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?
[mm-video type=playlist id=01fb7dafw2b08817yr player_id=none image=https://mwwire.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
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.
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.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1361]
