If you think about it, the American Athletic Conference is the most successful league in college basketball history. One season. One national title. And that's on the heels of Louisville playing its lone season in the newly formed conference as the reigning national champ. UConn will now carry that banner through this season, and with the Cardinals now in the ACC, the Huskies should be the AAC's top dog.
But SMU isn't far behind, with a roster that goes two-deep at virtually every position and Larry Brown fitting those pieces together. Memphis looks like a clear tourney team, too, but strength at the top of the conference obscures the other story about the AAC: The bottom of the league is brutally bad. With newcomers Tulane and East Carolina joining incumbents South Florida and Central Florida, the rest of the conference should be treated to a host of blowout victories to pump up their records.
Ultimately, how well Cincinnati, Temple, Tulsa and Houston build off that excepted success against the bottom-dwellers will determine the depth of the conference as the AAC tries to prove it is more than just a one-hit wonder.
ESPN: 2014-15 AAC Projected Standings
1. Connecticut Huskies
This time, it's Ryan Boatright's turn. UConn's past two point guards won national titles as seniors, and Boatright is poised to follow the path charted by Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier. Boatright might also have more options around him than either of those stars enjoyed on their championship teams, particularly if sophomore center Amida Brimah emerges as an offensive threat to complement his elite shot-blocking skills (15.1 block percentage). Rodney Purvis was a former top recruit at NC State who should be a scoring force in the backcourt, and freshman swingman Daniel Hamilton can light it up as well. If UConn can get anything out of the 4-spot (which likely will go to sophomore Kentan Facey), a deep backcourt should have the Huskies back in the national championship hunt, especially with Boatright leading the way.
2. SMU Mustangs
Sure, the buzz around the program softened a bit when Emmanuel Mudiay opted to play in China, but this is still a deep, talented squad that can hurt teams both inside and out. Yanick Moreira and Markus Kennedy form a big, explosive frontcourt the likes of which few teams can match, especially if Moreira uses his FIBA World Cup performance (17.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG) as a springboard into the season. Nic Moore (13.6 PPG, 4.9 apg) returns as the catalyst at point guard, Justin Martin should be an impact transfer at small forward, and former McDonald's All-American Keith Frazier is ready for a bigger role at shooting guard. Add in the nation's 17th-ranked defense (94.7 points allowed per 100 possessions), and SMU should have little trouble avenging this past March's NCAA tournament snub.
3. Memphis Tigers
Talk about a change: Memphis will go from the nation's most experienced backcourt to one that might not feature a player with a single minute of Division I experience. Gone are four senior guards, and unless Vanderbilt transfer Kedren Johnson is granted a waiver to play immediately, a core of inexperienced perimeter players will have to run Josh Pastner's offense. The good news is that Austin Nichols and Shaq Goodwin form one of the nation's best 4/5 duos, and sophomores Nick King and Kuran Iverson add versatility and depth to the frontcourt. Expect point guards Dominic Magee and Pookie Powell to play well enough to get the Tigers back into the NCAA tournament and Johnson's status to determine how long they last in March.
4. Cincinnati Bearcats
The Bearcats won't have Sean Kilpatrick to bail them out offensively this season. As a result, despite a deeper, bigger squad, they'll struggle to replicate the past season's 15-3, first-place conference finish. Always a strong defensive squad (0.91 points allowed per possession, eighth in the country), the Bearcats will be bigger and more physical inside this season, thanks to the addition of three 6-foot-10 newcomers (Octavius Ellis, Coreontae DeBerry and Jamaree Strickland). They're part of a totally overhauled frontcourt that will also include a pair of freshman vying for time at power forward (Gary Clark and Quadri Moore). But it's the improvement of the returning players that will be the biggest determining factor for the Bearcats this season; in particular, forward Shaquille Thomas must become a more efficient scorer, and sophomore Troy Caupain must emerge as a point guard who can create easy shots for others. Cincinnati's depth and defense should keep the team in the tourney hunt, but the Bearcats aren't quite good enough to match the top three teams in the conference.
