eligibility this season but I think will leave Reno with a satisfied career as a member of the Wolf Pack. Appearances in the top-25 and a trip to the big dance under Eric Musselman plus an increased role with 1,000+ points scored in his career isn’t too shabby, not too shabby at all Jazz.
3. Yanni Wetzell, San Diego State
Previous Ranking: Unranked
Season Stats: 12.3 PPG 6.4 RPG 1.5 APG
Best Performance: 17 Points, 16 Rebounds, 2 Blocks and 2 Assists against Nevada 1/18
Wetzell seemed like a signing out of nowhere last season when the 6-10 New Zealand native came over as a graduate transfer from the SEC and a struggling Vanderbilt squad after averaging just 5.9 PPG and 3.8 RPG in 32 games with 10 starts for the Commodores. Wetzell is now at his third school as he started his college basketball career at NCAA Division II’s St. Mary’s Univ. in San Antonio, TX where he averaged 15.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG for a 12-18 Rattlers team, then Vanderbilt and now the Aztecs.The announcement of his signing didn’t seem all too impressive on the surface but the Aztecs needed to add some depth to their front court with the departure of future second round NBA draft pick Jalen McDaniels at the end of the season.
Wetzell has come in and just exceeded every expectation and filled a hole in the Aztec’s rotation that lacked an offensive ability with McDaniels’ absence. His season averages aren’t spectacular but they need to be looked at with an understanding that he’s doing that on an undefeated top-five ranked team, to understand his place on this list. This should be Wetzell’s last stop in college but his mark has been left on this program seeking a deep run in the NCAA tournament in March.
2. JaQuan Lyle, New Mexico
Previous Ranking: 2nd
Season Stats: 17.1 PPG 4.1 RPG 4.9 APG 1.4 SPG
Best Performance: 31 Points, 4 Rebounds, 6 Assists and 2 Steals against Boise State 12/4
Lyle’s place on this list may seem a bit out of sorts to some given the bad publicity and performance of the Lobo team in the last month with starters Carlton Bragg Jr. and JJ Caldwell suspended, then reinstated and then kicked off of the team (Caldwell still just suspended pending investigation). But hear me out, this once dangerous and respected Lobo team had since fallen to a lifestyle of battling for .500 in the Craig Neal and Paul Weir eras alike. And Lyle and others have the Lobos undefeated at home (13-0), 16-5 overall and tied for third place. I think that is major progress that can be directly attributed to the former Ohio State Buckeye. Among the league’s top-5 scorers he has the highest field goal percentage among them at 46.6%, which means like the others he’s taking a lot of shots but hes making more of them.
But now Lyle, who waited a very patient two years before playing this season (injuries and sit-out transfer rules) now has to sit on the sidelines again while he nurses a knee injury. His place on the list may be in jeopardy if this becomes a prolonged injury which could possibly end his career in Albuquerque as he is already listed as a fifth-year senior with no recent news of an application for a medical waiver. But to be fair we didn’t really get the heads up on Mathis’ waiver application last year either.
1. Sam Merrill, Utah State
Previous Ranking: 1st
Season Stats: 17.5 PPG 4.8 RPG 3.6 APG
Best Performance: 24 Points, 8 Assists and 4 Rebounds against LSU 11/22
Merrill is still the reigning Mountain West Conference player of the year, after a stellar performance last season in Craig Smith’s first season in Logan. Leading an essentially seldom used group of players from Tim Duryea’s final season as head coach and Neemias Queta to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2011. Not to mention their first preseason AP poll ranking since the early nineteen seventies, either way you look at it all eyes were on the Aggies this year.
But after an impressive 7-0 start, Utah State fell to an always dangerous St. Mary’s squad (maybe expected or at least forgivable). Then instate foe BYU handed them their second loss (tough for Aggie fans but as a whole still only two losses on the season). Then came UNLV, San Diego State, Air Force and lastly Boise State. The Aggies have lost five of their last ten games and Merrill has attempted 135 field goals in that time netting just 55 in that time frame, which is still good for 40% and on par with other top scorers in the conference (which range from 40-46%) but hardly helpful and a drop from his 47% percent career average prior to the start of the season.
So to say the Aggies recent shortcomings can be solely traced back to Merrill is unfair. And the team might not keep the same win percentage as last season and barring a conference tournament run isn’t likely going to the NCAA tournament with some of their losses on their resume. And a player of the year repeat doesn’t seem in the cards with Flynn and the Aztecs enjoying their recent success, but among his class Merrill is still the clear leader.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1361]