NEW YORK – With six returning players, including two starters, from last year’s NCAA Championship team, UConn has been tabbed as the favorite to win the 2015 American Athletic Conference men’s basketball title in the conference’s preseason coaches’ poll.
UConn senior guard Ryan Boatright, the top returning scorer from the national championship team, was chosen as the American Athletic Conference Preseason Player of the Year. UConn freshman Daniel Hamilton was named The American’s Preseason Rookie of the Year.
The Huskies edged SMU as the preseason favorite with 96 points in the balloting of the coaches, who could not vote for their own teams. UConn received six first-place votes, while the Mustangs claimed the other five.
UConn won its fourth NCAA title last season, becoming one of just six schools with at least four national championships (joining UCLA, Kentucky, Indiana, North Carolina and Duke). The Huskies, who went 32-8 overall and 12-6 in the American Athletic Conference, improved to 8-1 all-time in the Final Four, with the .889 winning percentage standing as the best in tournament history. Head coach Kevin Ollie, who won the national title in his second year in Storrs, will look to two returning starters in his bid to repeat. Boatright was an NCAA Final Four all-tournament selection last year who averaged 12.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in 2013-14, while sophomore Amida Brimah started 17 games last year and averaged 4.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. In addition to his selection as Preseason Player of the Year, Boatright was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Conference First Team, while Brimah was tabbed for the Second Team.
SMU, which had 94 points in the preseason poll, went 27-10 in its second year under Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown as the Mustangs reached the championship game of the National Invitation Tournament. Brown welcomes three starters back to the fold this season, including guard Nic Moore (13.6 ppg, 4.9 apg) and forward Markus Kennedy (12.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg), who were both unanimous Preseason All-Conference selections.
Memphis was third in the preseason poll with 82 points. The Tigers went 24-10 overall and 12-6 in The American last season and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Championship. Coach Josh Pastner has two starters returning from that team as Preseason All-Conference forwards Shaq Goodwin (11.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and Austin Nichols (9.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg) lead the way. Goodwin was a Second-Team All-Conference selection last year, while Nichols was The American’s Rookie of the Year.
Cincinnati was fourth in the preseason poll with 71 points. The Bearcats, who tied for the American Athletic Conference regular-season title last year, look for their fifth straight NCAA tournament appearance, but will do so without All-America guard Sean Kilpatrick, who is one of three starters lost from last year. Head coach Mick Cronin will rely on forward Shaquille Thomas, who averaged 6.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game last year and is the top returning scorer.
Tulsa was picked fifth in the preseason poll with 62 points. The Golden Hurricane returns four starters from last year’s squad which won a share of the Conference USA regular-season title and won the league’s tournament title. Tulsa fell to UCLA in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Hurricane looks to guard James Woodard, who averaged 15.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last year, to lead the way for new head coach Frank Haith. Woodard was chosen to The American’s Preseason All-Conference First Team.
Temple was tabbed sixth in the preseason poll with 59 points. The Owls struggled through a 9-22 season in 2013-14, but head coach Fran Dunphy has three returning starters, including a pair of double-figure scorers. Guard Will Cummings (16.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and forward Quenton DeCosey (15.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg) were both named to the Preseason All-Conference Second Team.
Houston was seventh in the preseason poll with 39 points. The Cougars went 17-16 last season and reached the semifinal round of the American Athletic Conference Championship, but will have a new look in 2014-15. Head coach Kelvin Sampson – the former Indiana and Oklahoma coach – has seven newcomers in the fold to join five returning players. Guard L.J. Rose, who led The American in assists last season (5.5 apg), is the top returning player.
USF was eighth in the poll. The Bulls were 12-20 last season, and first-year head coach Orlando Antigua has just three players with Division I playing experience on his roster. Guard Anthony Collins was chosen to the Preseason All-Conference Second Team as he looks for a successful return from a knee injury that limited him to eight games last season.
UCF was picked ninth in the preseason poll. The Knights, who reached the quarterfinal round of the American Athletic Conference Championship and battled top-seeded Cincinnati to a three-point game, return two starters from last year’s team. Senior forward Kasey Wilson (9.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg) will provide veteran leadership
East Carolina was 10th in the preseason poll. The Pirates finished last season at 17-17 and reached the CollegeInsider.com Tournament for the second straight year. Head coach Jeff Lebo has four starters returning from last year, including forward Caleb White, who averaged 12.4 points per game.
Tulane was 11th in the poll. The Green Wave has four starters returning from last year’s team, which went 17-17 overall and 8-8 in Conference USA and played in the College Basketball Invitational. Tulane returns its top six scorers from last year and is the only team in The American to return three double-figure scorers. Guard Louis Dabney leads the contingent with 15.2 points per game.
The 2014-15 season begins Nov. 14, while conference play begins with five league games on New Year’s Eve. Seven of the 11 teams in The American this year played in the 2014 postseason, while the 2014-15 season will be the second straight year in which the conference has the previous season’s NCAA champion in its ranks.
The 2015 American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship will take place March 12-15 at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
2014-15 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL |
| Rank |
Team (First-Place Votes) |
| 1. |
UConn (6) |
| 2. |
SMU (5) |
| 3. |
Memphis |
| 4. |
Cincinnati |
| 5. |
Tulsa |
| 6. |
Temple |
| 7. |
Houston |
| 8. |
USF |
| 9. |
UCF |
| 10. |
East Carolina |
| 11. |
Tulane |
2014-15 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
PRESEASON INDIVIDUAL HONORS |
|
Preseason Player of the Year
|
| Ryan Boatright, G, Sr., UConn |
|
Preseason Rookie of the Year
|
| Daniel Hamilton, G/F, Fr., UConn |
| Preseason All-Conference Teams |
| 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 |
| Second Team |
| Amida Brimah, C, UConn |
| Anthony Collins, G, USF |
| Chris Perry, F, USF |
| Will Cummings, G, Temple |
| Quenton DeCosey, G, Temple |
| * unanimous selection |
They are joined by the South Carolina Gamecocks, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Tennessee Volunteers and Texas A&M Aggies in the top five.
They are joined by the Florida State Seminoles, Auburn Tigers and Ole Miss Rebels in the top four. If the season ended today, those would be the four teams in the College Football Playoffs.