5. Temple Owls
It was an unfamiliar sensation in Philadelphia this past year, as the Owls, plagued by attrition and injuries, went 9-22 for their first losing season since Fran Dunphy's inaugural 2006-07 campaign. But that experience shouldn't linger; this year's squad is deeper, more experienced and more talented. Three key transfers -- all from the Philly area -- will provide a lift. Dunphy has trumpeted 6-foot-8 forward Jaylen Bond's defensive abilities, which should help fix a unit that allowed an un-Owl-like 1.14 points per possession in conference play. Jesse Morgan, a 6-foot-5, fifth-year senior, averaged 13.4 PPG for UMass in 2012-13. And 6-foot-2 Devin Coleman was good enough to land at Clemson out of high school before battling injuries and deciding to transfer back home. Those are legit weapons to playing alongside Will Cummings (16.8 PPG, 4.6 APG) and Quenton DeCosey (15.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG), and the Owls should also receive contributions from highly rated freshman Obi Enechionyia, a 6-foot-8 forward. Together, they should quickly erase memories of the past season's debacle.
6. Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Frank Haith's decision to leave Missouri for Tulsa left plenty of observers scratching their heads this past spring. But there is some logic behind the move, particularly when you look at what Tulsa returns this season. A sparkling junior class already took the Golden Hurricane to the NCAA tournament as sophomores; now they're back and looking for bigger things. That will be harder as they jump into the American, though. Yes, the key quintet from the Class of '16 -- led by top scorer James Woodard -- now have the experience to match their ability. But they'll face a far tougher schedule and have a serious problem to lick: Tulsa shot just 32.7 percent from 3-point range the past season, and only Woodard made more than one 3 per game. The Hurricane did have the nation's 30th-ranked defense (96.3 points per 100 possessions) and forced turnovers on 20.3 percent of possessions. And if Shaquille Harrison can cut down his turnovers while continuing to contribute in a variety of ways, and Rashad Smith and D'Andre Wright hold up against more physical front lines, Tulsa could vault past Temple and Cincinnati into the upper portion of the conference.
7. Houston Cougars
Kelvin Sampson is back in the game, and he inherits a Houston team in transition. Gone are Houston's top two players, TaShawn Thomas (to Oklahoma) and Danuel House (to Texas A&M); neither was pleased by the decision to replace James Dickey with Sampson. Joining the program is JUCO transfer Devonta Pollard, a former McDonald's All-American who should make an immediate impact in the frontcourt. He could form an intriguing interior combo with the rail-thin, 6-foot-10 Danrad "Chicken" Knowles, and the Cougars will get scoring from Jherrod Stiggers and Torian Graham (another JUCO transfer) and playmaking from L.J. Rose. Sampson's main task -- in addition to forming a strong recruiting pipeline -- will be to improve a defense that allowed an obscene 1.13 points per possession in conference games. If the coach solves that issue and the newcomers adjust quickly, Houston could surprise some of the conference favorites.
8. Tulane Green Wave
Tulane heads into its first season in the American with an experienced lineup that held its own in Conference USA the past season. Then again, that's not saying much: The Green Wave also ranked 268th in the nation in offensive efficiency (99.2 points per 100 possessions, per KenPom.com) and 265th in defense (109.5). That they somehow finished 17-17 is a testament to a weak schedule. That said, they have three legit scorers returning in guards Louis Dabney (15.2 PPG), Jonathan Stark (14.5) and Jay Hook (13.9). They'd be better off shifting more of those shots to Hook, who nailed 47.2 percent of his 3-pointers, but if they keep turning it over on 20.1 percent of possessions, that won't matter. Add in a questionable interior, and Tulane isn't ready to make much of a statement in a new conference.
