Cincinnati Voted as Preseason Favorite in the American, UConn Second

In the closest preseason poll in American Athletic Conference history, Cincinnati was tabbed as the favorite to win the 2016-17 American Athletic Conference men’s basketball regular-season title, in voting of the conference’s head coaches.

Cincinnati senior guard Troy Caupain and Memphis sophomore Dedric Lawson were chosen as the American Athletic Conference Preseason Co-Players of the Year. For the fourth straight season, a UConn player was selected as The American’s Preseason Rookie of the Year, with Alterique Gilbert collecting honors this year.

The Bearcats edged UConn as the preseason favorite with 95 points to the Huskies’ 94 in the balloting of the coaches, who could not vote for their own teams. Cincinnati received six first-place votes, while UConn claimed the other five.

2016-17 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL
Rank	Team (First-Place Votes)	Pts.
1.	Cincinnati (6)	95
2.	UConn (5)	94
3.	SMU	76
4.	Houston	75
5.	Memphis	63
6.	Temple	56
7.	East Carolina	39
8.	UCF	37
9.	Tulsa	34
10.	USF	25
11.	Tulane	11
2016-17 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PRESEASON INDIVIDUAL HONORS
	Preseason Co-Players of the Year
	Troy Caupain, G, Sr., Cincinnati Dedric Lawson, G/F, So., Memphis
	Preseason Rookie of the Year
	Alterique Gilbert, G, Fr., UConn
	Preseason All-Conference Teams
	First Team
	Troy Caupain, G, Cincinnati*
	Gary Clark, F, Cincinnati*
	Dedric Lawson, G/F, Memphis
	Ben Moore, F, SMU
	Damyean Dotson, G, Houston
	Second Team
	Shake Milton, G, SMU
	Jalen Adams, G, UConn
	Jahmal McMurray, G, USF
	Rob Gray, Jr., G, Houston
	B.J. Tyson, G, East Carolina
	* unanimous selection

 

 

 

Cincinnati reached the NCAA Tournament for the sixth consecutive season in 2015-16, making it one of just eight schools do have done so. Led by Caupain, a first team All-American Conference pick a year ago, along with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Gary Clark, the Bearcats will be bolstered by Jerry West Award nominee Jacob Evans III and newcomers Jarron Cumberland and Kyle Washington.

 

UConn advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year and will be breaking in a consensus top 10 recruiting class in 2016-17, headlined by Gilbert, the 12^th McDonald’s All-American to join the UConn program. Head coach Kevin Ollie will blend that youth with several veterans, including 2014-15 American Defensive Player of the Year Amida Brimah, Rodney Purvis and last year’s American Preseason Rookie of the Year, Jalen Adams.

 

SMU is looking to maintain one of the nation’s most efficient offenses as Tim Jankovich slides down the bench to replace Larry Brown. Led by the inside-out combination of Ben Moore (11.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Shake Milton (10.5 ppg, 2.7 apg), the Mustangs return three starters from last year’s team, which finished second in The American. Sterling Brown’s .536 3-point field-goal percentage set an American record in 2015-16.

 

Houston’s nine-win improvement from 2014-15 (13) to last year (22) was the 12^th-best in the nation. The Cougars led The American in scoring last year at 77.4 ppg and return three starters from last year’s NIT squad. Head coach Kelvin Sampson will lean on preseason all-conference picks Damyean Dotson (13.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and Rob Gray, Jr. (16.0 ppg), along with point guard Galen Robinson, Jr., who was just the sixth freshman in Houston history with over 100 assists in a season.

 

Memphis will have a new leader of the program, as Tubby Smith brings his vast credentials to FedExForum, including a national title and taking five different programs to the NCAA Tournament. After a record-setting freshman campaign that saw him notch an American-record 17 double-doubles and average 15.8 ppg and 9.3 rpg, Lawson went through the NBA Draft Combine before returning to campus.

 

Temple was tabbed sixth in the preseason poll for the third consecutive year. In each of the previous two season, the Owls have defied the poll, finishing in a tie for third in 2014-15 and capturing The American regular-season crown last year. Obi Enechionyia came on down the stretch last year, averaging 11.0 ppg, while the Owls will rely on Josh Brown’s steady hand at the point (4.9 apg, 3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio).

 

East Carolina brings back three of its four top scorers from last season, fueling optimism amongst Jeff Lebo’s squad. B.J. Tyson, a preseason all-conference second team selection, is just one of three players in ECU history to go over 800 career points in his first two seasons. Senior Caleb White (12.5 ppg) and 2015-16 all-rookie team pick Kentrell Barkley (10.1 ppg) also return for the Pirates.

 

UCF took eighth in the preseason poll. Head coach Johnny Dawkins brings a winning pedigree from his time at Duke and Stanford and will rely upon A.J. Davis (12.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg), Matt Williams (8.1 ppg) and Tacko Fall (2.3 bpg). UCF also will look to B.J. Taylor’s return to health. Taylor, an all-rookie team selection in 2014-15, missed last season due to injury.

 

Tulsa earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament last season, marking the fourth straight season in which the Golden Hurricane reached the postseason. This year, head coach Frank Haith will be breaking in nine newcomers to his squad. Pat Birt (12.0 ppg) is the team’s lone returning starter.

 

USF is looking forward to pairing Jahmal McMurray and Troy Holston in its backcourt. McMurray, a preseason second team all-conference pick, led the team with 15.2 ppg last year as part of an all-rookie campaign. Holston missed the 2015-16 season due to injury. Big man Ruben Guerrero earned both the American Athletic Conference and NCAA Division I Sportsmanship Awards in the offseason.

 

Tulane was 11th in the poll. The Green Wave will be led by a new voice, as Mike Dunleavy, Sr., moves into the collegiate ranks after a decorated 31-year career in the NBA as a player, coach and executive. Tulane will bring back two starters from last year’s team, led by senior Malik Morgan, who posted 12.4 points per game.