The RoundHouse | 11/9/2017 11:41:00 AM

 
By Paul Suellentrop
 
Bigger and better athletes, elite coaching resumes, travel. Those new obstacles are easy to figure for Wichita State as it moves to the American Athletic Conference.
 
Although the 12-team American is a diverse group, the Shockers appear to fit well into the style of play. Wichita State values defense. Wichita State controls the tempo, running when it can, not in a 40-minute rush.
 
The Shockers join a conference where defense is played almost from top to bottom at a level comparable to other top conferences. It is, according to Ken Pomeroy's statistics, more of a defensive-minded conference than the Missouri Valley Conference. 
 
"The American is the perfect landing spot for Wichita State," said Mark Adams, who will serve as analyst on American games for ESPN. "(Cincinnati coach) Mick Cronin and Gregg Marshall could be kindred spirits …  (with) their ability to play grind-it-out, defensive-oriented basketball games and figure out ways to win."
 
In conference play last season, nine of the 11 American schools averaged below 70 points. Ten of the 11 shot 43 percent or lower from the field. American champion SMU and runner-up Cincinnati held teams below 60 points in conference games.
 
"I feel the defensive end is probably ahead of the offensive end in this conference," said ESPN analyst Mark Wise. "You have to grind out some games."
 
No matter the strategy, American coaches focus on defense.
 
Last season, seven of the 11 American teams ranked in the top 100 of Ken Pomeroy's defensive efficiency statistic, as did Wichita State at No. 13. The compares with the ACC (nine of 15), SEC (12 of 14), Pac 12 (six of 12) and Big 12 (nine of 10). Two MVC teams, not counting Wichita State, ranked in the top 100 for points allowed per possession.
 
Cincinnati is physical, the tough-minded bully of the American. SMU plays rangy athletes who can guard all over the court and switch screens. Central Florida controls the lane with shot-blocking center Tacko Fall. Houston is known for smart team defense and Kelvin Sampson is another coach known to demanding his teams play hard for 40 minutes.
 
"Like Wichita State, (Houston) will bring a nasty, stingy defensive mind-set to every game," Adams said.
 
 
The story is similar for pace of play, as measured by number of possessions in a game. One American team – Tulane – ranked in the top 100 nationally last season. The Green Wave was No. 64 with 70.4 possessions a game (the Shockers ranked No. 191 at 67.9). Five ACC teams ranked in the top 100, with four from the Big 12.
 
Eight of the 11 American teams ranked in the bottom half for tempo. In the MVC, two schools (Indiana State and Drake) ranked in the top 100; the remaining eight ranked 191 or lower.
 
Among the 32 NCAA Division I conferences, the American ranked No. 32, No. 30 and No. 30 the past three seasons for tempo. The MVC ranked No. 30, No. 29 and No. 32.
 
"The American is more of a diverse style," said Pete Gillen of CBS Sports Network. "Some teams are really physical, tremendous defensive teams. There will be more changing of defenses. More zone presses. More zones. More full-court pressure. More 94-feet, up and down."
 
Long rebounds, turnovers and bad shots can turn into fast breaks. There are not many teams who want to play fast at all times.
 
"It's a counter-punching style," Wise said. "Everybody will look to run – they're not afraid to run. But if you score, after makes they tend to walk it up. There are very few teams that push it up after you score."
 
The upgrade in personnel is obvious.
 
"You're playing against some big-time big men, which you rarely saw in the Missouri Valley," Lappas said.
 
The backcourts, however, may be even stronger.
 
SMU guard Shake Milton is the preseason Player of the Year. Guards Landry Shamet (Wichita State), Rob Gray (Houston), B.J. Taylor (Central Florida) and Jalen Adams (Connecticut) join him on the preseason all-conference team. Five big men are relegated to the second team.
 
Connecticut guard Alterique Gilbert was voted preseason Rookie of the Year. Cincinnati guard Cane Broome is perhaps the conference's most-hyped newcomer.
 
"It's a league of great point guards," Wise said. "Wichita State will also fit in nicely there."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.