9. East Carolina Pirates
East Carolina steps up in class from Conference USA with the bulk of its team returning. Four of the team's five starters are back. However, those are the same guys who contributed to the nation's 305th-ranked defense (1.12 points allowed per possession), so any enthusiasm should be severely tempered. Plus, the one guy who is missing, guard Akeem Richmond, was far and away the team's leading scorer with 18 PPG. Forward Caleb White appears poised to make strides after an impressive freshman season (12.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG), and senior Paris Roberts-Campbell (11.9 PPG) provides a solid scoring option in the backcourt. But for the Pirates to see any substantial improvement, they'll need 6-foot-3 guard Terry Whisnant, a transfer from Florida State who averaged 5.6 PPG as a sophomore, to perform like a high-major player.
10. UCF Knights
Central Florida will have a different look this season, if for no other reason than Isaiah Sykes, who used a ridiculous 32.8 percent of possessions, is gone. Still, UCF has no double-figure scorers returning, which puts a heavy burden on Kasey Wilson (9.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG), Matt Williams (38.4 percent on 3s) and Staphon Blair (1.5 BPG) to increase their contributions. A pair of local freshmen, 6-foot-6 wing Adonys Henriquez and 6-foot-2 point guard B.J. Taylor, will have a chance to contribute immediately, and 6-foot-9 JUCO transfer Shaheed Davis should help, too. Realistically, though, it should be another long year in Orlando.
11. South Florida Bulls
Orlando Antigua, formerly John Calipari's top assistant at Kentucky, is the new man in charge at South Florida. Unfortunately, he isn't bringing along Cal's players. Heck, he doesn't even have many of Stan Heath's players left. The gang that went 12-20, averaged just 0.95 points per possession in conference games and allowed 1.12 points per trip is almost all gone. Nine players have moved on, including seven transfers. The three returnees (Corey Allen, Anthony Collins and Chris Perry) all contributed the past year, though Collins was limited to just eight games due to a knee injury. But the course of the program will be charted by six freshmen and -- even more importantly -- those to come, as Antigua puts his excellent recruiting skills to work.
2014-15 All-AAC team
Position Name Team Year
Forward Markus Kennedy SMU Jr.
Forward Austin Nichols Memphis Soph.
Guard Ryan Boatright UConn Sr.
Guard Will Cummings Temple Sr.
Guard Nic Moore SMU Sr.
This post was edited on 10/6 3:18 PM by Halldan1
But SMU isn't far behind, with a roster that goes two-deep at virtually every position and Larry Brown fitting those pieces together. Memphis looks like a clear tourney team, too, but strength at the top of the conference obscures the other story about the AAC: The bottom of the league is brutally bad. With newcomers Tulane and East Carolina joining incumbents South Florida and Central Florida, the rest of the conference should be treated to a host of blowout victories to pump up their records.
Ultimately, how well Cincinnati, Temple, Tulsa and Houston build off that excepted success against the bottom-dwellers will determine the depth of the conference as the AAC tries to prove it is more than just a one-hit wonder.
ESPN: 2014-15 AAC Projected Standings
1. Connecticut Huskies
This time, it's Ryan Boatright's turn. UConn's past two point guards won national titles as seniors, and Boatright is poised to follow the path charted by Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier. Boatright might also have more options around him than either of those stars enjoyed on their championship teams, particularly if sophomore center Amida Brimah emerges as an offensive threat to complement his elite shot-blocking skills (15.1 block percentage). Rodney Purvis was a former top recruit at NC State who should be a scoring force in the backcourt, and freshman swingman Daniel Hamilton can light it up as well. If UConn can get anything out of the 4-spot (which likely will go to sophomore Kentan Facey), a deep backcourt should have the Huskies back in the national championship hunt, especially with Boatright leading the way.
2. SMU Mustangs
Sure, the buzz around the program softened a bit when Emmanuel Mudiay opted to play in China, but this is still a deep, talented squad that can hurt teams both inside and out. Yanick Moreira and Markus Kennedy form a big, explosive frontcourt the likes of which few teams can match, especially if Moreira uses his FIBA World Cup performance (17.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG) as a springboard into the season. Nic Moore (13.6 PPG, 4.9 apg) returns as the catalyst at point guard, Justin Martin should be an impact transfer at small forward, and former McDonald's All-American Keith Frazier is ready for a bigger role at shooting guard. Add in the nation's 17th-ranked defense (94.7 points allowed per 100 possessions), and SMU should have little trouble avenging this past March's NCAA tournament snub.
