The RoundHouse | 11/9/2017 11:29:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Three questions for American Athletic Conference men's basketball:
 
1. Who is the real favorite?
 
Wichita State gets an edge in the national polls (No. 7 in the AP, No. 8 in USA Today) by five spots over Cincinnati. American coaches voted the Bearcats a slight favorite.
It is possible both teams represent the best produced by their current coaches. It is possible both play deep into the NCAA Tournament. Is it possible they can provide another defining moment for the young conference by meeting in San Antonio?
 
2. How will November and December go?
 
The American went 7-50 vs. teams in the Ken Pomeroy top 25 last season and 36-90 vs. the RPI top 100. Those numbers must improve.
 
3. What is the best way to give this conference some pub early in the season?
 
Connecticut plays in the Phil Knight Invitational in November, where it opens against Oregon and could face Michigan State. It also plays Syracuse in Madison Square Garden and at Arizona. A few wins will put the American's biggest brand back in the national spotlight.
 
American Athletic Conference capsules (in predicted order of finish) 

1. Wichita State
Last season: 31-5, 17-1 MVC (NCAA Tournament 1-1)
Coach: Gregg Marshall (11^th season)
NCAA appearances: 14 (2017 most recent)
One sentence: The Shockers are in a conference with Cincinnati, Memphis, Connecticut, Tulsa and SMU and how do you like that, NCAA selection committee?
Key players: G Landry Shamet is back in time to get in shape for big games in the Maui Invitational. If G Conner Frankamp continues to show the dynamic scoring and passing skills of recent competition, a great offense improves.
 
2. Cincinnati
Last season: 30-6, 16-2 AAC (NCAA Tournament 1-1)
Coach: Mick Cronin (12^th season)
NCAA appearances: 31 (2017)
One sentence: Cronin thinks this is his best team, which means the Bearcats will make an eighth straight trip to the NCAAs and should advance.
Key players: F Kyle Washington averaged 12.9 points and 6.8 rebounds last season. G Cane Broome, a transfer from Sacred Heart, is expected to juice up the offense. F Gary Clark averaged 10.8 points and 7.9 rebounds.
 
3. Central Florida
Last season: 24-12, 11-7 (NIT semifinals)
Coach: Johnny Dawkins
NCAA appearances: 4 (2005)
One sentence: The Knights led the nation by holding opponents to 36.5 percent shooting.
Key players: C Tacko Fall made 71.5 percent of his shots and blocked 2.6 shots a game. G B.J. Taylor averaged 17.4 points. G Aubrey Dawkins, son of the coach, will miss the season with a shoulder injury. He is a transfer from Michigan who was expected to play a significant role.
 
4. Connecticut
Last season: 16-17, 9-9
Coach: Kevin Ollie (Sixth season)
NCAA appearances: 33 (2016)
One sentence: Ollie brings in eight newcomers after the Huskies missed the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons.
Key players: G Jalen Adams averaged 14.4 points and 6.1 assists as a sophomore. A shoulder injury ended G Alterique Gilbert's freshman season after three games and coaches named him American preseason Rookie of the Year. He was a McDonald's All-American and Mr. Georgia Basketball in high school.
 
5. SMU
Last season: 30-5, 17-1 (NCAA 0-1)
Coach: Tim Jankovich (Second season)
NCAA appearances: 12 (2017)
One sentence: The Mustangs are the American's foremost advocates of small-ball with an aggressive defense and unselfish, patient offense.
Key players:  G Shake Milton is the American's preseason Player of the Year. He averaged 13 points and 4.5 assists last season. G Jahmal McMurray, from Topeka, transferred to SMU from South Florida. He averaged 15.2 points as a freshman in 2015-16.
 
6. Temple
Last season: 16-16, 7-11
Coach: Fran Dunphy (12^th season)
NCAA appearances: 32 (2016)
One sentence: The return of G Josh Brown, out last season with an Achilles injury, makes the Owls tougher and a good pick to surprise.
Key players: G Shizz Alston ranked second in the American in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.7. G Quinton Rose earned a spot on the American's All-Rookie team after averaging 10.1 points.
 
7. Houston
Last season: 21-11, 12-6 (NIT 0-1)
Coach: Kelvin Sampson (Fourth season)
NCAA appearances: 19 (2010)
One sentence: The Cougars led the American in avoiding turnovers (14.9 percent of possessions ended with a turnover) and ranked second forcing turnovers (20.4 percent), according to kenpom.com, last season.
Key players: G Rob Gray led the conference in scoring at 20.6 points, shooting 38.2 percent behind the arc. He scored 25 points and handed out 11 assists in an 81-78 exhibition win over Baylor. G Wes VanBeck made 48.4 percent of his three-pointers last season (46 of 95).
 
8. Tulsa
Last season: 15-17, 8-10
Coach: Frank Haith
NCAA appearances: 16 (2016)
One sentence: The Hurricane return 75.8 percent of the minutes and 78.1 percent of the scoring from last season.
Key players: F Junior Etou averaged 12.6 points and 6.7 rebounds last season. G Corey Henderson Jr., who started his career at Wichita State, averaged 8.7 points.
 
9. Memphis
Last season: 19-13, 9-9
Coach: Tubby Smith
NCAA appearances: 26 (2014)
One sentence: Nine newcomers need to revive this proud program after a bad off-season.
Key players: F Kyvon Davenport, a junior transfer, scored 19 points and blocked three shots in a 101-78 exhibition win over LeMoyne-Owen. G Jeremiah Martin, a returner who started all 32 games, averaged 10.3 points and 4.4 assists.
 
10. Tulane
Last season: 6-25, 3-15
Coach: Mike Dunleavy
NCAA appearances: 3 (1995)
One sentence: The Green Wave led the American in tempo and shortest possession length (16 seconds per possession) last season, according to kenpom.com.
Key players: G Cameron Reynolds earned American Most Improved Player honors last season. He averaged 17 points and 6.8 rebounds. G Jordan Cornish, a transfer from UNLV, scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds in an 84-74 exhibition win over LSU.
 
11. East Carolina
Last season: 15-18, 6-12
Coach: Jeff Lebo
NCAA appearances: 2 (1993)
One sentence: The Pirates aren't moving up until they can shoot – 29.6 percent from three-point range and 42.2 percent inside the arc in conference games last season.
Key players: F Kentrell Barkley averaged 13.2 points and 7.6 rebounds last season. He totaled 18 points in a round-robin scrimmage against North Carolina, North Carolina-Greensboro and North Carolina-Wilmington in a benefit for hurricane relief. G Isaac Fleming, a transfer, scored 14 points on the day. He averaged 9.5 points and 2.2 assists in two seasons at Hawaii.
 
12. South Florida
Last season: 7-23, 1-17
Coach: Brian Gregory (First season)
NCAA appearances: 3 (2012)
One sentence: It is a total rebuild for the Bulls, who added 10 newcomers, three of them graduate transfers, and a new coach.
Key players: F Payton Banks, a transfer from Penn State, made 6 of 7 three-pointers and scored 19 points in a 94-66 exhibition win over Flagler. He started 13 games last season at Penn State and averaged 10.2 points. G Stephan Jiggetts earned third-team All-Northeast Conference honors last season at Fairleigh Dickinson. He averaged 13.5 points and 4.2 assists. He scored 12 points and handed out five assists in the exhibition.
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.