The time has finally come for year two of the Coach Paul Weir Era! After a promising first season, with the Lobo faithful buying into the Weir’s vision for the program, there is plenty of reason to be excited to the season to begin. There are a lot of interesting stories to watch as the season unfolds, as it promises to be a memorable one. Today, we look at some of the possible stories to watch, what we will have our eyes on, an overview of the roster, and how the Lobos could stand in the Mountain West and in the NCAA.
A Look Back:
The first season of the Weir Era didn’t start out well, as the Lobos went 3-8, leaving many people to question the style of play and what Weir was trying to do to the program’s culture. After having many things go wrong for the Lobos early in the season, the Lobos were able to recover and finish with a 19-15 record, including a 12-6 record in the MW fto finish third, and ultimately make it to the MW Tournament Championship Game before falling late to SDSU. The finish to the season left us with a lot of hope, and that with some talented newcomers, the Lobos will make a lot of noise in 2018-2019. Gone are graduated seniors Joe Furstinger, Sam Logwood, Antino Jackson, and three transfers in Troy Simons, Chris McNeal, and Jachai Simmons, which means there will be lots of new faces and opportunities for players to find a huge role on this year’s team.
2018-2019 Roster:
Returners:
Senior Guard Antony Mathis: After two years of rarely finding the floor and even looking to transfer before Coach Weir was hired, Mathis stayed a Lobo, and showed what he’s capable of. He was a true breakout player and was named an All-MW player at the end of the season. Mathis found his role on last year team and will look to add more of a playmaker skill set to his style this year. Last year Mathis had insane offensive numbers:
- 131.6 Offensive Rating (KenPom) 6th in the Nation
- 67.0 Effective Field Goal Percentage
- 69.9 True Shooting Percentage
- 86.8 Free Throw Percentage
- 56.2 Two Point Field Goal Percentage
- 47.0 3-Point Field Goal Percentage
If Mathis is able to grow and play on the ball some more, the Lobos and Mathis could be in for a special season. Could Mathis challenge a 50/50/90 season?
Senior Wing Dane Kuiper: Kuiper The Sniper is back for his senior year, after playing very strong defense his Junior season,.Kuiper will look to get his shot back on track after having a finger injury that hurt his shot last year. He will be a key part of this team with his energy, leadership and playmaking ability. Kuiper has a chance to leave a legacy at UNM, and we are excited to see what he is able to do this year.
Sophomore Wing Makuach Maluach: Probably the biggest surprise to the team last year was the find of Maluach so late in the recruiting cycle. Maluach became a huge part of the team and showed pro potential as a freshman. And that was after enrolling right before school started. Now imagine Maluach’s growth over the course of the season and summer. Maluach will make the move to the wing after playing most of last season as a four, so it will be interesting to watch his transition to that position and see if he is able to take advantage on offense. If Maluach is able to take that next step, he could be in the conversation for first or second All-MW at seasons end.
Sophomore Center Vlad Pinchuk: After having an up and down freshman season, which is expected for a freshman big, Pinchuk has made huge strides during the summer and will find meaningful minutes at the center position. I am very intrigued to watch Pinchuk’s growth this year.
Sit out Transfers:
JaQuan Lyle will miss the season due to a ruptured Achilles. 🙁
Sophomore Wing Vance Jackson: Jackson, the transfer from UConn, is eligible to play after sitting out last year due to NCAA Transfer Rules. Jackson will also transition to more of a wing position and will look to use his good size to create mismatches on the wing, likely taking advantage of his ability to shoot over the top of smaller wings. If Jackson is able to find his footing early in the year, the Lobos could be very good early.
Junior Post Carlton Bragg: There is still a question on when Bragg will be eligible after transferring from Kansas and Arizona State. If he isn’t cleared for the first semester, he will be eligible once the semester ends in December. Bragg has transformed his body since arriving at UNM and looks like he could be a huge part to the team. Bragg is the biggest x-factor in the MW and possibly in the NCAA,. If Bragg is very good, he could be an All-MW player.
Zane Martin is sitting out this year due to NCAA Transfer Rules.
Junior College Transfers:
Junior Forward Karim Ezzeddine: After playing at JuCo powerhouse Northwest Florida State College, Ezzeddine will bring his great energy and playmaking ability to The PIT. Ezzeddine could very well be a fan favorite from day one and find a huge role on this year’s team. Ezzeddine will be one of the new players that I will be watching to see what impact he will have on this team.
Junior Forward Corey Manigault: The athletic forward, who made his way to UNM from Pitt and Indian Hills Community College, will look to find his role on this year’s team. Manigault is one of the better athletes on the team and could be a force in this style.
Sophomore Guard Keith McGee: One of the most electric players in recent memory, McGee will have a chance to have the keys to the car from day one. McGee is the second x-factor for me on the roster this year. If McGee is able to take the role and have an impact from day one, the Lobos could be very special.
Freshman:
Guard Drue Drinnon: The 4-star point guard from Georgia and the University School in Florida, Drinnon is here with a chance to find a role from day one at UNM. After struggling early (during summer and early fall, Drinnon has made huge strides and was one of the big takeaways from the Cherry vs. Silver event a few weeks ago, including winning the Slam Dunk Contest. Drinnon will miss time at the beginning of the season, as he suffered a high ankle sprain, but there is plenty of excitement for him as he starts his Lobo career.
Wing Tavian Percy: Percy was a surprise late signee, but that doesn’t mean that he wasn’t worthy of the scholarship. Percy is one of the most athletic players on the Lobo roster and is a great fit for Coach Weir’s system. Percy is one of the players I am most excited to see grow during the year and his Lobo Career.
Guard Clay Patterson: A walk-on from Rio Rancho who was granted eligibility for this season after sitting out last year at Fort Lewis. Patterson is the type of walk-on that is wonderful to have, as he will help this team greatly even if it isn’t in games this year.
Forward Jordan Arroyo: A local product from Atrisco Heritage Acadamy, Arroyo is a forward that could turn into a nice piece in a year or two and will make the team better during practice this season. I am excited to see how much Arroyo improves this season.
Outlook:
The Lobos have improved in size and athletic ability this year, which should help improve their defense and rebounding, two areas of concern last year. The Lobos had a huge blow when Lyle ruptured his Achilles the first week of practice, and while losing him hurts this team, there is plenty to look forward to and hope for a special season. With the Lyle injury, the Lobos will need McGee and Bragg to become impact players to reach their ceiling. The Lobos have a lot of depth this year, which is something that the Lobos did lack last year. If Mathis and Maluach are able to take the next step, the Lobos would have two All-MW players that could help the Lobos challenge Nevada for the top of the MW. If things click for this group, the Lobos could find great success and put themselves in a position to challenge for the MW Crown and an NCAA Tournament Bid.
Mountain West:
There is a clear favorite in the MW this year in Nevada, and I have UNM as the second place team in the MW. Nevada does have some question marks that need to be figured out (defense, 3 point shooting, and roles), so a team like the Lobos could stay within reach for the regular season title. I think one thing you have to have to beat Nevada is good 3 point shooting and the Lobos do have that with Mathis, Maluach, Kuiper, and Jackson to make things interesting. Overall, I would be surprised if the Lobos don’t finish in the top 3.