3. Memphis Tigers
Talk about a change: Memphis will go from the nation's most experienced backcourt to one that might not feature a player with a single minute of Division I experience. Gone are four senior guards, and unless Vanderbilt transfer Kedren Johnson is granted a waiver to play immediately, a core of inexperienced perimeter players will have to run Josh Pastner's offense. The good news is that Austin Nichols and Shaq Goodwin form one of the nation's best 4/5 duos, and sophomores Nick King and Kuran Iverson add versatility and depth to the frontcourt. Expect point guards Dominic Magee and Pookie Powell to play well enough to get the Tigers back into the NCAA tournament and Johnson's status to determine how long they last in March.
4. Cincinnati Bearcats
The Bearcats won't have Sean Kilpatrick to bail them out offensively this season. As a result, despite a deeper, bigger squad, they'll struggle to replicate the past season's 15-3, first-place conference finish. Always a strong defensive squad (0.91 points allowed per possession, eighth in the country), the Bearcats will be bigger and more physical inside this season, thanks to the addition of three 6-foot-10 newcomers (Octavius Ellis, Coreontae DeBerry and Jamaree Strickland). They're part of a totally overhauled frontcourt that will also include a pair of freshman vying for time at power forward (Gary Clark and Quadri Moore). But it's the improvement of the returning players that will be the biggest determining factor for the Bearcats this season; in particular, forward Shaquille Thomas must become a more efficient scorer, and sophomore Troy Caupain must emerge as a point guard who can create easy shots for others. Cincinnati's depth and defense should keep the team in the tourney hunt, but the Bearcats aren't quite good enough to match the top three teams in the conference.
5. Temple Owls
It was an unfamiliar sensation in Philadelphia this past year, as the Owls, plagued by attrition and injuries, went 9-22 for their first losing season since Fran Dunphy's inaugural 2006-07 campaign. But that experience shouldn't linger; this year's squad is deeper, more experienced and more talented. Three key transfers -- all from the Philly area -- will provide a lift. Dunphy has trumpeted 6-foot-8 forward Jaylen Bond's defensive abilities, which should help fix a unit that allowed an un-Owl-like 1.14 points per possession in conference play. Jesse Morgan, a 6-foot-5, fifth-year senior, averaged 13.4 PPG for UMass in 2012-13. And 6-foot-2 Devin Coleman was good enough to land at Clemson out of high school before battling injuries and deciding to transfer back home. Those are legit weapons to playing alongside Will Cummings (16.8 PPG, 4.6 APG) and Quenton DeCosey (15.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG), and the Owls should also receive contributions from highly rated freshman Obi Enechionyia, a 6-foot-8 forward. Together, they should quickly erase memories of the past season's debacle.
6. Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Frank Haith's decision to leave Missouri for Tulsa left plenty of observers scratching their heads this past spring. But there is some logic behind the move, particularly when you look at what Tulsa returns this season. A sparkling junior class already took the Golden Hurricane to the NCAA tournament as sophomores; now they're back and looking for bigger things. That will be harder as they jump into the American, though. Yes, the key quintet from the Class of '16 -- led by top scorer James Woodard -- now have the experience to match their ability. But they'll face a far tougher schedule and have a serious problem to lick: Tulsa shot just 32.7 percent from 3-point range the past season, and only Woodard made more than one 3 per game. The Hurricane did have the nation's 30th-ranked defense (96.3 points per 100 possessions) and forced turnovers on 20.3 percent of possessions. And if Shaquille Harrison can cut down his turnovers while continuing to contribute in a variety of ways, and Rashad Smith and D'Andre Wright hold up against more physical front lines, Tulsa could vault past Temple and Cincinnati into the upper portion of the conference.
