Previewing The AAC As Conference Season Begins
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - December 30, 2024
The page officially turns to conference play this week for the American Athletic Conference teams.
UAB is one of six teams tipping off AAC play on Tuesday. The Blazers play at North Texas while Tulane is at Charlotte and East Carolina visits South Florida. Perhaps the premier conference opening game comes on Thursday when Memphis, the lone nationally ranked team in The American, visits FAU.
Following is a look at each team as they move on from non-conference play.
MEMPHIS (10-3)
NET ranking: 40
Key players: G P.J. Haggerty (22.1 points per game, 2 steals per game, 3.54 assists per game), G Tyrese Hunter (15 ppg, 38 3-pointers, 45.2 percent 3-point shooting), F Dain Dainja (11 ppg, 6.6 rebounds per game)
Best wins: UConn (99-97, OT), Michigan State (71-63), Ole Miss (87-70), Clemson (87-82, OT), Missouri (83-75)
Worst loss: Arkansas State (85-72)
Overview: Haggerty enters play in The American as the favorite to win the conference player of the year. The 6-foot-3 guard scored more than 20 points in nine of the team’s 13 non-conference games and was in double figures in each game. Colby Rogers was the leading 3-point shooter in The American at Wichita State last season. He currently is second on the Memphis team behind Hunter in 3-point shots made.
WICHITA STATE (10-3)
NET ranking: 107
Key players: G Justin Hill (14 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.2 apg), C Quincy Ballard (9.2 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 blocks per game, 74.6 FG percent), F Corey Washington (12.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg)
Best wins: The only NET Top 100 win was a 79-73 triumph over Northern Iowa. But the Shockers also had wins over Minnesota (68-66 OT) and Western Kentucky (91-84).
Worst loss: Kansas City, which is No. 241 in the NET, beat Wichita State, 74-64.
Overview: The Shockers have the lowest amount of 3-pointers made (68) and attempted (222) in the conference. Wichita State is the conference leader in defensive rebounds (28.7 per game) and last in offensive rebounds (9.17 pg). The 6-foot-11 Ballard leads the conference in blocked shots.
NORTH TEXAS (9-3)
NET ranking: 72
Key players: G Atin Wright (12.8 ppg, 29 3-pointers), G Jasper Floyd (8.3 ppg, 3.9 apg), F Johnathan Massie (9.2 ppg, 5 rpg)
Best wins: Top 100 NET wins over No. 51 Oregon State (58-55), No. 80 Northern Iowa (68-48)
Worst losses: No bad losses. Losses were to McNeese State, High Point, Utah State.
Overview: The deliberate style and physical defense has not changed. The Mean Green leads The American in scoring defense (56.5 ppg) and scoring margin (plus-11.42) and is last in scoring offense (67.9 ppg). The Mean Green is also 7-0 at home.
RICE (9-4)
NET ranking: 145
Key players: G Trae Broadnax (14.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 4.4 apg), G Alem Huseinovic (9.5 ppg, 30 3 pointers, 42.3 percent 3-point FGs), F Kellen Amos (10.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg)
Best wins: The only Top 100 win came over No. 98 Arkansas State (75-67).
Worst losses: Lost to NAIA UNT-Dallas (69-68), Hofstra (68-63 OT), Texas State (75-66)
Overview: It wasn’t a challenging non-conference slate but the Owls did get some confidence under first-year coach Rob Lanier, who came on board after being let go at SMU. There were also some hard-to-explain losses. Caden Powell, a 6-foot-10 Wyoming transfer, leads the conference in offensive rebounds per game (3.46).
EAST CAROLINA (8-5)
NET ranking: 210
Key players: G R.J. Felton (17.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 25 3-pointers), F C.J. Walker (16.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg), G Jordan Riley (13. Ppg, 5.9 rpg, 24 steals)
Best win: The lone NET Top 100 win was a 78-77 double overtime win over No. 89 George Mason.
Worst loss: Dropped an 84-79 decision to No. 199 Gardner-Webb.
Overview: The Pirates are 1-4 over their last five games with three of those losses coming at home. UAB is the only conference team that grabs more offensive rebounds per game than the Pirates. Felton was an All-AAC third team selection last season and a first team All-AAC preseason honoree this season.
