The college basketball season is almost here, and with it all of the hopes and expectations that come around this time of year.
It’s no different in the American Athletic Conference, as they held their media day in New York and the AAC coaches made their annual preseason predictions.
The Memphis Tigers came in third in the preseason poll for the second year in a row. The Tigers went 24-10 last season and made it to the third round of the NCAA Tournament, losing to No.1 seed Virginia in the third round. The Tigers will have to replace the production of the four senior guards from last season: Joe Jackson, Michael Dixon Jr., Chris Crawford and Geron Johnson. The quartet combined for 43.5 points a game last season.
Coach Josh Pastner will be hoping for the next-man-up theory to work for the Tigers this season. The two who will be looked on to step up the most are forwards Shaq Goodwin and Austin Nichols. Goodwin averaged 11.5 points and 6.5 rebounds last season, while Nichols averaged 9.3 points and 4.3 rebounds and was named the AAC Rookie of the Year.
Goodwin, a junior, and Nichols, a sophomore, both received preseason AAC first team nods on Wednesday. They are joined by Ryan Boatright, Nic Moore, Markus Kennedy and James Woodard on the first team.
In the backcourt, Memphis will be relying on junior guard Kedren Johnson to show some leadership for a young backcourt. A transfer from Vanderblit. Johnson, did not play last season due to suspension, but when he last played in the 2012-13 season, he averaged 13.5 points, 3.6 assists and 3.5 rebounds.
The coaches picked UConn to carry on their momentum after winning the AAC conference tournament and national championship a season ago and win the American regular season title (coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.)
The Huskies will have compensate for the departures of point guard Shabazz Napier and guard DeAndre Daniels. They were the top two scorers on the national championship squad last season, combining for over 31 points a game.
This season, UConn coach Kevin Ollie will be leaning heavily on senior guard Ryan Boatright, who was picked as the AAC Preseason Player of the Year by the coaches. Boatright is the top scorer left from last season’s team, averaging 12.1 points and 3.5 rebounds.
UConn will also be relying on growth from center Amida Brimah. Brimah started 17 games last season and improved as the season wore on, averaging 4.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks a game. In addition, UConn freshman Daniel Hamilton was named AAC Preseason Rookie of the Year.
The SMU Mustangs were picked to finish second in the poll. The Mustangs are coming off a season in which they finished 27-10, but were the first top-25 team in the last 10 years to miss the NCAA Tournament. They did make the final of the National Invitational Tournament losing to Minnesota in the NIT championship game.
However, the Mustangs will be without prized recruit Emmanuel Mudiay. The point guard had eligibility issues and forewent college to sign a one-year deal to play in China. Despite the loss, coach Larry Brown is welcoming back three starters this season, including guard Nic Moore, who averaged 13.6 points and 4.9 assists a game last season, and forward Markus Kennedy, who averaged 12.4 points and 7.1 rebounds.
The Cincinnati Bearcats round out the top four. The Bearcats were co-AAC regular season champions last season along with Louisville, who have since departed to the ACC.
The Bearcats will be hoping to make the NCAA tournament for the fifth straight time, but they will have to do without last year’s leading scorer and All-America guard Sean Kilpatrick, who has since graduated and one of three starters gone from last year’s team. Coach Mick Cronin will be hoping Shaquille Thomas, the leading scorer from last year’s team, will step up. Thomas averaged 6.8 points and 3.1 rebounds.
AAC regular season conference play begins on New Year’s Eve.
AAC Preseason All-Conference First Team:
Ryan Boatright, G, UConn
Shaq Goodwin, F, Memphis
Austin Nichols, F, Memphis
Nic Moore, G, SMU
Markus Kennedy, F, SMU
James Woodard, G, Tulsa
AAC Preseason All-Conference Second Team:
Amida Brimah, C, UConn
Anthony Collins, G, USF
Chris Perry, F, USF
Will Cummings, G, Temple
Quenton DeCosey, G, Temple
AAC Preseason Player of the Year
Ryan Boatright, G, UConn
AAC Freshman of the Year
UConn, F, Daniel Hamilton
