2019 College Basketball Preview: #20 Utah State Aggies

Utah State Aggies of the Mountain West Conference at Air Force
Abel Porter (Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports)

Last year was a record-setting year for the Utah State Aggies, getting a No. 8 seed in the NCAA tournament, the highest seeding in school history. The team took home a share of the Mountain West regular season title, the trophy at the MW Conference tournament, and an automatic berth to the Big Dance.

The Aggies finished off the year with a loss to the Washington Huskies in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

 

Key Returners

  • Sam Merrill
  • Neemias Queta
  • Abel Porter
  • Brock Miller
  • Diogo Brito

The Aggies have a load of returning talent. Utah State is returning four of the five starters from last season, including the Mountain West MVP Sam Merrill, the Freshman AND Defensive Player of the Year Neemias Queta, and a sixth man finalist Diogo Brito.

Key Losses

  • Dwayne Brown Jr
  • Quinn Taylor

Luckily for the Utah State Aggies, they do not lose any game-changing players. The absence of Quinn Taylor will likely be felt the hardest. Ultimately, however, they do not lose anyone that leaves a major void in quality.

Newcomers

  • Carson Bischoff
  • Sean Barstow
  • Alphonso Anderson
  • Liam McChesney
  • Trevin Dorius
  • Marco Anthony
  • Jakub “Kuba” Karwowski

With the group of guys who left the team; either by the graduating class or the transfer cases from last year, USU’s coaching staff picked up the slack and closed the difference.

The signing of Karwowski alone helps out the frontcourt tremendously. Kuba averaged a double-double last season with North Plateau Community College and led them to a Division IX title.

 

Season Outlook

The Aggies went 28-7 last year under first-year coach Craig Smith. With Coach Smith coming into his second year with 80% of his starting lineup and two bigtime role players returning to mentor the newcomers, Utah State is looking at a strong season with a deep playoff run.

 

Professional predictions are listing USU as high as #15 coming into the season, as heavy favorites to repeat as Mountain West Champions and to advance to the NCAA Tournament once again, but only this time as a No. 4 seed.

 

Record Prediction 30-5 (17-1)

Utah State put on a dominating performance last year in the Mountain West Conference, taking home a share of the regular season crown. This year, we expect them to take it home again but as sole champs.

The Aggies will repeat as Mountain West Tournament Champions and once again gain a berth to the NCAA tournament somewhere in between at No. 5 and No. 7 seed. They will almost surely win their first-round match-up, advance to the second round and win, then have a challenging match-up in the Sweet Sixteen where they will end their season the highest seed in school history for two seasons in a row.

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