TEMPLE (8-5)
NET ranking: 126
Key players: G Jamal Mashburn Jr. (20.1 ppg, 26 3-pointers, 44.1 percent 3-point shooting), C Steve Settle III (12.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg), G Quante Berry (8.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 21 steals)
Best wins: Davidson (62-60), UMass (87-80)
Worst losses: Boston College (72-69), LaSalle (83-75)
Overview: The Owls were hurt by the transfer portal but also helped by the addition of Mashburn, who was a three-time All-Mountain West Conference player at New Mexico. Mashburn has established himself as the leader at Temple. Settle, a 6-foot-10 senior, was an All-AAC Tournament selection last year as the underdog Owls advanced to the championship game before losing to UAB.
CHARLOTTE (7-6)
NET ranking: 240
Key players: G Nik Graves (17.3 ppg, 3.1 apg), C Giancarlo Rosado (13.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 3.1 apg), Robert Braswell IV (13 ppg, 21 3-pointers, 44.7 percent 3-point shooting)
Best wins: Murray State (94-90, 2 OT), Richmond (65-48)
Worst losses: Long Island University (79-76), Hawaii (78-61), ETSU (75-55)
Overview: Another team that was forced to adjust after key transfer portal losses. The 49ers score 73.85 points per game and allow 73.77 points per game. They have the smallest scoring margin in the conference.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC (7-6)
NET ranking: 90
Key players: F Kaleb Glenn (13.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg), C Baba Miller (11 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 18 blocks), G Leland Walker (10.8 ppg, 4.8 apg)
Best wins: Liberty (77-74 OT), Oklahoma State (86-78)
Worst loss: Florida Gulf Coast (80-78)
Overview: The Owls have one of the more talented rosters in the conference. Glenn comes off the bench to lead FAU in scoring. KyKy Tandy and Ken Evans Jr. combined for 54 3-pointers thus far. The Owls also lead The American in assists. FAU opens up AAC play on Thursday at home against Memphis.
UAB (7-6)
NET ranking: 206
Key players: F Yaxel Lendeborg (16.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.4 apg, 21 steals, 18 blocks), Christian Coleman (12.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg), Efrem “Butta” Johnson (10.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
Best win: Southern Miss (99-84)
Worst loss: Vermont (67-62)
Overview: Can the Blazers turn things around during conference play? They can’t unless they play with more consistency and edge. The Blazers have a tough AAC opener at North Texas but the Blazers follow with games against Tulsa and Tulane at home.
UTSA (6-6)
NET ranking: 219
Key players: G Primo Spears (22.3 ppg, 3.4 apg, 23 3-pointers, 21 steals), G Marcus Millender (11.1 ppg, 3.4 apg, 20 3-pointers), F Damari Monsanto (11.1 ppg, 36 3-pointers, 41.4 percent 3-point shooting)
Best wins: North Dakota (80-76, 95-85)
Worst losses: Army (78-75), Arkansas-Little Rock (81-64)
Overview: Spears, a Florida State transfer, is the leading scorer in The American heading into conference play. UTSA is 4-1 at home and 1-5 on the road.
USF (7-6)
NET ranking: 214
Key players: G Jayden Reid (12.5 ppg, 4.5 apg, 20 steals, 24 3-pointers), G Kobe Knox (10.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg), G Brandon Stroud (8.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 23 steals)
Best win: Portland (74-68)
Worst loss: Loyola-Chicago (74-72)
Overview: Last season’s regular season AAC champions are 5-1 at home and 0-3 in true road games. Jamille Reynolds, a 6-foot-11 transfer from Cincinnati, is a force in the middle. Reynolds also played at UCF and Temple.
TULANE (6-7)
NET ranking: 220
Key players: F Kaleb Banks (17.9 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 22 3-pointers, 15 blocked shots), G Rowan Brumbaugh (13.2 ppg, 5 apg), F Kam Williams (10 ppg, 4 rpg, 30 3-pointers, 41.7 percent 3-point shooting)
Best win: Southern Miss (86-58)
Worst losses: New Orleans (93-87), Southeastern Louisiana (71-67)
Overview: Brumbaugh, a Georgetown transfer, leads The American in assists per game. The Green is first in the conference in blocked shots per game (5.54) and third in scoring defense (67.15 ppg). Tulane is 2-6 over its last eight games.
TULSA (6-7)
NET ranking: 305
Key players: G Keaston Willis (14 ppg, 39 3-pointers, 41.5 percent 3-point shooting), G Dwon Odom (12.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.2 apg) G Tyshawn Archie (12 ppg, 23 3-pointers)
Best win: Oral Roberts (85-76)
Worst losses: Georgia State (74-71), Southern University (70-66), Arkansas-Little Rock (71-57)
Overview: Willis, Archie and Braeden Carrington combined for 86 of the team’s 121 3-pointers this season. Tulsa has five players averaging at least 26 minutes per game. Carrington is perhaps the team’s most versatile player.