7. Houston Cougars
Kelvin Sampson is back in the game, and he inherits a Houston team in transition. Gone are Houston's top two players, TaShawn Thomas (to Oklahoma) and Danuel House (to Texas A&M); neither was pleased by the decision to replace James Dickey with Sampson. Joining the program is JUCO transfer Devonta Pollard, a former McDonald's All-American who should make an immediate impact in the frontcourt. He could form an intriguing interior combo with the rail-thin, 6-foot-10 Danrad "Chicken" Knowles, and the Cougars will get scoring from Jherrod Stiggers and Torian Graham (another JUCO transfer) and playmaking from L.J. Rose. Sampson's main task -- in addition to forming a strong recruiting pipeline -- will be to improve a defense that allowed an obscene 1.13 points per possession in conference games. If the coach solves that issue and the newcomers adjust quickly, Houston could surprise some of the conference favorites.
8. Tulane Green Wave
Tulane heads into its first season in the American with an experienced lineup that held its own in Conference USA the past season. Then again, that's not saying much: The Green Wave also ranked 268th in the nation in offensive efficiency (99.2 points per 100 possessions, per KenPom.com) and 265th in defense (109.5). That they somehow finished 17-17 is a testament to a weak schedule. That said, they have three legit scorers returning in guards Louis Dabney (15.2 PPG), Jonathan Stark (14.5) and Jay Hook (13.9). They'd be better off shifting more of those shots to Hook, who nailed 47.2 percent of his 3-pointers, but if they keep turning it over on 20.1 percent of possessions, that won't matter. Add in a questionable interior, and Tulane isn't ready to make much of a statement in a new conference.
9. East Carolina Pirates
East Carolina steps up in class from Conference USA with the bulk of its team returning. Four of the team's five starters are back. However, those are the same guys who contributed to the nation's 305th-ranked defense (1.12 points allowed per possession), so any enthusiasm should be severely tempered. Plus, the one guy who is missing, guard Akeem Richmond, was far and away the team's leading scorer with 18 PPG. Forward Caleb White appears poised to make strides after an impressive freshman season (12.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG), and senior Paris Roberts-Campbell (11.9 PPG) provides a solid scoring option in the backcourt. But for the Pirates to see any substantial improvement, they'll need 6-foot-3 guard Terry Whisnant, a transfer from Florida State who averaged 5.6 PPG as a sophomore, to perform like a high-major player.
10. UCF Knights
Central Florida will have a different look this season, if for no other reason than Isaiah Sykes, who used a ridiculous 32.8 percent of possessions, is gone. Still, UCF has no double-figure scorers returning, which puts a heavy burden on Kasey Wilson (9.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG), Matt Williams (38.4 percent on 3s) and Staphon Blair (1.5 BPG) to increase their contributions. A pair of local freshmen, 6-foot-6 wing Adonys Henriquez and 6-foot-2 point guard B.J. Taylor, will have a chance to contribute immediately, and 6-foot-9 JUCO transfer Shaheed Davis should help, too. Realistically, though, it should be another long year in Orlando.
11. South Florida Bulls
Orlando Antigua, formerly John Calipari's top assistant at Kentucky, is the new man in charge at South Florida. Unfortunately, he isn't bringing along Cal's players. Heck, he doesn't even have many of Stan Heath's players left. The gang that went 12-20, averaged just 0.95 points per possession in conference games and allowed 1.12 points per trip is almost all gone. Nine players have moved on, including seven transfers. The three returnees (Corey Allen, Anthony Collins and Chris Perry) all contributed the past year, though Collins was limited to just eight games due to a knee injury. But the course of the program will be charted by six freshmen and -- even more importantly -- those to come, as Antigua puts his excellent recruiting skills to work.
2014-15 All-AAC team
Position Name Team Year
Forward Markus Kennedy SMU Jr.
Forward Austin Nichols Memphis Soph.
Guard Ryan Boatright UConn Sr.
Guard Will Cummings Temple Sr.
Guard Nic Moore SMU Sr.
This post was edited on 10/6 3:18 PM by Halldan1
